My MCO Recent Budget Rental Car Experience

[mmouse50]

The past rental was the smoothest rental I have ever had. I booked through Costco, got a Budget reservation. I added my FastBreak number to the reservation. I received a text message while on the plane that m;y car was in parking spot #X. Picked up my bags, walked to the garage, retrieved my contract from the rack and went to the parking spot in the text and my car was waiting for me. I had the option of either going through the express exit or the exit where someone would help me. I chose express exit and I was on the road. It was so easy, returned the car at the end of my trip and had an email receipt by the time I was in the lobby of MCO.

 

[kittylady1972]

That's GREAT to read as another option for others here. Didn't even know Budget had that service, my only experience with them was pre-paid via Priceline, where I couldn't add my FastBreak number and waited in a LONG line. I just looked them up for our upcoming October trip, but they are actually higher than my current Alamo reservation using the SWA online Discount rates. Hopefully this helps others here though.

 

[peacefrogdog]

Sounds awesome.
Anyone know what other rental companies text/email your car number?

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Nice to see a post about positive experiences! Too easy for the negatives to shout out on these boards! It's been awhile since I've rented with Budget - might need to revisit that.

 

[CarolynFH]

We had the same experience this past January with Budget booked through Costco. Easiest rental car pickup ever!

 

[Akck]

Sounds awesome.
Anyone know what other rental companies text/email your car number?

Not your car lane number, but Alamo allows you to skip the counter and pick any vehicle in the lanes matching your rental type. Someone in the garage will direct you to the row. One little known item at MCO, is that if you book a standard car, you’ll get to pick from the the full-size row.

 

[Rich M]

Not at MCO but had the same experience at OAK airport last weekend except they send you a QR Code. They send you the parking spot number and then you just need to activate your QR code to except. Scan the QR Code at the gate and you leave. No paper work at all. Loved it and hope many more Budgets do the same thing.

 

[EACarlson]

Sounds awesome.
Anyone know what other rental companies text/email your car number?

Hertz, National, Alamo and Enterprise you pick a car from the row. Avis you get a spot number in the app I believe.

 

[gmi3804]

If you're lucky enough to have Hertz President's Circle, you can reserve a sub-compact and pick any car in the President's Circle section. Last time we got a small Mercedes SUV for the price of a sub-compact.

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Great to read… I also booked thru Costco to arrive at Mco & pick up a rental. (Intermediate SUV).


They list it as being a Rav 4 or similar…. Anyone know what other Intermediate SUVS Budget typically has in Orlando?

Also hoping for insight as what cars Budget likely might have in the Compact Car & Intermediate Car categories? They say “Kia Soul“ or similar for the compact, and Toyota Corolla or similar for the Intermediate …

(my sis picks up a car in early Nov, &we’re trying to figure out if my sister’s insurance will extend to Intermediate Car, but all she can find out from her Car insurance co is ”up to $29k USD car value”.)

tia!

 

[holyrita]

Great to read… I also booked thru Costco to arrive at Mco & pick up a rental. (Intermediate SUV).


They list it as being a Rav 4 or similar…. Anyone know what other Intermediate SUVS Budget typically has in Orlando?

Also hoping for insight as what cars Budget likely might have in the Compact Car & Intermediate Car categories? They say “Kia Soul“ or similar for the compact, and Toyota Corolla or similar for the Intermediate …

(my sis picks up a car in early Nov, &we’re trying to figure out if my sister’s insurance will extend to Intermediate Car, but all she can find out from her Car insurance co is ”up to $29k USD car value”.)

tia!

Hi @WalkingintheFog! Did you wind up renting from Budget via Costco in November? I'm trying to gather recent Budget rental experiences as there's some confusion about current operations in another thread. Appreciate any info or details you can provide from your experience if you did rent with Budget recently!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Yes we did. What’s the other thread?

I guess specifically what kind of info are you looking for?

 

[holyrita]

Yes we did. What’s the other thread?

I guess specifically what kind of info are you looking for?

The other thread I was referring to was this one: https://www.disboards.com/threads/mco-car-rental-information.3934466/

We're looking for any details you can provide around your pickup experience! Did you add your Budget Fastbreak number when you booked via Costco? Did you receive a text or an alert in the Budget app when you landed telling you what your car was and where to pick it up? Did you have to go to the Fastbreak booth in the parking garage? Did you have to stand in the normal line in the terminal to pick up? Which terminal did you pick up from? Those are just from the top of my head.. really anything and everything you can think of from start to finish!

 

[Rich M]

Rented from Budget in 11/29. They have both QR code and Fast Break was open. Interestingly enough there was no line at all at the counter in the terminal.

 

[kittylady1972]

Rented from Budget in 11/29. They have both QR code and Fast Break was open. Interestingly enough there was no line at all at the counter in the terminal.

This is good news. We have a trip this weekend and I have an Alamo reservation as we've been using them lately to avoid the nightmare of going inside the terminal. I found a good rate through BJs Travel and added my FastBreak number and then went through Budget's Quick Service online, providing my driver's license and credit card. On completion, it still indicated I'd have to check in so they could verify the information I already provided online. So I'm not sure what to expect. We may stop inside the terminal since we have a very early morning arrival and see the situation there. If the line even seems like it will be long, we'll keep our Alamo reservation instead. However I'm curious if the the savings of about $40 will be worth it by giving Budget another try.

 

[katallo]

We have had 2 rentals in the past 6 nonths. Both with Costco (one in Orlando, one in Sarasota). Budget went smoothly. Used Fastbreak. Newer car good condition. Alamo also was a smooth pick up except when we looked at the paperwork for the first car it noted...broken undercarriage. Returned to counter and no one seemed to know what that involved so we asked for another car. Hesitantly we were given an SUV but it has so many dents and scratches the garage rep told us as long as we returned it with all the doors we would be fine, So, mixed feelings. I think it a toss up these days with the condition of cars.

 

[AJKMOM]

My experience was great until I discovered I was charged a gas fee even though they told me over the phone to fill up the tank. Then they charged me for tolls, but I have an EPass.

 

[artesian]

Can I ask the dumb question as to where you add fast break if you book through 3rd party?

 

[EACarlson]

Can I ask the dumb question as to where you add fast break if you book through 3rd party?

Depends on if it's truly a third party or a booking agency. A true third party that you are paying, you can't use FastBreak. A booking agency like Priceline where you make the reservation through them and pay Budget, there is usually someplace to enter it. On Priceline it's under Rewards Points and Discounts (Optional)

 

[CarolynFH]

Can I ask the dumb question as to where you add fast break if you book through 3rd party?

We book through Costco, and there’s a place on the Costco booking page to enter our FB number. Haven’t booked through any other except Budget directly.