Hello Everyone!
I had the pleasure of driving some wonderful DisBoards members on property recently and I wanted to take a moment to answer some questions and provide information on how Uber at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL works with some FAQ:
1)Are drivers allowed in the parks and resorts for pickup or dropoff?
YES YES YES! For resorts, we can pickup simply by stating we are there for pick up and we get right in. Please wait in front of the lobby entrance. If your resort is not listed below, we may also be able to pick up by your building. Please send a txt because we always assume lobby.
Exceptions:
Coronado: We can pick you up, however you must be waiting at the main lobby entrance upon our arrival. If youre not there, we will be sent to checkin parking and you have to walk over to us. This is the only place we are allowed, however if the gates are open during the day we might be able to get closer to your room.
Caribbean Beach: We can now get in easily. Please wait in front of your building by the loop. Do not wait in the bus stop and be sure your pickup location is accurate since this is a very large resort.At CB, we assume your location is what you pinned on the map ( Barbados, Trinidad, Old Port Royale,etc)
OKW/Saratoga: Assumption is pickup is at the location entered, which may be your building. Do not wait in the bus stop itself.
Dropping guests at resorts is also easy, but you still must be staying there or have a dining reservation.
For Parks, we do not have to pay for drop off or pickup. Again, we simply state we are droping off, or picking up, and we get let right through. Generally speaking, here are the pickup/drop locations for the parks and Disney Springs:
MK: Ticket/Transportation Center, in the parking spaces after the taxi queue. Also: you may choose to walk to the Contemporary and get picked up from there. Drop off at CR does not seem to be any faster but some people do choose to do so.
Epcot: I recommend that you walk to the Boardwalk Inn, and call for a ride from there. (This is a great option if ending your evening by the International Gateway between England and France) We usually sit at the gas station across the street and can have you picked up in a minute or less.
The pickup and drop off area is now located near where the Mears cab pickups are. The area appears to be well signed and barriers put up. Look for the green umbrella. Also, please note that there is now a castmember assigned to this area and your car cannot wait for more than a couple minutes before being asked to leave. Therefore, please wait until you are already in this area before requesting a ride.
Hollywood Studios: We are in the main parking lot, right next to the taxi queue. There will be a white sandwichboard sign for pickup/dropoff.
Animal Kingdom: Walk to the left as you exit, towards handicapped parking and the main parking lot. Where the sidewalk meets pavement is where we will be. Youll see the taxi queue on your right about 100 feet up. To your left about a 100 feet will be a white tent, and directly in front of you will be traffic barriers and the first row of handicapped parking.
DTD/Disney Springs:
Westside: Strawberry lot, next to the taxis.
Marketplace: The old bus loop.
Water parks: theres a drop/pickup spot near the entrance so no problems.
Port Canaveral: No problems. However, the rates coming back will be higher than going out. Generally, a family of four or more will find this a savings over the shuttle services. At the port, there are approximately 60 permitted uber drivers so getting a ride back to Orlando(or wherever) is super easy.
Additional Note: We do not pick up or drop off from bus loops, taxi stands, the side of the road/active travel lanes, or other potentially unsafe locations.
2)Are larger vehicles available for my family?
Yes. As of 8/31/15 when I wrote this, UberXL can carry up to 6 passengers. Expect a minivan or large SUV (I drive a white Buick Enclave..if you get me, say you saw this post!). We are also cheaper than taxis on property. Please do NOT try to put more people in the car than are allowed (4 for uber X, 6 for XL). Carrying more passengers than allowed will void the insurance, you could lose you rider account, and the driver could be deactivated.
3)Can uber take me to/from the airport?
Yes.
4)Who drives for uber at WDW? Will I get a CastMember?
Odds are pretty good that you will get a castmember, or former castmember. I also happen to know a guy personally who works at the Wyndham Bonnet Creek and drives UberX. Having said that, Disney is an obvious place for new drivers to go since it's big and there's always alot of traffic so you'll get some of these and it'll be obvious. If you get a driver you really like, go ahead and ask for our number for future rides. If we can accommodate you, we will.
5a)Can I go a long distance such as Cocoa, Tampa,etc?
Yes. Although we ask that you do it earlier in the day/evening, and contact your driver to make sure it's ok. I once had a run to Sarasota from the Yacht Club which picked up at 7pm. It was an hour and a half out, plus an hour and a half for me to get back. So if it had been too much later at night, I would've had to decline.
5b)Can I schedule a longer ride in advance?
Yes, you can. For long rides, Uber seems to be calling drivers to set that up in advance.
6) Are car seats available?
UberX and UberXL now have options including one car seat.
If you have any specific questions about using Uber at WDW, please feel free to reply to this thread and I'll try to keep it updated. I do want to keep this informational, however questions about how the app works, your account, pricing,etc is offtopic and this is not the venue for that.
Have a Magical Day!
Rob
