UBER Info Please.....

[imktdqt810]

Please read the whole thread before adding any rude comments.

~Our family has never used UBER, mainly because we have never had the need to. We live in a rural town in WV in which I'm not sure WHY we would use one. We both have vehicles and go where we need to go when.
~ We have never been on a vacation that we haven't either rented a car ourselves, took a taxi (because they are already there and outside), walked to where we were going or had bus transfers (like DME or Cruise transfers to port and airport).
~ Every time I bring this up to anyone I know that lives in a big city and might use the service often just tells me the same thing "You just get the app on your pone, put a CC to it and use the app when you need a ride". This might be the easy answer but I want details and everyone just thinks I'm "being silly" for asking these questions.
~ I do not use my phone for banking nor store any cc's information on it due to being hacked once. I do understand I can buy an UBER Gift card to load onto the app to use in place of my CC.

Here is what I want to know:
How does it work, what types of screens or options come up?
How do you know who it there to pick you up?
Do you need to type in where you are standing? (like on the corner of BLANK in front of BLANK store/building)
How do you know the price of the ride?
If anyone used this service while at WDW, what were your experience on wait time from the time you "use the app" until pick up? What were the points you travelled and how much was it?

Reason I am asking- Never using this before, I am considering using in when we go to WDW in a few weeks as a trial run for another vacay we might be going on. I figured if any transportation lines are crazy insane to get back to the resort to to a park or to DS it might be interesting to try it out.
Any HELPFUL information would be greatly appreciated. thank you!

 

[FCDub]

Here is what I want to know:
1. How does it work, what types of screens or options come up?
2. How do you know who it there to pick you up?
3. Do you need to type in where you are standing? (like on the corner of BLANK in front of BLANK store/building)
4. How do you know the price of the ride?
If anyone used this service while at WDW, what were your experience on wait time from the time you "use the app" until pick up? What were the points you travelled and how much was it?

Try this video:

 

[Lewisc]

Places like MCO,Universal and Disney Parks have ride share pick up zones for ride share. Check the signs or ask. Walk to the designated area then request a ride.

I understand your point about not needing to use ride share at home. My car died. I used AAA to have my car towed. My wife was with me. Uber was a lot easier then renting a car.

 

[ZellyB]

Please read the whole thread before adding any rude comments.

~Our family has never used UBER, mainly because we have never had the need to. We live in a rural town in WV in which I'm not sure WHY we would use one. We both have vehicles and go where we need to go when.
~ We have never been on a vacation that we haven't either rented a car ourselves, took a taxi (because they are already there and outside), walked to where we were going or had bus transfers (like DME or Cruise transfers to port and airport).
~ Every time I bring this up to anyone I know that lives in a big city and might use the service often just tells me the same thing "You just get the app on your pone, put a CC to it and use the app when you need a ride". This might be the easy answer but I want details and everyone just thinks I'm "being silly" for asking these questions.
~ I do not use my phone for banking nor store any cc's information on it due to being hacked once. I do understand I can buy an UBER Gift card to load onto the app to use in place of my CC.

Here is what I want to know:
How does it work, what types of screens or options come up?
How do you know who it there to pick you up?
Do you need to type in where you are standing? (like on the corner of BLANK in front of BLANK store/building)
How do you know the price of the ride?
If anyone used this service while at WDW, what were your experience on wait time from the time you "use the app" until pick up? What were the points you travelled and how much was it?

Reason I am asking- Never using this before, I am considering using in when we go to WDW in a few weeks as a trial run for another vacay we might be going on. I figured if any transportation lines are crazy insane to get back to the resort to to a park or to DS it might be interesting to try it out.
Any HELPFUL information would be greatly appreciated. thank you!

It's actually a very intuitive app to use, so I think once you've used it once you'll quickly become comfortable with it. That's probably why most people just encourage you to download the app and play with it. But, I was pretty nervous using it the first time, so understand why you would like to have more information.

1. Once you have an account set up (and you do have to put in a CC to use it as all transactions are cashless and paid through the app), the initial screen when you open the app will prompt you to request a location to go to (Where to?) You'll see a map that shows your current location (you must have location services turned on for your phone) and you'll also see small little cars that represent current Uber drivers in near proximity. You enter where you want to go (just start typing in the name of the location e.g. Epcot or a physical address) and once you have the location determined you select it. It will then tell you the price for the ride and lets you select what type of vehicle you want (UberX or UberXL). So, you know the price before you confirm the request. Once you confirm, the app sends out the request and a driver will accept your request.

2. Once a driver accepts your route request, the app will update and tell you a description of the vehicle (black Camry) and the license number as well as the driver's name and approximate time until they will get to you. You'll also see that car indicated on your map and you can see it in real time as it comes to you. When the driver arrives, they will typically roll down their window and say your first name to confirm they have the right person. Then you get in the car and off you go.

3. The driver will have your location on their app. At Disney when leaving a resort it's typically in front of the main lobby entrance. At parks there are designated Ride Share pick up locations where you are dropped off and picked up.

