Everthing you wanted to know about Uber/Lyft at WDW

[Lsdolphin]

When I had a problem I didn’t call. I reported it through the app. I got an auto-reply which did not apply to my situation but they credited me for the charge.

Yes I reported it through the app and at first they replied that they had reviewed the trip and the driver used an alternate route which complied with charge...I responded to their email asking for further investigation and just got another email from "Franklin" agreeing that route taken was not most efficient route and refunding entire amount!
However I was supposed to have $5 discount applied to 4 trips and the $5.00 discount appeared on the four trip quotes but.was not reflected on final receipts. These 4 trips were all prior to this last ride...I have just used Lyft for the fist time on this Disney trip. I have used Uber on past trips and never had problem!

I will not use Lyft again.

 

[JimMIA]

Yes I reported it through the app and at first they replied that they had reviewed the trip and the driver used an alternate route which complied with charge...I responded to their email asking for further investigation and just got another email from "Franklin" agreeing that route taken was not most efficient route and refunding entire amount!

The problem you had was not a Lyft problem. It was a driver problem...and the driver probably drives for both companies.

I'm sorry you had the difficulty with your inquiry through the app, but that is common. On our driver social media boards, we actually screenshot and post a lot of the humorous responses we get to our questions!

I think a large percentage of the initial requests (with both companies) are actually answered by bots, not humans. They pick out a word or phrase in your inquiry and send you a pre-written "No" that may well have nothing to do with what you asked.

When you escalate by complaining for a second time, a human looks at it and you usually get an appropriate resolution (from both companies).

In the end, you got it fixed, so that's good. If you ever have that problem again (with either company), in your initial complaint use the phrase "fraudulent route." That will light a fire under them.

However I was supposed to have $5 discount applied to 4 trips and the $5.00 discount appeared on the four trip quotes but.was not reflected on final receipts. These 4 trips were all prior to this last ride...I have just used Lyft for the fist time on this Disney trip. I have used Uber on past trips and never had problem!

I will not use Lyft again.

This one IS a Lyft problem. Lyft and Uber are technology companies, but Lyft is actually not that good at it.

You need to go to each ride on your ride history and tell them that you did not receive your promotional discount. If you send complaints on 4 rides, you will probably get 4 different incomprehensible "no's" from different bots -- so you will have to take the next step again as you did with the long-haul situation. But keep after them. Both companies are actually very good at keeping their customers happy.

If that doesn't work, dispute the credit card charges with your credit card company and it will get fixed in a hurry.

 

[joelkfla]

This one IS a Lyft problem. Lyft and Uber are technology companies, but Lyft is actually not that good at it.

You need to go to each ride on your ride history and tell them that you did not receive your promotional discount. If you send complaints on 4 rides, you will probably get 4 different incomprehensible "no's" from different bots -- so you will have to take the next step again as you did with the long-haul situation. But keep after them. Both companies are actually very good at keeping their customers happy.

If that doesn't work, dispute the credit card charges with your credit card company and it will get fixed in a hurry.

That's a lot of work for $20. It shouldn't be that hard. Nor should it have taken 2 attempts on the route issue. I can understand the OP's dissatisfaction with Lyft. (Not that Uber would have done any better.)

 

[magyargirl]

I have nver used uber or lyft. But we are thinking of using them exclusively for our 12 day upcoming trip instead of a rental car. We will be staying off site. I am concerned about safety as we arrive right before midnight at MCO. And our flight going home is early morning. We are trying to save money and not have to pay for parking at the parks (with renting a car). We are staying at Blue Tree Resort and plan on taking a break midday from the parks. I am just wondering if its worth ditching a rental and how safe is it?

 

[AngiTN]

I have nver used uber or lyft. But we are thinking of using them exclusively for our 12 day upcoming trip instead of a rental car. We will be staying off site. I am concerned about safety as we arrive right before midnight at MCO. And our flight going home is early morning. We are trying to save money and not have to pay for parking at the parks (with renting a car). We are staying at Blue Tree Resort and plan on taking a break midday from the parks. I am just wondering if its worth ditching a rental and how safe is it?

You are perfectly safe.
No idea if it would be cheaper or not. I'd be doing a lot of figuring since that many rides can add up pretty quick

 

[AngiTN]

Yes I reported it through the app and at first they replied that they had reviewed the trip and the driver used an alternate route which complied with charge...I responded to their email asking for further investigation and just got another email from "Franklin" agreeing that route taken was not most efficient route and refunding entire amount!
However I was supposed to have $5 discount applied to 4 trips and the $5.00 discount appeared on the four trip quotes but.was not reflected on final receipts. These 4 trips were all prior to this last ride...I have just used Lyft for the fist time on this Disney trip. I have used Uber on past trips and never had problem!

