Uber v. Rental Cars at Disney World
Considering using Uber or Lyft at Walt Disney World instead of renting a car? This post covers my recent experience of ditching the rental car and instead relying on ride sharing services for transportation to Universal, from the airport, and to the Magic Kingdom and other parks.
For those unfamiliar with Uber and Lyft, they are relatively new “ride sharing” services that are essentially nicer alternatives to taxis that allow users to request rides via robust mobile apps. These apps show drivers in your vicinity, anticipated pick-up time, and have a host of other features. Why they are called ride sharing is beyond me, as you pay for the rides, and the driver is doing this as their full or part time job. They have both exploded in popularity in the last couple of years and have proven to be market disrupters that have wrecked havoc for taxi companies and have been politically controversial in some areas. (This will be relevant later in the post.)
This was actually a bit of a last minute idea, inspired by a commenter in my recent Tips for Renting a Car at Walt Disney World post who suggested the idea. I’ve never been overly keen on renting a car at Walt Disney World, as I enjoy the “escapist” experience of simply relying on Disney transportation (especially the “cool” transportation…I’m not looking at you, articulated buses), so I immediately jumped at the idea.
I already had a quote in with AutoSlash, and they had scored me a $151 rate on an economy car for the duration of my trip, which was a pretty good price, all things considered. I wasn’t sure if I could beat this by using Uber, but I figured if it was in the same ballpark, I would rather go with Uber (or Lyft…but I never ended up using the latter) so I didn’t have to bother with driving. With my rental car reservation cancelled, I was off to MCO with both apps loaded in my phone…and READY FOR ADVENTURE! Dun dun dun!
Wondering whether this might be an economical or convenient alternative to renting a car or solely utilizing Disney transportation? Let’s take a look!
The start to my experiment was a rocky one. Before the trip, I had used a third party website to calculate the cost of some fares to make sure I wasn’t going to lose my shirt on this plan, and one of the routes I checked was the airport to my Disney Springs hotel.
It turns out Orlando is one of the hotbeds for ride sharing battles, with Uber and Mears having a very public clash. Mears makes Comcast look like an exemplary pillar of customer service, so it’s no surprise that they are making effort$ to keep Lyft and Uber out. In Mears’ defense, what fun is transportation in Orlando if you don’t pay exorbitant fees while receiving awful service?
When I landed at the airport and opened Uber, I received a message that they couldn’t do airport pickups at Orlando International Airport. I was anxious about this that message first, knowing that a cab from the airport to Walt Disney World could cost $60 or more thanks to the virtual Mearsopoly.
With the prospect of going to the parks on the table, I quickly jumped into MacGruber mode, and found a way to deactivate this ticking bomb by taking an off-site parking shuttle to some random spot outside the airport. From there, I had an Uber within 5 minutes.
For those of you who don’t want to go the parking shuttle route, my driver informed me that you can also drop your pin outside the airport, request a driver, and then immediately call and let them know you’re actually at the airport. If you go this route, the best method is to do a pickup at the departures drop-off area. From what I understand, most drivers will do this, although some won’t. YMMV.
My driver picked me up and got me to my hotel in 18 minutes for a total cost (including one toll) of $16.01. Not bad for a 14.6 mile drive from the airport, and even with the parking shuttle my total time spent on this was around 35 minutes, making it faster than a normal Disney’s Magical Express ride and comparable to getting a rental car at the airport. (Note that it would have taken about 25 minutes had I dropped the pin outside the airport and called.)
My plan for the trip was to use a hybrid approach of relying on Uber and Disney transportation depending upon the circumstances, and I employed this strategy pretty successfully. Basically, whenever it was a midday hour, which is when I feel Disney transportation is most unpredictable and least efficient or at various other strategic times when it made sense, I’d use Uber.
For these random trips, I used Uber 4 times for a grand total of $38.03. This included getting from Caribbean Beach Resort to the Contemporary at 7:30 a.m. one morning (cost of $12.57 that included the dreaded “surge pricing”) to be early for our 8 a.m. Be Our Guest breakfast ADR.
