Took Uber to theme park

[Best Aunt]

Last week a bunch of us took two Ubers from a hotel next to the convention center to Disney's Hollywood Studios. The drivers told us that they have been given a hard time at the parks - the cast members want to charge them for parking when they drop people off. Our driver said, "I am dropping off colleagues" and the other driver said, "I am dropping off friends." Our driver said he believes they are trying to protect the Mears taxi monopoly.

We stayed at the park until after Fantasmic. When we left, we took a Disney bus to All Star Sports, and requested an Uber from there back to our hotel. We thought that would be easier than having Uber come to the park at such a busy time.

 

[OKW Lover]

Our driver said he believes they are trying to protect the Mears taxi monopoly.

The Mears taxi monopoly is only at WDW, isn't it? Doesn't Orlando itself (where the convention center is) have more taxi companies than just Mears?

 

[Best Aunt]

The Mears taxi monopoly is only at WDW, isn't it? Doesn't Orlando itself (where the convention center is) have more taxi companies than just Mears?

I believe the driver meant that the cast members do not threaten to charge the Mears taxi drivers for parking, but they do threaten to charge the Uber drivers for parking, when both are just dropping people off. The driver thought that was being protective of the Mears monopoly. It could scare off the Uber drivers, or scare potential passengers into using Mears rather than Uber.

We could have taken a taxi from our hotel rather than Uber. But we had a large group, and several of us had never used Uber before, which meant we could use our friend's coupon code to get $20 off our first ride.

 

[joelkfla]

Mears has a contract with Disney. So does Star Transportation.

Drivers from other taxi companies are supposed to pay to enter the parking lots, and pass that on to the riders. I don't know whether that's actually enforced, though.

 

[Alesia]

Mears has an exclusive contract with WDW. Uber is trying to skirt around it by lying.

 

[OKW Lover]

Mears has an exclusive contract with WDW. Uber is trying to skirt around it by lying.

What is it that Uber is lying about? They are just dropping people off at the parks (or resorts) aren't they? Will Uber pick people up at WDW as well?

 

[Alesia]

1. What is it that Uber is lying about?
2. They are just dropping people off at the parks (or resorts) aren't they?
3. Will Uber pick people up at WDW as well?

1. In order to get out of paying the parking fee like they're supposed to, they're pretending that they're "just dropping off friends" rather than dropping off customers .
2. Yep. but they're supposed to pay the parking fee. It's part of WDW's deal with Mears.
3. They're not supposed to, but I'm sure they aren't particularly concerned about breaking that rule, either

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

Some Uber drivers have AP so they can get into the parking. I think you can get dropped at the TCC and from there take a bus to where you want to go. But I don't know if that is a bus hub any more or not. Disney does have a Mears contract, but many people are finding the Uber more affordable, cleaner and a very good experience.
I'm not sure how I feel about a Disney contract with Mears, monopolies are not good, but a way to manage who is on property.

 

[Alesia]

I'm not sure how I feel about a Disney contract with Mears, monopolies are not good, but a way to manage who is on property.

^That's not what a monopoly is.

An exclusive agreement between 2 businesses is not a monopoly.

 

[seashoreCM]

... But I don't know if that is a bus hub any more or not. ...

There is no longer a Disney Transport bus hub at the Transportation & Ticket Center / Magic Kingdom parking lot. For the last several years of the TTC bus hub, ending about a year ago, only the park to park buses stopped there.

You take the monorail or the large ferry from the TTC to the MK concourse and then walk to the bus hub. (The ferry dock is closer). Or get dropped off at the Contemporary Resort where it is a short walk to the MK bus hub.

From time to time, during transportation irregularites, Disney buses will go to the TTC.

 

[Best Aunt]

Thank you for the clarification.

 

[Dis5150]

DD25's and my plan is to just have Uber drop us off at CBR (closest Disney property to our hotel) and take the Disney busses from there to save the hassle. We are AP holders so our driver could easily get into the parks (same as when I have a friend who is not going to the park drop us off), but I think it will be cheaper and easier to just get dropped off at CBR.