I will not use Lyft again.

We had 1 long haul situation last year, or earlier this year, I forget now when.
I took used the ap to report it as a ride issue and included a screen shot of the route the driver took and one of the suggested route.
I got no auto response to mine, just a human one and they agreed it was clearly excessive

Odd about your discount too. I haven't had one lately, or at least one I could use but when I have had one they did apple it.

I have been less pleased the Lyft vehicles of late. They just seem to be less particular than Uber. Nothing drastic just little things

 

[Lsdolphin]

The problem you had was not a Lyft problem. It was a driver problem...and the driver probably drives for both companies.

I'm sorry you had the difficulty with your inquiry through the app, but that is common. On our driver social media boards, we actually screenshot and post a lot of the humorous responses we get to our questions!

I think a large percentage of the initial requests (with both companies) are actually answered by bots, not humans. They pick out a word or phrase in your inquiry and send you a pre-written "No" that may well have nothing to do with what you asked.

When you escalate by complaining for a second time, a human looks at it and you usually get an appropriate resolution (from both companies).

In the end, you got it fixed, so that's good. If you ever have that problem again (with either company), in your initial complaint use the phrase "fraudulent route." That will light a fire under them.This one IS a Lyft problem. Lyft and Uber are technology companies, but Lyft is actually not that good at it.

You need to go to each ride on your ride history and tell them that you did not receive your promotional discount. If you send complaints on 4 rides, you will probably get 4 different incomprehensible "no's" from different bots -- so you will have to take the next step again as you did with the long-haul situation. But keep after them. Both companies are actually very good at keeping their customers happy.

If that doesn't work, dispute the credit card charges with your credit card company and it will get fixed in a hurry.

Thank you for your help.

 

[Best Aunt]

I have nver used uber or lyft. But we are thinking of using them exclusively for our 12 day upcoming trip instead of a rental car. We will be staying off site. I am concerned about safety as we arrive right before midnight at MCO. And our flight going home is early morning. We are trying to save money and not have to pay for parking at the parks (with renting a car). We are staying at Blue Tree Resort and plan on taking a break midday from the parks. I am just wondering if its worth ditching a rental and how safe is it?

I used Uber and Lyft a lot last month, at Disney World and while in another state. I am less enthusiastic about them than I used to be.

I assume the drivers will be okay individuals. I do not think they will be axe murderers. I assume there will be drivers avaiable to answer the requests. But in 11 days I had problems such as:

- one driver was about to get into the turn lane for Fort Wilderness. I had to tell him that Wilderness Lodge was in a different place.

- several drivers told me that on their GPS, Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness showed as the same place.

- one driver who was taking me to Wilderness Lodge turned down an unmarked road, got to one of those automatic arm/gate things, and asked me to use my Magic Band. Of course it did not work.

- for my trip to the airport, I got a "surprise, we are giving you a car with a car seat at no extra charge!" notification. Well, surprise, if you don't need a car seat that just means less room in the trunk for your bags.

- when we requested a larger vehicle (not in Orlando) we got one idiot who said he thought he answered for a smaller vehicle. I said he could cancel if he wanted but I was not going to pay the cancellation fee. He proceeded to take all of his junk out of the back, dump it on the hotel driveway, and reconfigure his vehicle for the extra seats. We had to ride with his suitcase between us... and 1 shoe. Then he didn't know where we were going, even though it was 5 minutes away. And he couldn't figure out how to use his GPS to find it. I had to pull it up on Google Maps myself, and pass my phone to my friend in the front seat so that he could listen to the directions. (Yes I demanded and received a credit for this ride.)

- one driver could not find me (not in Orlando), and kept calling me, but he had a lousy cell phone and/or lousy cell service so that I could not hear him. After 15 minutes and 4 calls, I finally cancelled the ride. (Yes I demanded and received a credit for the cancellation fee.) The next driver couldn't find me, but at least I could hear him on his phone. He said that the spot I was in was notorious for being hard to find. It was the exact same spot that many of us used for 5 days, so I don't know what was going on that night.

If you are using Uber/Lyft four times a day, for 12 days, I think you will get frustrated. I don't drive in Orlando (long story) so I do not rent a car. If renting a car were a feasible option for me, I would rent the car.

 

[magyargirl]

I used Uber and Lyft a lot last month, at Disney World and while in another state. I am less enthusiastic about them than I used to be.

