Tips for Using Lyft & Uber at Disney World
Thinking of using Uber or Lyft instead of a taxi, rental car, or bus transportation at Walt Disney World? Ride-sharing services are the most efficient way for getting to parks, resorts, and Universal Studios Florida; these tips will help save money and improve your experience with it. (Updated March 24, 2021.)
During the phased reopening, Walt Disney World transportation options are limited and operating at reduced capacity. Fewer parties are allowed on each bus to accommodate physical distancing, and the result has been longer and more unpredictable wait times for buses. We discuss how bad this has gotten as of Spring Break 2021 in Bus Wait Times at Walt Disney World.
Consequently, our “Temporary Abnormal” Guide to Walt Disney World recommends avoiding the buses for this reason. Unfortunately, the Minnie Van private ride service has been suspended and is not returning any time soon–if ever. That essentially leaves two options: Uber or a rental car. However, the latter option comes with a couple of big downsides…
While we’re fans of the freedom having your own vehicle offers, not everyone wants to drive on vacation and there are obvious downsides in paying for parking and hassling with the car at the airport. Beyond that, there is currently a severe rental car shortage.
Last year when travel essentially stopped, the rental car industry sold off more than a half a million cars, about a third of their combined fleets, to generate cash they needed to survive the crisis. Although demand has now returned, rental car companies are unable to rebuild their inventory because of supply chain issues facing the auto industry.
Consequently, many Florida airports are now totally sold out of rental cars for peak travel dates (including Orlando International) with other dates having insane prices–like $100 to $300 per day for a rental. Suffice to say, if you didn’t book a rental car for your Walt Disney World vacation far in advance, Uber or Lyft might be your only alternative to Disney’s buses. As such, we’ll rundown the pros & cons of rideshare at Walt Disney World here…
First and foremost in terms of a post-reopening update, both ride share companies have new health safety programs. You can read about Lyft’s here and Uber’s here. Both are essentially the same, with face masks being required for drivers and riders, new cleaning procedures, and keeping the windows open when possible.
Masks are important and well-understood at this point, but we would emphasize opening the windows. Study after study has shown that ventilation is one of the keys in reducing transmission risks (check out “We Need To Talk About Ventilation,” which breaks things down in lay terms). When using taxis or ride share services, professors at Harvard’s School of Public Health suggest that you “open up the windows just a bit, even if everyone is feeling fine…doing so will dilute the concentration of viral particles in the car.”
Thankfully, even as bus transportation has gotten worse at Walt Disney World, using Uber and Lyft has actually gotten better over time! Cast Members and security have become more familiar with ride-sharing services, and Walt Disney World has introduced policies for consistent drop-off/pick-up.
As such, we highly recommend using Uber or Lyft for rope drop in the morning–especially at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where arriving in time for opening and the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance boarding pass dash is imperative. (Unless you’re staying at a Skyliner resort.) Uber and Lyft can also be incredibly useful if you’re leaving any of the parks at closing time, and there are long lines at the bus stops.
In fact, using ride-sharing at Walt Disney World has been a such a positive experience for us that we thought we’d return to offer the ins and outs of it, and why we think it’s worth the added cost for the added convenience. We’ve used Uber and Lyft extensively at Walt Disney World in the last 5+ years, and have updated this advice as of March 2021…
For most people, Uber or Lyft will be cheaper than renting a car, but some people still might prefer the perceived freedom of their own car. We also wanted to provide some new tips based on things we’ve learned with more recent experiences using Uber.
To start, although the details here are specific to Walt Disney World, the high-level advice can be applied to Disneyland and virtually anywhere else Lyft and Uber operate in the United States. In many cases throughout this post, we reference only Uber, and that’s simply because they have a larger presence. Corporate culture aside, Uber and Lyft are nearly identical in guest experience and service, and these tips apply equally to both ride-sharing services.
By way of background (you can skip all of this if you’ve ever used Uber), Uber is ride service 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. When a ride is requested, nearby drivers are pinged, and can accept or decline the riders.
Riders then see that their ride has been accepted, the driver’s name, vehicle, license plate, average score, current GPS location, and arrival time. This is all virtually instantaneous: the amount of time from requesting a ride to a ride being confirmed is usually under 10 seconds. If all of that doesn’t totally make sense, think of Uber as a taxi for the modern age, with a really nice app.
Does that all sound pretty good? Well, it should, because it is. Uber and Lyft have exploded in popularity, which has wrecked havoc for taxi companies that are rapidly losing business and are in danger of obsolescence in some areas. Taxi companies have fought bitter political and legal battles to keep Uber out of many areas, with the dispute boiling down to one thing: money. Taxi companies want to keep making money, and Uber makes that difficult for them.
