My new thoughts on using buses / not using buses

[dburg30]

After just getting back, I still wont rent, BUT, there are times I'll use uber. We went to US/IoA and used uber.. Amazingly quick, inexpensive etc. One night I went to Disney Springs.. decided I just didnt want to deal with a bus from there. Uber'd back to Wilderness Lodge.. Wednesday night end of night at DHS.. saw the line, decided to uber.. Honestly, not sure if that night was faster as traffic was just bad getting out in a car, but didnt have to stand in line, had nice comfy seats, and still didnt have to drive.. So I can see me using that plan sometimes. Using buses almost always in the AM.. From Wilderness Lodge this time, usually AKL, I've never experienced full buses even in the AM.. Going back midday / switching parks etc, probably still using buses. End of day / resort to resort / maybe to AND from springs, that's where I will consider using uber. And at end of day / park closing, it will be more for comfort more then time savings..

 

[maxiesmom]

For a few years now I have kept some extra cash on hand, just in case I feel like hopping in a cab instead of waiting on a bus.

 

[ncc1701]

We have usd taxis going to/from other resorts for meals & spa appointment our last 2 trips. Worth the extra money for the time saving .

 

[North of Mouse]

Maybe we're the exception - don't know - but we enjoy the buses as part of our Disney experience, and have only had a few glitches in all our years of going to Disney.

 

[Sweettears]

Maybe we're the exception - don't know - but we enjoy the buses as part of our Disney experience, and have only had a few glitches in all our years of going to Disney.

I don't disagree but there are times when hopping in a cab or uber makes sense when times are crowded or you want to move quickly.

 

[dburg30]

Maybe we're the exception - don't know - but we enjoy the buses as part of our Disney experience, and have only had a few glitches in all our years of going to Disney.

Oh, if you look at some of my previous posts, I am with you. But the ease and cost of it, made it a very viable option / choice.. No way I would pay taxi's at closing as you are going to pay just sitting there.

 

[maxiesmom]

Maybe we're the exception - don't know - but we enjoy the buses as part of our Disney experience, and have only had a few glitches in all our years of going to Disney.

I like the buses too--unless I'm trying to make an ADR at another resort. Or when I'm trying to get to Disney Springs from a park before they start running the Disney Springs bus.

 

[goofy4tink]

Question...I've never used Uber. But, my CM dd and her friend are heading to BC to join me for MNSSHP next Tuesday night. It's her birthday, so there will be gifts. She really doesn't want to drag the bag of stuff to MK, rent a locker, then drag it back to her apt in a Transtar bus. So, I figured they could return to BC with me, get her stuff, then take a cab or Uber back to the apt.
What's the procedure if we decide to go with Uber? Do I download the app first? Then what? I'm clueless.

 

[dburg30]

Download the app, make an account, add a payment method. That's really it.. Then you will open the app, select a pickup location and a drop off location, if you are close to the pick up location, it will automatically be the spot, if you are somewhere else you can start typing 'beach club' and it should pull it up for you. Enter in destination, then confirm the route and it will give you the price. If you are ready, click request uber and it will pop up your car on the map so you can see where it it.. The driver picture, the type of car, the license plate number of the car etc etc.. When the ride is complete, just get out and a couple minutes later after the driver completes the ride, it will send you a receipt. If I've forgotten anything, someone will chime in I'm sure

 

[markb681]

UBER is the way to go....cheaper and quicker than a taxi! Went from POR to Universal Studios for $16....took taxi back it was $29! Took Uber from POR to Disney Springs it was $4....Never again will I use a taxi IF Uber is available!

 

[goofy4tink]

Thanks! That seems easy enough.

 

[Jillpie]

Loved Uber this trip!! We have been bus folks for 18 years now. But our kids convinced us Uber is the way to go. It was seriously the easiest, fastest and cheapest way to get anywhere, especially resort to resort. It is a no brainer, will always use them from now on.

 

[kj2mom]

Question...I've never used Uber. But, my CM dd and her friend are heading to BC to join me for MNSSHP next Tuesday night. It's her birthday, so there will be gifts. She really doesn't want to drag the bag of stuff to MK, rent a locker, then drag it back to her apt in a Transtar bus. So, I figured they could return to BC with me, get her stuff, then take a cab or Uber back to the apt.
What's the procedure if we decide to go with Uber? Do I download the app first? Then what? I'm clueless.

Be sure to look for codes, especially if you are a new user! I have only used Uber once (literally a mile from the train station to the hotel but it was dark out and in an area I had never been) and I had a code so it was free. I gave the driver $5 because I was soo happy after a 13 hour train ride to get to the hotel!

