Grocery stores

[wdhinn89]

We are staying at the HRH for our November trip and will be going to Disney afterward. We thought we would just take a taxi to Universal from the airport and then another taxi back to the airport to pick up the Magical Express to Disney. Are there any grocery stores walking distance from HRH that we can pick up some water,soda and snacks at. TIA

 

[TLinden16]

Have you considered arranging for a towncar rather than a taxi to go to Universal? My past few trips that I've split between Universal and Disney, I've taken a car service to my Universal resort that included a grocery stop, and then taken the car service from my Universal resort to my Disney resort. I want to say this cost $110 or $120 including tip. Unless you're really set on using Magical Express for the experience of it, you could gain an hour at Disney.

 

[wdhinn89]

Is that price one way or round trip?

 

[bigcrit]

Have you considered a service like wegoshop ? We used them for our Disney trips. They did all the shopping and delivered it for around $25. I even picked out what I wanted online and they went and got it.

 

[wdhinn89]

We have used Garden Grocer in the past and loved them but we will only be there for 3 full days so I only want a few items. I was hoping there was a store near HRH where we could pick up these few items.

Does anyone know if there is a grocery store near HRH?

 

[ky07]

We have used Garden Grocer in the past and loved them but we will only be there for 3 full days so I only want a few items. I was hoping there was a store near HRH where we could pick up these few items.

Does anyone know if there is a grocery store near HRH?

The only place I know that would be pretty close to get the stuff you need is Walgreens on Kirkman drive

 

[Badge]

We are taking a town car service this trip. It will be our first time doing something like this, but it included a grocery stop and is going to cost $119 without tip round trip. From the horror stories I have read about the mears shuttle service to Universal (waiting an hour at the airport and then another two hours riding the bus to drop other people off) we decided it was worth the roughly $40 more to get direct service to and from the airport with the free stop for food.

I remember when we were setting up this trip that you can arrange for them to do different hotels if needed. So, you could arrange for them to pick you up at the airport and then stop to get food and drop you off at Universal. Then you could have them come back and drive you to Disney and then once you are done at Disney drive back to the airport. I am sure this will cost a little more than the round trip price, but it might be cheaper than a taxi. They can also drop you off at Universal and pick you up at Disney as part of the round trip price and you could just pay a taxi to take you from Universal to Disney.

Also, Magical Express is great, but with your trip, I don't think I would take advantage of it. It would be much faster to go directly to Disney from Universal instead of going back to the airport only to have to wait for your bus to arrive at the airport. Also, and I might be wrong on this, but I thought your could only use Magical Express on the day your flight arrived.

 

[ky07]

We are taking a town car service this trip. It will be our first time doing something like this, but it included a grocery stop and is going to cost $119 without tip round trip. From the horror stories I have read about the mears shuttle service to Universal (waiting an hour at the airport and then another two hours riding the bus to drop other people off) we decided it was worth the roughly $40 more to get direct service to and from the airport with the free stop for food.

I remember when we were setting up this trip that you can arrange for them to do different hotels if needed. So, you could arrange for them to pick you up at the airport and then stop to get food and drop you off at Universal. Then you could have them come back and drive you to Disney and then once you are done at Disney drive back to the airport. I am sure this will cost a little more than the round trip price, but it might be cheaper than a taxi. They can also drop you off at Universal and pick you up at Disney as part of the round trip price and you could just pay a taxi to take you from Universal to Disney.

Also, Magical Express is great, but with your trip, I don't think I would take advantage of it. It would be much faster to go directly to Disney from Universal instead of going back to the airport only to have to wait for your bus to arrive at the airport. Also, and I might be wrong on this, but I thought your could only use Magical Express on the day your flight arrived.

I have used mears for the past three years and that never happened to us

 

[wdhinn89]

We are taking a town car service this trip. It will be our first time doing something like this, but it included a grocery stop and is going to cost $119 without tip round trip. From the horror stories I have read about the mears shuttle service to Universal (waiting an hour at the airport and then another two hours riding the bus to drop other people off) we decided it was worth the roughly $40 more to get direct service to and from the airport with the free stop for food.

