Airport transportation to Silver Lake Resort or WDW

[sfwilshire]

My 21yo son will be flying from Mexico to Orlando on Christmas Day. We are driving to Orlando the same day. He will likely arrive a few hours before us. Any ideas on an economical way for him to get from the airport to Silver Lake if I can get them to let him into the unit before I arrive?

I also thought about letting him hang out at Downtown Disney (or whatever the new name is) or even the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I doubt they'd notice him there and it would be an easy pickup for us. Is there bus service to Disney Marketplace?

I am going to research, but thought a TUG member might have some ideas and save me some work.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Sheila

 

[Luanne]

I would check Super Shuttle. If you book ahead online you can usually get a small discount.

 

[silentg]

Why not pick him up at the airport, we pick up family at the Hyatt Valet, there is a large food court in the airport where he could wait for you. Then call him from the cell lot and have him meet you in the valet. They do not mind.
Silentg

 

[sfwilshire]

I would check Super Shuttle. If you book ahead online you can usually get a small discount.

Good suggestion. I used them in DC and found them efficient and reasonably priced.

Sheila

 

[sfwilshire]

Why not pick him up at the airport, we pick up family at the Hyatt Valet, there is a large food court in the airport where he could wait for you. Then call him from the cell lot and have him meet you in the valet. They do not mind.
Silentg

I hadn't even considered that. It might be midnight or later before we get to town, but I guess that wouldn't be terrible in a big airport. Kind of out of the way for us, but simpler than some other options if he can't get into our unit.

I knew TUG folks would have good suggestions.

Sheila

 

[suzanne]

Word of caution, if he is going to try to check into the unit be sure he has a copy of your reservation. Also, most resorts in Florida will not let anyone under 25 check into them, ask when you call ahead to see if he can check in prior to your arrival. He will also need a photo ID to check in to any hotel or resort in Florida. I was told by the last hotel we stayed at that it was state law but I don't know that for absolute.

Have a great trip.

Suzanne

 

[sfwilshire]

Final decision:

The resort wouldn't budge on letting him check-in before us without a guest certificate.

The Lynx bus will be $4 to Disney Springs, so he'll wait for us there. If he gets bored, he can take Disney transportation to one of the resorts and putter around. The bus ride is nearly 2 hours according to their website, but he's going to be waiting somewhere anyway. A bus is as good a place as any. If he can make his way all over Mexico, I guess one bus ride in Orlando is doable.

He was willing to just stay at the airport, but I'd just as soon avoid the drive over there and back. We'll all get settled in quicker if he makes his way over to the Disney area.

Hopefully no-one will think he's a vagrant. We'll definitely try to make it a quick trip down, but it means a lot to my daughter for us to show up for our grand-daughters first Christmas and it HAS to be Christmas Day according to her.

Thanks again for all of the tips.

Sheila

 

[Deb & Bill]

On Christmas Day, you might want to consider someplace other than Disney Springs to pick him up. All of WDW will be mobbed and driving around will be very difficult. It's already difficult to get to Disney Springs with all the road construction going on even without the holiday guests.

 

[moonstone]

When our DS's flight arrived at MCO a few hours ahead of when we would be arriving (by car) he took the Lynx bus to the resort (<2hrs, $2.00). I called the resort a few days ahead of our check-in & explained the situation. I didn't want him checking in as I had 3 units booked in my name for an extended family vacation & I wanted to choose who was in which unit.

I asked the resort staff if he could "hang-out' at the resort until we arrived (estimated 2-3hrs). They said no problem & that he could even use the change rooms & pool while he waited. I gave DS a photocopy of our reservation & wrote a thank-you note on it to the staff member I had spoken with.

Since it was a check-in day DS had the pool area to himself and was even able to sleep for over an hour after waking really early for his 6am flight!

YMMV since it is a holiday.

~Diane

 

[sfwilshire]

On Christmas Day, you might want to consider someplace other than Disney Springs to pick him up. All of WDW will be mobbed and driving around will be very difficult. It's already difficult to get to Disney Springs with all the road construction going on even without the holiday guests.

That's a good suggestion. I knew the parks would be crazy, but hadn't really taken the thought process that far.

I had suggested he take Disney transport to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is very close to Silver Lakes. I'll suggest that again.

Sheila

 

[Beaglemom3]

Sheila,

Give Mears a call.

http://www.mearstransportation.com/


-

 

[sfwilshire]

When our DS's flight arrived at MCO a few hours ahead of when we would be arriving (by car) he took the Lynx bus to the resort (<2hrs, $2.00). I called the resort a few days ahead of our check-in & explained the situation. I didn't want him checking in as I had 3 units booked in my name for an extended family vacation & I wanted to choose who was in which unit.

I asked the resort staff if he could "hang-out' at the resort until we arrived (estimated 2-3hrs). They said no problem & that he could even use the change rooms & pool while he waited. I gave DS a photocopy of our reservation & wrote a thank-you note on it to the staff member I had spoken with.

Since it was a check-in day DS had the pool area to himself and was even able to sleep for over an hour after waking really early for his 6am flight!

YMMV since it is a holiday.

~Diane

That is also a good idea. He is a red-head with very fair skin, so he wouldn't be interested in the pool, but Silver Lake probably has somewhere he could stay. If I don't figure it out before he leaves Tuesday, I can call him with the info while we're driving down.

I wouldn't think about driving on Christmas were the day after not so brutal on the highways. I have nothing against snowbirds, but when every lane on I-75 is backed up by RVs that are driving the speed limit or less, it definitely makes for a long drive.

Sheila