Magical Exprees or Town Car Service?

[Lewisc]

The (lower than my estimate, thanks for checking the beer price) total for Garden Grocer is $48.59 ($38.59 + $10 delivery).
The corrected total for WalMart, based on the topic and conversation of this thread, is $147.65 ($27.65 + $100 + $20 "mandatory tip").

Ronda the Wal Mart price is $27.65. A passenger could use wegshop and pay a shopping fee, rent a car for the day (probably under $50) or even use towncar one way. A guest has to decide if the $20 savings is worth what it would cost to shop at Wal Mart. I don't think a guest would have to buy much more in order to save enough to rent a car for one day. Makes sense if you also want to shop in the outlet stores, do something offsite or even if you just want to have dinner in DTD or in another resort.

I understand Edd likes Wal Mart, it's nice including their prices, but most town car drivers don't stop at Wal Mart. It's interesting how much Goodings costs when you include delivery fees. Probably cheaper to bring some items and buy others in the resort.

 

[Edd]

Horace,

I appreciate your statements and I buy them completely. Some people may look at it as a bad experience, but the number of passengers that land Orlando makes it a busy area. I have never seen people pushing and shoving and I have been a passenger maybe 20 times in the past 5 years.. I have had people say, "excuse me," and reach in to get their bags. I usually step aside for them. It is the only polite thing to do.

I feel some of the statements made are trying to demean the luggage retreival system in Orlando International Airport, for the benefit of the DME. No one has to do that. DME can speak for itself.

 

[goofy4tink]

Not trying to demean the luggage retrieval system at MCO. Believe me, I use Logan, so I know how good MCO is. Still, people are people, and can tend to be rude, pushy and such. I understand they may not be all that experienced. I have no problem with that. You're absolutely right Edd....politeness goes a long way. I wish everyone could just be polite.
Anyway....again, I say...there is a way to get to WDW for everyone. Cabs, towncars, shuttles-free and not free. We can only try to answer people's questions the best we can. I think I'm one of the few people here that didn't have a horror story after using the old Mears shuttle. And, as I've said before, will be using a towncar service in Dec. Something for everyone!

 

[hezreck]

I don't think the poor OP ever really got an honest answer to her question. This thread took off changed direction very quickly, so back to her original question. I have never used ME or any shuttle service. We have been to Disney 3 times (I know, I'm no expert ) and each time we had Tiffany Towncar service. Each time, as we came off the escalator there was our driver holding a sign with our name on it. He escorted us to baggage claim and pulled all our luggage off for us. We just told him which bags were ours and her grabbed them. Then he took our bags right outside the door closest to the baggage claim and the car was already at the curb. The whole process from getting off the plane to driving away from the airport never took more than 20 minutes at the most!

We would stop at Publix and go in a grab a few items, breakfast food, water bottles and BEER!! Yes, gotta have that. Then we are off to our hotel. All 3 times we are at our hotel within 45-50 minutes of landing. That to me is worth $100.

I have nothing against ME, I would probably use it, except I am very anal about my planning and packing, etc...
I would have a hard time packing things in my carry-on that I MIGHT need before our luggage gets to our room. We check in and head straight for the parks since we always get in around noon. That means I would have to have a bag packed of things we would need to go to the parks along with carry-on bags, tickets, sunscreen, money, etc.... I can't think like that. Too confusing!! Plus, I have heard a few horror stories about luggage not being at the room when people get back from the parks. I know that doesn't happen often, but my luck it would happen to me.

So, in a nutshell. Towncar service is for us. It's what we know and what we will do each time. If you haven't done either, try ME. Who knows, maybe that will be your preferred choice. It comes down to do what is best for your sanity!!

 

[Edd]

Lewis,

I do not care whether drivers like it or not. If a driver is asked to go to the Walmart close to Disney for the passengers free stop at the grocery what do you think any decent driver would do. Blow his passengers to Smithereens with a big no or say "Sure, that sounds great to me." Those guys aren't monsters out there. It is not that far out of the way. If you feel guilty about it give him or her a part of the savings.

Believe me that is no problem to a driver and I would not want to present that as a problem here on these boards.

 

[clkelley]

We have used towncars on 5 or 6 occasions before ME and every driver refused to go to Wal-Mart. They stated that their policy was Goodings or Publix only.

I agree with the Hess Station assessment. If someone only wants beer, water, and soda they are fine. That is what we do. In addition, they also have very competitive cigarette prices.