I figure this one is worth mentioning specifically because several readers have asked about the best way to get to early morning ADRs: Uber is your new answer. (Just make sure to specify the Contemporary unless you want to go through the Ticket & Transportation Center.) Other rides were more mundane, in ordinary circumstances where it felt like the bus would be a hassle.
One thing I learned over the course of these random tips is that it’s always a good practice to call your driver and let them know exactly where you are. Our time at Caribbean Beach Resort illustrates why this is important for a few reasons. Maps can be wonky sometimes, and the driver’s map might take them to the wrong place.
Even if there is no issue with the route, it might be difficult for them to tell the specific spot at the resort where you’re located unless you call and tell them. Since Uber and Lyft are relatively new to the Orlando market, there are some drivers who don’t know the ins and outs of Walt Disney World’s transportation grid. This was not an issue for us as our drivers always called us if there was any potential confusion, but you might want to be proactive so they arrive as quickly as possible.
I used Uber less than once per day, and actually played it a bit conservative. I was right across the street from the Disney Springs bus stops, and actually had great luck walking over there and quickly grabbing a bus on a couple of occasions when heading to Epcot (choosing the first bus to show of the Crescent Lake Resorts).
I also tend to stay in the parks until after they have closed for the day (the shops on Main Street are open until about an hour after park closing), which means the buses are parked there waiting for me at the end of the night. I also took Disney’s Magical Express back to the airport (my 3:10 a.m. pickup had no one else on the bus!), so I only had one airport charge.
In these regards, I’m a bit of outlier because my use of Disney’s transportation in these situations isn’t exactly what the average guest will encounter. Just for the sake of discussion, let’s say an average guest would have used Uber 4 more times for a total cost of $40 more.
If you are an average guest trying to determine how much you might spend on Uber, another thing to consider is surge pricing. This is when pricing increases by a multiplier (1.5 to 2x in my experience at Walt Disney World) when demand is high to get more drivers on the road. Demand is highest at Walt Disney World right before park opening, at rush hour, and right as the parks close. If these are the primary travel times, plan to pay surge pricing on occasion. Still cheaper than a Mears taxi.
Without question, the greatest case for Uber or Lyft was in traveling from Walt Disney World to Universal Orlando Resort. Much like the early morning ADR question, this is one we get a lot. In the past, the best option we’ve found for those who don’t have rental cars the duration of their trips is either renting a car on-site for the day, or taking a pricey shuttle. Neither is cost-effective or all that appealing, especially when you add on that $17 parking fee.
The cost for Uber from Caribbean Beach Resort to Universal Orlando Resort’s guest drop-off zone in the morning was $14.31. The cost on the way back (during rush hour) heading directly to Epcot was $15.92. The trips were 19 and 26 minutes, respectively.
For the two of us, it was ~$30, and it would have easily cost $50-$100 for a 1-day rental car (including parking) or shuttle, plus either alternative would have taken longer. For those who aren’t renting a car for the duration of their trip, Uber or Lyft are the unquestionable best options for getting from Walt Disney World to Universal.
All told, I spent $84.27 on Uber, and had my best experience with transportation at Walt Disney World in ages. Even removing my special circumstances from the equation and spending another $40-60, a normal guest still would have come out ahead by using Uber rather than a rental car, and that’s before factoring in things such as gas, tolls, and parking (as applicable) to the cost of the rental car.
The additional upside for me was efficiency and convenience, as Uber beat both a rental car (no parking!) and bus transportation (sometimes it feels like taking a swan pedal boat might be faster than Disney buses) in those regards. In terms of service, Uber was characteristically impeccable. Since drivers depend upon positive ratings to remain with Uber and Lyft, they go the extra mile to make the experience positive for riders. This is a stark contrast to taxis I’ve encountered, some of whom grumble when you try to pay with credit card instead of cash.
