Poll question: What do you take from Orlando to your resort?

[sgerto]

Originally we were flying into Tampa because of how much cheaper it was going to be. But Southwest just dropped the prices to nearly the same flying into Orlando so I switched. We were going to take a Lyft from Tampa because there really aren't any choices. But now that we're going out of Orlando our options skyrocketed. We are staying at Caribbean Beach.

EDIT: It will be just me and my wife

What is your method of transportation? What are the good stories and the bad ones? Haven't been since Magic Express left and trying to stay somewhat economical but don't want to neccesarily sacrifice quality over price.

Thank you for all your answers and info!

 

[TTA Rider Matt]

Long story short, this was when Magical Express was still a thing, I wound up going in an Uber by myself while my family took ME. I beat them by about an hour and a half to our resort, and it was about $35. If all 4 of us with bags needed an Uber, we would’ve needed an XL and it would have definitely been more expensive, but to me, that’s the way to go.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Who is in your travel party? Do you have DVC or any other affinity that gets you free parking? How many kids and how many car seats?

If it was just me and my wife, we'd Uber. With three kids, and two needing car seats, we just rent a car.

 

[sgerto]

Who is in your travel party? Do you have DVC or any other affinity that gets you free parking? How many kids and how many car seats?

If it was just me and my wife, we'd Uber. With three kids, and two needing car seats, we just rent a car.

Just me and my wife

 

[georgina]

Depends. Sometimes rental car if I am also driving to Venice to visit family, otherwise rideshare.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

I've been using Happy Limo for years. I trust them. But they aren't cheap. It's about $100 for a family of 4 plus tip usually.
They're always, always on-time and it feels safe though. I've been stood up by ride shares and that is the worst, so I want a company I can trust. Their vehicles are comfortable and have plenty of room for our bags. I've had one of the drivers, Donald, multiples times, he's such a cool guy. He does Donald Duck voices for the kids.

 

[georgina]

I've been using Happy Limo for years. I trust them. But they aren't cheap. It's about $100 for a family of 4 plus tip usually.
They're always, always on-time and it feels safe though. I've been stood up by ride shares and that is the worst, so I want a company I can trust. Their vehicles are comfortable and have plenty of room for our bags. I've had one of the drivers, Donald, multiples times, he's such a cool guy. He does Donald Duck voices for the kids.

Curious how you get stood up by rideshares as it's an on-demand service?

I land at MCO, grab my baggage if I checked any, schedule an Uber or Lyft, it comes in less than 10 minutes. When I am going back to MCO, same deal, book a ride to the airport and it comes quickly.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

Curious how you got stood up by a rideshare as it's an on-demand service?

You do the thing to request a ride. A car gets assigned. You get the info. The ride is on the way. You're waiting. You see the car approaching. The driver cancels the ride. You watch them drive away.

 

[2Lunds]

We used to take Magical Express because it was free, and super easy to navigate. All the signage was super clear in the airport, you just wait a few minutes for the bus to fill up and go. The coaches are super comfortable, and it took about 1 hour or so from boarding (in my experience, some report longer transit times - likely depends on which resort area you were staying at, and the time of day).

Mears would be the same comfort/convenience-wise since they use the same coaches and location at MCO. Of course the cost is incurred now, and I believe they transit to more resorts on a single trip versus the old MDE days, which would make the trip longer.

We've travelled with someone who rented a car, and that was pretty quick, about 40 minutes or so. He does know the area very well though, and the rental was the same make/model as his vehicle at home. I imagine there would be some stress with consulting maps/gps and getting used to driving a strange vehicle.

By far our best experience was rideshare. They were RIGHT THERE when we arrived, and take the most direct routes. We have a decent amount of luggage, and we had no problems with a regular sized car - the drivers are super good at Tetris-ing it all in. It cost us about $48 USD each way. We did Uber one way, and Lyft the other. Lyft had the nicer vehicle and a more user-friendly app IMO.

I wouldn't go back to MDE even if they revived it. It's just too quick and simple to take a rideshare - and I find the price decent.

 

[georgina]

You do the thing to request a ride. A car gets assigned. You get the info. The ride is on the way. You're waiting. You see the car approaching. The driver cancels the ride. You watch them drive away.

Huh. This has happened to you more than once? I have never had this problem. (Maybe a previous driver gave you a bad rating? )

 

[Schneewittchen37]

Huh. This has happened to you more than once? I have never had this problem. (Maybe a previous driver gave you a bad rating? )

Not likely a bad rating. It was my first time with Lyft. I'm thinking people are sketchy.

