Transportation Options from Disney to Universal/IOA

[disbiz]

We just made the trip from the Beach Club to Universal last Wednesday. We had a party of 6 adults. We took a cab (you have to ask for a van for over 5 people). Less then $34.00 each way! Saved about $40.00 by not taking Mears. Took us about one minute to get our taxi on the way out. This is the only way to go IMHO.

This might be a dumb question but was that 34.00 for all 6 of you total ?

Thanks

John

 

[Jaaron2]

This might be a dumb question but was that 34.00 for all 6 of you total ?

Thanks

John

Yes it was for all 6 of us.

 

[Shinji4u]

We are comming from Europe to Disney, so we don't have a cell phone to get in contact with Mears when we are at the parks.

How can we call Mears, when we are at Universal, to arrange the back trip???

(at Disney I can use the room phone, or can the Conierge give them a call?)!

 

[Small Town Princess]

We just made the trip from the Beach Club to Universal last Wednesday. We had a party of 6 adults. We took a cab (you have to ask for a van for over 5 people). Less then $34.00 each way! Saved about $40.00 by not taking Mears. Took us about one minute to get our taxi on the way out. This is the only way to go IMHO.

Can I ask which cab company you used? So you called from the Beach Club for service to Universal; and then did you just find a taxi sitting outside on the way out of Universal? Or did you call the company to make sure you got a van to come? Was it cash only or could you use credit card? Thanks!

 

[Lights_Out]

We are comming from Europe to Disney, so we don't have a cell phone to get in contact with Mears when we are at the parks.

How can we call Mears, when we are at Universal, to arrange the back trip???

(at Disney I can use the room phone, or can the Conierge give them a call?)!

I do believe the Universal Parks have pay phones... but I am not 100% sure.

 

[Jaaron2]

Can I ask which cab company you used? So you called from the Beach Club for service to Universal; and then did you just find a taxi sitting outside on the way out of Universal? Or did you call the company to make sure you got a van to come? Was it cash only or could you use credit card? Thanks!

Just go to the concierge about 10 minutes before you need the cab at the Beach Club. They will call one in for the size you need (regular cab or van).

On the way out of Universal (leaving City Walk) go towards the garage's and follow the signs for Taxi. You will take an escalator down and right at the bottom will be a taxi stand. You sign up there (number of people) and they will get you a taxi. Its a very easy process!

 

[ballle_98]

I emailed Dreams Unlimited about a week ago and haven't heard back. I thought I'd ask my question here.

I want to purchase the 2 day/2 park tickets with transfers deal that DU offers BUT we have an infant. I am not seeing if we can get a transfer for him. Obviously we don't have to purchase a park ticket for him.

My fear would be the shuttle showing up and saying we can't get a lift because we don't have a transfer for the baby. Has anyone had experience with this?

Also, what's up with DU not returning emails? Seems like a bad idea when you are an operation that is only available online.

 

[saradela]

I am trying to buy the 1 day /2 parks with transfers from Dream Unilimited, and their page said that they are not going to sell them until september 11,and I need them for the 12. Any ideas? does somebody knows why aren t they selling them right know? is there another company that sell tickets and the transfers also ?

 

[ballle_98]

The tickets/transfer deal is $5 more from destinationinflorida than from DU. Bummer. With 5 tickets to buy that really makes a difference. I don't need our tickets until the 17th BUT we actually leave for Disney on the 10th. I am hoping DU will be up and running again like the say by the 11th so I can purchase while we are down there. I hate having to think about messing with it while on vacation and I wish I had purchased them a few weeks back but $25 is $25!

Anyone have any other options they can think of?

Thanks.

 

[wdhinn89]

Do you have AAA or know anyone who does? Tickets are cheaper through them and with only 5 people, you can take a taxi back and forth from Disney for about $40 and it is more convenient. No stops and you can leave whenever you want.

This is our plan as of now.

EDIT: I see you have an infant. You will have to luggage check the car seat at one of the hotels.

 

[ougrad86]

OK, read through this whole thread and my head is spinning !

Just want to confirm a couple of things I think I may have figured out. We are going to be staying at Universal, but want to take a couple of side trips to Disney.

It looks like we can pick up a taxi at Universal resorts and then book on over to MK or HS - really early in the morning to hit rope drop - maybe the Contemporary for MK to avoid drop off fees. Or would the TTC allow us to avoid drop off fees as well?

Someone mentioned that you can fit 5 in a cab, and there are five of us. Just wanted to make sure we do not need a van. If we do, are there usually vans or SUV's available?

And just wondering where we pick up taxis on our way back from MK? From HS, we are going to DTD, I'm sure there will be plenty over there.

Thanks!

 

[Melissa228]

I'm sure this was answered somewhere but there is SO much information in this thread! Was wondering if anyone knew how I should handle this--
Going to be at WDW (staying at Coronado) with my family. A couple friends of mine live in Orlando and we are going to IoA/Wizarding World for the day. One of them is picking me up at the Coronado, but I need a way back. (They are both spending the night there, but I have to get back to my family.)

Are there cabs available outside IoA to get me back to The Coronado? Are there certain buses that go back to the Disney resorts? I don't want to use public transportation.

Thank you for any help

 

[Metro West]

Are there cabs available outside IoA to get me back to The Coronado? Are there certain buses that go back to the Disney resorts? I don't want to use public transportation.