Overall, there is no one size fits all answer in terms of the “best” means of transportation around Walt Disney World. For me, utilizing Uber and Lyft to supplement Disney transportation, or replace a rental car is a pretty ideal option (that is, until Launchpad invites me to fly on his private plane).
It allowed me to save on the cost of a rental car and not worry about driving. Even though that still meant dealing with Disney transportation some of the time, my issues and delays were minimal to non-existent. The added upside was that I never had to worry about getting lost, finding a parking spot, or driving at the end of a long day, which I definitely considered a win.
If you’re new to the Uber or Lyft scene, you can get a free ride up to $20 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 to Walt Disney Word. Don’t use it to get from the Grand Floridian to the Polynesian. (Walk between the two, you bum!)
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? If you’re interested in learning more about hotels, our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page is a good place to start. For where to eat, try out our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews page. If you want to save money on tickets or determine which type you should get, 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 unconventional things you should take on your trip. Once you arrive at the parks, our Walt Disney World “Ride Guides” are great for determining what to do and when to do it. For overviews of all of these topics and so much more, the best place to start is our comprehensive Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide to make the most of your experience!
Your Thoughts…
Could you see yourself using Uber and Lyft at Walt Disney World instead of renting a car, or are you unpersuaded, still preferring the freedom of a rental car? Would you pay ~$9 in some cases to avoid a long wait at a hot bus stop? Do you have any other tips for using Uber and/or Lyft at Walt Disney World? We love to hear from readers, so if you have any thoughts or questions, post them in the comments!
Ãœber is very popular here in Boston. I’ve used them several times & never had a problem, I think it’s a great service. I think it would be ideal to use Ãœber in WDW for an early morning breakfast ADR. My most recent trip, I took a cab from the Swan to the Poly, rather than a bus to MK and then a boat/monorail. I wish I had thought to try Uber that morning.
What if you need a baby seat or child seat?
Carseats are BYO. They are not needed for the magical express or Disney transportation
Tom, this is a great article. I live in Chicago and people use Uber a LOT around here. (I haven’t used it yet.) I am being an oddball and renting a car *after* my Disney vacation (staying a couple more days in Orlando then driving up the coast to Jacksonville), and was trying to think of a way, other than a cab, to get from my hotel to the car rental place. This might be the way to go. Thanks for the insight!
Uber is also really popular here, especially in downtown LA. Even where we are, I can get an Uber within about 5 minutes.
Awesome, as the commenter who prompted this adventure I am glad it worked out. I would’ve felt terrible if you had an awful time of it! Thanks for the write up and all the good tips.
Haha, well thanks for the suggestion! I didn’t just jump into it blindly. I did some research and it made sense…it wouldn’t have been your fault if it failed.
So the driver comes right to your village in CBR at the resort? I wonder if they have any trouble getting through the gate entrance to the resort. If lots of guests start calling for these ride services, I wonder if Disney would start to disallow them on resort property, citing liability issues? At least the cab companies are definitely insured.
Uber has greater insurance than a taxi – covered by both our personal insurance and the 1mil umbrella policy that Uber holds. No issue getting through the resort gates unless it is past 1-2am.
Hi!!! I asked Tom what did he mean by taking the off site parking shuttle to a random spot and have uber pick you there…but what does he exactly mean by it? I’m not familiar with the mco airport and I want to make sure I know what to do once I’m there…because I really want to take an uber ride to my resort. If you could help, I will appreciate it!! Thank you!!
As a driver I can say the reason you should call or text and tell your driver where you are is because sometimes the customers phone gps isn’t always accurate. And if you know the address or are at home always manually enter your address to assure quicker pick up. I’ve been sent a mile or two away from a customer due to an inaccurate gps reading.
Hi Tom,
My husband and I will be taking our 2 daughters, 2 son-in-laws, and 1 year old grandson to WDW in November. How would Uber work with such a large group. We are planning on 2 days at Universal and thought Mears was our only option. Any suggestions?
