Cheap Orlando Car Rental
Are you flying to Universal Orlando?
Then you may need to plan on finding a cheap Orlando car rental
.
I stress may because if you are staying at a
Universal on-site hotel
or at a hotel close to Universal Studios Orlando then a car may not be necessary since there are plenty of transportation choices to get you around.
Most hotels in the Universal area offer free, scheduled shuttle service to Universal Orlando. Bear in mind however, that you lose some flexibility because you would have to plan your visit to Universal Orlando around the schedule of the shuttle service.
And public transportation in Orlando, especially in the International Drive area is excellent.
On the other hand, if you plan on staying at a hotel a little further away or plan on seeing some of the other great attractions that Orlando has to offer, then renting a car
might be your best way to go. When renting a car be sure to keep a copy of your rental confirmation when booking on-line and have it with you when you pick up your rental to avoid any problems with your reservation when you pick up your car.
When renting a vehicle be sure you have a
valid driver's license. Visitors from other countries may need an
International Driving Permit in order to rent a vehicle in Florida. The International Driving Permit is a special license for tourists, authorized by a UN treaty among nations of the world, for the purpose of allowing motorists to drive vehicles in international traffic without further tests or applications. It is proof that the holder possesses a valid driver's license issued by a competent authority in their country of residence. You may be able to
get this from a local automobile association in your country before you leave. In Canada, for example, you can obtain an international driving permit through a local Canadian Automobile Agency (CAA) office.
Also make sure you have adequate car insurance. Some insurance policies for your personal vehicle provide coverage for insurance on a rental vehicle. If you have this, make sure you bring proof of this insurance when you pick up your rental. Also, some credit cards – like Visa Gold – include insurance if you rent the vehicle using your credit card. But be sure to double check this with your car rental agency. Insurance from the rental company can greatly increase the cost of your vehicle rental. If you have insurance already, be firm with the car rental agency. Don't pay for costly charges that you don't need. However, having said all that, it still may be the policy of the rental agency to purchase their insurance.
Finally, become informed about Florida driving laws and rules. Tourists always get a bad rap from the locals … sometimes deservedly so. Trust me here. I'm from Niagara Falls and we have plenty of tourists. Nothing drives me more crazy than a tourist who holds up traffic because they don't know Ontario driving rules. So familiarize yourself with Florida driving rules before you rent a car. The car rental agency should be able to assist you. Or you can go to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles web site and view a copy of the
Florida Driver's Handbook
.
Click here to go to Cheap Orlando Airfare
Click here to go to Driving to Florida
Click here to go to Orlando Airport Transportation
Click here to go to Travel Planning and Travel Gear