I remember when we were setting up this trip that you can arrange for them to do different hotels if needed. So, you could arrange for them to pick you up at the airport and then stop to get food and drop you off at Universal. Then you could have them come back and drive you to Disney and then once you are done at Disney drive back to the airport. I am sure this will cost a little more than the round trip price, but it might be cheaper than a taxi. They can also drop you off at Universal and pick you up at Disney as part of the round trip price and you could just pay a taxi to take you from Universal to Disney.

Also, Magical Express is great, but with your trip, I don't think I would take advantage of it. It would be much faster to go directly to Disney from Universal instead of going back to the airport only to have to wait for your bus to arrive at the airport. Also, and I might be wrong on this, but I thought your could only use Magical Express on the day your flight arrived.

You may be right. It seems that it is actually cheaper to take a taxi to the Contemporary than to the airport. I thought it would cost much more

 

[Mom3girls]

Our trip is similar to the OPs. We are arriving at MCO and taking Tiffany Town Car to Hard Rock Hotel at Universal for two nights and then taking the same car service to Beach Club at Disney. They told me that counts as your round trip for $115 (plus tip of course). And that's for five people and all of our luggage. You also get a 30 minute complimentary grocery stop anywhere during those two runs. After Disney we are going to take Magical Express back to the airport. HTH

 

[Metro West]

We are staying at the HRH for our November trip and will be going to Disney afterward. We thought we would just take a taxi to Universal from the airport and then another taxi back to the airport to pick up the Magical Express to Disney. Are there any grocery stores walking distance from HRH that we can pick up some water,soda and snacks at. TIA

About the only store close enough to walk to is Walgreen's which is across Kirkman Road from Universal. There is a Publix grocery store further up Kirkman but it's probably too far to walk to.

 

[TLinden16]

I that price one way or round trip?

That was the total price for the car service.

 

[wdhinn89]

Thank you everyone for all your information and suggestions!

 

[tinydancer09]

We always stop by Walgreens. Its a pretty strong walk from the on-site hotels I believe though. Just incase you take a cab though, its very well stocked with groceries- more so than my local wal-greens.

 

[lovebug33]

We did Mears and it wasn't a problem at all. We waited for 20 minutes for the shuttle and then it took about another thirty to get where we needed to go. We then got a car to take us to Pop and it was 40 bucks for the two of us. Not bad! We did garden grocer and it was fabulous, by the way!

 

[wdhinn89]

The only place I know that would be pretty close to get the stuff you need is Walgreens on Kirkman drive

About the only store close enough to walk to is Walgreen's which is across Kirkman Road from Universal. There is a Publix grocery store further up Kirkman but it's probably too far to walk to.

Does anyone know which Universal Hotel is closest to the Walgreens on Kirkman Road?

We are also thinking of just having the taxi stop at the Walgreens for us. The taxi still seems to be the cheapest option for us at the time and the most flexible. We will then be able to leave Universal/City Walk when ever we are ready vs. being tied to a time by pre booking a car service.

 

[kwdw]

Probably Portofino or HRH

 

[Metro West]

Does anyone know which Universal Hotel is closest to the Walgreens on Kirkman Road?

Portofino Bay is closest to Kirkman Road.

 

[kdawg954]

Does anyone know which Universal Hotel is closest to the Walgreens on Kirkman Road?

We are also thinking of just having the taxi stop at the Walgreens for us. The taxi still seems to be the cheapest option for us at the time and the most flexible. We will then be able to leave Universal/City Walk when ever we are ready vs. being tied to a time by pre booking a car service.

Yea Walgreens is probably the most viable option, though you have some gas station options if you just need sodas and snacks. A Chevron and a Mobil, they are all on the Vineland and Kirkman intersection.

Somebody also mentioned the Publix further up on Kirkman. If you never been to Publix, it is a store that is easy to get addicted to. Excellent subs and good hot food. Usually have very good ad specials for drinks and snacks. Regular prices can be expensive though.

FYI they have a fairly new (less than 5 years old) Wal-Mart SuperCenter on Turkey Lake just south of SandLake. You definitely will need transportation to get there as that is about 2.5 miles away, but very cheap souvenir items and nick nacks to where it might be worth it to take a cab there and back.

 

[wdhinn89]

Thank you so much for your replies everyone!!


We really only need minimal supplies. Just a gallon of water to make my morning coffee, half and half, a few 6 packs of soda and some cookies. Not even enough to cover the $40 minimum delivery for garden grocer.