The second time was with another company. They're out of business now.

I don't do ride shares anymore.

 

[EACarlson]

Huh. This has happened to you more than once? I have never had this problem. (Maybe a previous driver gave you a bad rating? )

Known issue, drivers in some areas will refuse rides to certain places or certain lengths. If they have both apps open they may cancel the ride they already accepted in one app to take a better looking ride in the other.

To answer the OP, I would either Lyft it or for pure simplicity grab a cab from the airport. IIRC the prices really aren't much different, you know where they are going to be and there is no waiting.

 

[kathy884]

When I do the math, a rental car is less expensive by quite a bit than uber and lyft. I book from a major rental car company and try to get this in advance and keep checking prices every two months or so in case prices go down. I usually stay offsite in a condo too, so having my own car means I feel free to do extra grocery trip runs vs. paying high prices at condo convenience store or walking to Walgreens. We usually will do one day trip somewhere too. I also have relatives in Orlando who we drive over to visit.

We do some ride share too, as we don't all go to the same place at the same time.

I don't really like driving in Orlando or driving to Tampa from Orlando. Maybe I'm just getting old, but it seems more crowded and it seems like there are more crazy drivers who weave in and out of traffic compared to what there used to be.

 

[_19disnA]

Over they years we have stayed both @ Disney or other off-site properties. DME was convenient if staying on-site, but we like to shop/find other places to eat/etc. so having a rental car gives us more flexiblity. On-line taxis get pricey if staying off-site and the cost quickly adds up. We prefer the convenience of having our own rental car regardless of where we stay since it gives us more options when traveling around.

 

[georgina]

When I do the math, a rental car is less expensive by quite a bit than uber and lyft. I book from a major rental car company and try to get this in advance and keep checking prices every two months or so in case prices go down. I usually stay offsite in a condo too, so having my own car means I feel free to do extra grocery trip runs vs. paying high prices at condo convenience store or walking to Walgreens. We usually will do one day trip somewhere too. I also have relatives in Orlando who we drive over to visit.

We do some ride share too, as we don't all go to the same place at the same time.

I don't really like driving in Orlando or driving to Tampa from Orlando. Maybe I'm just getting old, but it seems more crowded and it seems like there are more crazy drivers who weave in and out of traffic compared to what there used to be.

Drivers are crazy, but I live in the Washington DC area now and they are about the same level of crazy here.

Guess I have just been lucky to never have had a rideshare driver arrive at my location for pickup and change his mind about my ride share.

 

[georgina]

Known issue, drivers in some areas will refuse rides to certain places or certain lengths. If they have both apps open they may cancel the ride they already accepted in one app to take a better looking ride in the other.

To answer the OP, I would either Lyft it or for pure simplicity grab a cab from the airport. IIRC the prices really aren't much different, you know where they are going to be and there is no waiting.

Refuse rides yes, that is their right. I have had a change in pickup drivers while I was waiting, but at the airport it is really not any extra time. I have not had them come to pick me up and then drive away though.

 

[lowlight]

Huh. This has happened to you more than once? I have never had this problem. (Maybe a previous driver gave you a bad rating? )

It happens so often that Uber and Lyft started penalizing drivers, and it still happens.

 

[kathy884]

Refuse rides yes, that is their right. I have had a change in pickup drivers while I was waiting, but at the airport it is really not any extra time. I have not had them come to pick me up and then drive away though.

For a ride share to get my cousin back from Orlando to Tampa I had two drivers say no they couldn't do it (came over and said no they were going to cancel - too far for them to go). The third one we tried agreed and we made sure to give him a very good tip, figuring he is having to drive all the way back without a person. Made me concerned that ride share while price is fine is not a good way to go to Tampa. Used rental car or train after that.

The long haul to Port Canaveral I once took was no issue at all. Driver said she loves those long haul and prefers them and our timing was perfect as she'd easily get a cruise ship passenger going back. Said she makes good money on this route and doing this.

 

[jmenjes]

Lyft from the Orlando Amtrak station to the World.

Will probably keep using Lyft when Brightline gets rolling to OIA.

 

[CarolynFH]

We’re so accustomed to driving from home and therefore having a car that it’s difficult not to have one when we fly, so we rent one. Occasionally we’ll take other transport.