 

[Celtics33]

Uber is great!!!! My wife and I use it all the time and find it much cheaper and cleaner than a taxi. Mears must be seeing a huge drop in their business. Competition is indeed a great thing!!!!

 

[MillauFr]

Uber is great!!!! My wife and I use it all the time and find it much cheaper and cleaner than a taxi. Mears must be seeing a huge drop in their business. Competition is indeed a great thing!!!!

Competion is not a good thing for Mears. Soon Mears will have trouble finding drivers after they figure out they can make more driving for Uber and Lyft.

 

[nkereina]

Its crazy that any company thats not Mears has to pay for parking when they're clearly dropping people off, be it Uber or any other taxi company. I never drive so I don't know how it's set up, but could this be avoided by having the Uber driver drop you off at the Contemporary and walking over to MK? Or similarly, getting dropped off at BW or BC and walking to DHS/Epcot. AK might be difficult.

 

[wilkeliza]

I use Uber around the parks. It cost something crazy like 30 bucks and a 45 minute wait after Wine and Dine last year to get from Epcot to Pop Century. Used an Uber to get from ESPN to MK and it was only like 15. Distance and time weren't enough to really thing that was the big issue.

Also cab from the airport is usually about 70-80 but Uber was only 40-50. It is definitely a money saver until the local authorities get their hands on it and start making all these rules. It use to be much cheaper here in NYC and now it is starting to break even or even be more. I still use Uber though because the cars are cleaner, the people are nicer, and the rating system goes both way. Rude, uncleanly, or dangerous guests can be given bad ratings and kicked out and bad drivers can get bad ratings and be kicked out.

 

[mgellman]

Can you take Uber to DTD (Disney Springs? Whatever they are calling that traffic disaster right now)?

 

[Plaid Princess]

An exclusive agreement between 2 businesses is not a monopoly.

It is when the same company has all the "exclusive agreements" in one city, making it impossible for any other company to do business. Mears has a near choke-hold on the Orlando area through their contracts. If passengers are choosing other companies, even when they are less convenient and require walking to a resort for pickup, maybe Disney and others will see that it's not worth it to work with Mears in their current capacity.

Competition is not a good thing for Mears. Soon Mears will have trouble finding drivers after they figure out they can make more driving for Uber and Lyft.

Ha ha, well Mears can compete by paying their drivers more, cleaning up their cabs, and getting passengers to the destination in a timely manner. Right now all they are doing is trying to buy unfair legislation and create transportation cartels to push out ride-sharing groups like Uber and Lyft.

 

[RideShareRob]

Its crazy that any company thats not Mears has to pay for parking when they're clearly dropping people off, be it Uber or any other taxi company. I never drive so I don't know how it's set up, but could this be avoided by having the Uber driver drop you off at the Contemporary and walking over to MK? Or similarly, getting dropped off at BW or BC and walking to DHS/Epcot. AK might be difficult.

Dropoffs at any of the parks are free now.

 

[goofy4tink]

It is when the same company has all the "exclusive agreements" in one city, making it impossible for any other company to do business. Mears has a near choke-hold on the Orlando area through their contracts. If passengers are choosing other companies, even when they are less convenient and require walking to a resort for pickup, maybe Disney and others will see that it's not worth it to work with Mears in their current capacity.



Ha ha, well Mears can compete by paying their drivers more, cleaning up their cabs, and getting passengers to the destination in a timely manner. Right now all they are doing is trying to buy unfair legislation and create transportation cartels to push out ride-sharing groups like Uber and Lyft.

Have to agree. The last time I took a Mears cab, I was going from BW to WL. I told the driver we wanted to go to Wilderness Lodge. Well, evidently he only heard the lodge part. Thank heaven I have driven to AKL many times, so I soon realized that that was where he was heading. When I asked him where he was going, he said to AKL! Um, no, I want to go to Wilderness Lodge!!!!! Honestly...it's pretty simple....go to the second set of lights, take a right. But no. So, he came up with a fare that was in line with what we were expecting. Now, all I had was a twenty....when I handed it to him, he told me he didn't have change. Alrighty then....the fare was $11, so I would have tipped him $3....but I certainly wasn't going to tip him $9!! So, I got out a ten and a one....told him sorry that's all I had. Oh well.