Uber offers a service called UberXL, however the max passengers for this ride is 6. Sorry, looks like it is just outside your limit. It does cost a little more than the standard ride and you can estimate the fare.
If set on using some service like this, you could always order 2 cars (would need 2 people’s cell phones and accounts) however this may be distasteful due to the double cost and the possible hassle of having delayed ride times (eg, car 1 is right around the corner but car 2 is 5 minutes away). Might be worth doing some fare estimation and comparison. Other than cost, the better service and faster ride may be worth it.
We are a family of 6. Would UberXL still work out cheaper than getting a large taxi or rental car? It sounds nice, but I’m worried about the cost.
I think that with kiddos that still legally need car seats or booster seats (like the one-year-old), a rental car (or dealing with Disney transportation) is still the way to go, even if it costs more. I can’t imagine figuring out where to store the large car seat while in the park.
The booster/child seat laws in florida do not apply to “for hire” vehicles. You would be fine in an uber without one.
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.613.html
UberMCO – Are Uber vehicles recognized as “for hire” vehicles by the State of Florida, as well as all the municipalities that you would drive through? I thought one of Mears’ main points against Uber is that Uber is not licensed as a “For Hire” vehicle service, which would, I believe, remove the child seat exemption. Or am I misunderstanding?
I used Uber for the first time while attending the D23 Expo last November. I was staying at Beach Club and used it to get to the Contemporary early in the morning. It was great. The cost was under $11 and the driver was very courteous. He works nights at the Swan & Dolphin and drives for a few hours in the morning around WDW to earn extra money.
we’re staying offsite week after Xmas. Currently renting a car for over $500. Would you recommend Uber for back and forth to the parks and airport?
If you have 4 or less people, Uber will be a lot cheaper.
Hi!!! I asked Tom what did he mean by taking the off site parking shuttle to a random spot and have uber pick you there…but what does he exactly mean by it? I’m not familiar with the mco airport and I want to make sure I know what to do once I’m there…because I really want to take an uber ride to my resort. If you could help, I will appreciate it!! Thank you!!
I travel a lot for business and use Uber exclusively. It really is top-notch! In dozens of rides, I’ve only had one unpleasant ride. That’s almost inverse of what I’ve experienced with cabs.
One of the best parts about Uber is that it’s all inclusive. No more digging in your purse/pocket for tip money!
My experience with Mears cabs at Walt Disney World is horrendous, and I’ve used the cabs enough to know I haven’t just been unlucky. That’s the great thing about Uber’s ‘rating’ system.
One thing I always do at the end of the drive, since it just feels awkward to just jump out without ‘doing’ anything, is to thank the driver and tell them I’ll give them a 5-star rating (assuming the experience was good, which it always has been). It sort of feels like a moneyless tip, if you will. 🙂
Thanks for this great article about using Uber in Orlando. As a part time driver – just a quick note. The fare is NOT inclusive of a tip. Tipping is optional, but the drivers do not get one from the fare. I would say about 1/3 of fares give me a cash tip of some sort. I also have a Square reader for those who do not have cash and would like to tip. The driver is paid 80% of the fare minus an additional 1$ that goes to insurance. That has to cover our gas, wear and tear on car, our insurance, car payments, etc.
Thanks for the review, I’ve considered a Taxi before, but I’m cheap and the Disney bus is “free” so never looked that hard into it. But if you have a morning ADR, an extra 30+ minutes of sleep for the family might be worth $12-15.
We’re trying a cruise with extended family later this summer – would Uber be an option from WDW to Port Canaveral?
I’m wondering the same thing.
There’s no free lunch. That 30 minutes (more like 45 to an hour knowing Disney transportation!) is well worth the money.
I’d use a fare estimator to see what the cost might be to Port Canaveral. It will definitely be cheaper than a taxi…
Rent a scooter. You can take it every where you want to go in Disney. Probably only 35-45 per day for 5 days which will get you a week. The scooter companies deliver to hotel.
