Lyft v Drive v ART

mcm574

Mouseketeer
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
We have one day when we'll be traveling to the parks from the Cambria hotel (after that we're relocating to GCV). I don't want to walk the ~1 mile to/from DLR - while I could probably do it on my own, I worry that it would be too much for my sons (aged 6 and 10).

I had planned to use Lyft to get back and forth on that one day, knowing that I'd have to bring my bubble bum for my 6-year-old. I'm now reading, though, that it might take forever to get a Lyft at the end of the night (we do plan to do Fantasmic that night), which makes me wonder if we'd actually be better served just driving (we'll have our car with us either way, as we're driving to DLR) - while I know it would take a while to get out of the lot, at least we'd be in the comfort of our own car, not standing in a Lyft line - or if we might even be better off just taking ART?

As always, I welcome the DIS Board wisdom - let me know your thoughts!
 


We have one day when we'll be traveling to the parks from the Cambria hotel (after that we're relocating to GCV). I don't want to walk the ~1 mile to/from DLR - while I could probably do it on my own, I worry that it would be too much for my sons (aged 6 and 10).

I had planned to use Lyft to get back and forth on that one day, knowing that I'd have to bring my bubble bum for my 6-year-old. I'm now reading, though, that it might take forever to get a Lyft at the end of the night (we do plan to do Fantasmic that night), which makes me wonder if we'd actually be better served just driving (we'll have our car with us either way, as we're driving to DLR) - while I know it would take a while to get out of the lot, at least we'd be in the comfort of our own car, not standing in a Lyft line - or if we might even be better off just taking ART?

As always, I welcome the DIS Board wisdom - let me know your thoughts!
No answer to your question what so ever, as I haven't been to Disneyland yet. However, really interested in hearing about your trip as I will be going next November with my two sons who will also be 6 and 10.
 
We use Uber and it's simple. Walk to GC and the pickup is right there where valet is.
ART takes forever. Plus a day. Don't do it.
 


Our experience with Lyft this past weekend was not encouraging. Our previous stays were easy walking distance. This time, we stayed at the King's Inn with the theory that we would use some of the substantial cost savings to Lyft to and from the parks:

Saturday morning (trying to make a 7:00 am Magic Morning): brought up the app at 6:25, nearest car was 15 minutes away, decided to walk instead.
Saturday midday (wanted to go back to the hotel for a rest): nearest car 10 minutes away, decided to walk instead
Saturday return to park: Got a car within 5 minutes, had them drop off at the official drop off, which took a while to go up, make the U-turn at S. Manchester and loop back through traffic
Saturday night at 10:30 (park didn't close until midnight): waited 15 minutes for the driver to come, only to have him cancel after he got to the intersection of S. Harbor and Manchester to make the U-turn and he realized we were only going a short distance. Next driver was 15 minutes away, so we just walked

Sunday morning: were able to get a Lyft in about 5 minutes, driver dropped off at IHOP to save us a few minutes, which worked out well.
Sunday midday: nearest car was 15 minutes away, decided to walk
Sunday midday return: took 10 minutes to get a car, had them drop off at IHOP
Sunday night at 11:30: nearest car took 20 minutes battling through the Harbor traffic to get to us, we should have just walked

Maybe it was just because it was busy for the holiday weekend, but I expected more driver availability. Going to the GCH would have saved a little time for the drivers in getting to us by avoiding the traffic on Harbor, but that wouldn't have solved the issue of me pulling up the map and seeing zero cars in the vicinity.
 
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Is there a specific Uber/Lyft location (dropoff/pickup) for DTD? We will have a day there next month and will be Ubering from near the airport. I don't want to run afoul of any regulations that there might be on dropoff/pickup locations.
 
Just say no to ART... However - I do agree that's a very long walk with little kids. My daughter and I stayed at the Hampton Inn near the Cambria earlier this month and we walked it each morning... about 20 minutes at a pretty fast pace from the hotel to security. We typically walk it in the morning and Taxi/Lyft back at night.

Anyway - we normally stay at the Hilton near the convention center and used to pay for the ART but the wait was always ridiculous. Just forget about trying to take the ART after the fireworks... A couple of years ago I complained and was issued a refund after several days on a week long trip of never being able to get on an ART bus in a reasonable amount of time. It was around this time that I figured that I could have the family walk one direction and Taxi/Ride share the other and actually save money over buying the ART passes. (but my kids are older)

I know Taxi's aren't en vogue these days but a taxi to the Hampton Inn was $6, Lyft was around $5 and I just pick what was most convenient at the time.
 
Our experience with Lyft this past weekend was not encouraging...

