Minnie Vans "Uber" like transport begins soon!

[TheMaxRebo]

I do know people who won't use Uber due to perceived safety issues. They would use a service like this due to the drivers being vetted by Disney. Personally, it just comes down to cost and convenience for me. Whatever company offers the most convenient services at the best price is the one who will get my money for transportation.

What are the car seat laws for Florida anyway? Would a service like this really be something most families could use? I know here in California kids are required to be in a booster seat in the back seat when they're under 8 years old and have graduated from a harness car seat, and it is only once they've reached 8 years old or 4'9" that they're allowed to be secured by a regular seat belt. If Florida has any laws like that, a lot of families could be blocked from using the service, which does make me wonder what they're envisioning for this service and its functionality.

If Disney did have ones with car seats that would be something my family would be interested in. We usually rent a car and will have to drag 3 car seats down on the plane and it is a pain - so any alternative to that is appreciated/of interest

 

[SleighBelle]

@fdefulvio

I paid around $7.50 from Beach Club to the ESPN complex (for packet pick up for one of the half marathon races) and around $5.50 for Hollywood Studios to Beach Club. There were three of us each time so it was a good per-person cost. And there was no waiting for a ride, which was nice. And no tipping.

what the cost would be for a typical ride between a resort and park?

 

[rteetz]

Honda is a sponsor of the Autopia at Disneyland now - so perhaps they keep with that connection

GM is also an Epcot sponsor.

 

[Madonna3]

GM is also an Epcot sponsor.

This. I was just going to mention this since Test Track still has GM backing it. I wonder if this is a way to recoup some money by having Disney buy a fleet of vehicles.

 

[Madonna3]

I honestly wonder what "soon" means. I won't use Uber or Lyft or any of the ride sharing services. Like others, I disagree with the business model and I don't feel comfortable with the service. When I plan on getting really blitzed, we use Mears Taxis. Sure, they're a little expensive, but they have no problem moving around on property and they know exactly where they're going. If I need a special car like a mobility van that takes FOREVER, but if I just need a regular car, I've never had a problem.

That being said, I would use this service. What concerns me is Disney isn't exactly an "after hours" operation. Food courts close around 10-11, pools close at 10, Disney Springs closes at midnight, but the Boardwalk is open until 2. I am concerned that Disney will not cater to their late night patrons like us and will limit the hours of the service to about 9pm or so. I hope they run until 2am, even with limited service, but I just see this operating in the same time frames as all transportation.

 

[Tardisblue]

I honestly wonder what "soon" means. I won't use Uber or Lyft or any of the ride sharing services. Like others, I disagree with the business model and I don't feel comfortable with the service. When I plan on getting really blitzed, we use Mears Taxis. Sure, they're a little expensive, but they have no problem moving around on property and they know exactly where they're going. If I need a special car like a mobility van that takes FOREVER, but if I just need a regular car, I've never had a problem.

That being said, I would use this service. What concerns me is Disney isn't exactly an "after hours" operation. Food courts close around 10-11, pools close at 10, Disney Springs closes at midnight, but the Boardwalk is open until 2. I am concerned that Disney will not cater to their late night patrons like us and will limit the hours of the service to about 9pm or so. I hope they run until 2am, even with limited service, but I just see this operating in the same time frames as all transportation.

You're the second person to mention that you don't agree with the Uber/Lyft business model. I'm not trying to flame or troll anyone, I'm sincerely curious what you don't like about it? Vetting process of the drivers, the fact that they compete with taxis or something else?

 

[Madonna3]

You're the second person to mention that you don't agree with the Uber/Lyft business model. I'm not trying to flame or troll anyone, I'm sincerely curious what you don't like about it? Vetting process of the drivers, the fact that they compete with taxis or something else?

