Which Limo Service?

[Kevenswife2]

We need transportation from MCO to Renaissance Resort Sea World. I'm wanting to surprise DD with a limo. Which company do you recommend? Happy, FL Tours, or someone else?

 

[goofy4tink]

I have used several. I have had good service with both Tiffany Towncar and FL Tours. Neither were perfect but they were good enough that I would use them again.

 

[Kevenswife2]

Neither were perfect......

Care to share what happened?

 

[goofy4tink]

Let's see.....I had used TT about 3 times before. 4th trip, we arrived at MCO to find our driver, standing there, with our nameboard. But, he was very uncommunicative. Not surly, just extremely quiet. He did perk up a bit when an old lady rear-ended us at the toll booth though!! It was almost uncomfortable to ride with him because of his reticence. But, he was our driver heading back to MCO and he was like a changed man...very chatty, and pleasant. So, perhaps he had had something happen just before picking us up.
With FL Tours, I had booked them for our Thanksgiving Day arrival. We were going to BWV so needed a grocery stop. When I booked my ride, several months in advance, I asked if it would be an issue stopping for groceries on Thanksgiving Day. I was assured that it wouldn't be an issue, especially since we were arriving before noon. Okay. I mentioned this about 3 times...got the exact same answer. However, when we did arrive, we mentioned that we were stopping for groceries. I was told no, that wasn't an option because there were no stores open!!! I told him that I had confirmed, when making my reservation, that it was possible. He said the office staff was wrong..no stores were open, sorry, but we wouldn't be able to stop.
This on top of the fact that my dh had to go in search of our driver when we got to MCO...drivers are supposed to be at the bottom of the stairs/escalators when you arrive. But ours was not. After 10 mins of worry, my dh finally found the driver outside having a smoke!!! Same thing happened when we were to return to MCO....we got outside to wait, about 5 mins befor the appointed pickup time. No driver/car. About 10 mins go by, no driver. When 15 mins had gone by, we started to get really worried. It was at this point, about 10 or so mins after our pickup time had passed, that my dh noticed a towncar parked way down the driveway at BW. If you're familier with that area, it was down by the park bus stop!!!! And of course, he was having a smoke!!! It was the same driver we had had on the way there. I have to tell you that his tip was not 20%!!! Handed him $5 when we got out of the car!!! He had already been tipped about $15 on the way there.


I did have better service with FL Tours after that though....I think it was just that particular driver. Here's hoping he no longer drives for them. I know there were convenience stores open on T-day....in fact, I have since found out that there are full serve grocery stores open that he could have stopped at!!

 

[Kevenswife2]

Thanks goofy4tink for describing your trips. Hearing the TT driver "perked up after being rear-ended" did make me laugh Hope you weren't hurt though.

And Mr. Smoker would have really ticked me off! I have little tolerance for smoking and to have to go looking for him...both times.... Their office would have received a 'strongly worded' call from me. Takes a lot to anger me, but that would have.

I guess it winds up being the luck of the draw, but their drivers are their 'frontmen' and need to be more professional.

Any experience (or have you heard anything) about Happy Limo?

 

[goofy4tink]

No personal experience. I do know that many here have used Happy with good results.

 

[kevgraub]

I've looked into this quite a bit and asked around the boards quite a bit, and really it seems like Tiffany Town Car, Happy Limo, and FL Tours all get pretty equal reviews. I've found people that love each of the companies, and those that have said there were minor issues, but not much major. Very, very few major complaints about any of the three companies.

I have also found (at least for trips to Disney hotels) that when all the fees and gratuities are added, they are within about $5 of each other (assuming you make a grocery stop).

 

[budbeerlady]

We used Southern Elegance with no issues from MCo to Disney and back. Dd loved having the huge stuffed characters in the back with her. We would use them again.

 

[kat_balou]

We used Southern Elegance with no issues from MCo to Disney and back. Dd loved having the huge stuffed characters in the back with her. We would use them again.

We used them too for our last trip with no complaints.

 

[Best Aunt]

We were very happy with Tiffany Towncars. Liked them so much the first time, we booked them again for the following trip. They used to have coupons on their website, don't know if they still do.