Do you need a rental car in Orlando?

Two adults and two children aged 3 to 9, arriving at Orlando International (MCO). Base rental from Kayak's monthly averages; parking and shuttle prices from the operators on September 22, 2026. Rental figures exclude airport fees, taxes, insurance and tolls, so treat them as floors.

On Disney property, going car-free costs $116 in shuttles against at least $175 for the car, and Disney transport is included. The car loses. Off-site, the car's $350 to $455 is the price of not relying on rideshares ten times, and it gives you the evenings and the day trips. The car usually wins.

• Disney theme parks: $35 a day standard, tax included, one fee for all four parks that day. Included for Disney Resort hotel guests, who also park free overnight.
• Universal: $35 a day regular self-parking, tax included. At the two older parks it is free after 6 p.m. on nights without Halloween Horror Nights; not at Epic Universe.
• SeaWorld Orlando: from $35. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: $35 general, $48 preferred.
• Kennedy Space Center: $15. Cocoa Beach city lots: $25 a day. St. Augustine garage: $20 per entry. Blue Spring State Park: $6 a car.
• Hotels: some charge for overnight parking; the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin charge their guests $40 a day.

Our parking fees page keeps the full list.

• Disney-only trips at a Disney Resort hotel. Buses, the Skyliner and the monorail reach all four parks and Disney Springs. See whether staying on-site is worth it.
• Universal-only trips at a Universal hotel. The parks and CityWalk are reachable on foot, by shuttle or by water taxi.
• International Drive stays focused on Universal, SeaWorld and I-Drive. The I-Ride Trolley runs the corridor for $2 a ride or $8 for a day pass. It does not reach Disney.

From the airport, Mears Connect runs to Disney hotels for $16 one way for ages 10 and up and $13 for ages 3 to 9, under 3 free. Along with rideshares, it is the car-free way in from the airport. More in getting to Orlando.

• Any day trip. Kennedy Space Center, Cocoa Beach, Busch Gardens, St. Augustine, Blue Spring and Crystal River have no practical public transport from the parks.
• Split Disney and Universal trips. Disney Springs to Universal CityWalk is 10.5 miles, about 23 minutes by car without traffic.
• Off-site hotels in Kissimmee or Lake Buena Vista, where hotel shuttles, if offered, run on fixed schedules.
• Visitors who want the city between the parks: Winter Park, downtown and the restaurants in our restaurant shortlist.

1. Rent only for the days you need. A three-day rental in the middle of a Disney stay, for a Universal day and a coast day, costs less than a week of rental plus parking.
2. Ask about tolls at the counter. The Beachline (SR 528), the road to Kennedy Space Center and Cocoa Beach, is a toll road, and rental companies bill tolls their own way. Know the daily fee before you drive off.
3. Price September against December. Kayak's averages differ by $15 a day between the cheapest and most expensive months. Over a week, that is $105 before fees.