Rental car or Uber?

[mom2rm]

We were lucky to win a trip to Orlando! Included in our trip is transportation provided by Mears from the airport to and from our hotel (off-site). We are planning on going to the parks for 3 days of our trip and possibly a day at Disney Springs. Just wondering if we should try and find a car rental office close to our hotel and reserve for the duration of our stay or Uber it to the parks? If we use Uber, we would save on parking costs but with a car rental we can come and go as we please. Just wondering if that would be more expensive? Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[OKW Lover]

If we use Uber, we would save on parking costs but with a car rental we can come and go as we please.

With Uber you can also come and go as you please.

Its difficult to know which would be cheaper in your case without knowing just how far away you are and what the average Uber cost would be. You can estimate the Uber fare by using their app to look at a dummy ride during the time of day you would most likely be going.

 

[tobikaye]

How close to WDW is your hotel? Being off-site at WDW can be right next to DS or 30 minutes away. If your hotel is close, do they offer a shuttle or can you walk to DS?

Depending on how far away you are, it might be easier to have a rental, but it might be that Uber would work out. I would probably go ahead and price out rental vehicles for that time frame to check the price and then estimate what you would pay for Uber.

 

[mom2rm]

How close to WDW is your hotel? Being off-site at WDW can be right next to DS or 30 minutes away. If your hotel is close, do they offer a shuttle or can you walk to DS?

Depending on how far away you are, it might be easier to have a rental, but it might be that Uber would work out. I would probably go ahead and price out rental vehicles for that time frame to check the price and then estimate what you would pay for Uber.

We're staying in the Lake Buena Vista Area. It's about 7-8 miles from parks. The hotel does have a shuttle but we may want to go earlier or stay later than when the pick up times are. I checked Uber. It says it's a $10-14 fare one way. Like I said, we're planning on going 3 days at parks, one afternoon at Disney Springs and maybe pick up some groceries the first day.
The problem with renting a car is we will have to find a rental place close to hotel and either cab/uber it to rental place. We don't want to rent from the airport as with the contest I won, we are provided with Mears transportation to and from airport.

 

[florep1]

I would check car rental rates from MCO, and compare it with one from Disney Springs. It may be cheaper to get your car from MCO. Forget the free shuttle.

 

[florep1]

We went back and forth as well. We're staying onsite so we get DME and free transportation/parking, but the idea of using Uber to get groceries, eat out of property, sounded good. We got a good rate from Alamo though, less than $200 for 10 days so we opted for the rental. No waiting, and we figured, if we used uber twice a day, we'd spend more than $20/day. We'll walk to EPCOT and DHS, use the bus to MK, and drive everywhere else.

 

[RideShareRob]

Its worth pointing out that parking for non-Disney resort guests is $20/day at the parks (DS is free, although parking a car there sucks...) so be sure to figure that in as well.

 

[DisneyArie]

We are staying on site, but we opted to get a rental. We have a few ADRs at the resorts, and I know Disney transportation can be an absolute headache going resort to resort so we were originally looking into Uber. From research, the price is $25+ each way (we have to pay more for UberFamily since my little one will need a car seat).

We found a rental for 8 days at $80 total inclu taxes & fees so it was a no-brainer for us to get the rental instead. I say do a lot of research and see what deals you can come up with. The good thing about Uber is you don't have to worry about parking. Our family likes the convenience of leaving/going whenever we want and not having to stand or wait for Disney transportation so that was never an option for us.

 

[AngiTN]

In your case I'd Uber for sure. We use it a lot and find it so much handy. But we really hate driving on property so even if we had a car we'd still use them. Add too the fact that DH appreciates he doesn't have to limit his alcohol beverage intake because he has to drive.

 

[betterbutter]

Keep in mind that surge pricing can totally screw up any savings with Uber. I use them regularly, but in your case I'd be looking to rent a car.

 

[AngiTN]

Keep in mind that surge pricing can totally screw up any savings with Uber. I use them regularly, but in your case I'd be looking to rent a car.

Is that a frequent issue at WDW?
We've used them every trip (6 so far this year), multiple times a trip and have yet to see it.
Not that it can't happen, I know it can but wondered if it's a frequent thing at WDW. Or how long it lasts if it does start

 

[betterbutter]

Is that a frequent issue at WDW?
We've used them every trip (6 so far this year), multiple times a trip and have yet to see it.
Not that it can't happen, I know it can but wondered if it's a frequent thing at WDW. Or how long it lasts if it does start

There is no guarantee that it will as there is no guarantee that it won't. The last three times I've used Uber in the LBV/Dr. Phillips area I've paid surge pricing.