As a consumer, the only pertinent concerns are whether Uber safe, efficient, and less expensive. Uber is obviously less expensive. That’s the whole reason taxi companies are fighting Uber tooth and nail. It’s cheaper because it’s more efficient, allocating resources via the app in a way that makes best use of them, with the app likewise providing a more efficient experience for riders.
Finally, safety. None of the above would matter if Uber isn’t safe. Uber performs background checks on its drivers (as do taxi companies), but more important is the rating system in the app. If a driver’s score falls below 4.5/5, they run the risk of being dropped by Uber. The flip side of this is that drivers also rate riders, so if you’re constantly an angry, drunken buffoon, you run the risk of not being picked up.
By contrast, ask any regular Uber rider how many negative experiences they’ve had with ride-sharing drivers. The horror stories are few and far between, with most riders instead gushing over how much better the experience is than traditional taxis. Friendly drivers who come from interesting backgrounds and will make pleasant conversation with you, or simply leave you alone if you don’t feel like chatting.
Now that we’ve established some background, let’s get into the tips…
General Tips
- Payment is automatically made via the app (and your attached credit card) at the end of the app. No cash payments.
- Tipping originally was not part of the Uber “culture” but it is becoming increasingly customary to tip drivers. You can now do so within the apps for both Uber and Lyft. (We recommend tipping.)
- A pleasant way to end each ride is by saying, “thanks for the great ride, I’ll be sure to give you 5-stars.” (Which also helps increase your chances of receiving a positive review from the driver.)
- If you have more general questions about using Uber that this post doesn’t answer, refer to the Uber Help page for FAQ.
- If you’re new to the Lyft, you can get a free or reduced-cost first ride via this link.
Disney Tips
- Average Uber/Lyft cost within Walt Disney World is $10-15 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 $20-25 per trip.
- Average wait for a pick-up at Walt Disney World is 4-8 minutes.
- 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.
- Lyft and Uber pickups are now allowed at MCO; there’s an airport surcharge added to your tab, but it’s not too bad. Uber drop-offs are also allowed at the airport. Uber and Lyft are far faster than Disney’s Magical Express.
- 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 Pop Century Resort. 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.
- Uber has unveiled the Uber + Car Seat in Orlando, which will bring parents an Uber vehicle with a car seat inside, on-demand.
Magic Kingdom
- 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.
- Instead, consider specifying the Contemporary or Grand Floridian as your destination and walking to Magic Kingdom.
- Security at the Contemporary isn’t always the easiest to pass, so don’t be surprised if you’re turned away there. Grand Floridian is the better option, but the walk is slightly longer.
Epcot
- The Uber process at Epcot has improved considerably. The only downside is that the roadway into the park and parking 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 simpler, and often faster.
- The pickup and drop-off spot at the front entrance of Epcot has constantly changed, but as of now, it’s near the Preferred Parking section.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Drop-off and pickup at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is right next to the Disney Skyliner gondola station (lower left corner in the photo above). This location is very convenient.
- Due to the popularity of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, the drop-off line can back-up early in the morning before DHS opens. Plan accordingly and allow yourself a bit of extra time.
- 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, I think. If you’re new to using Uber, you can get a free ride credits by signing up via this link for Uber or a free ride on Lyft via this link. They are constantly changing their sign-up incentives, so if you don’t see any credit amount on those screens, definitely Google signup offers. There’s usually an incentive or promo code for your first ride on both Uber and Lyft.
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. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Any additional experiences using Uber that you’d like to share? Do you prefer Uber, Lyft, Minnie Vans, or using Walt Disney World’s standard (bus, monorail, boat, Skyliner) transportation? If you’ve used Uber or Lyft at Walt Disney World, did you find the services efficient? Do you agree or disagree with our Uber/Lyft advice? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
About how long does it take to do Uber from WDW to Universal? We are staying at Port Orleans – Riverside and will be there in July. I have heard you want to be at Universal an hour before opening, is it easy to get an Uber that early in the morning?
Going to uber to the magic kingdom 6-4 . Is there an age restriction for my grandson to Uber from our hotel to magic kingdom with me and his parents?
staying at AoA, have 2 early ADRs, one at Polynesian and one at Grand Floridian. anyone have experience with uber plus car seat from these locations and early morning? we are a party of 5 with one child needing a car seat. ADRs are pre-8am. Minnie van pricing is just way too overpriced and not sure i trust the buses enough that time of morning with needing to transfer.
