Car Service?

[pamjb]

I have used a private car company and a rental car. My DH's aunt used DME and it worked fine for her, until her return flight was cancelled and she had to shlepp bakck thru the airport with her luggage, along with her 8-yr old grandson. I love the car company I use. I have used them multiple times and recommend them to others, who also had great service from them. Unfortunately, something happened and they were banned from the Dis. Personally, I think things were blown out of proportion, but my opionion on that matter doesn't count. They still give great service and include a free 30 minute grocery stop. I don't know how I could collect everything I need and check out in the 15 minutes that other car companies give you. I recently recommended them to my neighbor. She used them and is now recommending them to her sister.
As for a rental car, it ended up being cheaper have that than paying for my car company. Also, we were staying at AllStar Sports during cheerleader times, and wanted the car, just in case we had transportation issues. We didn't and the car sat in the lot the five days we were there. Also, not everyone is comfortable driving themselves in unknown territory.

 

[Lewisc]

FL Tours and Tiffany both offer a 30 minute grocery stop. Both of the companies banned on DIS, due to their egregious conduct on DIS, offer a 30 minute grocery stop. I think another company offers a 15 minute grocery stop, but gives you 15 minutes of grace time. In other words you have 30 minutes to shop but if you take 35 minutes you didn't go 5 minutes over but rather 20 minutes. Companies that offer a complimentary grocery stop seem to be offering 30 minutes. I'm not sure what company is only offering 15 minutes.

I agree a car service works great for customers that want to shop and who want personalized service. I'm not sure how a car service would have helped your aunt.

There are relatively few complaints regarding any of the car service companies. Some people seem happy when they get a familiar driver. Ed's customers seem to like him as do most of the customers of both banned companies.

 

[CleveRocks]

My DH's aunt used DME and it worked fine for her, until her return flight was cancelled and she had to shlepp bakck thru the airport with her luggage, along with her 8-yr old grandson.

Yeh, but the exact same thing would've happened whether she used DME, a car service, or a large grizzly bear to get her back to the airport.

Once a car service drops you off at the airport, their job is done. They don't wait in line with you at curbside check-in or at your airline's ticket counter, or at your departure gate for that matter. They unload your bags, say a nice Good-Bye, and then they go on to the next work they have.

I fail to see how your aunt's experience at the airport was DME's fault, or would have been any better if she had used any other mode of airport transfer.

Can you explain???

 

[goofy4tink]

Yeh, but the exact same thing would've happened whether she used DME, a car service, or a large grizzly bear to get her back to the airport.

Once a car service drops you off at the airport, their job is done. They don't wait in line with you at curbside check-in or at your airline's ticket counter, or at your departure gate for that matter. They unload your bags, say a nice Good-Bye, and then they go on to the next work they have.

I fail to see how your aunt's experience at the airport was DME's fault, or would have been any better if she had used any other mode of airport transfer.

Can you explain???

Hey, I think I had that grizzly bear as a driver one time!!!! Very grouchy guy...very bearlike.

And you're right. It wouldn't have mattered how one got to the airport and found their flight canceled. It would be a huge hassle in any case.

 

[Edd]

The drop-off point for the busses is at the most convenient spot in the airport. Everyone who carries luggage to the airport has to use the same route. Second off there are 10 to 15 porters waiting to help anyone with luggage. There are also luggage carts close by that can be rented. If you aunt traveled to Orlando over 1 1/2 years ago she probably had a little bit of trouble schlepping luggage around. Since than times have changed.

There are many changes that were made or are being made that gives the passenger a "seamless" ground transportation experience at OIA. I know because I am involved with many of them.

