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!
Extremely useful information. Thanks! Was concerned about using a bus and how much time to allow if you have a dinner reservation at a resort hotel or Disney Springs … want to maximize our park time. Can you get Uber, Lyft or a taxi late at night? If you work one of those late stays at MK like you recommend and walk to the Grand Floridian after, are Uber or Taxis around late? Guess what I’m wondering is there a time when transportation closes down.
There are Uber, Lyft, and taxis available at pretty much any hour of the day or night.
Not sure if you’ll be doing an update for rental car tips, but we are at WDW now and decided to rent a car. My main concern was having to pay the parking fee at our resort, but upon arrival we found that the parking fee seems to be waived. We were told to just park in the lot, no tag needed and we didn’t have to provide our license plate info. I am SO glad Disney has waived the parking fees, at least for now. We love having the freedom of our own transportation so we can come and go as we please, but at a deluxe resort that parking fee can be expensive!
If anyone is going the rental car route, check with your company to see if they offer any discounts on rentals. My company uses Working Advantage and I got an awesome deal on a week long rental!
You might’ve gotten lucky, but just an FYI that Disney doesn’t normally collect license plate info or give a window tag. Whether you have a car or not is flagged by security when you first enter the resort.
We paid the parking fee just a couple weeks ago. 🙁
In my experiences, if you do not arrive via their Magical Express, they automatically apply the parking fee. They asked if we flew i and I said no. That was all it took for them to charge me the parking fee when I checked out.
I have been feeling sick with sadness for the Uber drivers in Orlando – who have been overwhelmingly fantastic. I was looking through the past Orlando Uber driver profiles on my account history and it’s just utterly heartbreaking to see the obvious. Good to emphasis basic safety precautions, Ubers don’t need to be dangerous with the right measures. Ridesharing is a rare example of something that is both the cheapest and most convenient available option, and also directly supports the local economy.
We’re planning a trip in May but planning to stay at an Air BNB to save money. Any tips for using Uber/Lyft in this case? A lot of the info seems to pertain specifically to those staying at one of the resorts, and I’m curious if anyone has experience with it when not staying on Disney properties 🙂
Sounds like lack of traditional, convenient transportation is just another broken promise in the Disney experience… while, again, adding expense.
Safety tip, especially if you’re riding alone in an Uber or Lyft: Say you’re waiting for Dave the Driver to pick you up. He pulls up, and you say, “Are you Bob?” A bad guy will say, “Yeah, I’m Bob,” but the real driver will say, “No, I’m Dave” and will almost certainly follow up with, “Are you Heather?” Make him say your name first. The real driver will know your name.
Thank you for this. I’m a single mom, planning a trip with my young child. I’ve never used ride share, and love learning ways we can stay safe.
I had read that Uber is only allowed to pick you up from/drop off at the main building of a resort. In your tips above, you recommended being very specific if your pick up point is NOT the main lobby. Will they actually be able to go to our building at the resort?
Could I just point out that Ubers safety and security record is actually not too great. Many cases of assault. Possibly because they have not vetted their drivers as well as they claim. Also it has been possible for drivers to amend their details including their photo. This has resulted in non authorised people maskerading as official drivers. Finally as its a “Gig economy” job then earnings are low, so working very long hours is the norm. Which of course has its own safety implications.
Now I’m not trying to put down Uber in anyway and I’m sure 99.9% of journeys are safe, secure and reliable. However caution should always be used.
Finally remember this is a low paid job. So if everything has gone well then be generous with your tip. Remember it is generally a good safe way to travel and is mostly cheeper than a taxi!
It will become a great service however it is a fledgling business that has made and will probably still make big mistakes during their learning curve. As for the future of taxi businesses. Well I think Ubers model is the way things will go.
All excellent points. No one should ever take one alone. The 2 times I’ve used one it was a group of 5. I would never even consider that option if traveling alone.
