If you are planning a trip to Orlando, a rental car is sometimes recommended but not always necessary. It depends on where your going and what you plan to do. If you are solely planning a vacation to Walt Disney World, you will not need to rent a car since Disney offers complimentary transportation to and from the Airport via Disney's Magical Express as well as complimentary on-site transportation between all of its parks and resorts (Buses, Water Launches, and Monorail System). If you plan on visiting multiple park areas and other attractions throughout Orlando a rental car would be very helpful but is still not completely necessary. The International Drive area has the I-Ride Trolley, a bus system that transports tourists up and down the busy International Drive tourist stretch. For all other areas visitors can rely on Taxi Cabs, Shuttles, or Orlando's public transportation system called LYNX.

RENTAL CARS:

Rental car companies located inside the Orlando International Airport (MCO) main terminal include Alamo, Avis,  Dollar, E-Z Rent-A-Car, L&M Car Rental, and National.  These companies have desks located inside the airport, where you start your rental process and then proceed a short walk outside to a parking garage where the vehicles are located. Additionally, Priority One Auto Rental offers complimentary pick up and drop off of luxury rental vehicles. Each renter is assigned a personal advisor who provides 1-on-1 service.

Outside of the terminal are a variety of other rental car companies, who will provide a courtesy shuttle to their place of rental. These companies include Sixt, Hertz, Thrifty, Enterprise, Continental, Eagle, and Payless. It is important to keep in mind that the smaller rental companies do not pick up on a regular basis and you must call at the courtesy phone to be picked up.  Also, keep in mind that you get what you pay for, the cheaper agencies, especially Payless, reputedly have  poor customer service record.  There are also many car rental agencies located throughout Orlando including a location at Walt Disney World. Alamo is the official car rental agency for Walt Disney World and their office can be found at the Disney Car Care Center near Magic Kingdom, free transportation to is offered to Disney resort guests.

Fortunately, most hotels in the area do not have parking fees, although this is not true of area theme parks.  Theme parks are known to charge hefty amounts to park there, but this also allows you to keep some belongings in your car and have quick access out of the park area. Disney parks also allow you to drive and park at other Disney parks on the same day with no extra fee. The only exception are Disney resort guests can park at any Disney park free of charge with their resort parking pass, however the complimentary Disney transportation is the best recommended option for Disney resort guests to avoid wasting gas and dealing with traffic.

Refueling your rental car warning!!!

When you refuel your  rental car before you return it be aware. On Route 436( the road leaving north out of the airport)do not go to the first two gas stations , near Chili's, you see when you head north out of the airport. They charge $5.69 per gallon! Drive another half a mile at fill up at the 7-11 for $3.57. This is the price as of 5/11/12 that everyone else in Orlando charges.. These guys are crooks and should be thrown in jail.

TAXI CABS:

The largest and most widely known Taxi Cab fleet in Orlando is operated by the Mears Transportion under the names of Yellow Cab and Checker Cab. Mears is also the official Taxi Cab company approved by Walt Disney World, meaning that these are the cabs dispatched and accepted for pickups at resorts by Disney. In addition to Mears Taxi Cabs, there are also Disney provides it's own transportation to Orlando Airport and theme parks.  You can find a list of companies permitted by Orlando Aviation Authority here.

In addition to Taxi Cabs, many hotels in the attractions area offer complimentary transportation to the parks.

SHUTTLES:

In additional to rental cars and taxis, there are more than 100 area shuttle, limo and bus companies that you can book a trip with for your family or group. Shuttle service costs vary much like taxis depending on your group size and destination location. Generally, the fees to book a shuttle are much lower than taxis and can be as low as $35 per person, round-trip.

Be careful when booking shuttles with any vendor to get disclosure for tolls, fuel surcharges and other costs that can add to the price of the reservation when you arrive at the airport. Credible vendors will clearly disclose these fees in advance. If the company you book through claims no additional transportation fees, get it in writing at the time of your reservation.

While many Walt Disney World and Universal Studios-area hotels offer free shuttles to the themeparks, most do not offer a free shuttle service to the Orlando International Airport. It is a good idea to schedule shuttle services in advance to get the best price and avoid long waits at the airport for one of these vendors to arrive. You can find a list of companies permitted by Orlando Aviation Authority here.