Car Rentals
We often get asked if we would recommend hiring a car while in Orlando and our answer is 100% yes! Don’t get me wrong…you can experience Orlando without a car, however, we find that this is the most convenient way to travel around. If you aren’t planning to hire a car, we highly recommend Uber! Simply download the app and you are ready to go anywhere, in any size car, for a reasonable price. You can even make requests for items such as car seats for your journey.
Orlando is not a small place! There are so many wonderful attractions for you to experience and they aren’t all close together (for example, Disney is around a 30/40 minute drive from Universal Studios.)
We’ve found the best way to hire a car is to book before you go. When hiring a car, we always make sure to choose one of the airport onsite rental companies. After such a long flight, we find it much easier to collect our car at the airport and then make our way to the villa. We have booked a car at an offsite rental collection. We were bussed from the airport terminal to the collection site and then had to wait for 3 hours to collect a car in a cramped office.
Be prepared! Workers at the car rentals will often try to get you to upgrade your car or include various add ons such as sat-nav, car seats or a SunPass (note: a Sun Pass is a prepaid device for getting through toll roads in Florida). If you are planning on staying within the Orlando area then you will not come across many toll roads, other than the couple when you leave the airport. An average toll costs between $1 and $3 so always keep some change with you in the car, especially if you are travelling further than Orlando. Toll booths are quick and never a bother to get through. Some are unmanned so you will need the exact change – be prepared!
Do your research before you go and decide whether or not you really need any extras as it could end up costing you more than you’d originally planned!
Car Seats
Most car rental companies have car seats available for you to rent, however, you need to read their terms and conditions regarding the rental or car seats as they all have different policies and prices.
If you are booking a villa then check with the owners – you may be in luck if they have a car seat which you can use. That would men you would only have to hire a car seat for one day.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to take your own seat, you could hire a car seat for one day and then buy your own in Walmart for the rest of your holiday.
I know some people who have bought a cheaper one here and taken it over with them so it isn’t a big deal if it gets a few scratches on the flight and it can be left behind when you return to the UK.
There are loads of options for you to choose from, you just have to decide what’s best for you and your family.
Sat-Navs
We’ve hired a car before that had a Sat-Nav built in which was a very pleasant surprise! Unfortunately, you can’t always specify such features of your rental car. Phones can be a great tool to use as a Sat-Nav, but unless you have roaming in the US on your plan, this could cost you a fortune!
If you aren’t confident on the roads around Orlando then you may want to hire a Sat-Nav from the car rental place, alternatively, you can pick one up fairly cheap from supermarkets such as Walmart or Target. That way, you can bring it home and reuse it if you ever go back to the States.
Where to rent a car
We know that there are so many car rental companies to choose from and trying to get quotes from them all would take days!
Here are links to some of the comparison websites that we’ve used in the past when renting a car and others that come highly recommended:
https://www.skyscanner.net/carhire
https://www.travelsupermarket.com/en-gb/car-hire/
https://www.virginholidays.co.uk/travel-extras/car-hire/overview
Note: Bear in mind that if the driver is under 25, you’ll find that extra insurance rates will apply that could end up costing upwards of $100 a week.
REMEMBER TO TAKE YOUR DRIVING LICENSE AND THE CREDIT CARD YOU USED TO BOOK WITH YOU WHEN RENTING A CAR AND ALWAYS KEEP YOUR RENTAL AGREEMENT IN THE CAR WITH YOU!
TOP TIP
Be sure to check that there is going to be enough space in your car for all your luggage when leaving the airport and on the way home BEFORE you leave the rental site. You might think that driving around in a Mustang will be great (and trust me, it is!) but there’s nothing worse than having heavy cases on your laps! (We’ve had that not so pleasant experience a few times in the past.)
Driving in Orlando
Okay, so you probably already know this, but just in case…the biggest difference between driving in the UK and the US is that, in Orlando, you will be driving on the right sight of the road and left side of the car. It can feel a bit strange at first but once you get used to it, you’ll find driving in Orlando fun! Have a look at some of our top tips for driving in Orlando:
1. Most cars in Orlando are automatic. This means that you use your right foot for accelerating and braking – just let your left foot relax for a few weeks.
2. Spend time getting to know your car when you pick it up. Adjust your seats, find air conditioning, have a look around – there’s no need to rush off when you first get your car.
3. If you decide to drive in Orlando then you will need to pay for onsite parking at the theme parks which costs around $25 a day! (More details about theme park parking can be found in each theme parks’ menu.)
4. You may notice that some roads in Orlando are known by more than one name, for example, Highway 192 is also known as the Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway. Be aware of this if you can’t find a particular road.
5. When you are driving in Florida, you might notice cars turning right at traffic lights, even when they are at red! Don’t worry – this is allowed! It keeps the flow of the traffic going. Just be sure that there are no signs advising you not to. You should stop to check that nothing is coming from ANY direction (cars often use traffic light junctions to do U-turns) and you are good to go! Be aware that while you might be able to turn on the red, pedestrians might also be green to cross so double check that nobody is on the road before you take off.
6. Most roads in Orlando have at least 2 lanes and the main highways have 4 lanes so crossing them can be a nightmare! You can do U-turns at the end of most junctions to help you get where you need to be. There will be clear signs if you aren’t allowed to U-turn.
7. Don’t be alarmed if cars ‘undertake’ you in Orlando…this is normal! Keep your wits about you and make sure you check both lanes when crossing as cars will pass you on both sides.
8. Most cars have automatic headlights but be aware that you must have your headlights on when it is raining. You will understand why when you see the rain in Orlando! Be careful when driving in the rain and don’t feel pressured to drive at the speed limit – slow down and drive safely and comfortably.
9. Petrol stations in Florida require you to go in and pay for gas before you fill the car! Simply tell the attendant which pump you are at and request an amount, for example $30. They will allocate that to the pump and then you are good to go! Put the pump into the car and it will click off when you have reached your limit. If you are due any change, you can go back into the garage and it will be given to you. Some petrol stations have the option to pay at the pump, however, they ask for a zip code as verification for your credit card.
10. Finally, and most importantly, BE CONFIDENT! Stay calm and let yourself get used to driving in Orlando on you first few journies. When we first hired a car my husband found that he was comfortable driving once he’d gotten his head round the first few junctions! It really is easy and fun once you get the hang of it – I even braved a drive to our local Walmart!
For more information on the driving laws in Orlando have a look at the Florida Traffic Laws online:
https://www.dmvflorida.org/florida-traffic-laws/
Simply Orlando 