I assume the drivers will be okay individuals. I do not think they will be axe murderers. I assume there will be drivers avaiable to answer the requests. But in 11 days I had problems such as:

- one driver was about to get into the turn lane for Fort Wilderness. I had to tell him that Wilderness Lodge was in a different place.

- several drivers told me that on their GPS, Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness showed as the same place.

- one driver who was taking me to Wilderness Lodge turned down an unmarked road, got to one of those automatic arm/gate things, and asked me to use my Magic Band. Of course it did not work.

- for my trip to the airport, I got a "surprise, we are giving you a car with a car seat at no extra charge!" notification. Well, surprise, if you don't need a car seat that just means less room in the trunk for your bags.

- when we requested a larger vehicle (not in Orlando) we got one idiot who said he thought he answered for a smaller vehicle. I said he could cancel if he wanted but I was not going to pay the cancellation fee. He proceeded to take all of his junk out of the back, dump it on the hotel driveway, and reconfigure his vehicle for the extra seats. We had to ride with his suitcase between us... and 1 shoe. Then he didn't know where we were going, even though it was 5 minutes away. And he couldn't figure out how to use his GPS to find it. I had to pull it up on Google Maps myself, and pass my phone to my friend in the front seat so that he could listen to the directions. (Yes I demanded and received a credit for this ride.)

- one driver could not find me (not in Orlando), and kept calling me, but he had a lousy cell phone and/or lousy cell service so that I could not hear him. After 15 minutes and 4 calls, I finally cancelled the ride. (Yes I demanded and received a credit for the cancellation fee.) The next driver couldn't find me, but at least I could hear him on his phone. He said that the spot I was in was notorious for being hard to find. It was the exact same spot that many of us used for 5 days, so I don't know what was going on that night.

If you are using Uber/Lyft four times a day, for 12 days, I think you will get frustrated. I don't drive in Orlando (long story) so I do not rent a car. If renting a car were a feasible option for me, I would rent the car.

These stories are the reason I feel a little apprehensive. But....with the drivers you had, did they have a 5 star rating? I thought u choose your driver?

 

[FCDub]

These stories are the reason I feel a little apprehensive. But....with the drivers you had, did they have a 5 star rating? I thought u choose your driver?

You do not choose a driver with either service.

 

[JimMIA]

I have nver used uber or lyft. But we are thinking of using them exclusively for our 12 day upcoming trip instead of a rental car. We will be staying off site. I am concerned about safety as we arrive right before midnight at MCO. And our flight going home is early morning. We are trying to save money and not have to pay for parking at the parks (with renting a car). We are staying at Blue Tree Resort and plan on taking a break midday from the parks. I am just wondering if its worth ditching a rental and how safe is it?

The only way to know the cost is to actually do the math, but I have a feeling you'd be better off with a rental car.

You're talking about making 2 round-trips a day to theme parks, which will double that part of your Uber cost. And then, you're also probably going to want to Uber/drive to dinner at least a few nights and probably a shopping trip or two.

You can get pretty accurate Uber/Lyft fare estimates from RideGuru.com. You just put in your pickup point and destination and it will give you the fares for all classes of service.

For your rental car cost, check to see if your resort also charges a parking fee and factor that in if they do. You'll have some gas expense, and of course theme park parking. Keep in mind though, that your theme park parking receipt is valid at ANY theme park until midnight of that day -- so if you park hop, you don't have to pay multiple parking fees.

Just do the math and see what works out better for you.

 

[JimMIA]

That's a lot of work for $20.

Well, it's also the principle of the thing. It's not just about the principal! I would terrorize them forever, although I'd do it partly just for sport, lol.

It shouldn't be that hard. Nor should it have taken 2 attempts on the route issue.

No it shouldn't. And actually, I'm pretty confident Uber would have handled the long-haul issue on the first try. That's a really simple thing, and easily managed -- like us doing a fare adjustment from X to XL.

 

[magyargirl]

You do not choose a driver with either service.

So if i need a ride and a low star driver comes, I have to accept the ride?? That doesn't seem fair. I thought the whole idea was thst u can see the drivers profile, rating etc so u know what u r getting into.

 

[joelkfla]

So if i need a ride and a low star driver comes, I have to accept the ride?? That doesn't seem fair. I thought the whole idea was thst u can see the drivers profile, rating etc so u know what u r getting into.

The idea is that there should be no drivers driving below 4 stars. Uber or Lyft should kick them off the platform. (I'm not sure what the actual cut-off is; JimMIA probably knows.)