I think for me it's they take 20-30% of the profit with none of the work. They don't provide any type of insurance or protection for drivers who are involved in an accident with an Uber passenger aboard. It absolutely unregulated, meaning they can essentially charge whatever they want and they can hire whoever they want and there's no accountability. Places that have tried to regulate Uber have seen them pull out of the market. It's all based on an equal review system of both driver and passenger. I do not agree with "surge" pricing. I also do not agree with the "no tipping" aspect of it. They're not saying you can't get a tip, but they are saying it's optional. There's no way to tip a driver on your card. A lot of these drivers go out of their way to get a tip and they don't. Yet, this is an industry where tipping is the norm, but the idea behind Uber is to create a cashless system. Neither driver nor passenger have cash so I feel they're limiting their drivers potential income. They have plagued internal management problems. Uber calls drivers partners, but some places argue they are employees and as such are entitled to benefits. However, Uber usually 1099's their drivers leading people to pay not only the maintenance for their car, the insurance for their car, the upkeep for their car, but all of the Medicare and Self -employment taxes that come along with being 1099'd. From http://www.cbronline.com/news/enter...d-pitfalls-of-the-uber-business-model-4920901: “Until recently it referred to its drivers as ‘partners’ but recently changed to refer to drivers as ‘customers’ which feels like a better description but still not entirely accurate. Uber treats drivers like employees but denies them the benefits that employees of other business would expect. Despite its refusal to provide these benefits, it applies similar penalties that an employee could expect for breaking workplace rules; driver’s routes are dictated by the Uber app and a driver who turns down too many rides could have their Uber account deactivated." Then on top of that, they limit your revenue by not making it easy for people to tip or making drivers compete for passengers?

 

[BuckeyeBama]

IMO, this is a poor business decision by Disney. The service is already being provided at no cost to Disney and their guests are happy. To take over that service they will have to spend a significant amount of money on vehicles, insurance and staff. And the harsh reality, they will not be able to take it over easily as these other companies are already established. To take that business they are going to have to be able to do it either much better, faster or less expensively. They might be able to achieve the early items, but they are going to be much more expensive since they will be paying for overhead that simply does not exist in the Uber business model.

For myself - I am willing to pay for access to a car during my stays at WDW. I rent a car for $25/day and can drive it everywhere for no additional cost. I don't use Uber because it is more expensive than renting a car and I am far more limited in the timing of that transportation. There is no way that I would consider an even more expensive "solution" to a problem that doesn't exist in my world.

 

[rteetz]

IMO, this is a poor business decision by Disney. The service is already being provided at no cost to Disney and their guests are happy. To take over that service they will have to spend a significant amount of money on vehicles, insurance and staff. And the harsh reality, they will not be able to take it over easily as these other companies are already established. To take that business they are going to have to be able to do it either much better, faster or less expensively. They might be able to achieve the early items, but they are going to be much more expensive since they will be paying for overhead that simply does not exist in the Uber business model.

For myself - I am willing to pay for access to a car during my stays at WDW. I rent a car for $25/day and can drive it everywhere for no additional cost. I don't use Uber because it is more expensive than renting a car and I am far more limited in the timing of that transportation. There is no way that I would consider an even more expensive "solution" to a problem that doesn't exist in my world.

Yeah at no cost so they want to capatilze and make money. They can and they will that's what Disney does.

I just think they'll need to do something to make this better than services already in place for people to actually use it.

 

[Nole95]

I think for me it's they take 20-30% of the profit with none of the work. They don't provide any type of insurance or protection for drivers who are involved in an accident with an Uber passenger aboard. It absolutely unregulated, meaning they can essentially charge whatever they want and they can hire whoever they want and there's no accountability. Places that have tried to regulate Uber have seen them pull out of the market. It's all based on an equal review system of both driver and passenger. I do not agree with "surge" pricing. I also do not agree with the "no tipping" aspect of it. They're not saying you can't get a tip, but they are saying it's optional. There's no way to tip a driver on your card. A lot of these drivers go out of their way to get a tip and they don't. Yet, this is an industry where tipping is the norm, but the idea behind Uber is to create a cashless system. Neither driver nor passenger have cash so I feel they're limiting their drivers potential income. They have plagued internal management problems. Uber calls drivers partners, but some places argue they are employees and as such are entitled to benefits. However, Uber usually 1099's their drivers leading people to pay not only the maintenance for their car, the insurance for their car, the upkeep for their car, but all of the Medicare and Self -employment taxes that come along with being 1099'd. From http://www.cbronline.com/news/enter...d-pitfalls-of-the-uber-business-model-4920901: “Until recently it referred to its drivers as ‘partners’ but recently changed to refer to drivers as ‘customers’ which feels like a better description but still not entirely accurate. Uber treats drivers like employees but denies them the benefits that employees of other business would expect. Despite its refusal to provide these benefits, it applies similar penalties that an employee could expect for breaking workplace rules; driver’s routes are dictated by the Uber app and a driver who turns down too many rides could have their Uber account deactivated." Then on top of that, they limit your revenue by not making it easy for people to tip or making drivers compete for passengers?

