Everthing you wanted to know about Uber/Lyft at WDW

It's quite possible that it was a navigation glitch, not the driver's fault -- but that is irrelevant. Contact Uber support via your app. If you don't know how to do that, let me know and I'll walk you through it.

It does NOT matter whether the error was the driver's fault or a navigation system problem. It was not YOUR fault...and you shouldn't pay for it.

So contact Uber support and tell them briefly about the difficulties and ask them to review the route. In all probability, they will credit you for the mistake. They are very good about taking care of customers.

The issue of navigation error does occur sometimes, and it's maddening. We get it a LOT with Miami International Airport, and the mistake you noted sounds like the same thing. The nav somehow tries to route the driver to the geographic center of the location. At MIA, that is "Cargo City," which is a restricted area inside the airport where regular vehicle traffic is prohibited. If your destination showed as being inside US, I'm betting it was that same kind of nav error and not the driver's fault.

Thanks. I'm not entirely sure how to do it. I've found the help and review my fare or fees under the trip in my app, and it says to choose my driver took a poor route, but will it let me comment on it after I click submit or is it not necessary to comment?
 
Thanks. I'm not entirely sure how to do it. I've found the help and review my fare or fees under the trip in my app, and it says to choose my driver took a poor route, but will it let me comment on it after I click submit or is it not necessary to comment?
Yes, choose "driver took a poor route." There is no space for comments, but there are options under that choice including "driver made a wrong turn or got lost" and that would be the one to select.

There is another choice which says your fare did not match your upfront quote, but if you tap that it just tells you to go back and select "driver took a poor route."
 
Actually, just the opposite is true.

If a driver had 20 trips, probably half of those riders didn't rate them at all. Of the remaining 10 rides which were rated, if 9 of them were 5 stars and only ONE was a 1 star -- the driver would have a 4.6. And it would take them a lot of rides to dig themselves out of that hole -- that's just the way numbers work.

That's why Uber doesn't pay any attention to driver ratings until we get 100 rated rides. One or two riders can really trash a new drivers rating. And I've gotten 1-star ratings from riders who tried to put six people in an X ride (max is 4, and XL is twice the price here), and another rider who I would not stop in the middle of US 1 to pick up and made him walk about 20 feet to a safe pickup spot.

OTOH, if I saw a driver with 5,000 rides and a 4.6 (and I have), I would be expecting a less than satisfactory ride -- which is exactly what I got from an experienced driver in SFO with a 4.62 rating. I gave him 5 stars just because he's working full-time to support his family and I didn't want to hurt him. But he had richly earned his 4.62 rating.

That was actually my point. The other poster was saying that they would have confidence in a driver with thousands of rides and a 4.6, because obviously they are experienced.

My point was that a driver with more than 500 rides and a rating of 4.6-something is on the verge of getting deactivated -- and with good reason. You really do have to work to get a rating that low.

But a new driver could very easily have a 4.6 and be a perfectly good driver who ran into one obnoxious drunk who was unlucky at the bar and took it out on the driver.

An experienced driver's rating matters. Noob ratings really don't.
Oh my! Really? Come to Miami and ride with me, Angi!

Almost 2,000 Uber rides, and I wobble between 4.93 and 4.94. I'd be willing to bet that Joel is in the same ballpark. Most drivers range between about 4.75-4.85. I'm rated higher mostly because I drive a very nice car and I don't accept Pool rides, which are low-ratings magnets. And I am professional in my demeanor.

So perhaps my example was bad... I was just saying that I'd trust a driver more that has thousands of rides under their belt with what I would consider to be a good star rating, as opposed to a driver with what I would consider to be a bad star rating with much fewer rides completed. I don't know the thresholds as far as when the star ratings take effect and when they are deactivated, so as a consumer who knows little about the employer side of Uber, knowing how many rides a driver has completed is valuable to me.
 
So perhaps my example was bad... I was just saying that I'd trust a driver more that has thousands of rides under their belt with what I would consider to be a good star rating, as opposed to a driver with what I would consider to be a bad star rating with much fewer rides completed. I don't know the thresholds as far as when the star ratings take effect and when they are deactivated, so as a consumer who knows little about the employer side of Uber, knowing how many rides a driver has completed is valuable to me.
I agree that seeing a good number of rides is a big plus. I don't know what the actual attrition rate is (I've seen 96% attrition in the first year thrown around on discussion boards, but I suspect that's way high). But certainly a driver with 1,000 rides or more has a good bit of experience. It also tells you they can't be too bad, or they wouldn't have lasted. If you see a BIG number of rides -- like 4,000-5,000 -- you can bet the farm that the driver does this full time, and has for some time. (I'm not sure that is a good thing, but...)