I am at WDW right now and have taken Lyfts solo all week. I check the license plate of the car and make the driver confirm my name before getting into the vehicle. Easy way to make sure the driver is legit. Yesterday the driver dropped me off at a location *slightly* different than the one I requested (drop off location in the park changed) and I immediately got a message from Lyft asking if I was okay and to confirm the new drop off.
I thought that was a great way to make sure I got to where I scheduled.
I am a Lyft fan for life!
Uber is as safe as taking a cab or a bus. I have been using them in the Orlando area for over 5 years, and it’s far from a “fledgling” business. Some drivers are better than others, just as some waiters are better than others, etc. Also, most drivers (especially in WDW area) make more than $20/hour so I wouldn’t say that’s a low paying job. I still tip my drivers well anyway!
Glad you have always had good service. I never said you wouldn’t get good service, however caution should always be used. There have been many instances where things have gone badly wrong. Also you will find many drivers earning a lot less than what you suggest is a good wage. Glad you do give a good tip. Unfortunately not many customers do.
We have an early morning flight out of Orlando (6 AM) and are wondering how available Uber and Lyft rides out of Disney properties at that time of day (probably 4 AM).
Hello; my daughter had an early flight from Lake Buena Vista to MCO. She got dropped by three drivers trying to leave at 4 a.m. Finally a driver showed up. Just be careful planning a very early UBER ride 🙂
We’re considering using Uber/Lyft to get to HS before it opens and a Pre Park opening BoG reservation for our trip in July. We will be a party of 5, 3 adults a 13 year old and a 10 year old. For earlier mornings like that would we better off getting an Uber XL that would fit all of us, or 2 regular Uber/Lyfts? The XL would be more convenient, but not sure how much harder they are to get?
We’re New Yorkers so don’t have cars anyway so have always relied on Uber’s to get around the parks. Works like a charm and saves so much time. We usually take turns paying for it in our group so it never really adds to much cost. I find the bus nightmarish after a long day at the parks!
Hi Tom – great post. I’m rope dropping Rise of the Resistance in February so this was very helpful.
I was curious if Uber/Lyft can get to the park before it opens? They are allowed to go in and drop you off early so you can wait? HS coming up, so planning our best route. Thanks!
I have to say, as a single woman with children did not feel safe using Lyft. I got sketchy drivers, who did not make conversation because they could not speak English, in not very clean vehicles. I definitely will not be doing it again.
Thanks for the tips! As an attorney in the auto insurance industry I can also tell you that it is better to use Uber and Lyft than a taxi because these companies each have a $1 million policy that includes underinsured motorist coverage. Therefore, if you are injured while riding in an Uber or Lyft there should be sufficient coverage to compensate you. Many taxis are only required to have the minimum state policies which can be as low as $15k!
Thanks Shannon. Uber drivers, who average $364/month, must also pay the insurance premium for which you and your CEO are rewarded financially. Nice endorsement for your own benefit.
Thanks for the tips. BTW, the phrase “wrecked havoc” is not correct. It should be “wreaked havoc”.
Do Uber and Lyft drivers have boosters for young kids?
Beware of scammers on uber. While trying to leave universal tonight, multiple drivers started the trip immediately upon accepting it (they were 10 minutes away each time) forcing me to cancel so they could rack up cancellation fees. All 3 drivers had 1 star ratings and had only been on the app 1 day. I got all the fees refunded, and switched to lyft where I had no issue. There were dozens of people there with the same thing happening to them. I’ve never seen anything like this in my travels. It was literally every driver I’d get matched with.
With the new SkyLiner now operating, what would you say is the fastest way to get from Epcot to HS after the 9:00 closing light/fireworks show? I’m torn between Uber or SkyLiner Int’l Gateway. Or maybe walking is a faster option??
