Transportation Options from Disney to Universal/IOA

[damo]

Originally Posted by trailmix71

Hello,
We plan to take a Mears taxi to and from IOA. Is the pick-up drop off area in the same place? If so, where exactly?

Are there plenty of taxis around at night at IOA?

Thanks

The drop off/pick up area is right at the end of the walkway to the parking garages. Instead of going into the garages, you exit and walk down a level to the large drop off area. There will be lots of taxis.

[Claudia1]

A big to the Dreams Unlimited Universal ticket & transportation package! I got the 1 day/2park package for my DS and DDIL, which was about the same price as me getting the transportation and 1 park ticket on my own.

The transportation was dependable, easy and no-hassle to change the return time. Tickets and info arrived as indicated.

I did purchase them the Express pass, which helped them do both parks in 1 day. It was during Spring Break and they were very unfamiliar with the parks, so it help them alot.

Thanks DU!!!!

[jeankeri]

How much is the express pass option? Are there ever any deals?

[Melanie230]

We went through this last year. We rented a car from Hertz at the Hard Rock Hotel for $31.00 and drove to the MNSSHP. It was the cheapest option, for our family.

[Metro West]

Originally Posted by jeankeri

How much is the express pass option? Are there ever any deals?

Express Plus pass prices depend on the anticipated crowd level of a given day. They range from $19.99 to upwards of $69.99 depending on the day. You can check the rates here:

http://www.universalorlando.com/Them...us-Passes.aspx

There are never any deals on Express Plus passes.

[dvc4life]

Been reading through the thread and thought I would ask for some advice. We will be going to Florida May 24th to stay one night at the Hard Rock Hotel and then doing Universal and IOA the next day. We will be heading to OKW on the 25th during the late afternoon. There will be five of us with luggage and 2 owners lockers. I know, lots of stuff, what would be our best option to get from HRH to OKW? We were thinking Taxi.

Thanks for any suggestions or recommendations you may have.

[damo]

Originally Posted by dvc4life

Been reading through the thread and thought I would ask for some advice. We will be going to Florida May 24th to stay one night at the Hard Rock Hotel and then doing Universal and IOA the next day. We will be heading to OKW on the 25th during the late afternoon. There will be five of us with luggage and 2 owners lockers. I know, lots of stuff, what would be our best option to get from HRH to OKW? We were thinking Taxi.

Thanks for any suggestions or recommendations you may have.

I would recommend a taxi van. You may have to have the hotel arrange for one for you since it seems that they just have town cars and big Escalades there now that are more expensive than just a regular taxi van.

[dvc4life]

Originally Posted by damo

I would recommend a taxi van. You may have to have the hotel arrange for one for you since it seems that they just have town cars and big Escalades there now that are more expensive than just a regular taxi van.

Thanks. That is what we were thinking too!

[MuchLovedMama]

So a Taxi Van is the same price as a normal Taxi? We are a party of 12 going in September and are planning on taking a day to go to IOA. Don't really want to deal with renting a car or having to schedule a shuttle so we were thinking we'd have to go in 3 taxis but after reading about the vans I'm thinking that'll be our best option. Just wasn't sure it it cost more than a normal taxi?

The estimate from AoA to US shows $33 per way. Hope that's pretty close and then we can just divide it out between our 3 families. Thanks!

[damo]

Originally Posted by MuchLovedMama

So a Taxi Van is the same price as a normal Taxi? We are a party of 12 going in September and are planning on taking a day to go to IOA. Don't really want to deal with renting a car or having to schedule a shuttle so we were thinking we'd have to go in 3 taxis but after reading about the vans I'm thinking that'll be our best option. Just wasn't sure it it cost more than a normal taxi?

The estimate from AoA to US shows $33 per way. Hope that's pretty close and then we can just divide it out between our 3 families. Thanks!

Yes, a taxi van and a normal van are the same price. That price should be pretty close. I don't think you can fit 12 people in a taxi van though. They are just the size of a van, not a shuttle.

[MuchLovedMama]

Originally Posted by damo

Yes, a taxi van and a normal van are the same price. That price should be pretty close. I don't think you can fit 12 people in a taxi van though. They are just the size of a van, not a shuttle.

Thanks! Yeah 2 vans vs 3 normal taxis is what I meant. I read that they are 7 passenger vans.

[Amy340]

We (2 of us) did the Dreams Unlimited 2 park 1 day with round trip transfer option to Universal on May 1st. The confirmation and everything arrived by e-mail shortly after booking. I booked for pickup 1 day in advance, they were there right exactly at the scheduled time, so I was so far well satisfied. The return trip was a whole other story. There was at least 30+ people all waiting for the same return trip pickup time. Two shuttles arrived, one was going to two off site hotels, the other just Pop Century, they arrived 15 mins early, so everyone thought OK, we'll wait it out. Soon, another shuttle arrives, again, just Pop Century. That one was on time. 20 minutes after the scheduled pickup time, no more shuttles arrive, and there is still at least 15 or more people waiting, we were going to OKW, others waiting were going to at least 3 other different Disney hotels. 6 people waiting booked the package through AAA, got fed up, and decided to split a van taxi. We called Mears and got the run around from the dispatcher, she finally said she would have a regular taxi take us back and to give him the return voucher, and all would be covered, no extra cost. We did that, and the driver was very nice and friendly, and even dropped us right at our building at OKW. I looked up online afterwards reviews on Mears, and most that were bad complained about either the transportation being late or not showing up at all. I hope the rest of the people waiting with us got back to their hotels soon after we left. Oh, also while we were still waiting, the Mears pickup for 1 hour later came way early and took only 2 passengers to the AKL, he wouldn't take anyone else even though he had room in the shuttle. I was satisfied with everything with the Dreams Unlimited package except for the return trip, clearly Mears was overbooked or something. The dispatcher gave no reason or excuse. If I go to Universal from Disney again, I think I will look into other transportation. Our return trip was booked over 2 hrs in advance also, like they asked us to on the return voucher he gave us when we were dropped off.

[marshallandcartersmo]

We'll have a rental car for our trip. How long is the drive from POR to Universal/IOA??

thanks

[Metro West]

Originally Posted by marshallandcartersmo

We'll have a rental car for our trip. How long is the drive from POR to Universal/IOA??

thanks

You should allow at least 45 minutes to make the trip. Some people on the boards claim as little as 20 minutes but I can tell you that's not possible unless the roads are empty and even then it's highly unlikely. Heck...it's taken me more than 20 minutes just to drive from Epcot to DTD.

[marshallandcartersmo]

Originally Posted by Metro West

You should allow at least 45 minutes to make the trip. Some people on the boards claim as little as 20 minutes but I can tell you that's not possible unless the roads are empty and even then it's highly unlikely. Heck...it's taken me more than 20 minutes just to drive from Epcot to DTD.

Thank you