 

[joelkfla]

Well, it's also the principle of the thing. It's not just about the principal! I would terrorize them forever, although I'd do it partly just for sport, lol.No it shouldn't. And actually, I'm pretty confident Uber would have handled the long-haul issue on the first try. That's a really simple thing, and easily managed -- like us doing a fare adjustment from X to XL.

My point was not that the customer shouldn't bother pursuing it. My point was that both Uber & Lyft have a lot of room to improve their customer service.

They call themselves tech companies, but they're not dealing with users struggling to get a piece of software to work, they're dealing with ordinary people who are paying money on a daily basis to get from place to place. The roboticized model may be acceptable (debatable) for the former, but not IMHO for the latter. Since customers make the decision every day whether or not to use their services, customer satisfaction is crucial.

 

[Best Aunt]

So if i need a ride and a low star driver comes, I have to accept the ride?? That doesn't seem fair. I thought the whole idea was thst u can see the drivers profile, rating etc so u know what u r getting into.

And if you cancel the ride, there is a cancellation fee. (Although, as I mentioned, I got a credit in the app when I protested a cancellation fee.)

 

[Best Aunt]

On the issue of safety --

I actually feel safer in an Uber/Lyft than I do in a cab. I assume Uber/Lyft has a record of me being in the vehicle. If I get in a cab and the driver turns out to be an axe murderer, nobody will know that I'm in that cab.

 

[JimMIA]

So if i need a ride and a low star driver comes, I have to accept the ride?? That doesn't seem fair. I thought the whole idea was thst u can see the drivers profile, rating etc so u know what u r getting into.

No, you will not see a driver's profile prior to the driver accepting the ride. If riders could choose their drivers, Joel would get all the rides in Orlando and I'd get all the rides in Miami!

You place the ride request and the algorithm offers the ride, usually to the closest driver. The driver accepts or declines the ride.

Once the driver accepts the ride, you will see where they are, how long it will take them to get to you, the driver's rating, the year and type of car they drive, and the tag number of the vehicle (note: in Florida, the only tag is on the rear of the vehicle), and the driver's picture. I'm not sure, but I think you also see how long the driver has been driving and how many rides we've given.

From that display, you will be able to view the driver's profile -- which is information the driver chooses to present: home town, languages spoken, compliments from previous riders (selected by Uber, not the driver), a "fun fact," other experience, and "why I drive."

You can cancel the ride if you don't like what you see, but with Uber you will be charged a cancellation fee if you cancel two minutes or more after the driver accepts the ride. So if you waste time looking at our "badges" and reading profile info, you'll likely get charged.

The best thing to do, IMHO, is to look at the vehicle the driver is driving and the driver's length of service, number of rides and rating...with more emphasis on length of service than ratings, because the rating system is a mess. Drivers ratings are based on their last 500 ratings received, but many riders do not do ratings. People who are less than satisfied are much more likely to do a negative rating. If a ride was okay, many riders simply don't rate -- which hurts the driver and is the major flaw in the rating system.

The other major flaw with the system is that ratings vary widely with type of ride (X, XL, Lux, etc) and blood alcohol content of the rider. XL and Lux riders rate high. Uber Pool (not offered in Orlando currently) riders rate low. Drunks rate low. So drivers who drive late nights and drivers who accept Pool rides are going to have lower ratings than drivers like me who a) decline all Pool rides, and b) don't drive late nights. They may be just as good as I am, maybe better, but their ratings will be substantially lower just because of the clientele they drive.

With newer drivers, especially those with less than 100 rides, don't pay any attention to their rating. With only a few rides, the ratings bounce all over the place wildly. One bad rating from a rider having a bad day can really trash a new driver's rating -- and the driver may be perfectly fine. It takes a LOT of 5-stars to bring up one bad rating when you are new.

In the rating system, 5 stars is an "A," and 4 stars is an "F." Seriously, it is. If a driver maintains lower than a 4.6 rating (92%, and an A in school), they are terminated. I think most of the drivers you see will be in the high 4.7's to mid 4.8's.

 

[JimMIA]

On the issue of safety --

I actually feel safer in an Uber/Lyft than I do in a cab. I assume Uber/Lyft has a record of me being in the vehicle. If I get in a cab and the driver turns out to be an axe murderer, nobody will know that I'm in that cab.

Both taxi drivers and rideshare drivers have to pass pretty rigorous background investigations. I don't know about Lyft or taxi, but Uber updates every driver background annually.