Like anything else in our capitalistic society, no one is forcing anyone to work for Uber. If a potential employee does not like how Uber does business, then they have the option of finding a job somewhere else. Obviously lots of drivers are satisfied with the system and happily work for Uber. Like any job, there will always be those who have issues, but in the end, the person decides if they want to be a part of the organization.

On the flip side, if a potential rider does not like the surge pricing model, then they are free to arrange for transportation some other way.

DW and I used Uber for the first time last year while in Florida for a football game. We did not want to be drinking and driving, so we used it to bar hop. It was a great experience all around. Every driver was professional, courteous and promptly picked us up. We'll be at WDW for marathon weekend next year with no car, and I fully intend to use Uber or whatever might be available to get us to and from places we want to eat at.

 

[Madonna3]

Like anything else in our capitalistic society, no one is forcing anyone to work for Uber. If a potential employee does not like how Uber does business, then they have the option of finding a job somewhere else. Obviously lots of drivers are satisfied with the system and happily work for Uber. Like any job, there will always be those who have issues, but in the end, the person decides if they want to be a part of the organization.

On the flip side, if a potential rider does not like the surge pricing model, then they are free to arrange for transportation some other way.

DW and I used Uber for the first time last year while in Florida for a football game. We did not want to be drinking and driving, so we used it to bar hop. It was a great experience all around. Every driver was professional, courteous and promptly picked us up. We'll be at WDW for marathon weekend next year with no car, and I fully intend to use Uber or whatever might be available to get us to and from places we want to eat at.

Ok... not really sure why you felt the need to point this out. Someone asked me what I didn't like about the business model and I told them. At no point did I try and sway anyone to or from Uber. I honestly don't care, but I am excited to see private transportation options hosted by Disney.

 

[Tardisblue]

I think for me it's they take 20-30% of the profit with none of the work. They don't provide any type of insurance or protection for drivers who are involved in an accident with an Uber passenger aboard. It absolutely unregulated, meaning they can essentially charge whatever they want and they can hire whoever they want and there's no accountability. Places that have tried to regulate Uber have seen them pull out of the market. It's all based on an equal review system of both driver and passenger. I do not agree with "surge" pricing. I also do not agree with the "no tipping" aspect of it. They're not saying you can't get a tip, but they are saying it's optional. There's no way to tip a driver on your card. A lot of these drivers go out of their way to get a tip and they don't. Yet, this is an industry where tipping is the norm, but the idea behind Uber is to create a cashless system. Neither driver nor passenger have cash so I feel they're limiting their drivers potential income. They have plagued internal management problems. Uber calls drivers partners, but some places argue they are employees and as such are entitled to benefits. However, Uber usually 1099's their drivers leading people to pay not only the maintenance for their car, the insurance for their car, the upkeep for their car, but all of the Medicare and Self -employment taxes that come along with being 1099'd. From http://www.cbronline.com/news/enter...d-pitfalls-of-the-uber-business-model-4920901: “Until recently it referred to its drivers as ‘partners’ but recently changed to refer to drivers as ‘customers’ which feels like a better description but still not entirely accurate. Uber treats drivers like employees but denies them the benefits that employees of other business would expect. Despite its refusal to provide these benefits, it applies similar penalties that an employee could expect for breaking workplace rules; driver’s routes are dictated by the Uber app and a driver who turns down too many rides could have their Uber account deactivated." Then on top of that, they limit your revenue by not making it easy for people to tip or making drivers compete for passengers?

Thanks for the well reasoned response.

 

[ZellyB]

