Transportation Options from Disney to Universal/IOA

[Metro West]

From my limited experience...

You can use the free shuttle to SW to catch the bus that runs to BGT and back. It will take about 2 hours each way depending on traffic and I'm not sure of the schedule. If you're going to head over there, pland to spend the entire day and then take the free shuttle back from SW to Universal.

You would need to confirm the shuttle times.

 

[Harry Potter]

From my limited experience...

You can use the free shuttle to SW to catch the bus that runs to BGT and back. It will take about 2 hours each way depending on traffic and I'm not sure of the schedule. If you're going to head over there, pland to spend the entire day and then take the free shuttle back from SW to Universal.

You would need to confirm the shuttle times.

Thanks for your tips.

I looked on this site (at the bottom) and it basically confirms what you said.

http://buschgardens.com/bgt/Plan/Directions.aspx

However it says that arrival at BGT could be as late as 11.30am! On Friday June 3 the park hours is 9.30am-9.00pm so I think I will go on that day. It gives me a lot of time to wait in the queues.

Is there anything like UE I can buy to skip the lines?

Finally, I wanted to ask, in your experience...

1. Are the wait times big for rides in BGT (i am specifically talking coasters- and yeah the new Cheetah Hunt will be insane queues, but maybe they will relieve the likes of ShieKra and Montu)?

2. Can you confirm that the BGT shuttle leaves from SeaWorld and at what time? It says it takes around 1hr on the BGT website, but doesn't give departure times.

If I mess up one of these journeys I will mess up my whole day, that's why I'm being very specific. Hope you can advise me here.

 

[Metro West]

Here's what I found:

This link will give you information on the BGT shuttle. It says it leaves from "several Orlando locations" but doesn't list SW as a departure point.

https://secure.mearstransportation.com/MearsExpress/BuschGardens.asp

For wait times...there are signs posted at the bigger attractions just like Disney or Universal.

I believe there is some sort of EP you can purchase but I'm not sure what it costs or how it works.

 

[Harry Potter]

OK, I'm starting to panic now.

Universal to SeaWorld = free shuttle
Universal to Busch Gardens = free long-distance shuttle bus (via SeaWorld)
Universal to WDW TTC = Mears shuttle (pre-booked)

OK, a few questions about this lot:

With regards the UOR-SWO shuttle, where in UOR does this bus stop? At each of the hotels? CityWalk? Outside the parking lot? Over the road from Universal Blvd?

With regards the SWO-BGT shuttle, I understand this takes upto 2 hours, but can someone confirm that it's free? I WON'T have BGT tickets (or SW) at the time of travelling on the shuttle bus - I will buy them when I'm there. Is this a problem?

With regards the UOR-WDW options, I must contact Mears personally yes? I think that's a bit hard to do from the UK but I will just ask the RPR concierge and maybe cheekily ask them to book something on my behalf (sure they've done it before for people).

Only a few days to go now, so need to know what I'm doing.

 

[Meriweather]

Here reporting from universal with the Dreams unlimited/mears shuttle ticket deal....& in fact we are being let in with resort guests at 8am!!!! We picked up our tickets at will call and out tickets said UPRV which indicates we get in early.

What is the Dreams Unlimited shuttle deal??
I looked at the website and can't find anything. Am I looking in the wrong place?
TIA

 

[ShhhQ]

What is the Dreams Unlimited shuttle deal??
I looked at the website and can't find anything. Am I looking in the wrong place?
TIA

1-DAY/2-PARK WITH ROUNDTRIP TRANSFERS
You receive a 1-Day/2-Park experience with transportation to Universal Orlando from your Disney Area Hotel.


You can find it on the Dreams Universal tickets page

 

[disneyxo]

Here reporting from universal with the Dreams unlimited/mears shuttle ticket deal....& in fact we are being let in with resort guests at 8am!!!! We picked up our tickets at will call and out tickets said UPRV which indicates we get in early.

We were thinking of taking a taxi because it allows us to be more flexible but if the ticket actually gets you in with the resort guests now leaning towards the Dreams unlimited deal. Hopefully others will post how it goes for them. We don't go until Sept so have some time to think about it.

 

[damo]

Mears shuttle can take longer because they can stop and pick up other people along the way.

 

[damo]

Okay I have to reply to my own post (for better or worse). I just talked to someone from Mears regarding the taxi (should have done that when I checked on the shuttle) and the price is regardless of passengers (so a van of 7 is $35 total one way) and then of course the return cost. This seems a no brainer to me for cost and convenience. I have taken one taxi maybe 20 years ago so not that familiar with it. Something I am missing??

Just make sure when you call for the taxi, you tell them you want a Mears van taxi and not the Mears shuttle.

 

[disneyxo]

That is one day after us... we plan on going on the 14th

Hopefully we both have great weather and a great time!!! I have never been there before so trying to read up on it so I am not totally lost the day we go!

 

[sarahgirl]

Where do the Mears shuttles drop you off? Also how much time should I budget for pick up to park gate of IoA for AKL? Would an hour be sufficient or do I need more?

 

[k_null81]

Where do the Mears shuttles drop you off? Also how much time should I budget for pick up to park gate of IoA for AKL? Would an hour be sufficient or do I need more?