Hi Emmetta! If you’re talking about going from the back entrance of Epcot, International Gateway, you can’t Uber right from there. You’d have to go to Boardwalk or Beach Club and then Uber to the Studios. There’s the skyliner of course, or if you don’t want to use that, you can take the boat or walk. Walking is fastest, depending on how quick you walk. Otherwise, I’d say the boat. The skyliner is quick if it doesn’t stop, but you have to transfer at Carribbean Beach before getting to the Studios. Seems indirect, to me.
Don’t take the boat unless you enjoy endless mosquito bites, a very long ride (time), and multiple stops. I would skyliner over, or walk to Beach or Yacht club lobby, grab a seat, and request a ride.
We love UBER or LYFT to the Beach or Yacht, then walk to the INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY to enter Epcot. It’s even easier with the SKYLINER (if you’re staying on the line). We’ve even used the SKYLINER from the back of Epcot, popped off at a transfer station, walked out, and UBER or LYFT after fireworks to our hotel when not staying on the line. They are dropping off people after fireworks, so there are plenty of vehicles around. We waited maybe 3 minutes, and we had no idea where we were – Caribbean Beach station exit, easy peasy.
Does anyone know if there is UBER that are able to handle handicap. My daughter has a scooter and not sure if this is an option for us. Any help would be appreciated.
You can check here if the Uber Accessible service is available in that area
https://www.uber.com/gb/en/ride/uberwav/
I had an injury and had a rental scooter for the entire trip in February 2020. A couple of tips for you:
1) If you request a MYERS taxi, especially at the end of the night, be very specific as to where you are being picked up. After a show, if a big van or mini van (with the equipment to load your scooter in the back) shows up, BIG FAMILIES will swarm to grab the taxi. Just walk right in front of you… no shame, and offer the taxi driver some extra $$$ to take them instead, now, as their entire family piles in. (Happy ending – the cabbie said no thanks, get out, here’s a card to call a cab)
2) Whatever taxi or LYFT or UBER service you get, REQUEST A BUSINESS CARD from the driver and talk to them during the trip. Ask for best advice for pick up requests, drop offs, etc..
3) Love, love, LOVE the Minnie Van service with a scooter! If you are going to or coming from the MAGIC KINGDOM, you really need to request a MINNIE VAN. I highly suggest that you download the LYFT app in advance, and load your personal and credit card info into it. Take a test trip wherever you live, get used to a regular ride, minus the scooter. MINNIE VANS pick up and drop off right outside of the main gates into the park… aka – NO TREK TO THE TICKET AND TRANSPORTATION HUB VIA MONORAIL OR FERRY BOAT.
4) Again, REQUEST THE BUSINESS CARD FOR THE MINNIE VAN driver and ask for tips on travel with a scooter.
There are videos on the subject, but I have to say, SKIP THE BUS AND MONORAIL SYSTEM if you can avoid it. The SKYLINER system is GREAT with a scooter.
Ask for help. They want to help. They will load you in the vehicle, strap it down, etc.
Bring $$$ for tips. Get plenty of $5 and $1 bills from your bank BEFORE you arrive to the hotel or parks. Cash is king, and an extra $5 thank you tip (also tipped in the app, but sometimes I’m all cash) for being treated so well (and they have to take a lot of time to load you in and out of the vehicle) will make you and them feel great.
OH – BIGGEST TIP OF ALL – bring your charging cord WITH you, in a nondescript bag, and keep it with your scooter. You can even secure / lock the bag to the scooter, so that it doesn’t go walking away. A quick trip to the park can go into overtime, and those scooters eat up power on hills… and there are more than you imagine. Just find an outlet and charge it while you eat (restaurants or QS), and always take your key with you.
We almost didn’t make it out of HS because of power from too many hours in the park. Lesson learned. You don’t want someone to push you and your scooter up a hill, it’s just not fun.
Have you used Uber ride pass at WDW? We are a family of three (one teen) and wonder if it would cover all three of us for the entire week we are there. Would be worth it for the ride back to the airport at the end of the week!
Thanks!