Car Rental vs Uber/Lyft

[TinkSassy]

I am staying off site next month for the first time in a long time. Flying in and debating transportation from there. This is a solo trip Am I missing something in deciding? (I like to be there before open if that weighs in). Any advice is appreciated as this is a whole new environment!

Rental Car - pros that I can move freely and have a space that should be COVID safe. Con expensive (best I have found is $350) and I have to pay to park at WDW ($25 per day right?) and understand there are no parking shuttles so may have long walks

Uber/Shuttle - pros no parking fees and may end up being cheaper overall without parking fees ( I will be just off property so expecting about $10 each way) and in many cases dropped much closer than I could get with parking. Cons less freedom to move around and more COVID risk.

 

[JimMIA]

You didn't mention a couple of important factors. How long are you staying? Will you have to pay for parking at your offsite lodging? How many park days will you have? Do you plan on doing anything other than WDW?

I personally would lean toward renting a car, but we drive up from Miami and that's what I am used to. And I also know my way around and am used to driving in Orlando (which is not the easiest place to drive). I just like the freedom and flexibility to go anywhere whenever I want.

On calculating your Uber costs, don't forget that you will want to do more than theme parks. There is a lot of good dining and shopping offsite. For theme parks only, your Uber costs may be reasonable -- but if you want to go somewhere else, dine in Celebration or I-Drive, etc, those costs are going to escalate quickly.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

A couple of things that come to mind for me:

Rental Car Con - If you’re not a member of your rental company loyalty club or don’t have a direct-to-car option, rental counter lines have been really long at MCO, in our experience - like absurdly/start your trip off on the exact wrong foot long. They are only using one side of the airport for rental cars right now - Terminal A. If you go rental, do whatever you need to do to make sure you have the direct-to-car option from your provider - in my strong opinion.

And yeah, prices have been relatively high since covid, as you’re noticing.

Rental Car Pro - Being able to take your mask off. Sometimes after a park day it’s just nice to take a breather right away rather than additional travel time. I’m sort of splitting hairs with that comment, but it’s something we’ve appreciated with having a car (perhaps more-so in the depths of summer than the cooler weather right now, though).

Rideshare Con - We all have our different tolerances and perspectives when it comes to COVID, and that’s OK. I’ll do anything in the parks, eat inside selectively, but being in an enclosed passenger vehicle with a stranger has not been top of my list to do, even though we’re all masked and such (and from what people post around here I am obviously in the extreme minority with this concern/perspective). The first rideshare I did when back at Disney in July, the driver pulled up maskless and pulled it up when he realized I was his rider (how long had he been in his enclosed vehicle maskless?). I know that experience is the exception and not the norm, but it just sort of stuck with me in this COVID era. FWIW, the few rideshares I’ve done since COVID I asked if it’s ok to crack the window a bit to keep some fresh air moving around. All have obliged and seemed to want to as well. Also fortunately most trips around WDW property or slightly off property are relatively short.

Anyway, I’m rambling. Ultimately for our trips since COVID we’ve come down on the side of convenience and control over our own vehicle, despite the rather annoying and high all-in costs of rentals.

No wrong way to go though. Good luck with your planning and I hope you enjoy your trip.

 

[TinkSassy]

You didn't mention a couple of important factors. How long are you staying? Will you have to pay for parking at your offsite lodging? How many park days will you have? Do you plan on doing anything other than WDW?

I personally would lean toward renting a car, but we drive up from Miami and that's what I am used to. And I also know my way around and am used to driving in Orlando (which is not the easiest place to drive). I just like the freedom and flexibility to go anywhere whenever I want.

On calculating your Uber costs, don't forget that you will want to do more than theme parks. There is a lot of good dining and shopping offsite. For theme parks only, your Uber costs may be reasonable -- but if you want to go somewhere else, dine in Celebration or I-Drive, etc, those costs are going to escalate quickly.

I’m only in 4 days and only doing WDW. I will have a kitchen at the resort so some groceries would be nice. I won’t go anywhere else to eat as I don’t eat inside and I don’t know the city well enough to care about going anywhere specific. If I shop anywhere it would only be at DS

 

[TinkSassy]

A couple of things that come to mind for me:

Rental Car Con - If you’re not a member of your rental company loyalty club or don’t have a direct-to-car option, rental counter lines have been really long at MCO, in our experience - like absurdly/start your trip off on the exact wrong foot long. They are only using one side of the airport for rental cars right now - Terminal A. If you go rental, do whatever you need to do to make sure you have the direct-to-car option from your provider - in my strong opinion.

And yeah, prices have been relatively high since covid, as you’re noticing.

Rental Car Pro - Being able to take your mask off. Sometimes after a park day it’s just nice to take a breather right away rather than additional travel time. I’m sort of splitting hairs with that comment, but it’s something we’ve appreciated with having a car (perhaps more-so in the depths of summer than the cooler weather right now, though).

Rideshare Con - We all have our different tolerances and perspectives when it comes to COVID, and that’s OK. I’ll do anything in the parks, eat inside selectively, but being in an enclosed passenger vehicle with a stranger has not been top of my list to do, even though we’re all masked and such (and from what people post around here I am obviously in the extreme minority with this concern/perspective). The first rideshare I did when back at Disney in July, the driver pulled up maskless and pulled it up when he realized I was his rider (how long had he been in his enclosed vehicle maskless?). I know that experience is the exception and not the norm, but it just sort of stuck with me in this COVID era. FWIW, the few rideshares I’ve done since COVID I asked if it’s ok to crack the window a bit to keep some fresh air moving around. All have obliged and seemed to want to as well. Also fortunately most trips around WDW property or slightly off property are relatively short.

Anyway, I’m rambling. Ultimately for our trips since COVID we’ve come down on the side of convenience and control over our own vehicle, despite the rather annoying and high all-in costs of rentals.

No wrong way to go though. Good luck with your planning and I hope you enjoy your trip.

Good to know on COVID compliance. I did the math and I will save about $250 with rideshare but the car does guarantee I have at least a safe ride space. If my research is correct I will use Alamo so I can bypass the desk and go right to the car

 

[Jennkneefir]

I am staying off site next month for the first time in a long time. Flying in and debating transportation from there. This is a solo trip Am I missing something in deciding? (I like to be there before open if that weighs in). Any advice is appreciated as this is a whole new environment!

Rental Car - pros that I can move freely and have a space that should be COVID safe. Con expensive (best I have found is $350) and I have to pay to park at WDW ($25 per day right?) and understand there are no parking shuttles so may have long walks

Uber/Shuttle - pros no parking fees and may end up being cheaper overall without parking fees ( I will be just off property so expecting about $10 each way) and in many cases dropped much closer than I could get with parking. Cons less freedom to move around and more COVID risk.

What did you end up deciding on? I've been debating this exact same thing. Will be staying offsite, and trying to decide between uber/lyft and renting.