I think for me it's they take 20-30% of the profit with none of the work. They don't provide any type of insurance or protection for drivers who are involved in an accident with an Uber passenger aboard. It absolutely unregulated, meaning they can essentially charge whatever they want and they can hire whoever they want and there's no accountability. Places that have tried to regulate Uber have seen them pull out of the market. It's all based on an equal review system of both driver and passenger. I do not agree with "surge" pricing. I also do not agree with the "no tipping" aspect of it. They're not saying you can't get a tip, but they are saying it's optional. There's no way to tip a driver on your card. A lot of these drivers go out of their way to get a tip and they don't. Yet, this is an industry where tipping is the norm, but the idea behind Uber is to create a cashless system. Neither driver nor passenger have cash so I feel they're limiting their drivers potential income. They have plagued internal management problems. Uber calls drivers partners, but some places argue they are employees and as such are entitled to benefits. However, Uber usually 1099's their drivers leading people to pay not only the maintenance for their car, the insurance for their car, the upkeep for their car, but all of the Medicare and Self -employment taxes that come along with being 1099'd. From http://www.cbronline.com/news/enter...d-pitfalls-of-the-uber-business-model-4920901: “Until recently it referred to its drivers as ‘partners’ but recently changed to refer to drivers as ‘customers’ which feels like a better description but still not entirely accurate. Uber treats drivers like employees but denies them the benefits that employees of other business would expect. Despite its refusal to provide these benefits, it applies similar penalties that an employee could expect for breaking workplace rules; driver’s routes are dictated by the Uber app and a driver who turns down too many rides could have their Uber account deactivated." Then on top of that, they limit your revenue by not making it easy for people to tip or making drivers compete for passengers?

Good response. Thank you. I was aware of some of this, but not all. The only time I've used Uber was on our recent trip to WDW and it worked really well for us. My only point in posting now is to say that I do think Uber has made some recent changes to the no-tipping thing and maybe to the app, because I seem to recall it was quite easy for me to add a tip to my payment and at least one of the drivers had a sign up on their dash saying that tipping was allowed and appreciated.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

What Uber did was find a way to incentivize casual car pooling. They then grew their service into a replacement for taxi service in some places, but they also created a taxi service in many places that previously had no such service. Their service would not be possible following any other model. Most of their drivers are not "drivers" - they are regular folks with regular jobs trying to make a little extra money on the side. The only place were there is "harm" is where existing taxi and limo services have lost businesses. They are losing business for the same reasons that brick and mortar businesses are losing business to companies like Amazon - another service came along that requires less overhead (so is less expensive) while also being easier to use.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

What Uber did was find a way to incentivize casual car pooling. They then grew their service into a replacement for taxi service in some places, but they also created a taxi service in many places that previously had no such service. Their service would not be possible following any other model. Most of their drivers are not "drivers" - they are regular folks with regular jobs trying to make a little extra money on the side. The only place were there is "harm" is where existing taxi and limo services have lost businesses. They are losing business for the same reasons that brick and mortar businesses are losing business to companies like Amazon - another service came along that requires less overhead (so is less expensive) while also being easier to use.

off topic a bit from the thread, but I do feel for the taxi drivers in NYC as to get a medallion so you can be a cab driver literally costs $1m - so people take huge loans to get one and some people just got theirs in the last few years and now Uber comes along and totally changes the field they thought they were buying in to

 

[BuckeyeBama]

off topic a bit from the thread, but I do feel for the taxi drivers in NYC as to get a medallion so you can be a cab driver literally costs $1m - so people take huge loans to get one and some people just got theirs in the last few years and now Uber comes along and totally changes the field they thought they were buying in to

Agreed - timing is everything. I also feel bad for kids who graduated from college in 2009 or bought a house in 2008. Some will never recover.

 

[Lesverts]

I for one an excited about the prospects of Disney providing a more personal transportation option. If Disney does this well I would be happy to use it, even if it is a bit more expensive then Uber. I have faith in the mouse, that the vehicles will be clean, inspected regularly and the drivers/passengers will be covered under appropriate insurance. I also think this would make some of the issues to get to and from various points on property easier. Especially looking at early morning resort breakfasts. With Disney trying to make two more of their resorts destination experiences on top of the other 8 'destination' resorts having an affordable (by Disney standards) and easy way to safely and confidently traverse property is a plus in my books.

 

[mawatcha]

I wonder if it's Chevrolet.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Most of their drivers are not "drivers" - they are regular folks with regular jobs trying to make a little extra money on the side.

Bingo.

I know a few people who drive for uber as a side gig, its not their primary job. I understand the need to give up 20-30% of the profits, there is overhead that Uber has to cover and resources that you should be paying for in order to make money off of their name, sort of like a franchise fee IMO. I've looked into becoming a driver, its very clear what you're getting into before you start driving.

I have zero problems using Uber.

I've only used Uber a handful of times, and one of those times was at Disney. It was fantastic.

I can see this is something that Disney can and will screw up though.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Agreed - timing is everything. I also feel bad for kids who graduated from college in 2009 or bought a house in 2008. Some will never recover.

Bought a house in 2007 right before the market crashed, closed on it 2 weeks ago today. We made 40K in profit. Things turn around.