Thank you for any help

Yes...cabs are plentiful at the main rotunda of the parking garage complex. You won't have any problems finding one.

 

[Lycaon]

This is more of a "getting to Universal from MCO" thing, but I figured it didn't merit its own thread so I'll ask here. I'll be traveling alone and was wondering what the best way would be to get from MCO to the Royal Pacific. My flight should arrive a little after 1 PM, so I'll probably have some time to kill before my room is ready. The Mears Shuttle was my first choice, but they seem to get a lot of bad reviews. Would I be better off getting a cab or arranging car service?

Sorry for the dumb question... I just want to make sure I have all my bases covered well in advance. These last 3 weeks are going to go by quickly!

 

[SHISHI]

We did two days at IOA/Universal with the 2 day/2 park ticket with transporation from WDW 8/30 & 8/31/11. The tickets DO ALLOW you early entry. We were in line waiting for the 9 am opening, and I went to get a park map and saw the "early entry" entrance. I went up to the ticket checker, showed her my ticket and asked if I could get in early with the ticket, and the answer was YES!! Called my son over and we were in at 8:15am.

The Mears transporation was fine as well. We arranged for Mears to pick us up from POP Century at 7:25am both days. On the second day, they had booked 13 people for a 11 person van. Because of the different family sizes waiting, my son and I decided to let everyone else go. The Mears driver simply called over a waiting taxi-van and we had our own personal transporation. Return trips were no problem.

 

[disneyxo]

We did two days at IOA/Universal with the 2 day/2 park ticket with transporation from WDW 8/30 & 8/31/11. The tickets DO ALLOW you early entry. We were in line waiting for the 9 am opening, and I went to get a park map and saw the "early entry" entrance. I went up to the ticket checker, showed her my ticket and asked if I could get in early with the ticket, and the answer was YES!! Called my son over and we were in at 8:15am.

The Mears transporation was fine as well. We arranged for Mears to pick us up from POP Century at 7:25am both days. On the second day, they had booked 13 people for a 11 person van. Because of the different family sizes waiting, my son and I decided to let everyone else go. The Mears driver simply called over a waiting taxi-van and we had our own personal transporation. Return trips were no problem.

We did the Dreams Unlimited package too except we only did the 1 day/2 park ticket. I also asked the ticket checker if we could get in earlier with our tickets. He wasn't sure but he checked with someone else and they also said yes.
We also arrange for the pickup time of 7:25 am our driver was 10 mins late which was a little disappointing but not a real big deal. They made up for it on the pickup as we forgot to call two hours before we wanted to be picked up. When we did call, they were still able to pick us up at the time we wanted.

 

[dbragas]

We did two days at IOA/Universal with the 2 day/2 park ticket with transporation from WDW 8/30 & 8/31/11. The tickets DO ALLOW you early entry. We were in line waiting for the 9 am opening, and I went to get a park map and saw the "early entry" entrance. I went up to the ticket checker, showed her my ticket and asked if I could get in early with the ticket, and the answer was YES!! Called my son over and we were in at 8:15am.

Are these DU Tickets with transportation park-to-park tickets or could you only visit one park on each day? Thanks!

 

[disneyxo]

Are these DU Tickets with transportation park-to-park tickets or could you only visit one park on each day? Thanks!

Both the one day and two day option include 2-park tickets. (so park to park tickets) We did just the one day option and visited both parks on the same day.

 

[Sandi]

We did two days at IOA/Universal with the 2 day/2 park ticket with transporation from WDW 8/30 & 8/31/11. The tickets DO ALLOW you early entry. We were in line waiting for the 9 am opening, and I went to get a park map and saw the "early entry" entrance. I went up to the ticket checker, showed her my ticket and asked if I could get in early with the ticket, and the answer was YES!! Called my son over and we were in at 8:15am.

The Mears transporation was fine as well. We arranged for Mears to pick us up from POP Century at 7:25am both days. On the second day, they had booked 13 people for a 11 person van. Because of the different family sizes waiting, my son and I decided to let everyone else go. The Mears driver simply called over a waiting taxi-van and we had our own personal transporation. Return trips were no problem.

Any more recent visitors who have been able to gain early entrance to IOA with these DU tickets?

We are planning to get the 2 day/2 park tickets with transfers from DU in April. Based on this thread, it appears that we'd get early entry to IOA for HP, round trip transportation from Pop to Universal two days, and that the park tickets allow for access to both parks on both days. Do I have that right?

Also, as far as a pick up from Universal to go back to Pop, we'd like to see the Blue Man Group one of the evenings. Can we arrange for a pick up after that show or does it have to be closer to the closing time of the theme parks?

 

[damo]

Any more recent visitors who have been able to gain early entrance to IOA with these DU tickets?

We are planning to get the 2 day/2 park tickets with transfers from DU in April. Based on this thread, it appears that we'd get early entry to IOA for HP, round trip transportation from Pop to Universal two days, and that the park tickets allow for access to both parks on both days. Do I have that right?

Also, as far as a pick up from Universal to go back to Pop, we'd like to see the Blue Man Group one of the evenings. Can we arrange for a pick up after that show or does it have to be closer to the closing time of the theme parks?

Universal said that it isn't the case--that the only way to get early entry is if you stay onsite or purchase the off-site package. I'm wondering if some of the attendants are getting those tickets mixed up with the offsite hotel package tickets which do include early entry.

I certainly wouldn't expect it and be disappointed if it doesn't work out.