December 2020 Car Rentals

[Akck]

If it'll give you enough passenger space, I'd go with the SUV. There's almost $100 difference. I'm the MeanMom, one time I made the kids hold their suitcases on their laps for the drive from MCO-WDW because I saved $100 on the rental rate. Were they happy? No, but they survived, and now they have a "remember the time..." story to tell (and they tell it, every time we travel together, even though it was 12 years ago...)

That was my opinion, however, I don’t always get to make the decisions. We’re visiting our granddaughter in Texas now and fortunately we rented a standard SUV to get from the airport to her parent’s house (cheaper than Uber). We did a test and all of our luggage fit in the back, plus a big stroller. Backpacks will have to go on laps, but DW finally agreed the standard will work. I’ll be dropping the minivan rental shortly.

 

[Akck]

I just reserved a minivan via Costco/Alamo for $477 (10 day rental). Our prior reservation was for $560. Now we have to decide between the minivan or standard SUV we have for $384.

I thought I was done looking as I did online check in and skip the counter for the standard SUV. Early this morning, I found the SUV for $360 and the minivan for $408 on Costco. I’m now back to trying to decide between the two again as the difference is now $48 versus the $93 it was earlier (I’ll probably go with the SUV again).

BTW, you can cancel a reservation you’ve check in and skipped the counter by canceling it on the Costco website.

 

[ashleyrm]

Just realized that I have a December trip and haven't posted. Started out awhile back with a full size from Avis for 12/7-12/11 using my corporate discount for around $193. Currently have Hertz through Priceline. Same dates and same car for $162.53.

Have been using Autoslash to track price drops.

 

[Spartan86]

We are going the 8th-18th to Sarasota area a few days then to BWV (flying into MCO) and had booked a 4 day rental one way to drop at car care center - I’ve had that booked 5-6 weeks and it was almost $290 full size at Enterprise. I just switched to a 10 day round trip rental for the same price at Avis - both through Costco. The 10 day had been well north of $400 before. Always keep checking!

 

[Donnask8pro]

I forget which companies at MCO don't have full-size options and if you booked Standard you will still get full size? Anyone remember? I want to say National and???? haha Thx!

 

[LadybugsMum]

I forget which companies at MCO don't have full-size options and if you booked Standard you will still get full size? Anyone remember? I want to say National and???? haha Thx!

Alamo as they are they are parts of the same company

 

[chrispgross]

Ugh. I like to have a car, but not at the prices I'm seeing. We are at AKL Jambo 12/26-31, but the cheapest cars I'm seeing are $416. That's alot of Ubers.

 

[Befferk]

Ugh. I like to have a car, but not at the prices I'm seeing. We are at AKL Jambo 12/26-31, but the cheapest cars I'm seeing are $416. That's alot of Ubers.

Yeah it's not pretty at all for those dates. We have an SUV for 12/25-1/3 for $749 that I booked months ago, now that same rental is running over $1100.

 

[p44nmun]

Ugh. I like to have a car, but not at the prices I'm seeing. We are at AKL Jambo 12/26-31, but the cheapest cars I'm seeing are $416. That's alot of Ubers.

Who is it with? I have almost the same timeframe at $481 right now.

 

[connorlevismom]

Car rentals are INSANE over Xmas. We have a rental from 12/22-01/03 a midsize SUV for $778.00. Last week it was well over $1000, so I hope it comes down more.

 

[cewilson13]

stay with Alamo and keep watching

 

[leebee]

Dollar is running a Cyber Monday sale through 12/1/20. My small SUV that started at $317 in October is now down to $187. Pick up at MCO 12/9, return 12/16. I made reservations for a possible trip in January, too.

 

[Akck]

That was my opinion, however, I don’t always get to make the decisions. We’re visiting our granddaughter in Texas now and fortunately we rented a standard SUV to get from the airport to her parent’s house (cheaper than Uber). We did a test and all of our luggage fit in the back, plus a big stroller. Backpacks will have to go on laps, but DW finally agreed the standard will work. I’ll be dropping the minivan rental shortly.

Not all standard SUVs hold the same amount of luggage, as the first one we picked wouldn’t. Fortunately for us, there were large SUVs in the standard SUV row, which fit all our stuff.

On a side note, we got the UNI transponder and the tolls were only $2.90 vs. $8.95 (toll plus $3.95 rental car fee per day). It looks like we’ll about break even on this trip with the portable transponder cost ($14.95), so all future trips will be a savings in tolls.

 

[ashleyrm]

Just realized that I have a December trip and haven't posted. Started out awhile back with a full size from Avis for 12/7-12/11 using my corporate discount for around $193. Currently have Hertz through Priceline. Same dates and same car for $162.53.

Have been using Autoslash to track price drops.

Got a notification from Autoslash overnight. Price drop on Priceline with Hertz to $151.75

 

[leebee]

On a side note, we got the UNI transponder and the tolls were only $2.90 vs. $8.95 (toll plus $3.95 rental car fee per day). It looks like we’ll about break even on this trip with the portable transponder cost ($14.95), so all future trips will be a savings in tolls.

I have to say, the toll thing has me stymied. I think there are too many options and it has me befuddled. Honestly, everything this year has me befuddled, hahaha! Anyhow... the UNI transponder. Is it portable so can be used in a variety of vehicles (like my daughter's car for EZpass in New England, my rental in FL, etc) and is it good for ALL the toll roads/authorities? I could just bring my EZ pass but worry about it not being valid on all toll roads.

 

[Donnask8pro]

I could just bring my EZ pass but worry about it not being valid on all toll roads.

Im a Jersey girl.. I Never thought of taking our EZPass since its called Sunpass and different?? Has it worked in the past? Yhx

 

[empedocles]

Dec 19-27 trip. Had a Budget full-size on the Amazon Prime rate for ~$450. Rebooked 2 days ago to an Intermediate SUV for ~$380. (Same company, same rate).

I generally prefer Hertz or National, but Hertz seems to be completely sold out the last 2 weeks of December, and National is north of $500 for an Aisle reservation.

 

[chrispgross]

Who is it with? I have almost the same timeframe at $481 right now.

IT was for an Economy Car from Alamo through Costco.

 

[Akck]

I have to say, the toll thing has me stymied. I think there are too many options and it has me befuddled. Honestly, everything this year has me befuddled, hahaha! Anyhow... the UNI transponder. Is it portable so can be used in a variety of vehicles (like my daughter's car for EZpass in New England, my rental in FL, etc) and is it good for ALL the toll roads/authorities? I could just bring my EZ pass but worry about it not being valid on all toll roads.

The UNI transponder has suction cups, so you can move it from vehicle to vehicle. All you need to do is go online and register (edit), the license plate of the car on the E-PASS website or App for it. I just checked my account and I had another $0.43 toll. It appeared to be a license plate read, which causes it to show up later on the report. The UNI works in many states in the northeast.

 

[Spartan86]

We are going the 8th-18th to Sarasota area a few days then to BWV (flying into MCO) and had booked a 4 day rental one way to drop at car care center - I’ve had that booked 5-6 weeks and it was almost $290 full size at Enterprise. I just switched to a 10 day round trip rental for the same price at Avis - both through Costco. The 10 day had been well north of $400 before. Always keep checking!

Quoting myself just to plug the “keep checking” approach. I looked today and rebooked our 10 day Avis rental at the same price ($276) but it now includes a $20 Costco shopping card mailed after rental.