Tom – Uber has been in my Canadian city for a while. City hall and the taxi industry are trying to get rid of them or have them treated / regulated as taxis. There was an accident involving an Uber vehicle. Although Uber claims it has auto insurance, it seems that those involved in the accident have been unsuccessful in getting Uber’s insurance details.
Apparently, Uber drivers are treated as independent contractors and thus, if they did not tell their insurance company that they were Uber drivers and did not pay the proper insurance premium and meet other conditions, then the Ubers driver’s own insurance would not cover the accident.
I have not been following the story recently but those were some of the issues and they likely would be similar in other jurisdictions.
I have not taken either Uber or Lyft. However, I have had issues with Mears on at least a couple of occasions.
http://blog.uber.com/ridesharinginsurance
Uber insurance updated March 19, 2015 for all those concerned.
Great article have much better ubderstanding now. Only question would be since you were staying on grounds WDW why would you not use ME as it is included for guest. Great stuff.
I was really excited to see this post today! My boyfriend and I are going to WDW and Universal Orlando for the very first time in a few weeks, and we will not be using a rental car for our trip. Really appreciate the insight about the costs/distances. The tidbit about getting an Uber at the airport is also great to know.
I think what makes Uber seem like the winner for us is that there are a few offers that can be utilized if you are a customer of certain credit cards companies. Capital One Quicksilver card members who use their card to pay for their Uber rides now get 20% off each ride! I believe Uber also agreements has an agreement with American Express. We are hoping these perks will benefit us, and that we won’t regret not renting a car for our first time visit, haha.
Thanks for this article. We are already booked for the food and wine festival the end of September and we were talking about using Uber so that if we drink a little too much we don’t have to drive back to the resort. This article just solidified our answer. Uber it is. Keep up the great work. Love your articles.
So it sounds like you had no problem with getting early morning drives! Nice. I was looking into Uber to get to Universal this summer and was worried that getting a car around 7AM would be a no go.
Uber drivers work 24 hours a day
I am gona be in the orlando area on jan 10 at the mega bus stop 902 north semoran blvdi will be trying to get to port carnaval woundering how much that would cost for two people9@
I tried both the Uber and Lyft link above and neither one is working for me. Am I doing something wrong?
Thanks,
And I love your blog, it is my new favorite Disney addiction!
Sorry, I’m only marginally competent. They both should be fixed now!
How crazy would it be to use Uber at park closing time for Epcot to get back to the Polynesian? My husband blew out his knee last year after an extended day at Epcot, (had a knee replacement 2 months ago) and we are planning on a trip end of October this year. I am concerned re the long walk back to he monorail and standing in the very long lines to get on the monorail, that occur as the park is closing.
I’m not sure if that’s a rhetorical question, but you shouldn’t have an issue getting an Uber at Epcot. Probably would be less than a 10 minute wait.
Have them pick you up at Beach Club.
Tom, do you pay via the app, or does each driver have a smartphone card reader to swipe your credit card?
The app has your credit card on file, and when the ride is complete, payment is automatically made. You don’t actively do anything.
Great post! I wonder if it would be as seamless if you were traveling internationally/couldn’t make cell phone calls…I guess you could use the hotel’s phone? In any case, Uber seems a lot more convenient than navigating unfamiliar Florida highways.
You can send a message instead of making a call. You do need to have a mobile phone in order to use the app, though.
Hi Tom! Great post!!! I’m thinking I want to do what you did when you arrived at mco airport and request an uber ride outside the airport but my question is what do you mean by taking an off site parking shuttle? Where can I find these shuttles and to which random stop you I get off? I’m not familiar with the mco airport and want to make sure I know what to do once I’m there so I don’t waste time…thank you so much!!!!! Hope you can help!!
I’m from outside of the US and managed to use the Uber app on my phone in Orlando thanks to Disney/Universal’s wifi networks. (I might have had more of an issue if I was somewhere without wifi though.)