Ride share/taxi is not as easy

[Betsyp]

as you think - just order a ride and that’s it. Several times I requested LYFT for a certain time, and almost always they were on their way way too early for me. If I ask for a time, it’s because that’s when I know I’ll be ready. I shouldn’t be penalized because the driver decided to get there 10-15 minutes early…then I end up having to do the work by making sure LYFT sends another driver.

Today, my departure day, was a nightmare. I ordered LYFT about an hour or so before I needed it, probably more - for 12:50 at POFQ. I was at DS, and I needed time to pick up my to-go lunch. The guy got to hotel at 12:35 - ridiculously early - I wasn’t even back yet. He didn’t wait. I contacted new drivers that were assigned because they were also way too early. I then gave up and used Mears, which has been great …but same problem, the driver kept showing up early, and they didn’t wait.

I finally got one and I’m on my way, but I had to do way too much work. I was trying to eat my lunch and essentially couldn’t because I was on the phone with Mears.

Obviously ride share or taxi still works, but I’m still cooling down from how angry I am

 

[dreamer17555]

Trying to order a Lyft or Uber in advance is never a great plan, especially if you’re not ready to leave potentially early. A better plan is to get ready, leaving some extra time for travel and then order the car service. You might have to wait a few minutes in the lobby but it’s not going to take that long especially at WDW.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

as you think - just order a ride and that’s it. Several times I requested LYFT for a certain time, and almost always they were on their way way too early for me. If I ask for a time, it’s because that’s when I know I’ll be ready. I shouldn’t be penalized because the driver decided to get there 10-15 minutes early…then I end up having to do the work by making sure LYFT sends another driver.

Today, my departure day, was a nightmare. I ordered LYFT about an hour or so before I needed it, probably more - for 12:50 at POFQ. I was at DS, and I needed time to pick up my to-go lunch. The guy got to hotel at 12:35 - ridiculously early - I wasn’t even back yet. He didn’t wait. I contacted new drivers that were assigned because they were also way too early. I then gave up and used Mears, which has been great …but same problem, the driver kept showing up early, and they didn’t wait.

I finally got one and I’m on my way, but I had to do way too much work. I was trying to eat my lunch and essentially couldn’t because I was on the phone with Mears.

Obviously ride share or taxi still works, but I’m still cooling down from how angry I am

I understand you frustration but next time just call for the ride when you are ready to go.
Uber and Lyft are readily available around Disney and you won’t wait more than a few minutes.

 

[Betsyp]

Trying to order a Lyft or Uber in advance is never a great plan, especially if you’re not ready to leave potentially early. A better plan is to get ready, leaving some extra time for travel and then order the car service. You might have to wait a few minutes in the lobby but it’s not going to take that long especially at WDW.

Yeah, lesson learned. This isn’t how I wanted to end my trip, but at least I know better now…

Thank you!

 

[Betsyp]

I understand you frustration but next time just call for the ride when you are ready to go.
Uber and Lyft are readily available around Disney and you won’t wait more than a few minutes.

Lesson learned, lol. You’re right - they always got to where I needed quickly

 

[SteveMouse]

At least they are options for you. Try getting anywhere with a power wheelchair.. Rideshares aren‘t often an option and taxis are almost nonexistent,

 

[Lewisc]

At least they are options for you. Try getting anywhere with a power wheelchair.. Rideshares aren‘t often an option and taxis are almost nonexistent,

Mears has accessible, wheelchair taxi..Scooters drive up a ramp. I assume they can handle a power chair. Same price as a regular taxi Accessible Minnie Vans can handle 2 scooters.

Uber in Orlando has an option for some kind of medical transport. Scroll down it's pricey

 

[seashoreCM]

They don't charge you for showing up way early and then leaving without you, do they?

I am not sure how Uber and Lift do scheduling but my brother has on several occasions ordered ordinary taxis a day or even two days in advance. There is still some time window needed as opposed to an exact pickup time.

 

[SteveMouse]

Accessible transportation is a little better in Orlando than almost anywhere else. In nost cities, Uber and Lyft offer no, or exceedingly limited service. I live in one of the top 20 cities, within city limits. Uber does not provide citywide service. Lyft offers nothing.

 

[Betsyp]

They don't charge you for showing up way early and then leaving without you, do they?

I am not sure how Uber and Lift do scheduling but my brother has on several occasions ordered ordinary taxis a day or even two days in advance. There is still some time window needed as opposed to an exact pickup time.

LYFT does….but I disputed, and they’ve given me credit

 

[EACarlson]

They should charge you. When you schedule in advance they tell you there is a 30 minute window. I put this all on the OP for not using rideshare as agreed, probably would have been up in arms here if they driver had been 15 minutes late too. 15 minutes is not early, that's on time. There are certain things that have to be adjusted for when relying on someone else, you don't always get things done on the exact schedule you want, if you demand that, you need to rent a car and be in charge of it yourself.

 

[PalmettoPath]

I understand you frustration but next time just call for the ride when you are ready to go.
Uber and Lyft are readily available around Disney and you won’t wait more than a few minutes.

That's usually the case, except in busy times. In March of this year during our spring break we waited 20-25 minutes for our Lyfts just about every time (probably did five Lyfts in the week). I will say this is the slowest I've experienced it ever at WDW, so not sure if it was a bad week short on drivers or because it was spring break and super busy. But it was a bit of wait standing out front of the hotel. You could see on the app a driver accepting the fare and they were still picking up the fare before us. So we had to wait for that complete cycle and so on... Uber was no better when we checked for times. Lyft is usually less expensive.