Uber does but lyft does not
Visiting Magic Kingdom tomorrow. (Sorry – short notice, but even if the response ends up being too late to help me, maybe it will help others.) Is getting dropped off at the Contemporary still a viable option? (I’m afraid of losing time by not being allowed to pass.)
We just did this in February with Uber and not problems. Confirm with driver on pick up.
Heading down to Art of Animation and want to use Lyft and/or Uber. We arrive at MCO approx 11:30pm! Can we still get a Lyft at that time of night and be dropped off at the resort? Will also be needing return ride to MCO early Sunday morning approx 4:30am! Any problems we’d run into? Any further advice or suggestions welcomed. Thank you!
Karen,
We’re uou able to get an Uber to the airport that early Sunday? We are going next week and I have that same flight ✈ï¸
EricA
Does Lyft have care seats as well? Trying to keep costs done but really don’t want to travel with a car seat and if Uber/Lyft rides easier and quicker then monorail, we would like that more.
With a group of 8, we would probably have to get 2 separate Uber’s, correct?
I have a ADR at Be Our Guest for 8am, with parking opening at 9am. I will be staying off site (in town for a wedding and sneaking in a day at Disney.). I was planning on using Uber, if we get dropped off at the transportation center. How much time should I be planning to need? Want to be entering MK at 7:45am. Will the monorail be running that early as well?
I would get there no later than 7:00. The monorail can sometimes run long and and depending which one you get on it could stop at multiple resorts.
Can lyft deny a rider if they have a toddler with them with no car seat? I know Uber does have car seats, but what about lyft?
Anyone been to the Disney outlet on Vineland via Uber and what has been your experience in cost, time, and ease of being picked up when don’t shopping. It would be to and from boardwalk.
Orlando now has Uber Ride Pass. It is $15 per month and keeps you from paying surge pricing. It does auto renew so you have to remember to cancel once you leave Orlando. We used Uber a lot over New Years. The ride pass saved us from surge pricing of 3-4x’s normal rates. Your mileage will very depending on time of year and how much you plan on using Uber. It was definitely worth it for our trip.
any problem getting a ride from MK at midnight?
None at all! The Magic Kingdom has a rideshare queue so you should be able to flag a ride quickly.
Anyone have experience using ride sharing services at the end of the day at Disney? We will be there over New year’s (yes I am, insane, but niece has a marching band performance there) and I may lose my mind waiting hours in the bus lines.
We are looking to get a Uber from a Disney resort to the where port to catch a cruise, not Disney. Should this be a problem?
How much is it from the airport?
It depends on the time of day; I would estimate between $15/25.
You can download the Uber app for free and search for rates. We did Uber two weeks ago at 8PM on a Thursday night from MCO to the Poly and it cost close to $40. I just checked the rates now at 10PM on a monday and it showed $39.12.
The Minnie vans start at 125 ,regular starts at 45
Thanks Patricia. I realize you dont go into hotel. I was just worried about security not letting us into parking lot of hotel to get out of uber.
I’m going to a wedding at Epcot s wedding pavilion midweek. Can Uber /left take me right to the pavilion !
Thanks for the helpful article. Please clarify what you mean by :”Instead, we specify the Contemporary as our destination, and walk 5 minutes to Magic Kingdom.”
What is this Contemporary destination you are referring to and why is it better than TTC?
The contemporary is a hotel on property right next to the magic kingdom
This is the Contemporary Resort. When Uber/Lyft goes to the Magic Kingdom it can only drop off at the TTC, where you still have to take a ferry or the monorail to get to the Magic Kingdom. When you get dropped off at the Contemporary, there’s a path that goes right to the Magic Kingdom. On crowded days, this will save you a lot of time!
I have read that you can get turned away at Contemporary by security if you don’t have a dinner reservation. But you are saying that we should be fine to get dropped by Uber at Contemporary without a reservation? Don’t want to plan on this then get turned away and have to go back through TTC at that point. Thank you!
@Kelly–you don’t have to go into the hotel. When you’re dropped at the entrance, you’ll be able to see the walkway to the Magic Kingdom.
My son left something on a van, is there any way to get it back??
Where is the pick up/drop off at Disney Springs? Or ids there more than one?
I’ve always picked up/dropped off at the bus stands.
3 adults will be staying at Fort Wilderness at WDW and would like to Lyft or Uber to Universal. Where would the car pick us up?
At the resorts, Uber/Lyft pick up at the general reception area, just like a taxi would.