Uber/Lyft scheduled ride experience

[Starryjean]

Hello!

We have an upcoming WDW/DCL stay and I’m looking at trying a scheduled pick up with Uber or Lyft to get to the Port. However, I’ve never done this before! Does anyone know how the scheduled pickups work? Is it a guaranteed ride prior to your actual date for pickup? My biggest concern is someone not taking the ride since it’s a long distance. I want to know I will have a ride! Any experience or advice would be appreciated!

Also, if taking uber/Lyft is a terrible choice, car service recommendations are welcome! (There’s only 3 of us, so looking for something affordable)

 

[OKW Lover]

Can't really help with the uber/lyft part of this question. However, if you are concerned about being sure you have a ride, why not use one of the many limo services? This forum is sponsored by FL Tours and you should be able to just click on their banner add at the top of this page to see what that would cost.

 

[Dawn68PA]

You cannot book Uber/Lyft in advance. You book at the time you want the ride.

For guarantee I agree with the above and book a car service in advance.

 

[JimMIA]

As Dawn said above, scheduling a ride with Uber or Lyft is not really being assured of anything. It just means that they will dispatch the ride to the driver nearest to you 15 minutes or so prior to your desired pickup time. And I have had ONE situation with Lyft where I was dispatched more than an hour prior to pickup, so it's an inexact gamble at best.

The most likely outcome of a scheduled pickup is the driver gets dispatched too early, you're not ready when they arrive, and you get charged a cancellation fee. So do NOT try to schedule a ride with either company.

There are a couple of options for your ride with either Uber or Lyft.

The first is just request the ride when you are completely ready to get in the car. Be sure to order the right vehicle type. If you have more people and stuff than a small sedan will carry, you will probably need to request XL. Pickup should be within a very few minutes. When the driver accepts your ride, call them right away and tell them where you are going to avoid a driver canceling when they find out it's a long trip away from where they usually drive. (Drivers are supposed to be notified of trips longer than 45 minutes, but that doesn't always happen.)

The other method is to use an app called UZURV. With that app, you enter your pickup, destination, vehicle type needed, and pickup time. Your request will be broadcast to subscribing drivers and they will indicate interest. You can look at driver profiles of those interested, so I'd wait a few minutes to let several drivers reply. Then you can select a driver and contact them directly. They will work out the pickup details with you, and the ride can be done through either rideshare app.

 

[FlyingBelle]

When the driver accepts your ride, call them right away and tell them where you are going to avoid a driver canceling when they find out it's a long trip away from where they usually drive. (Drivers are supposed to be notified of trips longer than 45 minutes, but that doesn't always happen.)

DH drives for uber (not in Orlando) and he never knows where he's going when he accepts the ride until the rider gets in the car. He does get an indicator if it's over 40 minutes and is able to accept or deny the ride at that point.

Agree with PP to call and let them know it's to the port. DH actually likes getting the longer rides - so I wouldn't assume that drivers won't want to take you.