Help with ground transporation options

[michygoomy]

When I booked my package, I turned down the ME because I assumed we'd do a town car with grocery stop like last time. I did verify that I could add it later.

Well, that was before we realized we've grown right out of a town car! (DOH--forgot about the driver). It's only 15 bucks more for the minivan, but the total is enough that I'm re-thinking my options.

Groceries is a MUST for us. We have a baby, and will need stuff for her. DH needs his Pepsi. We eat breakfast in the room for a lot of reasons.

So, I figure my options are thus:

1.) Minivan service with grocery stop. $115 plus tip, not counting groceries. I can't help thinking where else I could use that $115.

2.) ME, with one of us taking a cab to the grocery store once we get there. Any idea what a cab would cost (from CBR)? The advantage is that we can see/touch/feel the groceries, plus the whole family doesn't have to go.

3.) ME with delivery from gardengrocer.com. I've read some people's experience here, and they sound good. Advantage--no grocery shopping on vacation-yeah! Disadvantage--not being able to pick the stuff out. It's a cheap option, too, only 10 bucks more.

I'm leaning toward #3, DH wants #2. Thoughts, anyone?

 

[lovesdumbo]

I would try #3. If it doesn't work you could try #2. You can also send a few things to the resort via UPS or USPS. I've done that for diapers and even a few clothes to keep my bagage down. I just put "Hold for guest Lovesdumbo, arrives 5/1/06, Reservation #....."

I think there is a shopping mall within walking distance of Downtown Disney. Sort of behind the hotels across the street. So you could in theory take the Disney bus from CBR to DD, walk to shopping mall then take a one way taxi back to resort.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

1.) Minivan service with grocery stop. $115 plus tip, not counting groceries. I can't help thinking where else I could use that $115.

Make sure it's a van, not a minivan. Although a minivan provides seating for a driver and 5 or 6 passengers, a minivan provides very little luggage space when the third row of seats is in use.

2.) ME, with one of us taking a cab to the grocery store once we get there. Any idea what a cab would cost (from CBR)? The advantage is that we can see/touch/feel the groceries, plus the whole family doesn't have to go.

Cabs can be costly, especially if the driver waits for you while you're shopping. If you don't have the driver wait for you, you'll have to call for another cab when you finish shopping — and you could end up waiting a long time.

3.) ME with delivery from gardengrocer.com. I've read some people's experience here, and they sound good. Advantage--no grocery shopping on vacation-yeah! Disadvantage--not being able to pick the stuff out. It's a cheap option, too, only 10 bucks more.

I like option 3. In addition to http://www.gardengrocer.com , there's also http://www.wegoshop.com and http://www.goodings.com for grocery deliveries.

Another option is to split up, with some of you using DME and some of you using a towncar service with a grocery stop. Then you wouldn't need van, and you would get two DME luggage routing tags for each guest who will be using DME. If three of you use DME and you have six checked bags, you would be able to bypass baggage claim entirely. You would only need to handle your carry-ons and your groceries. The checked bags would "magically appear" in your room a few hours after you check in.

I know that splitting up isn't ideal, but it's one more option to consider.

 

[CleveRocks]

I had a great experience with Gooding's. $10 flat rate fee, $50 minimum. The website's selection is pretty limited, but you can request anything that's on their shelves. About half of my order was stuff I put in a separate e-mail to them (at their suggestion). In advance, I requested specific brand-name products (you know little kids and how picky they are!), plus they followed through with all of my other special requests such as slicing the deli American cheese VERY thin, having some of the bananas green and some yellow so we'd have "ripe" bananas all week long, etc.

To me, the best thing is you don't have to schedule the delivery. They deliver to Bell Services (BS), then BS calls you. If you're in, they deliver. If you're not in, they leave you a message and they store the groceries for you, including keeping the cold stuff cold (Gooding's separately bags and labels the cold stuff). When you get in and get the message, you call BS and they bring you your groceries.

One note that's important to some people but not to me: Gooding's won't deliver alcohol. They told me that since they never see you (they deliver to Bell Services) they can't know that you're of legal age and they're not willing to take that risk.

We got a whole variety of items to save money, mostly for breakfast because we're not huge breakfast eaters. We got bagels, cream cheese, deli American cheese, yogurt, grapes, bananas, cold cereal, instant oatmeal (use the coffee maker to heat the water!), milk, OJ, peanut butter, jelly, bread, pretzels, cookies, bottled water, you get the idea. They were very easy to work with. And for those who are paranoid of technology and security, you give your credit card information to a live person on the phone, you don't put it on the website. Your card won't be charged until the day of your order, since they can't know the exact amount ahead of time (produce and deli are sold by weight, they could be sold out of an item, etc.).

ENJOY WDW!

 

[maine_jennifer]

These are great options. Here's one more. You mentioned you outgrew your towncar. I use Sunray Transportation for all my trips and I know they offer the same rate (less than what you have posted) for cars, suvs & vans (the big ones). Free car seats and grocery stops, too. My nephew and I will be using the grocery stop in June, but not the car seat, he'll be 10 and I don't think he'd fit. Just another suggestion.

Cheers!

 

[mom2cookies]

We just contacted Sunray (Bob) and were given the price of $82 round trip for a 10 passenger van. We aren't interested in a grocery stop but for some reason i think i remember that being listed as a service on their web page. For us $82 round trip sold us as some of the other prices we came across were over $200! We won't even talk about the one WDW suggested... $268 one way! yeah right, like we a family of 8 can afford that