Most reliable way (taxi vs town car) to get TO the airport

[laurie31]

I am coming to Orlando for a conference at the Orange County Convention Center. I will only be there for the day. My plane arrives at 9:30 and the conference doesn't start until noon, so I know I'll have plenty of time to get a cab at the airport, but the conference is over at 6:00 and I must be at the airport by 6:30 to catch my flight home. It's on a Saturday.

Whatever I use to get back to the airport needs to be sitting there waiting on me, so when I come out the door at 6:00 I can be on my way. Last time we went to Disney, our town car was 15 mins late picking us up at our resort. Not a huge deal then, but it could be devastating in this situation. There are no other flights out after mine - I'd be stuck

So...can I trust Mears Taxi to be there on time or should I book a towncar to be safe?

Can I call for a taxi from my cell phone at say 5:30 and be safe that way, or can I reserve one in advance?

If I book the towncar, how can I be SURE they won't be late?

I'm very nervous about missing my flight home, since I can't just get on a later flight. I would have just planned to come home the next day, but the first flight back on Sunday isn't until 2pm (!) and cost $150 more. So that seemed like a not-so-good idea.

Any recommendations?

TIA!!!

 

[pamjb]

I don't know what towncar you used in the past, but I have used Sunray transportation for the past 3 years (for 8 trips) and they, literally, have never been late. Even when our flight arrived early, they were there waiting.

www.sunraytransportation.com

As far as taxi service, we used one in December for a trip from CBR to Wide World of Sports. There was 2 groups of us that left at 2 different times. The first group got lost. Don't know how, as WWOS is a straight shot from CBR, about a five minute ride. Unfortunately, I didn't arrange the cab, so I don't know the name. I know they just looked up the number in the phone book, instead of calling the front desk at CBR.

 

[Edd]

You talking about a horse of a different color when you are trying to get a plane and the convention is letting out. Your best bet is to grab a taxi off the convention center taxi stand. Pre-arranged is not a good idea in this case because no one knows where you will get out.

 

[laurie31]

Thank you!!

Edd, I hadn't considered that a pre-arranged car wouldn't know where to pick me up. I also hadn't realized there would be a taxi rank there on Saturday night, (duh - sorry! This is my first time to do anything like this alone) so it sounds like I can just catch a cab there.

Since I will be getting there 2 hours early, I will check with guest services to make sure I can hail a cab easily when I get out. (The convention itself won't end at 6pm, just the seminar which I wanted to attend so hopefully there won't be a mob of people departing then...)

Thanks again I always like to ask the DIS, because the DIS knows

 

[jenseib]

does your flight leave at 6:30? I think no matter what you may be cutting it close, if making it at all. You have to assume you can get through to your gate that fast too.

 

[Edd]

Another thing you might keep in mind. To the north of the convention center is the Peabody. To the south is the Rosen Center. Both of those hotels have taxis on the stand all the time. If you are close to one of those hotels it might be easier to go to their taxi stands and get a taxi to the airport.

 

[laurie31]

Thanks again, Edd! I hadn't thought about the hotels there having taxis at all times (again, I'm new at this sort of thing )

And I was unclear about my flight time - I actually depart at 7:35, but since I will not have any checked bags, in fact not even a carry-on, just a small purse with my wallet, cell phone and notes, I don't expect it will take me long to get through security, so I was thinking an hour should be enough time. I am supposed to be at my gate by 7:20.

My brother flies to Orlando on business several times a month and he thought an hour would be plenty of time. (since I don't have to check bags).

So I'm aiming to get there at least by 6:30, although getting there at 6:15, would be really nice, but I think impossible. I assume it would take me 5-10 mins. to walk from where I get out to where the taxi stand is...but hopefully with it being Saturday, the traffic won't be too terrible and I'll not be stuck in the security line behind some idiot who does't know about the new liquid rules...lol