 

[pamjb]

I didn't say it was DME's fault. She had multiple problems (trying to carryon a large snow globe after the liquid ban, trying to carry too much on, etc) on that trip. Add to that, her flight was cancelled. She was able to take DME back to the All-Stars and was able to get a room for the night. But she had to shlepp all of her luggage to the DME check-in. Keep in mind, this was not a seasoned traveler. I would of done things differently. I think we have all seen the travelers aimlessly wandering at MCO. This would of been her.
I realize that a car service would not of alleviated that issue. I have a friend who was traveling back home to Maine during a major snowstorm here in the NE. It took her 3 days to get home after our cruise in Jan 2005. She had her car service pick her up to take her to the airport, only to discover three hours later that her flight was cancelled. She doesn't drive, so a rental car was out. And this was before DME (I think). Anyway, she called the towncar service, and they gladly returned to the airport for her and took her back to Disney.
Is this something they all would do? I don't know. I only have personal experience with 2 towncar companies. The first trip with one was great. Booked them again for a later trip and it was horrible. Found another car company. After eight trips with them, they have always provided me with great service. JMHO

 

[Edd]

The majority of car services in the Orlando area will do their best to try to help a traveler out that is in distress. There are more independent smaller companies, in Orlando, than there are large companies. The smaller companies usually have time to do the extra things to help out the passenger. The large companies, who sublet their rides to independent drivers, are usually the ones that have the most consumer porblems. Those drivers are usually in a hurry to get you to your destination, receive less money for the ride and are not responsible to the company, you hired, for their actions. The company the OP prefers is a small company and takes care of their passengers very well.

Smaller companies are not mentioned on the talk boards because they take care of business in much better ways than the bigger companies. The only way you can find the small companies is by referral from another person or checking out the companies listed to do business, on the airport web sites. Most of the smaller companies have web pages, but it is hit and miss on who you get.

 

[Lewisc]

I didn't say it was DME's fault. She had multiple problems (trying to carryon a large snow globe after the liquid ban, trying to carry too much on, etc) on that trip. Add to that, her flight was cancelled. She was able to take DME back to the All-Stars and was able to get a room for the night. But she had to shlepp all of her luggage to the DME check-in.

I'm not sure how a car service would have treated her any better. DME took her back to WDW for free. A car service would have charged her for an extra R/T, maybe discounted. She still would have had to shelpp her luggage back to level one.

You said DME worked fine until her flight was canceled, actually I think DME worked fine after her flight was cancelled. They got her back to WDW, and presumably back to MCO, at no extra cost.

 

[pamjb]

I was just giving my opinion. I also added a friend's experience when a flight was cancelled with a car service. That is the same car service that I use. While I can't say for absolutely, positively sure that she would have the same experience if she had a car service, vs DME.
I was relaying her impression of DME after her flight cancellation. Did it work the way it was intended? Yes. Did it work the way she wanted to? No. But she was tired and frustrated, mostly due to her own inexperience.
Again.....JUST MY OPINION

 

[Edd]

But your car service did not take the lady back to Disney for free. They probably just came into the airport and picked her up charging to go to WDW. All car services will do that.

The free trip to Disney on the DME was just appropriate. The lady had to creat a new reservation for the hotel at Disney. The guest couldn't wait for two weeks. A reservation was created and the lady was given her free trip on the DME to WDW. Any technicalities that may have been involved would have been waived by all agencies.

 

[Selket]

Hmmm....this thread is really not helpful. Most of it is about some lady and a snowglobe or something - I just skipped over the debate.

We are looking perhaps to do a towncar service to the port for our upcoming cruise (WDW to port to airport). Obviously there can be problems with anything BUT - any solid recommendations? Are the companies banned from the Disboards better?

The person who posted about the wedding problem with the Hummer - is she saying then in general she would never recommend a towncar service?

We rented a car last time and it would save ups maybe $50 to do that again this time but you have the hassle of pickup and drop off and shuttles and all that - ugh. Last time after the cruise when a bunch of us showed up to pick up our cars the rental car agency did *NOT* have many of the cars in stock that people reserved so they were freaked out. So that isn' always the perfect solution either.

 

[Lewisc]

FL Tours, a board sponsor, gets almost no complaints. Other companies including Murray Hill Transportation, Happy Limo and Tiffany also seem to get very few bad reviews (and a number of good reviews). Some people prefer to deal directly with a driver, people who use Ed seem to like his service. The MCO website has a list.

