Whether to rent a car for an Orlando trip depends on your plans more than on the price of the rental. Orlando is spread out, and a trip that stays inside the Disney resort area is a different problem from one that moves between parks, outlets, restaurants and the coast. We run a private SUV service, so we gain if you skip the rental, and we still say plainly when a rental is the better choice.
The short answer
- Staying at a Disney resort and going mostly to the parks: you can often skip the rental, because Disney runs buses, boats, the monorail and the Skyliner between its resorts and parks.
- Moving between parks, shopping, restaurants and day trips on your own schedule: a rental car gives the most freedom.
- A mix, such as a resort stay with one day out: arrange a private transfer for the airport and book a driver by the hour for the day trip.
What a rental really costs
The price you see when you book is the start. Add the taxes and fees on the rental, fuel, and tolls on Central Florida's electronic toll roads, which are handled differently by each rental company. Many hotels and resorts charge a nightly parking fee, and theme parks charge for parking each day. Check the current fees before you decide, because they change and they add up across a week.
The time costs are easier to forget. You wait in the rental line after a flight, drive in unfamiliar traffic, find parking at every stop and refuel before you return the car. With children, add the effort of installing car seats, either your own or rented.
What a private car involves
A driver and vehicle booked ahead. For airport trips the price is a flat rate for the whole vehicle, shown before you book. Your driver meets you at baggage claim with a sign with your name, helps with your luggage and walks you to your SUV in a reserved pickup area. We drop at the door of your resort. For a day of stops there is an hourly chauffeur service, where you keep one driver and one SUV and decide where to go. Car seats are free when you book at least 24 hours ahead.
The trade-off is flexibility. A rental lets you decide at 9 p.m. to go somewhere, while a private car works best when you plan the trips. Rides that are not planned ahead may not be available, and same-day bookings are not guaranteed.
Quick comparison
| Rental car | Private car and driver | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost shape | One cost for the rental, plus fuel, tolls and parking | Flat rate per ride, or per hour for a day of stops |
| After you land | Rental counter line, then drive to your hotel | Driver meets you at baggage claim |
| Freedom | Go anywhere, any time | Best when trips are planned ahead |
| Parking | Fees at hotels and parks | None to pay or find |
| Car seats | Bring your own or rent | Free with 24 hours notice |
| Best for | Busy itineraries across the region | Resort stays, airport and cruise transfers, one day out |
How to decide
Write out your days. If most of them are a park, a resort and a few meals, count the rides you would need. A rental that sits in a parking lot while you ride the resort buses is money spent on a car you do not use. If your days include different parks, an outlet trip, a grocery run and an evening out, count the rides again and compare with the cost of driving yourself plus parking.
Group size matters too. Per-trip prices climb with each ride, while a rental is one cost for the week, so a large family with a busy schedule often comes out ahead renting. A couple on a short resort stay often comes out ahead without one. Think about who will drive, how comfortable they are on busy highways after a flight, and whether anyone needs to sleep on the way back.
If you are still deciding, start with the airport. Compare your options in our MCO ground transportation guide and our guide to getting from MCO to Disney World, then price the rest of your trip.