I will say one thing for rideshare driving experience -- it changes the way you drive! I've always been a competent driver, but it only took me about a month of rideshare driving to become MUCH more cautious. When you are driving a LOT, you see a LOT of stupidity on the road.

Uber also has a "driver profile" that you can look at which will tell you things like languages spoken, hometown, compliments from riders, badges (don't get me started on badges, lol!), a "fun fact", other experience, and "Why I drive." All of that info except the compliments and badges are entered into the profile by the driver, so take them with a touch of salt. And believe it or not, I have had a number of riders who actually took the time to read my profile.

*****
As far as the star ratings, here's how it goes with Uber. With Uber, they don't pay much attention to the first 100 rides. Generally, only 40-60% of riders even bother to do ratings...and that's a problem, because the riders who don't rate are the ones who were perfectly happy with their ride. If somebody's not happy, you can be sure they will do their rating.

Once an Uber driver has 100 rated rides, their rating needs to stay above 4.6. That's 92%, and an A in school, but it's borderline termination with Uber.

Uber counts the most recent 500 rated rides, so as your ride count grows older ratings drop off and are no longer counted. If a driver gets below 4.6, they get a warning to get their rating up (very difficult to do), and if their rating stays below 4.6 for another week or two, they are deactivated.

The driver is usually given an opportunity to take a customer service improvement course online (which the driver pays for), and if they successfully complete that, they are reinstated. However, few of those drivers stick. As I said above, you have to really work to get a low average rating and they don't change just because they claim to have watched some online "charm school" videos.

I'm not sure how Lyft does their ratings, because they are totally opaque about ratings. Uber gives us all the numbers and you can check the math; Lyft tells you nothing. The driver cannot see their rating on the driver app; it only comes in an email once a week and I usually don't even open that email.
 


I have finally finished reading through this entire thread, taking lots of notes throughout, and I’m feeling fairly confident about using Uber/Lyft for the first time soon. A huge thank you to @JimMIA and Joel (who it won’t let me tag) for the information, as well as @Best Aunt, @AngiTN and everyone else who has contributed.

If the driver behind the wheel does not match the picture on you app, you have to assume three things, both bad:
  • neither you nor the rideshare company have any idea who that driver is
  • the driver has not had a background check
  • there is no insurance coverage on your ride

What should I do if I am in this situation? Obviously I wouldn’t get in the car, but what next? Do I cancel the ride and then tell Uber why? In addition, do I tell the driver that I’m reporting them, and/or do I flag down resort security?

Since the whole purpose of the photo is safety, I would be concerned at just walking away from the situation without doing anything. I assume it’s not the kind of thing the police would care about, and I do realise that it doesn’t necessary mean they are an axe murderer, but it’s a potentially dangerous situation so what should I do?
 


What should I do if I am in this situation? Obviously I wouldn’t get in the car, but what next? Do I cancel the ride and then tell Uber why? In addition, do I tell the driver that I’m reporting them, and/or do I flag down resort security?

Since the whole purpose of the photo is safety, I would be concerned at just walking away from the situation without doing anything. I assume it’s not the kind of thing the police would care about, and I do realise that it doesn’t necessary mean they are an axe murderer, but it’s a potentially dangerous situation so what should I do?

For starters, I'd say the odds of it happening are VERY low. I think in the situation Jim described, it's likely at an airport, an arena, or a place with LOTS of drivers – a place where people can prey on those who are overwhelmed or don't take the time to see who's supposed to be picking them up. It's likely not to happen with a single driver dispatched to a hotel.

But if it DOES happen, no need to freak out. Just cancel the ride in the app and write to Uber and tell them why. If it makes you feel better, just tell the driver you changed your mind. Calling security is likely not going to be helpful or be interested in policing the legitimacy of a private company's employees.

Have a nice trip!
 
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What should I do if I am in this situation? Obviously I wouldn’t get in the car, but what next? Do I cancel the ride and then tell Uber why? In addition, do I tell the driver that I’m reporting them, and/or do I flag down resort security?

You asked what to do if the driver does not match the picture on the app.

