My husband and I are taking an Anniversary trip in September. I have used ME once and I remember a lot of time being wasted to and from the hotel. Considering car service. What are your tips suggestions?
YES YES YES We used a car service as we had to - will never go back to ME. It is great and if you are on a budget and don’t want to drive ME is wonderful. However having a car service was very nice. We used Destination MCO (MCO–> Portafino, Portafino --> Swan, Swan --> MCO) It brought a level of relaxation that is much needed at WDW sometimes. Every time I ordered a car - we got a larger car by default. Service was wonderful on all 3 occasions.
2 Likes
Do you by chance remember which company you went with?
Thank you!
We also recommend car service hands down!! Haven’t used Destinations but may try them this year as I’ve heard good things.
Used Happy Limo for past 5 years with great experiences but have heard a few mixed recent reviews lately. Still definitely recommend over ME.
1 Like
We used Uber Black on our last trip from the airport (first time using Uber) and then regular Uber for our trip back to the airport. We loved it and would definitely do that again.
2 Likes
I guess I could see how using a car service TO resort would be useful, as it does take a bit longer to use the service than to travel independently from MCO to resort.
But FROM resort I don’t see how you would save much time at all. I would still want to be leaving resort about 3 hrs ahead of time to allow for traffic and then getting through TSA.
Maybe if you’re TSA pre you save a bit of time there but I wouldn’t leave resort less than 2.5hrs ahead of flight time.
I can’t see paying extra for a car service back from the resort to MCO when it will save nothing and cost more.
3 Likes
lol I’m with you @OBNurseNH, I’m not about paying extra for a car service and I’m definitely not going to be paying to drive myself around the resort in a rental car. Maybe we’ve gotten lucky but we’ve never had a problem with Disney transportation other than maybe when the parks close at night but still nothing that would make me say never again… it’s all a part of the experience for us. (Probably because we don’t have kids but I love watching kids faces in the morning as we pull up to the parks and in the evening as they recount their day to their parents on the way back to the hotel)
2 Likes
Since DME was not an option for these locations, isn’t this an apples to oranges comparison?
1 Like
You make a good point @OBNurseNH about transportation back TO the airport. I can say though that it makes it very smooth…we’ve never done ME so I can’t make my own personal comparison but it is nice dictating what time you can be picked up and as for the airport to the resort, it is amazingly fast. 
I’m really asking this because I’ve been told and have always been curious - can’t you theoretically one of the first to board the ME bus at MCO and then have to wait a while for it to fill up then leave to the resorts? And after that does it make multiple stops (of which you could be the last) or is there a bus dedicated to each resort? I think this is where the real timesaver may be. That and having your luggage immediately upon arrival. I have actually heard few horror stories of people not getting their luggage until midnight after a late morning/early afternoon arrival.
1 Like
Yes - totally Apples to Oranges - even if it wasn’t would TOTALLY get a car service over ME if I had the option.
1 Like
Yes, this is why I say it would save time going from MCO TO resort. However on the return trip it leaves your resort 3hrs ahead of flight which is when I would leave anyway to get to MCO in plenty of time to allow for TSA which is about as bad as it gets WRT wait times.
2 Likes
I have to add that to me the MDE experience is part of knowing I have arrived. You get on the bus and they start playing that silly video and I am completely in the bubble.
5 Likes
So this is the really nice thing - CHOICES. We have taken Express and it is perfectly fine and nice and it “gets you in the mood”. I also like taking a nice car service - it brings a level of service and pampering. Plus there is no waiting. You leave when you want, it is just you and your party. So the great thing is choices for the various experiences, prices etc.
1 Like
I used to be a big car service/Uber fan (Uber doesn’t come to MCO) but now I rent a car. All of the time savings of a car service plus all the benefits of having a car on property. I valet at my home Deluxe resort for $25 which means I can valet at ALL THE OTHER deluxes too. Valet holds the keys. I’m not walking through hot parking lots. Not waiting for busses. BC/YC for Epcot or HS. CR, Poly or GF for MK. It’s spectacular.
1 Like
^^ Once again good for choices. The cool thing is - there are so many. I have rented / taken DME / car service. Depending on the trip each has served its purpose. I think someones people “freak out” about driving. Driving in FL is no different than driving elsewhere. This past time a car service was less expensive and we didn’t really need the day to day with the car. But other times it was great having a car, other times we wanted to be completely in the bubble and hotel was near our park of choice. But nice to have choices.
1 Like
You can use Uber Black from MCO, and any Uber can take you to MCO.
2 Likes