V-Flyer

Hello all,

I fly into MCO in November with my girlfriend. We have booked a flydrive via Thomas Cook, flying Virgin, and have a hire car from Alamo as part of the package.

I've been told on another site, that I'll be expected to pay more on picking up the car, has anyone else experienced this? When I booked the holiday I took out the Virgin Fully Inclusive package, as I didn't need a Sat Nav or Car seat, and a full tank of fuel isn't really a big thing.

If I do have to pay more, I'll not be a happy bunny!

Hi Sulley and welcome to V-Flyer.

Provided you have taken out an inclusive package with Virgin, then you will not need pay out anything.

However you have to remember that you will be at the Car Rental Desk (with many others) after a 9 hour flight and at the equivalent of very late at night back in the UK. You will be tired and keen to get to your accommodation.

Car Rental Agents can be very adapt at using this as an advantage in trying to promote extras, such as insurance, gizmos or, dare I say, an upgrade :w . As long as you are firm, then you will be on your way soon enough.

Remember, don't over-do the drink on the flight
(I always pick up the next day )

buns

Hey Sulley. As Buns has said, your fully inclusive package means a fairly quick stop at the rental desk. I'm not sure if the Alamo at MCO has self check in machines but if they do it will remove the wait in line. We used it at Mia last month and we were in & out in 2 mins! Watch out, tho, as the machines ask for your driving license number and it is not the one we use over here (the letters/numbers), it is the one with numbers only!

If you're both planning on driving then you will have to pay for an additional driver.

Have a good one

Mark

You will still need to hand over a credit card as the only thing that wont be included are tolls which are now all automatic on the road around the airport area. You don't need to throw coins into the baskets anymore, you can now just drive through the auto-toll lanes.

Be aware as these charges will hit your card separately and can take a few weeks to appear.

They also give you the option to pre-pay for your fuel as well. You either pre-pay and bring the car back with an empty fuel tank or you don't pre-pay and you need to fill up somewhere just before you drop the car off at the end of your trip.

Pre-paying for fuel tends to be more expensive but is more convenient (it's still cheaper than UK fuel prices though :w )

Other than that, as long as you have pre-paid fully inclusive hire car insurance, there's nothing extra to pay when you pick up the car.

When I picked up my car from Alamo in March at MCO (booked via the VS website), they made absolutely no attempt to sell me anything extra. Maybe this was because I was on my own?

I too always pick up my car in Florida the day after I arrive.

The two toll booths from Orlando Airport on the 528 towards the I-4 still took coins the last time I was there about two months back. However I know that many other toll booths including those from Miami to Orlando and along the Florida Turnpike are all Sunpass only.

mitchja wrote:Pre-paying for fuel tends to be more expensive but is more convenient (it's still cheaper than UK fuel prices though :w ).

In the last week I've booked 3 rentals direct with Dollar (through the uk website). Not only were they cheaper than the usual agents I use (usrentacar.co.uk) but the plat price was only £10 -15 more than the gold (which is what it is usually when I book through someone like usrentacar).
Given that I usually rent a SUV which takes a few $$ of fuel the plat option is always a no brainer (and means Mr DL can also share the driving).
A bit OT but Alamo (through various agencies including VS and direct) for all the rental dates I needed, were a lot more expensive. I'm not sure that the VS move from Dollar has been a good thing.
DL

mitchja wrote:You will still need to hand over a credit card as the only thing that wont be included are tolls which are now all automatic on the road around the airport area. You don't need to throw coins into the baskets anymore, you can now just drive through the auto-toll lanes.
.

The tolls around MCO and the majority in Orlando still have cash booths you can use. It is only MIA where they have gone fully automated.

Hi,
I rented a couple of weeks ago with Alamo at MCO, the cars are parked in the terminal car park which saves the need of the transfer bus, the offices are ground floor level of the terminal. I had a pre paid voucher from e-bookers but it didn't include fuel. You say you have fully inclusive which should include your gas, however, if not then I opted to pay up front as the only gas stations near MCO are somewhat rip off with their prices ($5.00 +) and they don't post them outside the forecourt, you only find out when you are pumping. The price Alamo charge is a fair price to what can be purchased in the Orlando area, only trick is to get the car back on fumes...
Apart from the two tolls from the airport you can do the Orlando area on the 'free' roads without too much problem.
Have a good trip

waldenhall wrote: You say you have fully inclusive which should include your gas

VS fully inclusive refers to the isurance excssses (often called siver / gold packages by other agents/renters). Only the plat package covers an inclusive tank of fuel and extra drivers (much the same as other agents/renters).
DL

waldenhall wrote:Apart from the two tolls from the airport you can do the Orlando area on the 'free' roads without too much problem.
Have a good trip

You don't even need to use the toll roads from the airport of you know the right way to go

Certainly when I booked through VA, (who use Virgin Holidays), there was the excellent option of checking in online; this is much easier than even Dollar Express. All you need to do is input your driving license details, plus any other drivers, input your credit card details and that's about it. When you get to the car hire area, just ignore the desks - go straight to the garage, show your papers, (that you've remembered to print and pack!), pick a car and you're away.

I'll be testing the same system at MIA on the 5th October before driving to the Davenport area southwest of Orlando.

One question regarding the tolls - Sunpass only? How do I get from Miami to Orlando without a Sunpass thingy? Surely they take cash - the yanks love the cash!
Plus I'm guessing that there are a few tourists using these roads!!!

Any advice?

Thanks,

Craig.

craigmonster wrote:
One question regarding the tolls - Sunpass only? How do I get from Miami to Orlando without a Sunpass thingy? Surely they take cash - the yanks love the cash!
Plus I'm guessing that there are a few tourists using these roads!!!

Any advice?

Thanks,

Craig.

Unfortunately for you they do not take cash now at any tolls around MIA, including those on the turnpike. Your only option is to take the options offered to you by the car hire company unless you have your own sunpass. If you don't then you will be fined every time you go through one and it will cost you a fortune.

Neil wrote:

craigmonster wrote:
One question regarding the tolls - Sunpass only? How do I get from Miami to Orlando without a Sunpass thingy? Surely they take cash - the yanks love the cash!
Plus I'm guessing that there are a few tourists using these roads!!!

Any advice?

Thanks,

Craig.

Unfortunately for you they do not take cash now at any tolls around MIA, including those on the turnpike. Your only option is to take the options offered to you by the car hire company unless you have your own sunpass. If you don't then you will be fined every time you go through one and it will cost you a fortune.

Thanks Neil. Already noted one downside using MIA for Orlando trips and haven't even left yet!

OK. Initially this sounded like it could be a nightmare; however looked here:
https://www.sunpass.com/rentalcar

which indicates for Alamo customers this should be relatively easy.

If I pay $6 per week I can happily shoot through all the Sunpass Lanes like a local and only pay the advertised toll fee. Or $2 per day for each day that a toll is used plus the advertised toll fee.
I'll probably do the $6 per week and forget all about it.

Although I'm not sure how to opt into this scheme with VA/Alamo online check-in;
May end up queuing at the rental desk after all... n(

Anyone else done this recently?

Thanks,

Craig.

Thank you all for the replies. Sorry it took so long to rely, late shifts suck!
This has put my girlfriends mind at rest as we both thought we'd be dipping into our spending money!