My situation in front of the NYC convention center was that a driver with an uber sign in his window told me to get in the car. In New York, cars have license plates on the front and the back. This guy's license plate did not match the one I was waiting for. I looked at the app, and it showed that the driver assigned to me was still several minutes away. I did not cancel the ride. I told the guy that I was not getting in his car because I knew he was not the driver which Uber was sending for me. I had to yell that a few times before he finally realized I was not a mark, and he drove away. When the correct driver arrived, I got in his vehicle.

The bad driver was not working through the app. He was just pulling up to an area where people were clearly waiting for a ride, and trying to see if any of them were stupid enough to get in his car.

So before you cancel, look at the app.

(a) If the app says that your driver has arrived, call or text the driver. When I was in Texas, the drivers kept ending up on the opposite side of the street. Sometimes I saw them, but sometimes they had to call me and wave before I realized they were there. Maybe the driver in front of you isn't an evil person; maybe he is the driver who was assigned to someone else and your driver is nearby or on his way.

(b) If the app says that your driver is still on his way, it's possible that the wrong driver has no connection with Uber at all. If that's the case, tell the wrong driver... well, what you tell the driver depends on your personality and what you think is going on. You can tell him that you memorized his license plate number and are about to call the cops (even if you really aren't). Or tell him, like I did, that you know he is not the driver that Uber is sending and that you are not getting in his vehicle, so he needs to leave.

If you are at a hotel which only has one place where drivers pick up, then it's pretty easy. If you request an Uber at Disney hotels like Beach Club, Wilderness Lodge and Contemporary, it's easy to know where you are supposed to be picked up, and I think it's less likely that some random driver will show up. It's more complicated if you are on the street.
 
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For starters, I'd say the odds of it happening are VERY low. I think in the situation Jim described, it's likely at an airport, an arena, or a place with LOTS of drivers – a place where people can prey on those who are overwhelmed or don't take the time to see who's supposed to be picking them up. It's likely not to happen with a single driver dispatched to a hotel.

But if it DOES happen, no need to freak out. Just cancel the ride in the app and write to Uber and tell them why. If it makes you feel better, just tell the driver you changed your mind. Calling security is likely not going to be helpful or be interested in policing the legitimacy of a private company's employees.

Have a nice trip!
^^^^^This.

In a situation like this, what do you want out of the situation?
  • YOU. You solve that in two ways:
    • Do NOT get into the car
    • Do NOT get into a confrontation -- You're not there to fight evil; you just want a ride. So just tell the driver you changed your mind and you're not going.
  • Before you cancel the ride, make sure you're actually dealing with a bogus driver. Follow Best Aunt's advice above on that procedure.
  • Those of us who drive legitimately would appreciate it if you reported it to Uber/Lyft, and it might prevent someone else getting victimized. And...you'll get your cancellation fee back.
  • But be SURE that the car you ordered showed up with the wrong driver. Please don't get a legit driver in trouble by mistake.
As far as reporting the incident to authorities or Disney security -- don't waste your time. There is a scenario where that could be criminal behavior, but it's a misdemeanor and the officer would have to have witnessed it. I can also guarantee you almost 100% that very few patrol officers will know the rideshare statute and even know that there could be a crime involved. Disney Security has no authority to do anything.

Also, as Best Aunt said above, it could just be an innocent mistake with a legitimate driver trying to pick up the wrong passenger. I did that once, and if the guys had spoken English it would have been very embarrassing, lol!
 
Yes, choose "driver took a poor route." There is no space for comments, but there are options under that choice including "driver made a wrong turn or got lost" and that would be the one to select.

There is another choice which says your fare did not match your upfront quote, but if you tap that it just tells you to go back and select "driver took a poor route."

Thanks, it told me straight away that I'd be refunded the extra charge, so I suppose the system automatically can see the route was too long. On a positive note we actually helped an uber driver today, as we went to the Disney Wilderness Preserve which is about a 40 min drive away from Disney. Turned out that the uber we booked to go back again was a driver that had only just signed on and he was heading to Disney to drive anyway.
 
For starters, I'd say the odds of it happening are VERY low. I think in the situation Jim described, it's likely at an airport, an arena, or a place with LOTS of drivers – a place where people can prey on those who are overwhelmed or don't take the time to see who's supposed to be picking them up. It's likely not to happen with a single driver dispatched to a hotel.

But if it DOES happen, no need to freak out. Just cancel the ride in the app and write to Uber and tell them why. If it makes you feel better, just tell the driver you changed your mind. Calling security is likely not going to be helpful or be interested in policing the legitimacy of a private company's employees.

Have a nice trip!

