Transportation Options from Disney to Universal/IOA

[miatamel]

Trying to figure this out...

We come into Orlando the day before our Disney cruise. We have a HP fanatic and thought it would be silly not to see TWWoHP while we were so class. Trying to figure it out logistically. We get into Orlando and 11 am and will get to our Disney resort around 12-12:30 (guessing). We were going to get one day, one park tickets and go the friday afternoon of 12/17. I had my TA give me a price on tickets and transportation (Mears)and she told me $469. One day one park online for the four of us would be $341. So that is $120 for transporting to/from which sounds kind of high. But the big problem is the "not between 10-3" since we would probably want to go around 1-3.


Does this, in fact, seem high? Or would taxi be more RT for the 4 of us? Or should I try another mode of transport? Or, even more basically, is the HP park even doable in that afternoon/evening time frame? (Not interested in any other part of the park)

any advice would be most appreciated.

[jenseib]

Originally Posted by miatamel

Trying to figure this out...

We come into Orlando the day before our Disney cruise. We have a HP fanatic and thought it would be silly not to see TWWoHP while we were so class. Trying to figure it out logistically. We get into Orlando and 11 am and will get to our Disney resort around 12-12:30 (guessing). We were going to get one day, one park tickets and go the friday afternoon of 12/17. I had my TA give me a price on tickets and transportation (Mears)and she told me $469. One day one park online for the four of us would be $341. So that is $120 for transporting to/from which sounds kind of high. But the big problem is the "not between 10-3" since we would probably want to go around 1-3.


Does this, in fact, seem high? Or would taxi be more RT for the 4 of us? Or should I try another mode of transport? Or, even more basically, is the HP park even doable in that afternoon/evening time frame? (Not interested in any other part of the park)

any advice would be most appreciated.

Have you checked what time the park closes? I thought that those Universal parks closed pretty early, and if you don't leave to go there till after 1, I don't think it will be worth the money.

[damo]

Mears should be $16 per person return.

A cab is about $35 each way.

[miatamel]

Originally Posted by damo

$100 should be the amount for transportation. If you can't get a limo to do it for that, just take a cab.

Would this be roundtrip?

And is the $$ for tickets worth it if we only have basically half a day? I mean, I KNOW my daughter will think it's worth it, but just trying to be practical.

ETA: Just saw the above post about the round trip and your reply on the other thread about the practicality. Thanks so much!

[damo]

Originally Posted by miatamel

Would this be roundtrip?

And is the $$ for tickets worth it if we only have basically half a day? I mean, I KNOW my daughter will think it's worth it, but just trying to be practical.

Sorry, I thought you were coming from the airport but I reread to see you were coming from Disney.

Mears round trip is $16/person

Cab is about $35 each way.

[miatamel]

Damo, we have ME from airport to resort/resort to port/port to airport but I thought I could rethink that and get a service from airport to WWofHP and shave some time but then I'd have a luggage problem. Unless you know of a solution.

[damo]

Originally Posted by miatamel

Damo, we have ME from airport to resort/resort to port/port to airport but I thought I could rethink that and get a service from airport to WWofHP and shave some time but then I'd have a luggage problem. Unless you know of a solution.

I'm just going to respond in the other thread. No sense having two going.

[miatamel]

Originally Posted by damo

I'm just going to respond in the other thread. No sense having two going.

Ha! Thanks. Just didn't want to get in trouble over there since technically we aren't discussing "crowds."

[Irish9697]

Can someone help me decide what to do? I want the cheapest option that is also convenient (aka no 2 hours on a bus system). It is not important that we see 2 parks in one day. We did Universal Studios a few years ag go and are wanting to go this time only for Harry Potter, so that's IOA. We are staying at Pop Century. Seems to me that buying 1 park tickets from AAA (1 adult, 2 kids) and taking a cab is our cheapest option (by about $50 compared to the DU 2 park/transport deal) or am I understanding things wrong? I hate the idea of having to make all those phone calls to Mears when I could simply walk out of my hotel (can I do this at Pop?) or park (IOA) and get a cab fairly quickly.

Thoughts?

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

Originally Posted by Irish9697

Can someone help me decide what to do? I want the cheapest option that is also convenient (aka no 2 hours on a bus system). It is not important that we see 2 parks in one day. We did Universal Studios a few years ag go and are wanting to go this time only for Harry Potter, so that's IOA. We are staying at Pop Century. Seems to me that buying 1 park tickets from AAA (1 adult, 2 kids) and taking a cab is our cheapest option (by about $50 compared to the DU 2 park/transport deal) or am I understanding things wrong? I hate the idea of having to make all those phone calls to Mears when I could simply walk out of my hotel (can I do this at Pop?) or park (IOA) and get a cab fairly quickly.

Thoughts?

If you want convenience, then yes, taxi/cab is the way to go. If there are no cabs outside of Pop, you can always get the concierge desk to call one for you. There are tons of cabs waiting outside of Universal.

[Jenny Wren]

Is the Lynx public transportation really that bad? We are leaving in 6 days for Disney, and my pap just told us that he wanted to buy us US tickets for our Christmas gift. Now I am stuck planning more. It would be so much easier taking the Lynx system. Does it really take forever to get there?

[jenseib]

Originally Posted by Jenny Wren

Is the Lynx public transportation really that bad? We are leaving in 6 days for Disney, and my pap just told us that he wanted to buy us US tickets for our Christmas gift. Now I am stuck planning more. It would be so much easier taking the Lynx system. Does it really take forever to get there?

From everything I have read, yes, it does take a long time to go each way.

[damo]

Originally Posted by Jenny Wren

Is the Lynx public transportation really that bad? We are leaving in 6 days for Disney, and my pap just told us that he wanted to buy us US tickets for our Christmas gift. Now I am stuck planning more. It would be so much easier taking the Lynx system. Does it really take forever to get there?

I've heard 1.5 - 2 hours each way.

[weber1188]

Not sure if anyone is still watching this board but this is the game plan I came up with for my mom and I (dad and brother will be golfing)

Arrange for Mears to pick us up at 7:30 a.m. from CSR to IOA/WWOHP to allow for extra time if they pick up other people after us

Ask for a 2:00 or 3:00 pick up time from IOA to either CSR or DTD we have no dining reservations anywhere so don't have to worry about that

Does this sound ok, I'm mostly wondering if 7:30 is too early for the 9:00 opening?

[Irish9697]

I ended up making a Mears reservation for Friday. Pick up times at Disney Resorts are hourly starting at 6:25am through 2:25pm.

Return times are hourly from 3:15pm through 2:15 am.

I chose the 7:25am pick up time for this Friday the 17th and they told me I could call 2 hours in advance for a pick up time since I am not sure when we'll want to leave. IOA park hours Friday are 9-7...we'll probably eat at CityWalk before we head back.