 

[Edd]

Have you been here 5 or 6 times since about January. That is when that Walmart, close to Disney, opened up. Drivers have no policy on where they or they should not go. They drive to please the passengers who arrive to go to Disney. Maybe some of you passengers ought to let drivers know whose money he is receiving when he drops you off.

 

[clkelley]

Have you been here 5 or 6 times since about January. That is when that Walmart, close to Disney, opened up. Drivers have no policy on where they or they should not go. They drive to please the passengers who arrive to go to Disney. Maybe some of you passengers ought to let drivers know whose money he is receiving when he drops you off.

You may be correct, my apologies, and no, I havn't used towncars since ME started. I didn't realize a Wal-Mart had opened that was in the direct driving route between MCO and Disney property. The only ones I knew about was the one way East on 192, and the one near the intersection of 27 and 192.

We use ME, then on our first night after Hoopla! at Adventurer's Club is over we cross the street, grab a case of beer, a case of water, and a carton of cigarettes, and then back across the street to the Disney bus, and we're golden.

And our luggage has "always" been in the room when we finally arrive about 2am and since we stay at Values, our carryons that we gave to bell services are also in the room

 

[Edd]

Most drivers probably don't even know a Walmart is close to Disney. The reason for them to say no to your request.

 

[seashoreCM]

Was this said? -- Drivers not wanting to go to Wal Mart because frequent past experience was that the stop there goes over the (half hour or whatever) allotment?

 

[jodifla]

To the OP: Having a car is always the way to go for us. Tried ME, but DH doesn't like it. And, we like eating out at different resorts at night, which is a REAL PITA using the bus system.

 

[LoveWDW]

Sorry Edd. but I didn't use 'gypsy' drivers. I have always had a reservation... confirmation in hand. My driver was out having a smoke. Took my dh 10 minutes to find him. He was driving for a towncar company that is frequently recommended right here. Same thing for my return trip to the airport...he was parked way down by the bus stop area at BW, rather than up at the portico area. Yes, we arrived early, but after our pickup time had come and gone, dh had to, yet again, go looking.

When we arrived at Orlando, our driver wasn't waiting with the other drivers at the bottom of the escalators, either. This was FLTours. So we walked over and got our luggage, we didn't notice pushing and shoving, by the way, and pulled it back to the escalators, where the driver was now waiting.

He dropped us at Publix. We were done in 20 minutes and walked out to the curb, but the driver did not show up until the 30 minutes was up. I walked through the parking lot looking for him but didn't find him.

So he wasn't at the escalators, we had to get our own luggage, and we twiddled our thumbs waiting for him to collect us at Publix. Otherwise, it was a good experience. We were tired from the trip, so it was luxury to walk right to the car, with luggage, and sit in a quiet environment. I would do it again. Maybe try Tiffany next time. On the way back to the airport the driver, a different one, was there early and right near the door, so we didn't have a repeat of the absent driver problem.

 

[CleveRocks]

I have nothing against ME, I would probably use it, except I am very anal about my planning and packing, etc...
I would have a hard time packing things in my carry-on that I MIGHT need before our luggage gets to our room. We check in and head straight for the parks since we always get in around noon. That means I would have to have a bag packed of things we would need to go to the parks along with carry-on bags, tickets, sunscreen, money, etc.... I can't think like that. Too confusing!! Plus, I have heard a few horror stories about luggage not being at the room when people get back from the parks. I know that doesn't happen often, but my luck it would happen to me.

The following comment has NOTHING to do with how one gets transported from MCO to WDW ....

Packing a carry-on with immediately-needed supplies is ALWAYS a good idea no matter where you travel. Just as you've "heard a few horror stories about luggage not being at the room when people get back from the parks," you've undoubtedly heard more than a few horror stories about people's luggage not being on the baggage claim carousel with the rest of the passengers' luggage. In most cases, the luggage isn't lost but simply delayed (it took a tour somewhere).

I wouldn't fly a kite, let alone an airline, without the confidence of having a carry-on with our first day's supplies. While I may not be happy if my luggage is delayed, it won't ruin my first day because I can still carry on (no pun intended!) without my checked luggage, and the odds of it not being delivered to you in the first 24 hours is almost nil (if it's not lost for good).

You say you're anal about packing and planning. So am I. That's why I always recommend to have more control by having those essentials in a carry-on. Think of it as very cheap travel insurance. Think of it as increased peace of mind.