You asked what to do if the driver does not match the picture on the app.

My situation in front of the NYC convention center was that a driver with an uber sign in his window told me to get in the car. In New York, cars have license plates on the front and the back. This guy's license plate did not match the one I was waiting for. I looked at the app, and it showed that the driver assigned to me was still several minutes away. I did not cancel the ride. I told the guy that I was not getting in his car because I knew he was not the driver which Uber was sending for me. I had to yell that a few times before he finally realized I was not a mark, and he drove away. When the correct driver arrived, I got in his vehicle.

The bad driver was not working through the app. He was just pulling up to an area where people were clearly waiting for a ride, and trying to see if any of them were stupid enough to get in his car.

So before you cancel, look at the app.

(a) If the app says that your driver has arrived, call or text the driver. When I was in Texas, the drivers kept ending up on the opposite side of the street. Sometimes I saw them, but sometimes they had to call me and wave before I realized they were there. Maybe the driver in front of you isn't an evil person; maybe he is the driver who was assigned to someone else and your driver is nearby or on his way.

(b) If the app says that your driver is still on his way, it's possible that the wrong driver has no connection with Uber at all. If that's the case, tell the wrong driver... well, what you tell the driver depends on your personality and what you think is going on. You can tell him that you memorized his license plate number and are about to call the cops (even if you really aren't). Or tell him, like I did, that you know he is not the driver that Uber is sending and that you are not getting in his vehicle, so he needs to leave.

If you are at a hotel which only has one place where drivers pick up, then it's pretty easy. If you request an Uber at Disney hotels like Beach Club, Wilderness Lodge and Contemporary, it's easy to know where you are supposed to be picked up, and I think it's less likely that some random driver will show up. It's more complicated if you are on the street.

^^^^^This.

In a situation like this, what do you want out of the situation?
  • YOU. You solve that in two ways:
    • Do NOT get into the car
    • Do NOT get into a confrontation -- You're not there to fight evil; you just want a ride. So just tell the driver you changed your mind and you're not going.
  • Before you cancel the ride, make sure you're actually dealing with a bogus driver. Follow Best Aunt's advice above on that procedure.
  • Those of us who drive legitimately would appreciate it if you reported it to Uber/Lyft, and it might prevent someone else getting victimized. And...you'll get your cancellation fee back.
  • But be SURE that the car you ordered showed up with the wrong driver. Please don't get a legit driver in trouble by mistake.
As far as reporting the incident to authorities or Disney security -- don't waste your time. There is a scenario where that could be criminal behavior, but it's a misdemeanor and the officer would have to have witnessed it. I can also guarantee you almost 100% that very few patrol officers will know the rideshare statute and even know that there could be a crime involved. Disney Security has no authority to do anything.

Also, as Best Aunt said above, it could just be an innocent mistake with a legitimate driver trying to pick up the wrong passenger. I did that once, and if the guys had spoken English it would have been very embarrassing, lol!

Thank you all! @best Aunt’s experience is pretty scary, but I do realise that is likely to happen to us in Disney, not least because we will try to keep out of the busy crowds of people all looking for rides at once. Nevertheless, I do feel much better prepared as the result of these replies, and this thread in general.

I take minicabs at home all the time and never give it a second thought. I also take taxis all over the world without any concern, but add in the app and call it ride-share, not taxi, and suddenly I drop 50 IQ points and my anxiety goes through the roof! I’m sure it will be fine, and I would much rather try Uber than deal with the buses where possible.
 
Thank you all! @best Aunt’s experience is pretty scary, but I do realise that is likely to happen to us in Disney, not least because we will try to keep out of the busy crowds of people all looking for rides at once. Nevertheless, I do feel much better prepared as the result of these replies, and this thread in general.

I take minicabs at home all the time and never give it a second thought. I also take taxis all over the world without any concern, but add in the app and call it ride-share, not taxi, and suddenly I drop 50 IQ points and my anxiety goes through the roof! I’m sure it will be fine, and I would much rather try Uber than deal with the buses where possible.
It will be ok, I'm certain. I've used both services probably 50 times in and around Disney (between the airport, Universal and Disney) and not one single time did I have someone other than my assigned driver show up to pick me up. I agree with those above, you run into that in other environments, where things are much more crowded and moving cars through much faster when the checks aren't happening like they should. Disney is slower paced in that regard.
 
