What You NEED To Know Before Renting a Car In Orlando

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If you’re planning to fly into to Orlando to visit Walt Disney World or Universal, you might be wondering if you need a rental car.

Many people rely on Uber or other private transportation to get from the airport to the theme park area, then use the complimentary transportation to get around once they are there. 

But there are some situations in which you will probably benefit from renting a car in Orlando. Read on to find out when it makes sense plus get TONS of tips to make your rental experience both cheaper and easier!

Should You Rent A Car In Orlando?

I’ve been to Orlando more times than I can count (at least 40 trips from Ohio and North Carolina) and I have used every form of ground transportation imaginable. 

Most people will fly into Orlando International Airport (MCO), so I am going to stick with recommendations for this airport. 

Here are my general guidelines for deciding if you need a rental car on your visit: 

• If you are staying at a Disney-owned resort (here’s my guide to figuring out what this means) and are only visiting the Disney theme parks, you will NOT need a car. Disney transporation is excellent and better than driving yourself, so just plan to find a way to and from the airport via Uber or through private transportation such as Away We Go (get a discount when you join my $7/month membership). 
• If you are staying at an off-property Disney World resort, I suggest evaluating the total cost of renting a car and paying to park it at the theme parks and your resort versus taking an Uber or Lyft everywhere. It costs $30/day to park at the Disney theme parks and parking at your resort can range from $10 to $45 per day, so make sure you include this in your calculations. Get a ride estimate from Uber here. 
• If you are visiting both Disney World and Universal you may want a rental car to get around. Again be sure to evaluate the costs including parking. 

How To Find The Best Rates

I’ve used every tool under the sun to find deals and my go-to is using Priceline to book my rental cars. 

I’ve used other tools in the past such as AutoSlash and Kayak and guess where they always send me to complete the booking? You got it – Priceline. 

I strongly suggest narrowing your results to only those cars available on airport.

You will pay more BUT the convenience and time saved on your vacation is completely worth it. Don’t be tempted by the ultra cheap rentals that require a shuttle – they are not worth the hassle.

I also suggest opting for free cancellation. Why? Prices often drop a week before your trip so you can cancel and rebook at the lower rate! You can limit your search results to those with free cancellation in Priceline as well. 

Overall rentals are on the cheaper side since there is so much competition in Orlando. You can expect to pay between $10-$30 per day depending on the vehicle. 

Here are all of the companies that have cars available right at the Orlando International Airport:

• Alamo
• Avis (avoid)
• Budget (avoid)
• Dollar
• Enterprise
• Hertz
• National 
• Payless (avoid)
• Sixt
• Thrifty

I have rented the most with Hertz and Thrifty and have never had a bad experience. I suggest avoiding Avis, Budget, and Payless because they are all owned by the same parent company who tried to charge me for undocumented “tire damage” on a recent Orlando airport rental. Any negative experience such as this makes me unable to recommend these companies. 

Tips For A Cheaper & Easier Rental

Since I rent cars frequently for travel to Disney World and beyond, I have lots of tips for making sure you have a good experience.

Don’t Overpay For Tolls

You’ll pass through several tolls on your way from the airport to the theme parks. 

You have three options: pay for your rental car company’s toll program, bring quarters and stop to pay each toll, or use the free Visitor Toll Pass program. 

With Visitor Toll pass you’ll get a hangtag for your rental car and ONLY pay the reduced e-pass toll rates for your trip. Click here for more information on using Visitor Toll Pass to save money on tolls in Orlando.

Join the Loyalty Program of Whatever Company You Are Renting From

If I had known this years ago I would have saved hours of time waiting in line in Orlando. 

After you find the company that has the best rental for your needs, join that company’s free loyalty program BEFORE you make your rental reservation. 

It will take a few minutes of your time now, but most of these programs allow you to skip the counter and go directly out to the parking garage in Orlando to pick up your vehicle – regardless of where you made your reservation. 

So if you make your reservation on Priceline, find where you can enter your loyalty program number and be sure it is on the reservation!

You will sometimes get other valuable perks as well, such as a free authorized additional driver with Thrifty (they do have to have the same address as you do). 

Pay With A Credit Card That Has Primary Rental Car Insurance

I recently had an experience that made me VERY happy I always take my own advice to pay for my rental with a cardit card that offers primary rental car insurance!

Very few cards offer this benefit, but Chase Sapphire Preferred is one that does.

A few weeks after I returned home I received a letter in the mail from Budget saying they would be charging my card ~$85 for “tire damage” incurred during my rental. They provided no evidence of the damage. There was nothing wrong with the car when I returned it so I fought this charge but there was nothing I could do. 

Luckily I had paid with my Chase Sapphire Preferred card and was able to submit a claim on the Card Benefit Claims site. I had to upload documents such as the letter I received in the mail and my rental agreement (always keep track of that email) and submit my claim.

Within a week I had my claim approved and received a deposit into my checking account for the amount of the claim! Now luckily this was a minor charge (and I will never be renting from Budget again) but if you did incur any significant damage on a rental, as long as you paid with the right card and no exclusions applied, you would be reimbursed for the amount. 

I will always pay for my rentals with a card that has primary rental car coverage going forward. 

Refill With Gas at The Airport Location

A source of stress for me when renting a car is finding a convenient place to refill the tank with gas before I return the car. 

Luckily at the Orlando airport there is a Shell gas station located on the access road immediately before you enter the airport. 

You may pay an extra $0.10 per gallon, but that more than makes up for the time and stress of tracking down an alternative on my way back to the airport in my opinion. An extra 60 cents in gas is fine by me!

I hope this post helps you everything related to renting a car in Orlando – from finding the best price, to avoid toll charges, to paying with the right credit card. 

Any questions or did I miss something? Please leave a comment below and let me know.