How to get the best price on orlando car rental
June 4, 2010 5:39 PM

Getting the best possible price on a rental car in Orlando.

I want to rent a convertible in Orlando over the 4th of July weekend. I'm told priceline is a good resource but I can't get to a price I'd like (about $30-35 a day). Is that unreasonable? If I wait until closer to the 4th would they give me a better deal?
What is the BEST possible way to get an awesome deal on rental cars in Orlando?

Thanks!
posted by Thrillhouse to Travel & Transportation (9 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
Payless Car Rental?
I'm seeing $14/day.
posted by SLC Mom at 6:24 PM on June 4, 2010


I suspect $35/day for a convertible might be tough to find, but maybe not impossible. My strategy is always to do a google search for coupon/promo/discount codes for specific car rental companies first. Retailmenot.com is a decent site for finding them too, but they seem to have made deals with some of the car rental companies recently and only list "approved" codes when there are better ones out there. Then go to the websites and see what you can find. Avoid airport drop off locations if you can, because they often have significant surcharges. Good luck!
posted by Balonious Assault at 6:35 PM on June 4, 2010


Avoid airport pickup and drop off locations...
posted by Balonious Assault at 6:36 PM on June 4, 2010


I've done Hotwire with very good results in major vacation spots in Florida including Orlando. Try Priceline if you are bit more ambitious - check betterbidding.com for advanced tactics with these sites.
posted by zeikka at 6:38 PM on June 4, 2010


Lots of good tips (some general, mostly Orlando and WDW-specific) at mousesavers.com.
posted by Gridlock Joe at 7:15 PM on June 4, 2010


How do you avoid airport pickups when you're flying in?
Betterbidding.com is really cool! It seems like the longer I can wait to book the better deal I'll get.
I couldn't find anywhere near $14 a day for Payless. Where did you see that SLC?

Thanks everyone!
posted by Thrillhouse at 7:19 PM on June 4, 2010


Thrillhouse: On the link, I typed in "Orlando". It brought up Orlando (MCO) airport. The default dates were 6/6-6/11. The total price averaged $14/day.

But I missed the part where you said "convertible." They don't have those. I just saw that you were looking for cheap. But you know it rains a lot Florida, don't you? Maybe a nice cheap roof is a good thing......
posted by SLC Mom at 9:48 PM on June 4, 2010


How do you avoid airport pickups when you're flying in?

I don't know about Orlando but in other cities I've been able to save good money by taking a shuttle bus from the airport to my hotel and back, and renting a car from a facility near the hotel. I guess it depends on your situation and what you're willing to pay for the convenience of an airport rental. In my experience the best possible car rental deals aren't at the airport.

I suppose the risk of waiting until the last minute to bid on a rental is that there may not be any convertibles available. Then again, with the way car rentals sometimes work I wouldn't be surprised to find that reserving a convertible ahead of time carries the same risk.
posted by Balonious Assault at 11:20 AM on June 5, 2010


Thanks guys. I was just reminded by a friend that a convertible in Florida in July may not be as fun as it seems considering much of the time we'll be sitting at traffic lights and in traffic in the blazing sun with pretty much no AC. I think we'll switch to something more appropriate.
posted by Thrillhouse at 6:51 AM on June 6, 2010


« Older Big furry angel bear needs a tiny workout.   |   Yoga as main exercise? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.