Orlando - Need some help for a friend!

Hey Flyertalk Friends!

I am trying to figure this out for a friend (really!).

My buddy's wife got all excited and went and booked their Disney trip without chatting with him, or me! Here is what she booked. I have tried to figure out how to bail them out, but I am stuck!

1. She booked the hotel on Orbitz. Its a hotel WITHOUT a shuttle to the airport OR the parks. Orbit wont refund them...the hotel wont.

2. Car rental's are $50 a day...UGH.


Any advice? They cant cancel their flights...I would have told them to fly into Tampa!


2 Adults 2 Kids under 12


Thoughts???

You need to give more information. What hotel? Most of them have shuttles. Even if it's one without, Mears provides a reasonably priced shuttle.

Cars are also reasonable for a week's rental, and can be had in the $200 range.

Flights to Tampa cost nearly as much as flights to MCO - the airlines almost treat them as the same location since they're so close together.

Sorry! trying to get the info from my friend!


They are booked from July 15-19th. Holiday Inn Club Vacations Resort in Orange Lake.


No free shuttles to the hotel or the parks.

I believe that's a timeshare, but I'm not sure.

It appears they have a 5 day rental qualifying them for a weekly rate for a car. Check the major car rental companies for their weekly specials. They should be publishing them shortly.

Keep in mind that if they are going to Disney or Universal, they will have to pay to park. The cost is now $14 per day at Disney.

Since they can't get a refund on the hotel, getting a car as inexpensively as possible is the way for them to go.

All things considered, car rental is the best option.
Here are some threads with information about the property they are staying at.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/intercontinental-hotels-priority-club-inter-continental-ambassador/1211162-has-anyone-done-orange-lake-orlando-resort-offer.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/intercontinental-hotels-priority-club-inter-continental-ambassador/886962-holiday-inn-club-vacations.html

I know Orbitz won't refund but perhaps they will allow a change to another hotel? Worth asking.

This is why staying on Disney property, especially at a Value resort, is a great idea. Free shuttle from MCO to the hotel and free transport all over Disney World. That alone can save you $300+ a week over the rental car costs.

I also suggest looking into a weekly car rental.

Flying into TPA would be rather silly. Even if the fare was a little cheaper (I haven't seen more then a $25 difference between the two) the extra cost in gas and time to drive over isn't worth it.

Travelocity is showing $35.00/day (approx $185.00 for the 5 days) with Payless for the cars up to intermediate size for the 15th - 19th of July. It is an off site agency that provides a shuttle to the rental facility.

Travelocity is showing $35.00/day (approx $185.00 for the 5 days) with Payless for the cars up to intermediate size for the 15th - 19th of July. It is an off site agency that provides a shuttle to the rental facility.

Not a bad price..

Was just there Christmas Break for 3 weeks.. and OrlandoVic told me to try using Orlando Magicard..

http://www.visitorlando.com/discounts-and-tickets/free-magicard-orlando-discount-card/

We saved a tonne off of the rates offered.. and for some reason worked for our vehicle reservations in Hawaii..

When we got stuck for a rental at LAX.. we used www.autoslash.com.. you can make a fully cancellable reservation , and the site shops for you amongst their 7 to 9 rental companies.. when a cheaper price is found, it simply changes your vehicle reservation to the lower price reservation until you pick up the vehicle.. If you find a lower price yourself.. then just cancel your Auto Slash reservation.. no hassles.. its as easy as that..

So cheapest mini-van reservation we got was $1,150 for limited miles.. $1,300 for unlimited at LAX for 11 nights.. Auto Slash got it down to $682..^