 

[sam_gordon]

Pretty sure the last time I opened Lyft, I didn't see an option to schedule a time. In fact, I got a message to not order until I was ready to go. When I was selecting a ride, it said a ride was <10 minutes away. Great! So I ordered it. "Your driver <driver name> is 25 minutes away!"

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

This has me thinking about my upcoming trip in June.
It will the first time we are using Uber/Lyft from MCO to WDW & back.
We figured it would be easy to request ride once we’re off the plane - Terminal C, no checked bags.
For the return to MCO we figured we could request ride when we’re ready to head to the lobby.
Is this correct or do we need to adjust our plan?

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

Pretty sure the last time I opened Lyft, I didn't see an option to schedule a time. In fact, I got a message to not order until I was ready to go. When I was selecting a ride, it said a ride was <10 minutes away. Great! So I ordered it. "Your driver <driver name> is 25 minutes away!"

When I opened the Lyft app just now, to the right of the “where are you going?” box is a button that says “now,” and when I tap it, “schedule your ride” with a scrolling list of dates and times I can schedule for appears. So it is definitely possible to schedule a Lyft in advance. It’s been this way for a while, I’ve been stalking airport rides in my area for months.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

This has me thinking about my upcoming trip in June.
It will the first time we are using Uber/Lyft from MCO to WDW & back.
We figured it would be easy to request ride once we’re off the plane - Terminal C, no checked bags.
For the return to MCO we figured we could request ride when we’re ready to head to the lobby.
Is this correct or do we need to adjust our plan?

You have it almost right. When leaving MCO, order the rideshare when you are prepared for someone to pull up and take you to your destination. There are plenty in the area of MCO, generally waiting in a nearby offsite staging lot. Unless you arrive at an incredibly busy time and even then the longest it has ever taken me is 20 minutes and that was once.

Same with the return trip. Order it when you are ready for someone to arrive in the next 10 minutes.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

That's usually the case, except in busy times. In March of this year during our spring break we waited 20-25 minutes for our Lyfts just about every time (probably did five Lyfts in the week). I will say this is the slowest I've experienced it ever at WDW, so not sure if it was a bad week short on drivers or because it was spring break and super busy. But it was a bit of wait standing out front of the hotel. You could see on the app a driver accepting the fare and they were still picking up the fare before us. So we had to wait for that complete cycle and so on... Uber was no better when we checked for times. Lyft is usually less expensive.

Wow! That is terrible. We avoid going during super busy times but I know some travelers don’t have a choice of when they travel.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Wow! That is terrible. We avoid going during super busy times but I know some travelers don’t have a choice of when they travel.
Thanks for sharing.

Yeah, teacher wife, so we're on that schedule... We also go in August (better for crowds) and the third week of December (also better than March for crowds). We're used to the March crowds otherwise, but this Lyft situation left us with that awkward..."oh should we just go back and wait for the bus" scenario lol.

 

[EACarlson]

Nope, wrong...it says they may arrive a few minutes early, not 30.

If I ask for a time, then I expect that time - unless FL runs differently than NY. I’ve never had this issue ever, except just now. There is no need to be rude, and I don’t give a fig if you blame me, I didn’t ask. And, this bolded comment made no sense...I did try to use LYFT. And yes, I would have been up in arms, I had a train to catch.. but hey, I’m sure you would have loved it if your ride was late and you missed your connection...you’re a saint.

Everyone else has been helpful, and you have to be insulting. Why are you on this board if you can’t help being snide and judgmental ? Somehow everyone else was able to advise me to have buffer zone without being insufferable about it? You don’t want to help people, you just want to act high and mighty. Get over yourself.

So now you're saying the times you gave are wrong? The incident you gave in the OP was 15 minutes prior to the time you requested. The advice elsewhere in this thread, from rideshare drivers and other travel forums is to be ready 15 minutes prior to scheduled pick up time. Although both Uber Reserve and Lyft scheduled rides say they will wait without penalty until the quoted time window.

This has me thinking about my upcoming trip in June.
It will the first time we are using Uber/Lyft from MCO to WDW & back.
We figured it would be easy to request ride once we’re off the plane - Terminal C, no checked bags.
For the return to MCO we figured we could request ride when we’re ready to head to the lobby.
Is this correct or do we need to adjust our plan?

Wait until you're at the rideshare point to request. Drivers are usually only a couple minutes away, It's a long walk from the gates to the pickup point. It would be easily possible for a driver to accept the ride, pull up, wait five minutes and you not be anywhere close to them so they cancel, you get charged and the driver has to go to the back of the line.

 

[Donna M]

Nope, wrong...it says they may arrive a few minutes early, not 30.

If I ask for a time, then I expect that time - unless FL runs differently than NY. I’ve never had this issue ever, except just now. There is no need to be rude, and I don’t give a fig if you blame me, I didn’t ask. And, this bolded comment made no sense...I did try to use LYFT. And yes, I would have been up in arms, I had a train to catch.. but hey, I’m sure you would have loved it if your ride was late and you missed your connection...you’re a saint.

Everyone else has been helpful, and you have to be insulting. Why are you on this board if you can’t help being snide and judgmental ? Somehow everyone else was able to advise me to have buffer zone without being insufferable about it? You don’t want to help people, you just want to act high and mighty. Get over yourself.

Your comeback was rude! And I know you didn´t ask me.