 

[AngiTN]

Maybe we're the exception - don't know - but we enjoy the buses as part of our Disney experience, and have only had a few glitches in all our years of going to Disney.

We love the buses too, typically have no problems with them, or the waiting. It's never excessive.
But we use Uber/Lyft 100% of the time when we are going resort to resort. Disney makes no easy way to do this.
We also use Uber/Lyft from Disney to MCO when we go home. We prefer the extra hour in the parks vs. sitting at the airport or on the ME stopping at other resorts.
And my DH views being on time as leaving the room at the time we are due to be somewhere. I usually try to tell him a time 30 min ahead of what we need to get us on time but sometimes that doesn't work out and we find ourselves behind getting to an ADR or for a FP. In those cases we'll use Uber/Lyft to a park. But that's an exception rather than a rule.
Love how easy and inexpensive it is.

 

[bookgirl]

Maybe we're the exception - don't know - but we enjoy the buses as part of our Disney experience, and have only had a few glitches in all our years of going to Disney.

Nope, me too. I actually like Disney Transportation for the most part and enjoy taking the boats/buses/monorails, even when I have to do transfers to get from A to B.

That being said I was offsite for a conference in Orlando in June and went over to do a monorail crawl with some friends. I used uber as I didn't want to drink all night then drive back offsite. It was quick and relatively inexpensive. A number of people I knew used uber almost exclusively for that conference. Except for the trip from MCO to their hotel (there's a big charge for Uber at the MCO airport so they used a taxi) they found it to be very useful and convenient.

 

[richmo]

I like the buses too--unless I'm trying to make an ADR at another resort. Or when I'm trying to get to Disney Springs from a park before they start running the Disney Springs bus.

Yeah, I learned that lesson when leaving from WL an hour and a half early for an ADR at Boma and showed up 20 minutes late. Now I try to rent a car, even when staying onsite and I'll choose when to use it and when to use Disney transportation. Car rentals can often be quite cheap...last one was $65 for 4 days.

(On the above example, it was partially my fault. I made the mistake of thinking it would be best to get a bus from WL to AK, then a bus to AKL from there. That meant a little extra waiting time at WL, but worse, it was getting close to closing time at AK, so the bus depot was very busy. I think we got the 3rd bus to AKL, since the others were full. Now I realize that it would have been better to get to any of the other parks since they weren't closing, and get the AKL bus from there.)

 

[Sandi]

Question...I've never used Uber. But, my CM dd and her friend are heading to BC to join me for MNSSHP next Tuesday night. It's her birthday, so there will be gifts. She really doesn't want to drag the bag of stuff to MK, rent a locker, then drag it back to her apt in a Transtar bus. So, I figured they could return to BC with me, get her stuff, then take a cab or Uber back to the apt.
What's the procedure if we decide to go with Uber? Do I download the app first? Then what? I'm clueless.

Since your DD will use the Uber, consider having her download the app. My DD uses it at college (always with a friend) and I use mine for biz travel.

 

[bookgirl]

Question...I've never used Uber. But, my CM dd and her friend are heading to BC to join me for MNSSHP next Tuesday night. It's her birthday, so there will be gifts. She really doesn't want to drag the bag of stuff to MK, rent a locker, then drag it back to her apt in a Transtar bus. So, I figured they could return to BC with me, get her stuff, then take a cab or Uber back to the apt.
What's the procedure if we decide to go with Uber? Do I download the app first? Then what? I'm clueless.

I'm betting at least one of her friends uses Uber. Have her or you sign up through their referral code to download the app. They and you will get a free ride (up to $20).

If she doesn't know anyone then PM me and I'll give you a code.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Uber didn't work for me at POR - was going to use it for the first time ever and they never showed up despite my getting confirmation that they were on the way.
30 minutes after requesting one (and it showed it would be there after 7 minutes), I got a taxi so I wouldn't be late for my ADR. So that's always an option.
I'm thinking next time, I'm just going to rent a car since I'm thinking of going over to Universal for one day.

 

[markb681]

Uber didn't work for me at POR - was going to use it for the first time ever and they never showed up despite my getting confirmation that they were on the way.
30 minutes after requesting one (and it showed it would be there after 7 minutes), I got a taxi so I wouldn't be late for my ADR. So that's always an option.
I'm thinking next time, I'm just going to rent a car since I'm thinking of going over to Universal for one day.

That's odd....I've used Uber 4 different times to/from POR...worked like a charm!