Remember many of the complaints come from customers who found their ride got subbed out.

The banned companies are known for giving good service but I don't see any reason to patronize companies that engaged in conduct so egregious as to warrant being banned from DIS.

We are looking perhaps to do a towncar service to the port for our upcoming cruise (WDW to port to airport). Obviously there can be problems with anything BUT - any solid recommendations? Are the companies banned from the Disboards better?

The person who posted about the wedding problem with the Hummer - is she saying then in general she would never recommend a towncar service?

We rented a car last time and it would save ups maybe $50 to do that again this time but you have the hassle of pickup and drop off and shuttles and all that - ugh. Last time after the cruise when a bunch of us showed up to pick up our cars the rental car agency did *NOT* have many of the cars in stock that people reserved so they were freaked out. So that isn' always the perfect solution either.

 

[Selket]

people who use Ed seem to like his service. The MCO website has a list.

Does Ed have a web page? I'm not sure who he is? I looked at the MCO list and didn't see an Ed there. Thanks.

 

[Lewisc]

Does Ed have a web page? I'm not sure who he is? I looked at the MCO list and didn't see an Ed there. Thanks.

This a list of companies/drivers with a permit to pick up at MCO.
http://www.orlandoairports.net/ops/vfh.htm

FL Tours is a board sponsor so I won't provide a link to another company/service, drop Edd a pm if you want any information. I only know Ed from DIS and have no relationship with him (I use DME). I just use him as an example of dealing directly with a driver and "avoiding the middle man". Some people prefer dealing with a large company others like dealing directly with the person doing the work.

 

[Selket]

drop Edd a pm if you want any information. I only know Ed from DIS and have no relationship with him (I use DME).

I didn't realize Ed was EDD.

Maybe I'll just walk to the Port - heh!

 

[goofy4tink]

I didn't realize Ed was EDD.

Maybe I'll just walk to the Port - heh!

Everyone is free to travel as they see fit.

 

[2infinityandbeyond]

Hmmm....this thread is really not helpful. Most of it is about some lady and a snowglobe or something - I just skipped over the debate.

We are looking perhaps to do a towncar service to the port for our upcoming cruise (WDW to port to airport). Obviously there can be problems with anything BUT - any solid recommendations? Are the companies banned from the Disboards better?

The person who posted about the wedding problem with the Hummer - is she saying then in general she would never recommend a towncar service?

We rented a car last time and it would save ups maybe $50 to do that again this time but you have the hassle of pickup and drop off and shuttles and all that - ugh. Last time after the cruise when a bunch of us showed up to pick up our cars the rental car agency did *NOT* have many of the cars in stock that people reserved so they were freaked out. So that isn' always the perfect solution either.

Since there are a few good car services who can not be named on Disboards, maybe you could extend your search beyond Disboards. Perhaps you'll see some good reviews.

 

[Lewisc]

I didn't realize Ed was EDD.

Maybe I'll just walk to the Port - heh!

Walking is one way to work off, in advance, the effects of some of the extra meals on board. You can pick whatever service you want to use, there are over 100 approved services listed on the airport website.

Since there are a few good car services who can not be named on Disboards, maybe you could extend your search beyond Disboards. Perhaps you'll see some good reviews.

There are over 100 services listed on the airport website. Many get good reviews. I don't think even a dozen get any mention, good or bad, on DIS. There are a couple of car services that engaged in behavior so egregious to earn a ban on DIS.

 

[JESW]

FL Tours! Have never had a problem and will be using them again on saturday!

Jill

 

[2infinityandbeyond]

Walking is one way to work off, in advance, the effects of some of the extra meals on board. You can pick whatever service you want to use, there are over 100 approved services listed on the airport website.



There are over 100 services listed on the airport website. Many get good reviews. I don't think even a dozen get any mention, good or bad, on DIS. There are a couple of car services that engaged in behavior so egregious to earn a ban on DIS.

I'm not sure how that's relevant to the suggestion to look elsewhere for reviews. Not all of us live and die by the decisions of this site.