Sunday morning: were able to get a Lyft in about 5 minutes, driver dropped off at IHOP to save us a few minutes, which worked out well.
Sunday midday: nearest car was 15 minutes away, decided to walk
Sunday midday return: took 10 minutes to get a car, had them drop off at IHOP
Sunday night at 11:30: nearest car took 20 minutes battling through the Harbor traffic to get to us, we should have just walked...
Your experience does sound frustrating! In the future, please know that the businesses across from the Harbor entrance actually don't allow ride share drop offs/pick ups in their parking lots. Some of the businesses have signs to that effect posted in their lots. If the Harbor drop off is too crowded or takes too long for the U-turn, there are alternative drop off/pick up points (e.g. PPH, DLH, DTD, etc.) which can work much better and aren't much further from the gates, especially if the monorail is running.

Is there a specific Uber/Lyft location (dropoff/pickup) for DTD? We will have a day there next month and will be Ubering from near the airport. I don't want to run afoul of any regulations that there might be on dropoff/pickup locations.
Thank you for being considerate about the businesses across from the parks and their regulations on ride share drop offs/pick ups. There is a specific ride share lot for DTD, located just between the Lilo lot and the DLH . If you enter the old DTD parking area (off Magic Way and Downtown Dr.) and go straight, past the entrance on the right for the Lilo lot, you'll see the ride share area on the next corner. There is a small lot on the right and, usually, a group of people hanging out on the corner waiting for their rides.
 
Thanks for the input, everyone! You’ve made me feel confident that lyft could work if I leverage the pickup at DTD or one of the DLR hotels; and that ART is definitely struck from my list of options! I note that no one’s addressed my other possible plan, though, which is just driving our own car - does anyone have thoughts on that?...
 
Thanks for the input, everyone! You’ve made me feel confident that lyft could work if I leverage the pickup at DTD or one of the DLR hotels; and that ART is definitely struck from my list of options! I note that no one’s addressed my other possible plan, though, which is just driving our own car - does anyone have thoughts on that?...
We had a bad experience driving ourselves a couple years ago and have opted to Uber since then. Basically, my husband and youngest son went back to the car. My oldest son and I rode one more ride and stayed a bit longer. When my son and I tried to get on a tram to M&F, we could not. The CM's were pleading with the guests in front of us to move back behind the line because the tram could not pull up until everyone was behind the line. No one listened! This went on for well over 10 minutes. We were kinda stuck in the middle of this mess. I finally asked my son if he thought he could walk back to the parking structure instead. We had to first, get out of the mess of people all bunched up, then walk back to the structure. For me, that wasn't an issue but I think my son was 8 or 9 and it was late and he was tired. It was crazy! And it took forever! After that we said never again! We just ubered after that and brought their bubble bums!
 
Thanks for the input, everyone! You’ve made me feel confident that lyft could work if I leverage the pickup at DTD or one of the DLR hotels; and that ART is definitely struck from my list of options! I note that no one’s addressed my other possible plan, though, which is just driving our own car - does anyone have thoughts on that?...
Well, there's this: "Hidden Time Losses When Using a Car At DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1381580.
General strategy holds that driving yourself is a time suck and expensive. Not always, but if it can be avoided, why not opt for more convenient and more budget friendly?
 
Thank you for being considerate about the businesses across from the parks and their regulations on ride share drop offs/pick ups. There is a specific ride share lot for DTD, located just between the Lilo lot and the DLH . If you enter the old DTD parking area (off Magic Way and Downtown Dr.) and go straight, past the entrance on the right for the Lilo lot, you'll see the ride share area on the next corner. There is a small lot on the right and, usually, a group of people hanging out on the corner waiting for their rides.

@theluckyrabbit thank you... I am not really sure where "Lilo" is... I circled an area on this map. Can you tell me if that's the area you're referring to? I don't think I ever actually experienced DTD parking....

452468
 
@theluckyrabbit thank you... I am not really sure where "Lilo" is... I circled an area on this map. Can you tell me if that's the area you're referring to? I don't think I ever actually experienced DTD parking....

View attachment 452468
Yes, that looks like the ride share drop off/pick up lot. The lot directly behind it (to the left of the Stitch lot) is the Lilo lot. Catercorner to the right of the circled lot is the DTD bag check area.
 
Yes, that looks like the ride share drop off/pick up lot. The lot directly behind it (to the left of the Stitch lot) is the Lilo lot. Catercorner to the right of the circled lot is the DTD bag check area.
OK Thank you! I hope our Uber driver knows where to go! Gosh. I wonder what I should put in as a destination.... hmmmm will have to think about that.
 
OK Thank you! I hope our Uber driver knows where to go! Gosh. I wonder what I should put in as a destination.... hmmmm will have to think about that.
Some people here post that they put in the address for Starbucks West II Downtown Disney. (That's the Starbucks by the Lego Store.) You could also try putting in the address for EOS.
 

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