We were staying at AKL Kidani...are pick up time was 6:45 and we were probably 2-3 minutes late. We were his 1st pick up and he had only one other pickup and that was at POP. We were at Universal by 7:15. They dropped off in the shuttle/bus parking which is probably the same distance as if you parked in there garage.

I think an hour would be more then enough time but again this was just my experience. Maybe more people will chime in...

 

[Padstack]

We were thinking of taking a taxi because it allows us to be more flexible but if the ticket actually gets you in with the resort guests now leaning towards the Dreams unlimited deal. Hopefully others will post how it goes for them. We don't go until Sept so have some time to think about it.

I'm curious about this too. I e-mailed Dreams Unlimited to find out if this is the case. I will post once I hear back from them. We will have a really young one (<2 yrs old) so I do not want to show up at the gates really early only to find out that we have to wait.

 

[k_null81]

I'm curious about this too. I e-mailed Dreams Unlimited to find out if this is the case. I will post once I hear back from them. We will have a really young one (<2 yrs old) so I do not want to show up at the gates really early only to find out that we have to wait.

I emailed Dreams Unlimted about 2 months ago about this and never got a response from them and from what I have gathered from reading 3 different threads on the Dreams Unlimted deal subject that we just got lucky when we were let in early. So you aren't likely to get a definite answer saying "yes" you will be let in early if you bought the Dreams Unlimited/Mears ticket deal. I know we weren't the only one's to get let in early on this deal though. My husband and I both agreed though that if we make it back to Universal in the near future that we would take our chances with early entry again.

 

[shdwstrm]

Hi There!

I'm looking to purchase a couple of the Dreams Ulimited Deal tickets with free transportation. Just wondering what people's experience with this has been and how much lead time do you need to give them for your pickup at Univeral to be taken back to your Disney Hotel (do you need to have a pre-set time, or can you call them later in the day with a time)

If anyone can help me out, I'd greatly appreciate it

Can't wait for my trip in September!!!

 

[sarahgirl]

How does one pay for the Mears shuttle transportation once you book it on the phone? Do they take your credit card information when you make your reservation and just charge your card on the day?

 

[sarasmom97]

Hi There!

I'm looking to purchase a couple of the Dreams Ulimited Deal tickets with free transportation. Just wondering what people's experience with this has been and how much lead time do you need to give them for your pickup at Univeral to be taken back to your Disney Hotel (do you need to have a pre-set time, or can you call them later in the day with a time)

If anyone can help me out, I'd greatly appreciate it

Can't wait for my trip in September!!!

My dd and I just used Mears on 6/2. They told us to call 2 hours before we were ready to be picked up. We called just before Islands of Adventure closed, probably 6:45, and were able to get on the 8:15 bus (they offered the 7:15 bus, but I didnt think we would make it in time.
Service was excellent, bus drivers were very nice and helpful (i was using a scooter). They even played a movie on the bus on the ride back to Pop, which took about 45minutes.
I would definately use them again.

 

[sarasmom97]

How does one pay for the Mears shuttle transportation once you book it on the phone? Do they take your credit card information when you make your reservation and just charge your card on the day?

You pay the driver, $18 per person, cash only. You get a receipt/voucher for the return trip.

 

[Padstack]

I emailed Dreams Unlimted about 2 months ago about this and never got a response from them and from what I have gathered from reading 3 different threads on the Dreams Unlimted deal subject that we just got lucky when we were let in early. So you aren't likely to get a definite answer saying "yes" you will be let in early if you bought the Dreams Unlimited/Mears ticket deal. I know we weren't the only one's to get let in early on this deal though. My husband and I both agreed though that if we make it back to Universal in the near future that we would take our chances with early entry again.

I did get a response, but it was just to call Universal with any ticket questions.

 

[WDWDecember]

Hello we just got back from a WDW vacation. On Tuesday June 14 we
went to Universal using the Dreams Unlimited offer (RT shuttle transportation from POFQ and tickets to Universal Studios). A few people in this thread have inquired as to whether a ticket purchased in this manner gets you early entrance into the park. The answer is YES! We got to the gates at around 8:00 a.m. I got our tix from the kiosk around 8:05 a.m. I was thinking that we would wait around to get in when the park opened at 9:00 a.m. There were lots of people going in early (resort guests). Well before I could say anything to my DH, he and DS just got in line and went through with their tix! So I did the same thing and we got in early. So it seems that when purchased in this manner, the tix allow early entry into the park.

We went to the Olivander wand experience first (stood in line about 30 minutes), put our stuff into lockers at the Dragon Challenge, and then got into the 'no locker' fast line at the Hogwart's castle ride. We stood in line for about 40 minutes. The castle ride is AWESOME! After this, we got our stuff out of the locker (spent $6.00 for the time in the locker). Someone at Disney gave me the tip of storing stuff in lockers ahead of time, i.e. not in the Hogwart's castle lockers to save time and it definitely worked. The 'locker' line at the Hogwart's castle was at least twice as long to get through. We saw a couple of people turned away near the ride loading area because they had big backpacks that they hadn't stored in lockers.