Why is it $25 for a limo grocery stop? And town car ?

[lindsroc]

Ok so Im looking to book a stretch limo for pickup at airport. Just to surprise the hubby and kids etc. Its approx $130 (some include tip and some dont) but I noticed with all companies they charge $25 for a grocery stop. Why is that, when the town cars make a complimentary stop???

Also, the town car is about 1/2 the price...but I dont think will be as exciting for the kids. But, saving $65 would be nice! So... do the town cars have enough room to fit 2 adults and 2 kids... with probably 3 large suitcases plus carryons?

Any info is appreciated. Trying to decide if this is all worth it over just doing the magical express. Thanks!!!

 

[Brian Noble]

I think you've answered your own question.

the town car is about 1/2 the price...but I dont think will be as exciting for the kids.

A standard towncar might be a little tight with four people plus luggage, but doable.

 

[sam_gordon]

Let the towncar company know you've got 2 adults and two kids. Worst case you put the two kids and one adult in the back and one adult in the front passenger seat.

As far as luggage... how are you getting TO the airport? If you're using a car from your house to the airport and the luggage fits in that, I'd think it would fit in a towncar. Again, call the towncar company and ask.

 

[lindsroc]

We're getting a ride to the airport, in a minivan so space wont be an issue on the way there.

 

[JustineMarie]

You will have more than enough room for the 4 of you in a towncar. We always use one. My husband sits up front and me and my 2 girls sit in the back and there is always plenty of space. Last time we went we had 2 extra large hard sided suitcases, 2 medium suitcases, 2 duffel bag carry-ons and a laptop bag and it all fit in the trunk without a problem. HTH!

 

[kaytieeldr]

The $25 may be to discourage customers from using limousines for grocery stops... or it may be to subsidize the companies' insurance payments for potential damage from other drivers! It's difficult to maneuver a limo through/around your typical supermarket parking lot anyway. Combine that with out-of-town drivers who don't expect to see a limo driving through the lot and, well...

Or it could be combat pay for the driver

 

[jlewisinsyr]

The $25 fee...because they can.

 

[goofy4tink]

Plenty of room for 2 adults and 2 kids in a regular towncar. Dad sits up front and mom and the kids are in the back. And the trunk space in a Lincoln towncar is something to behold. Half the family could ride in there!!! It's incredibly spacious..plenty of room for those bags.

I do know that we had a group of 6...4 adults and 2 girls (both8 y/o). We had booked a van to get us from Sanford Intl to WDW...but the driver showed up in a stretch limo..we had been running late and he was already at the airport dropping someone off, so he just hung out a bit longer waiting for us rather than have the van driver drive all the way over. Sure, it was impressive. We had a grocery stop included (don't remember being charged extra for it but we did have that van booked not the stretch), but due to our being 2 hrs late in arriving, the driver asked if we could just make do with a convenience store stop. No problem for us...just needed wine and some snacks. But man, it was something to see him get that vehicle into and then out of, that parking lot.
I'm sure the addtl fee is as already noted...because they can. For a $25 fee, I would save the money, and the time, and just place an order with wegoshop.com or gardengrocer.com. They charge delivery but it's more like $15 or so, and they spend the time shopping and then deliver it to your resort!!!

 

[Lewisc]

A better question is why do most Orlando car service companies supply a complimentary grocery stop for towncar service. Car services generally charge either point to point (airport to resort) or an hourly fee (typically with a 2 or 3 hour minimum).

The driver may have waited for your plane to arrive and for your luggage to be availabile. No charge. An extra 20 or 30 minute grocery stop is very generou.s

 

[Brian Noble]

A better question is why do most Orlando car service companies supply a complimentary grocery stop for towncar service

The answer to this is also simple: those that do, do so because they believe they have to to be competitive. But, you are right, I can't think of any other place where a car service would include this sort of thing in the rate---and I book them not infrequently in various cities.

 

[luvdisney00]

We are a family of 5 and we don't travel light (2 teenage girls) and we fit fine in a towncar. I have never done ME because the towncar is very reasonable, I can stop and get water and a few groceries at no additional cost, and they pick you up for the return flight a bit later than ME to make the most of the last park day. A limo would be nice, but I don't know if (IMO) it's worth it.

 

[goofy4tink]

A better question is why do most Orlando car service companies supply a complimentary grocery stop for towncar service. Car services generally charge either point to point (airport to resort) or an hourly fee (typically with a 2 or 3 hour minimum).

The driver may have waited for your plane to arrive and for your luggage to be availabile. No charge. An extra 20 or 30 minute grocery stop is very generou.s

I have to say that that ride was one of the best transportation experiences I've ever had. At that time I wasn't on the DIS. But there were other forums I frequented. And a driver named Don at Tiffany was always being mentioned. And that's who we ended up getting. And everything that had been said about him was spot on. He was wonderful. If all drivers were like him, the towncar industry wouldn't suffer nearly as much with the advent of DME.
He was so pleasant and chatty and helpful that when he asked if we could just quickly stop at that convenience store, I felt like bending over backwards to make the day better for him!!! He didn't have to stop...our flight had been delayed. Not our fault but he wasn't obliged to make the stop after such a huge delay. But he did..and we were able to get the few things we needed.
I have to imagine that the Orlando car services offer that free 25 min grocery stop in order to be competitive. There are some that offer it only for round trip bookings though. I'm sure that they get guests who book the trip to their resort with the towncar company but then take DME back in order to save some money. Can't blame the company for making it a r/t perk.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We have hired Happy Limo a few times to get to PC and were never charged a fee for a grocery stop with a stretch limo. Unless this is something new?
Also 3x we got a free upgrade to a big Escalade or something like that.

They also have a coupon on mousesavers.com for town car & limo if booked as a round trip.

http://www.mousesavers.com/limo.html#coupon1

 

[lindsroc]

Thanks everyone....appreciate the feedback. Just trying to decide at this point if a limo is worth the extra money over a towncar. Or for that matter, if town car is worth the money over the free ME. I think it would be worth it just for the grocery stop though...pick up some waters, wine, juice boxes etc.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Thanks everyone....appreciate the feedback. Just trying to decide at this point if a limo is worth the extra money over a towncar. Or for that matter, if town car is worth the money over the free ME. I think it would be worth it just for the grocery stop though...pick up some waters, wine, juice boxes etc.

Why not look into a grocery delivery service? I've never used one but have heard others like it.

Or just do one way and use ME to return. I don't know that I'd want to pass up free service just for groceries. For us, going to PC, DCL charges $35 pp each way so we'd have to pay a lot anyway; no free way to get there.

 

[Brian Noble]

We normally rent a car, but use a grocery delivery service---depends on my plans for arrival day. But time is money, especially in a store where you don't know exactly where everything is.