But you are correct -- there is a BIG difference in the safety features built into the various systems, and it's a clear advantage to rideshare.

Lyft has some safety features, but this is one area where Uber is clearly superior to both Lyft and taxi. Here's what is going on behind the scenes on an Uber ride:

• Driver identification -- Pretty frequently, Uber requires drivers to take a selfie in the driver app for facial recognition confirmation. This ensures that the person behind the wheel IS, in fact, the person who is supposed to be behind the wheel. Lyft does not use facial recognition -- my Lyft picture is from two years ago. My Uber picture is one week old, and I'll probably have to reconfirm the next time I drive.
• Driver tracking -- Uber GPS tracks us continuously, from the time we turn the app on and for some time after we go offline. Whether we are on a ride or not, we are being tracked.
• Rider tracking -- Uber tracks the rider from the time you turn the app on, throughout your ride, and for a short period of time after your ride is ended. So before, during, and after your ride, you are being tracked independently of the driver.
• Sharing your ride info -- you can choose to allow trusted friends or family to follow your ride in real time through the Uber rider app. If you do that, you have a person you trust also tracking your ride.
• Newer features currently being rolled out -- Not sure if these are in the Orlando market yet, but Uber is putting in a system for calling 911 directly from both the driver and rider apps. The importance of this is that not only can you make the call easier, but emergency responders will have access to your actual GPS location, rather than the approximate cellphone tower location...which can be several miles from where you actually are. Responders will know where you are. There are some other aspects of these upgrades, but we don't have them yet so I'm not sure what all the features are.
• Dashcams -- these are optional, but many rideshare (and taxi) drivers use dashcams to record all of their rides. Mine has two cameras -- one looking forward at traffic, and the other looking inward into the passenger compartment. Dashcams are important safety protections for both drivers and riders.

 

[magyargirl]

No, you will not see a driver's profile prior to the driver accepting the ride. If riders could choose their drivers, Joel would get all the rides in Orlando and I'd get all the rides in Miami!

You place the ride request and the algorithm offers the ride, usually to the closest driver. The driver accepts or declines the ride.

Once the driver accepts the ride, you will see where they are, how long it will take them to get to you, the driver's rating, the year and type of car they drive, and the tag number of the vehicle (note: in Florida, the only tag is on the rear of the vehicle), and the driver's picture. I'm not sure, but I think you also see how long the driver has been driving and how many rides we've given.

From that display, you will be able to view the driver's profile -- which is information the driver chooses to present: home town, languages spoken, compliments from previous riders (selected by Uber, not the driver), a "fun fact," other experience, and "why I drive."

You can cancel the ride if you don't like what you see, but with Uber you will be charged a cancellation fee if you cancel two minutes or more after the driver accepts the ride. So if you waste time looking at our "badges" and reading profile info, you'll likely get charged.

The best thing to do, IMHO, is to look at the vehicle the driver is driving and the driver's length of service, number of rides and rating...with more emphasis on length of service than ratings, because the rating system is a mess. Drivers ratings are based on their last 500 ratings received, but many riders do not do ratings. People who are less than satisfied are much more likely to do a negative rating. If a ride was okay, many riders simply don't rate -- which hurts the driver and is the major flaw in the rating system.

The other major flaw with the system is that ratings vary widely with type of ride (X, XL, Lux, etc) and blood alcohol content of the rider. XL and Lux riders rate high. Uber Pool (not offered in Orlando currently) riders rate low. Drunks rate low. So drivers who drive late nights and drivers who accept Pool rides are going to have lower ratings than drivers like me who a) decline all Pool rides, and b) don't drive late nights. They may be just as good as I am, maybe better, but their ratings will be substantially lower just because of the clientele they drive.

With newer drivers, especially those with less than 100 rides, don't pay any attention to their rating. With only a few rides, the ratings bounce all over the place wildly. One bad rating from a rider having a bad day can really trash a new driver's rating -- and the driver may be perfectly fine. It takes a LOT of 5-stars to bring up one bad rating when you are new.

In the rating system, 5 stars is an "A," and 4 stars is an "F." Seriously, it is. If a driver maintains lower than a 4.6 rating (92%, and an A in school), they are terminated. I think most of the drivers you see will be in the high 4.7's to mid 4.8's.

Thank you for all the info. This clarifies a lot for me. I will have to see about writing down an estimate of what it may cost for 12 days, 10 of them un the parks. We booked a rental from Costco last night for a compact at $368 for 12 days. But then you add $220 for 10 days of parks and thats almost $600. I am just not sure but glad we at least have a rental in case we decide not to ride share.