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Getting Around Walt Disney World Using Car Services: A Walt Disney World Transportation Reviewq

by Julie Long, PassPorter Guest Contributor
Last modified 08-11-2017

Once you’re in your happy place, comfy in the Walt Disney World bubble, Disney does its very best to make it easy for you--with free transportation to and from the airport on Magical Express, and then free bus transportation from resorts to the parks and Disney Springs. Yet, free travel doesn’t always translate to speedy travel.

For times when you just need to get around the Disney Parks with a little more zip, whether it’s for an advanced dining reservation (ADR) or to skip the long bus lines back to your resort, pulling out your smartphone will have your on your way!

On my family’s recent trip, we started our magical vacation with our first ever breakfast at Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. We stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter, and one thing many people discover is that you can’t take Disney buses between resorts.

We could have taken a Disney bus from our resort to the Magic Kingdom, and then transferred to the monorail for a ride to the Polynesian (or even take the ferry across Bay Lake from the Magic Kingdom). Disney says to give yourself 90 minutes for bus transportation, and with 8:30 a.m. breakfast reservations, we didn’t want to wake up any earlier than we needed to. We’d spent the two days before arriving at Disney running around Universal, and we needed a low-key entry on our first Disney morning.

Using Uber at Walt Disney World

So, we decided to call up the Uber app on my phone and have a car to take us from Port Orleans to the Polynesian. We went down to the main entrance of our hotel at 7:45 a.m., and requested an Uber ride and a driver accepted us within a minute.

(Pro Tip: Have the Uber app already installed on your phone and have your payment loaded into your account.)

We are a family of four, so we requested an Uber XL, which was a Town and Chrysler minivan. Our girls are past needing car seats, so we hopped in and were on our way. It was wonderful not to worry about getting a seat on the bus.

Our driver was very professional and friendly and she got us to the Polynesian in 10-15 minutes with no waiting. She was able to pull right up to the front entrance of the Polynesian and drop us off for our wonderful breakfast at Ohana.

For any of you nervous about using Uber, I am a novice too. I’ve only used the service three times, but each time was super smooth. You can see on the app when someone selects your request, and you can see real-time on the Uber app as the car moves closer to you. You even get a photo of the driver.

Our fare was $13, which I didn’t think was bad at all, and it saved us any hassle that morning. I learned from a co-worker that she’d quizzed an Uber driver once and found out about an “unwritten rule of thumb” for tipping: $5 for five. Translation: Uber drivers will “rate” you as a passenger, with the best rating 5 stars. If you give each driver a $5 tip, it is supposed to keep you with a 5-star rating. I have followed this on my few times traveling with Uber, figuring it can’t hurt.

‘Minnie Vans’

You now have another option to getting around Walt Disney World property with the announcement of the ‘Minnie Vans!’ In a partnership with Lyft ride service, guests staying at the Epcot area resorts of the Boardwalk, yacht Club and Beach Club can call for a ‘Minnie Van’ on the Lyft smartphone app and be transported to any location on Walt Disney World property. Disney says the cost is $20 per trip.

The fleet of adorable Chevy Traverse vehicles is designed with Minnie’s classic polka dots. According to Lyft and Disney, ‘Minnie vans’ will be driven by Disney cast members in costume and can carry up to six guests. They also come equipped with two car seats for children. The service is starting with availability between 6:30 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. There is no word yet on when the service will expand to other Disney World resorts.

About the Author: Julie is an avid Disney fan who lives in LeRoy, N.Y., (the birthplace of JELL-O) with her husband Rob and two daughters.  She works as chief public relations officer of a private college, and before that was a TV news producer. Julie enjoys blending her love of Disney with her digital scrap-booking hobby, and loves to document their latest Disney trip and other family memories.

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Updated 08-11-2017

Check for a more updated version at http://www.passporter.com/articles/disney-car-services.html