4. I've used Uber from a few different hotels to parks. Most typically there was someone there to pick me up within 5-10 minutes of the request, but I think that can be pretty variable depending on time of day and demand. I think there is more demand these days too with COVID and more people using ride share. Within Disney property, I think the price was usually in the $10-15 range and sometimes less. I haven't used it there for over a year. Again with higher demand sometimes Uber uses surge pricing and the cost goes up accordingly.

 

[Lewisc]

Its suggested to install the Uber and Lyft app. Pricing and availability varies.

I wouldn't use an Uber gift card. What will you do with unused funds? A second Lyft gift card doubles the issue.

Maybe your credit card company can give you a low limit secondary, virtual number.

 

[JimMIA]

Please read the whole thread before adding any rude comments.

You're not going to get any rude comments here. If you do, report them.

~ I do not use my phone for banking nor store any cc's information on it due to being hacked once. I do understand I can buy an UBER Gift card to load onto the app to use in place of my CC.

Your credit card info is not stored on your phone. It is stored in your account information in Uber's customer database.

Here is what I want to know:
How does it work, what types of screens or options come up?
How do you know who it there to pick you up?

See the video FCDub posted above, or visit the Uber and Lyft websites.

Do you need to type in where you are standing? (like on the corner of BLANK in front of BLANK store/building)

No. The app tracks your current location.

Pro tip: Don't order the Uber until you are standing at the curb where you want to be picked up. The driver is dispatched to the location where you placed your order. Ordering one place and moving can cause confusion, cancellations, and cancellation fees.

How do you know the price of the ride?

See the video, but you will get a price quote before you actually place your order.

 

[Best Aunt]

1) You need to check the settings on your phone to make sure you haven't turned off location services. Most people probably haven't done this, but if you did, you need to turn it on. Otherwise the Uber/Lyft app doesn't know where you are. It might be in Settings, under Privacy.

2) It's not like a taxi where you get in the first available one that comes by. The app will assign a driver to you. You only get in that driver's vehicle. Two things to do before you get in the vehicle:

a) The app will tell you the name of the driver who is coming. Always say to the driver, "What is your name?" to make sure it matches. But don't say, "Are you John?" or whatever name the app tells you to expect.

b) The app will tell you the license plate number of the vehicle. Always look at the license plate number of the vehicle when it arrives. In some states, there is only a license plate on the back of the vehicle. If I'm in one of those states, after the vehicle arrives, I will walk to the back of it so that I can check the license plate number.

c) I should tell you that there will be a picture of the driver in the app. You are supposed to look at the driver and make sure that he/she looks like the picture. But to be honest, the picture is so tiny that I personally would never be able to recognize the driver from looking at it.

3) You can tip the driver with cash. Or you can tip through the app. The app will ask you at the end of the ride, after the driver tells his app that he has dropped you off.

4) Normally I drive myself everywhere at home. But sometimes I have a medical appointment where I don't need someone to come with me, but I shouldn't drive myself home. So I will use Uber/Lyft to get there and back. Example: going to the eye doctor and having my pupils dilated.

 

[Lewisc]

Pro tip: Don't order the Uber until you are standing at the curb where you want to be picked up. The driver is dispatched to the location where you placed your order. Ordering one place and moving can cause confusion, cancellations, and cancellation fees.
See the video, but you will get a price quote before you actually place your order.

Jim. You know this, for others reading this thread, some places have specific pick up locations. Requesting a ride from a more convenient location won't get you a better pick up location. You'll have to get to the designated pick up location before the driver or you'll get hit with a cancelation charge.

MCO,Disney Springs, theme parks etc have specific ride share locations.

 

[imktdqt810]

Thank you ALL so much for this information. It makes me feel so much better and I am at work and "Sneaking to read" the thread so will wait until later to open the Video!

But all the tips, suggestions and information sound great and I might just use my one CC which is "locked down" to the point of having a lower credit limit on it and I get notifications for everything I do on it. I'm just hesitant to use my CC but feel much better knowing it's not on my phone but rather stored on a database!

Thank you all once again! I like that WDW has designated spots (I might need to look at there this is) and we give it a try!

 

[SDKMom]

We used Uber and Lyft exclusively on our last trip in February 2020. When calling from our hotel (Yacht Club), I would request the ride as I was heading out of the room. Our room was close to the entrance, so if we were farther, I may have waited until getting closer to the lobby. I will say that while we normally tend to use Uber more than Lyft, at Disney, we used Lyft considerably more because they seemed to have more vehicles and better prices. I agree that you should download both and check both apps for availability and pricing before requesting your ride.

 

[JimMIA]

I would request the ride as I was heading out of the room. Our room was close to the entrance, so if we were farther, I may have waited until getting closer to the lobby.

Just be aware that ordering the ride before you are at the pickup point can bite you.

The driver gets dispatched to the point where you ordered, and that is where they will head. Once they get close to where you ordered your ride, the cancellation countdown starts. The driver could just sit in that spot, let the clock expire, and collect the cancellation fee because the driver has no obligation to search for you or call you to ask where you are. Sometimes in a large venue, the driver may not be able to get to the point where the ride was ordered, and that's also an almost guaranteed cancellation.

Most drivers won't do that, but some will. It's called "shuffling," and it's a bit of an art form for some drivers. If they get too clever, or do it too often, they can get in trouble with the companies.