Uber - Help

[Guest]

Hello all!

Back to Orlando May 2018 for my honeymoon. I have been 5 times but the last time I went was 10 years ago and didn't have to worry about the logistics of transportation (Parents did that)!

Anyway, as it's our honeymoon I really don't fancy the idea of driving. I have seen in other threads that people use Uber a lot and it seems relatively cheap. Yay!

I understand there are some areas that the Uber drivers cannot pick up/drop off from? We're staying on international drive and planning on leaving the parks quite late where possible and don't want to just rely on the hotels shuttle bus service. So is it plausible of getting Uber rides directly to/from the park gates? or is it just to the TTC?

Thanks!

[Yorkshire Lad]

we used Uber last year, but never from the parks, just from our villa to restaurants, one of the drivers did say he picked up from the parks, and that they allowed him in just like a normal taxi, but he didnt say where that was, sorry cant help anymore.

[limmy]

There used to be restrictions on just the airport I believe, but this has now been lifted. As far as I am aware you can use them anywhere now. Obviously with Magic Kingdom you can only go as far as the ticket and transportation centre though.

[Bootrip2]

We went in february, we only used Uber. We were picked up at airport, terminal b, level1 i think, driver rang us and told us where to meet. No problem at all. On our first night leaving park we got disney transport to AKL and then uber from there to our hotel, but there was no need to as after that we just got uber to pick us up at pick up area, when you get dropped off at park in morning we were told where to catch uber back. All our drivers were good, you are told if they are hard of hearing/ deaf, and some didnt speak much english, but it was no problem. We got to ride in some lovely cars/Ram. In 11 days, including airport pick up we spent approx £280. From our hotel in kissimmee it was $6 to animal kingdom. I think thats the minimum charge for taxi fare with Uber. X

[cartoonp]

Found this just cut and pasted

Average Uber cost within Walt Disney World is $8-13 per trip. This works out to be around one-third to half the cost of a Mears taxi for the same distance.
Average Uber cost from Walt Disney World to Universal Orlando’s drop-off point is $15-18 per trip.
Average wait for a pick-up at Walt Disney World is 4-8 minutes.
By now, all regular security check-point and parking plaza Cast Members are familiar with the Uber service, and will allow drivers to pass (without paying for parking) if they show an ID and indicate they are there for guest drop-off.
DO NOT show your Annual Pass or parking voucher at the parking plazas, as your driver will be directed to regular parking, which is farther away from the front entrance of parks than the guest drop-off points.
Surge pricing is becoming less common in Orlando as more drivers flock to the area, but if there is a surge, it’s most likely to occur around 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Only UberSELECT pickups are allowed at MCO. UberX drop-offs are allowed (there are work-arounds for UberX pickups that we have used effectively on multiple occasions). Both ways are far faster than Disney’s Magical Express.
Uber drivers can see your GPS location, but sometimes the system is a bit wonky. Immediately after requesting an Uber, message the driver and indicate your exact location if it’s not the main lobby (e.g. “I’m wearing a ballin’ tie dyed EPCOT Center shirt outside Building 4 at Port Orleans French Quarter. Turn left as soon as you pass security and follow the signs.)
To decrease your wait time for a pickup, drop a pin for the location where you want the pickup as you walk to that location, but be sure you can beat the driver there based on the estimated arrival time (e.g. If you’re walking from the Magic Kingdom to the Contemporary and the nearest driver is 4 minutes away, drop the pickup pin at the Contemporary’s lobby and request a ride when you’re at the intersection leading to the Contemporary.) Our average actual wait for a ride is about 2-3 minutes utilizing this method.
UPDATE: Uber contacted me with following info: “Uber will soon be unveiling Uber + Car Seat in Orlando, which will bring parents an Uber vehicle with a car seat inside, on-demand. This will be hugely valuable for riders at Disney World in particular, as you can imagine.”
MAGIC KINGDOM

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Standard pickup and drop-off location for the Magic Kingdom is the Ticket & Transportation Center; from there, you take a monorail or ferry to the Magic Kingdom.
We don’t do this. Instead, we specify the Contemporary as our destination, and walk 5 minutes to Magic Kingdom. It is far more efficient than being dropped off at the TTC.
Security at the Contemporary isn’t always the easiest to pass (word on the street is that they now employ the keeper from the Bridge of Death due to people trying to circumvent parking rules), so an even better option is to be dropped off and picked up at the intersection before the Contemporary. I’ve dropped a pin on this map showing the exact location.
EPCOT

Epcot is the worst park for using Uber. The roadway into the park and lot itself are both lengthy, making pickups take longer than at the other 3 parks.
If possible, we recommend using the International Gateway entrance at Epcot, and walking to/from Beach Club for pickups and drop-offs. This is much simpler, and usually, faster. (Bonus: you can stop for a delicious burger at Crew’s Cup Lounge and ice cream at Beaches & Cream!)
The pickup and drop-off spot at the front entrance of Epcot has constantly changed, but as of now (March 2017) it’s near the Epcot bus stop.
DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

Drop-off and pickup are quick and easy at the Studios. You can see the spot as the pin on this map.
If you request an Uber ride as you exit the park, your driver will often arrive within 2 minutes after you get to the taxi point at DHS. Just make sure you double-check that there isn’t a driver already near the Studios lot when you make the request, as you don’t want your driver having to wait for you!
DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM

Animal Kingdom is another park with a long roadway leading into the park, so pickups can take a bit longer here, but it’s still pretty simple.
The drop-off/pickup spot is also pretty simple at Animal Kingdom. You can see it as the pin on this map.
That about covers the major points for 2016, I think. Again, if you’re new to using Uber, you can get a free ride up to $15 by signing up via this link for Uber (or use code tomb3417 if the link doesn’t work) or a free ride up to $20 on Lyft via this link (or code tom291882). You lose whatever portion of the great you don’t use on your first ride, so it’s a good option for a long ride, such as that voyage from the airport. Don’t blow it going from the Contemporary to Grand Floridian or something short like that!

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Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help.

[mlbolger]

When is the best time to download the app or does it not matter. We travel in 5 weeks and actually arrive on Memorial Day so a bit worried about getting from the airport to Sapphire falls.

[Guest]

Thank you very much!