:offtopic: I just wanted to say that the information on this thread, particularly the information provided from the DRIVERS, has been most helpful. My DH is retiring at the end of this year after almost 30 years in law enforcement and I am looking to supplement my full-time job with a little part-time work while the kids are in school. I will be replacing my 2004 Suburban with a new vehicle (still to be determined, but definitely a little smaller) sometime next year and I am considering driving for Uber/Lyft. We live just 15 minutes from the airport so I figure there may be a "market" for business travelers that need to get to the downtown area. My own career background provides me with a lot of geographical knowledge as well as a LOT of driving experience. I have no idea how much supplemental income I could earn driving just 1-2 days a week, but I am definitely intrigued by the possibility. The downtown area is booming with bars and entertainment venues, but it is notorious for a complete lack of parking so Uber and Lyft have become very popular for the college and bar crowds. Unfortunately, I haul a lot of those folks around in my ambulance when they have had too much and I'd rather not deal with that in my personal vehicle. I'd rather stick to the airport area, KWIM?? Anyways...thanks for all of the information on this thread. You have given me a lot to think about:flower3:.
 
Has anyone used pre paid gift card loaded to PayPal to pay for their rides? I was thinking of doing it this way for our trip next year and just wanted to see if anyone has done it and if they have had any issues.
 
Has anyone used pre paid gift card loaded to PayPal to pay for their rides? I was thinking of doing it this way for our trip next year and just wanted to see if anyone has done it and if they have had any issues.
You can use Venmo, PayPal, or Google Pay as your payment method for Uber, but I don't know if they will let you use pre-paid gift cards. I believe Lyft does allow pre-paid gift cards. Both companies have their own gift cards, which of course they accept.

The pre-paid card is an issue for drivers because those cards are often used by drug dealers to remain anonymous making deliveries. None of us want to be risking our lives, or arrest, for some drug dealer.
 
I'm assuming that uber/lyft can transport mom's ECV (XL or whatever Lyft's is called) in the back of the van and help
hubby lift it (in one piece) into the vehicle. This is what we have done in other cities. But want to make sure so there are no surprises when using U/L.

And oh, I am assuming we can tell them we have the mobility scooter as soon as we order the ride in case there is some reason they can't transport it.
 
The pre-paid card is an issue for drivers because those cards are often used by drug dealers to remain anonymous making deliveries. None of us want to be risking our lives, or arrest, for some drug dealer.

Good to know! I just saw a Groupon today for an Uber prepaid card.
 
I'm assuming that uber/lyft can transport mom's ECV (XL or whatever Lyft's is called) in the back of the van and help
hubby lift it (in one piece) into the vehicle. This is what we have done in other cities. But want to make sure so there are no surprises when using U/L.
Lyft's larger size is also now called XL, although you'll also see it referred to as Plus.

Do NOT assume that a driver will lift an ECV into the vehicle. They may or may not, and it's entirely up to the driver. There are three potential downsides, and many drivers will not take the risk. The downsides are:
  • The driver gets injured -- for which they will not be compensated by anyone
  • Mom's hubby gets injured, which results in a complaint or other claim against Uber and/or the driver
  • The driver's personal car gets damaged -- again, probably not compensated by anyone
So it's going to be up to the driver. Especially if the driver is driving an expensive or large SUV with a high cargo bed, that might be a pretty tough lift.

And oh, I am assuming we can tell them we have the mobility scooter as soon as we order the ride in case there is some reason they can't transport it.
Yes, and you SHOULD. Save yourself and the driver time and money if they don't want to do the heavy lifting. With either company, you will be able to CALL the driver. With Uber, if the driver doesn't answer the phone (because they're in traffic and can't safely do so), you can text the driver.

*****
Also, the Disney MinnieVans have a couple of accessible MinnieVans which will handle an ECV easily and properly. And I believe Mears also has accessible vehicles.
 
Makes sense. Although we have never had a problem, either at Disneyland or other out of town destinations. When my daughter was with us and requested the rides, she didn't even tell them we had the scooter and each driver had no problem with getting it into their van. BUT I do understand what you are saying.
I have also read that people have used Minnie Vans and also transported the ECV in one piece. No MV's for us for the first part of our stay because we are staying at a Disney Springs hotel. Second half we will definitely use MV's when going between Disney resort and MK, also Hoop De Doo and Trail's End.
So the bottom line is I won't expect that the scooter can be loaded in one piece by U or L. Am sure going to try though.

Has anyone using an ECV had any experience with this???

And again, Jim, thanks for all your great information. I've learned a lot.

p.s. do you transport ECV's? Have you been asked to?
 

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