Great news for you movies buffs here in Hawaii that subscribe (or are thinking about subscribing) to online DVD rental services. Blockbuster Online movie rentals now has a shipping center right here in Hawaii. The shipping center is located on Oahu in Honolulu.

What’s the big fuss about the online movie rental shipping center in hawaii?

Well, the big fuss is that now the wait time for dvd shipments is less. Previously, the closest shipping center to Hawaii was located in California. The wait time in between shipping and receiving movies was 3-5 days. Now that there is a Hawaii based shipping center for Blockbuster, the wait time in between shipments will average about 2 days.

However, if you have the Total Access plan you are allowed up to 5 in-store movie drop-offs and pick-ups thus making it a little more convenient for those that have a Blockbuster rental store on island (currently there are Blockbuster DVD rental stores only on the islands of Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island).

How Online DVD Rentals Work

Not exactly sure how the whol online movie renting system works? Let’s break down how the online dvd rentals work. First, you register at their website providing your username, password, email address, name, shipping address to where you want the dvd rentals sent, and billing information.

Once you are registered, you are allowed access to browse the online site for movies. When you find a movie that you want, simply add it to your queue (a fancy name for the ordered and stored list of dvd movies you want shipped). You’re allowed to add as many movies as you please.

The available movies are shipped to you in the order that you put them in your queue (pronounced kwee). You will receive the dvds in an envelope. The envelope is designed so that you can reseal them and send them back to the nearest shipping center.

Shipping is free both ways, and all you have to do to send them back is simply seal the already addressed and stamped envelope. Once the shipping center receives the dvds you sent back, they ship the next movies available according to the order of your queue. The number of dvds you are allowed out at a time is dependent on your monthly rental plan.

Blockbuster Online Total Access vs Netflix

Blockbuster and Netflix dominate the online dvd rental service world. I’ve used Blockbuster Total Access in the past, but stopped using their service because of the long wait times in between movie shipments. Netflix has had a shipping center in Hawaii for some time giving them an advantage over Blockbuster Online. Now that there is a shipping center in Hawaii, Netflix no longer has this advantage.

The difference between Blockbuster Online and Blockbuster Total Access is that the Total Access plans allows you a certain amount of in-store drop offs and pick-ups per the agreement of your monthly rental plan. The in-store options in the Total Access plan is in addition to the regular shipping and online plan.

Netflix does not have a plan similar to Total Access. However, what they do have is the option of buying previously viewed dvds for a rather discounted price (ranging from $5.99 - $9.99). The dvds for sale are shipped at no charge and come sealed in the original dvd case.

how much do dvd rentals cost on a monthly basis?

Well, I’ve got the 3 dvds out at a time plan which costs around $20.00. However, plans range from as little as $3.99 a month to around $40.00 depending on how many dvds you want out at a time.

Blockbuster Total Access Special

If you’re unsure about the whole deal, most online dvd rental companies offer a sort of special trial to first-time users. Blockbuster offers the Total Access 3 at a time dvd plan for %50 ($9.99) off to first-time customers. If you don’t like the service, simply go to your account online and cancel your subscription.

Do you have an online movie rental plan? If so, which service do you prefer?

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