Orlando - Car hire or not?

jimmycrackcorm

We're going to Orlando next week and staying in International drive. My question is whether it's worth getting cheap car hire for the two weeks (€250) or just using public transport. There are 3 of us and we'll be basically mainly going to the parks and in the evening going out to eat, shopping etc.

I just wonder if the additional flexibiilty of the car is worth it instead of constraining ourselves to bus timetables and the limitations of getting around? In terms of costs I'd guess that airport taxi transfers, other taxis and bus fares would mean that the difference in price would make the flexibility attractive.

ncmc

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

We're going to Orlando next week and staying in International drive. My question is whether it's worth getting cheap car hire for the two weeks (€250) or just using public transport. There are 3 of us and we'll be basically mainly going to the parks and in the evening going out to eat, shopping etc.

I just wonder if the additional flexibiilty of the car is worth it instead of constraining ourselves to bus timetables and the limitations of getting around? In terms of costs I'd guess that airport taxi transfers, other taxis and bus fares would mean that the difference in price would make the flexibility attractive.

Jimmy, I would def recommend getting a car, International Drive is very convenient for Universal Studios and Seaworld, but if you plan on doing the Disney parks, they are a bit of a drive away. The public transport in Orlando is good, and a lot of hotels do shuttles to the parks, but I think nothing beats the convenience of having your own car. It really gives you flexability and also Orlando is really easy to drive around. Just bear in mind that parking in the theme parks is $12 per day, so that is an added expense to consider.

jimmycrackcorm

ncmc wrote: »

Just bear in mind that parking in the theme parks is $12 per day, so that is an added expense to consider.

A bargain compared to my work parking in Dublin.

rossie1977

your hotel on I-Drive will probably provide shuttle transportation to the parks (they may charge to disney though), if not the likes of Wet and Wild, Seaworld and universal are easily accessible (outside front gate of both w+w and seaworld) by frequent public transport (lynx and i-ride trolley). There should be enough restaurants within easy walking distance of your hotel to keep everyone happy for at least a week+

Disney is a bit of jaunt from i-drive using the lynx as you have to change buses near seaworld. Bus fares are very cheap, lynx costs $1.75 single no matter how far you travel and the network is massive, i-ride trolley costs $9 for a weekly pass or $1 single.

taxis cost $40 from the airport to wet and wild which is north i-drive, south i-drive ie. seaworld would be cheaper i guess but i always stay north

most parks open between 9am and 10pm during the summer

ncmc

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

A bargain compared to my work parking in Dublin.

That's a fair point! As Rosie said in her post, public transport is not expensive in Orlando, and your hotel may even provide a free shuttle. I don't think you will save money hiring a car, but IMO the convenience and flexablilty that it will give you is worth any money. Even if you just used it for driving to the parks and outlet malls and then used public transport or walked to dinner in the evening, it would still be worth the money spent.

Also very hot and humid in Orlando in June, nice not to have to wait at a bus stop for a shuttle in 100 degree heat! Nothing beats going to your own car after a days hot traipsing round a theme park and blasting the air con full whack!

I think you would regret it if you don't hire a car, especially if you have more than one driver. If you have time, you could also get out of Orlando for a day, Clearwater and St Petersburg beach are about a two hour drive away and make a nice change of pace. Or you could go on an air boat ride and see aligators in their own environment, pretty cool experiance and only about 45 min drive from Orlando.

dodzy

ncmc wrote: »

That's a fair point! As Rosie said in her post, public transport is not expensive in Orlando, and your hotel may even provide a free shuttle. I don't think you will save money hiring a car, but IMO the convenience and flexablilty that it will give you is worth any money. Even if you just used it for driving to the parks and outlet malls and then used public transport or walked to dinner in the evening, it would still be worth the money spent.

Also very hot and humid in Orlando in June, nice not to have to wait at a bus stop for a shuttle in 100 degree heat! Nothing beats going to your own car after a days hot traipsing round a theme park and blasting the air con full whack!

I think you would regret it if you don't hire a car, especially if you have more than one driver. If you have time, you could also get out of Orlando for a day, Clearwater and St Petersburg beach are about a two hour drive away and make a nice change of pace. Or you could go on an air boat ride and see aligators in their own environment, pretty cool experiance and only about 45 min drive from Orlando.

+1

Be careful with that price though. Seems VERY cheap. I'm sure that will not include full insurance. I recently got similar but the insurance ( FULL cover was in excess of $30 per day ) really boosts the cost to a significant level over a fortnight. As it turned out, I didn't need it but you can bet your ass the one time you don't have it, some goon will tip you in a car park, bugger off, and leave you to foot the bill!

Have a ball - holiday of a lifetime ;-)

Rented Mule

dodzy wrote: »

+1

Be careful with that price though. Seems VERY cheap. I'm sure that will not include full insurance. I recently got similar but the insurance ( FULL cover was in excess of $30 per day ) really boosts the cost to a significant level over a fortnight. As it turned out, I didn't need it but you can bet your ass the one time you don't have it, some goon will tip you in a car park, bugger off, and leave you to foot the bill!

Have a ball - holiday of a lifetime ;-)

Dodzy is dead on with the hidden fees/liabilites.

You have to remember that Orlando is literally one giant swamp. Disney put his park there so that no one could cash in on his dreams (as they did in Orange county California).

Make sure that you stay on the 'beaten path' if you are walking anywhere.

If anything is 'roped off', walk around it and do not try to cut across.

There are no 'short cuts' along the way.

I found myself shoeless a few times as I had to pull myself out of a couple of situations where I was up to my arse in swamp water !! lol

I would try and get a car for one week, justy so that you can get out of Orlando and see the coasts for a day or two.

Enjoy your trip !!

jimmycrackcorm

Thanks all. Decided to get a car after all. Why spend a fortune on the trip and tickets for everything and then skimp on wasting time waiting in the heat for busses.

Now to find a bargain for hire.

ncmc

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Thanks all. Decided to get a car after all. Why spend a fortune on the trip and tickets for everything and then skimp on wasting time waiting in the heat for busses.

Now to find a bargain for hire.

I think you made the right decision, you'll thank yourself when you see people sweltering outside waiting for buses and shuttles as you drive by with the a/c full blast!

Plus, as you say, you've already spent a small fortune, what's another few quid! Enjoy yourself, you'll love it out there. Do try and escape Orlando for a day or two, there's a lot of great nature to see.

rossie1977

if you have a car make use of it by driving about 50 minutes north east to daytona beach. cocoa beach and kennedy space center are a short drive from orlando too. Tampa, Saint Petersburg and Clearwater are all about an hours drive west of orlando.

jimmycrackcorm

Thanks for that. I saw that Dollar.com had some good prices when booking but I could not find any mention of insurance on the reservation so I went for a reliable everything included from Budget.

jimmycrackcorm

nice surprise when i picked up the car. I had booked the cheapest car i could, a ford focus . they gave me a new saab convertible with built in sat nav instead.
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ncmc

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

nice surprise when i picked up the car. I had booked the cheapest car i could, a ford focus . they gave me a new saab convertible with built in sat nav instead.
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Nice one! I always book the cheapest option too, and we have always gotten a free upgrade. Your chances are especially good if you are picking up in the evening as a lot of the time, all the economy's will be gone at that stage. Still, I've never had as good an upgrade as that! Tres jammy, me thinks. Hope you are having a great time out there, I am very jealous!:D