Flying into Orlando a day early.. need some help!

I tried to search but couldnt find the answer to my question. There will be 4 of us flying down from Philadelphia to Orlando for our 10/3/09 Glory cruise. Last year we did the same cruise but flew down the day of (and although I've never had any problems doing this, I said we weren't doing it this year) We want to fly down the day before.

I can find a hotel for the four of us, no problem, but its the transportation that Im trying to figure out! We need to get from the airport to the hotel (most likely in Cocoa Beach), to the cruise from the hotel, and from the cruise back to the airport.

I was thinking about renting a car at MCO. We could drive to the hotel & be able to pick up a few last minute items on the way. So do we rent the car for 1 day? Or for the whole week and keep it parked at the hotel? I know the Carnival transfers are $140 for the 4 of us each way so I think it might be cheaper to rent a car but I have never rented a car before so I have no clue! (I hope this makes sense)

Any help would be appreciated!!

budget offers a good deal, and they will drop you off and pick you up at the cruise terminal. I think Avis does too, or maybe it is Alamo. Last time we found that was the way to go, as shuttles from Orlando to Port Caneveral were almost twice as much as renting a car!!!

I've been reading all over the boards for same question. The answer I keep getting is rent a car from thrifty is $ 40.Many hotels in cocoa beach have shuttle to pier the next day for free like the Radisson.We called car rental & they said return car in cocoa beach & they will drop you back off at hotel

I think shuttle is cheaper than rent a car. We found a company that is $40 per person for round trip (Orlando/Port Canaveral). I can't see how renting a car would be cheaper than that (with the gas, tolls, parking fees, insurance, ect.). Why bother with the stress of driving yourself. I am on vacation, I don't want to have to drive in traffic in a area I am not familiar with.

Check the "I work in Port Canaveral thread" it's really long so I'd start at the end and read backwards but it is full of this type of information.

ok great thanks!! I started to read that thread before and it has so much information! I'll keep investigating

Thank you Wendy. I always find it interesting when someone says they searceh but could not find. This question has been asked a million times. At the top of each thread is a search feature like google. Type in rental car and it is all there!

We rented a car from Budget at MCO a couple of days before our cruise with a drop off at Coco Beach. We dropped our luggage at the ship (make sure you are tell security you are only dropping luggage) and then took the car to the Coco Beach drop off. Budget then shuttled us back to the ship. Had a reservation for a car on the day of embarkation with a drop off at MCO, Budget picked us up at the ship took us to the Coco Beach office to get the car. We had time to take our time in Coco Beach, stop at some shops & have lunch. The ride to MCO was very simple with only a $1 toll and maybe a 1/8 of a tank of gas. It beat sitting at the airport and it was much cheaper than the ship transfer.

We rented a car from Budget at MCO a couple of days before our cruise with a drop off at Coco Beach. We dropped our luggage at the ship (make sure you are tell security you are only dropping luggage) and then took the car to the Coco Beach drop off. Budget then shuttled us back to the ship. Had a reservation for a car on the day of embarkation with a drop off at MCO, Budget picked us up at the ship took us to the Coco Beach office to get the car. We had time to take our time in Coco Beach, stop at some shops & have lunch. The ride to MCO was very simple with only a $1 toll and maybe a 1/8 of a tank of gas. It beat sitting at the airport and it was much cheaper than the ship transfer.

This is how it it done, good job!