‘Absolute Pandemonium’ — Uber Waits Are Ridiculous at Orlando Airport, and We Think We Know Why

Getting to Disney World can be quite a journey depending on where you’re coming from.

Whether you’re driving, flying, taking a train, or a combination of these, it’s not always easy to figure out just how you’ll get from Point A to Point B and how to do it efficiently. If you’re someone who relies on Uber to get from the Orlando International Airport to Disney World, you might want to reconsider.

If you’ve ever seemingly been stranded at Orlando International Airport (MCO) waiting for an Uber — you’re not alone. News 6 Orlando reports that travelers often wait longer than usual during busy times of the year at this airport, in particular.

But, according to Uber drivers who service MCO, the wait for passengers is long because the drivers’ wait is also long. They have to get in and out of the airport’s Transportation Network Companies (TNC) waiting lots, which often have unnecessarily long waits, particularly at night when so many flights are arriving back-to-back.

There are two airport rideshare wait lots — the North TNC lot and the South TNC lot, which are the only places within Uber’s geo-mapping that allow drivers to enter the driver queue to pick up passengers.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen chaos at MCO due to long rideshare waits, as last December suffered the same fate. There was a traffic jam getting into and out of the North lot, while the South lot remains underused due to poor cell reception. If drivers don’t have a cell signal, they can’t use the app to give rides.

Scott Ellis, Uber driver, and Evolved Media business owner, recorded a video of what he said was “absolute pandemonium” in the North TNC lot. He remarked that he was worried for his safety and that of others trying to navigate the parking lots.

Unfortunately, Ellis says the problem is just as bad six months later — if not worse. “In some ways, it has gotten even worse, it’s pandemonium on most nights,” Ellis said.

Uber drivers often wait for hours in the TNC South lot because of the weak cell signal. Every time they lose connection to their carrier, the Uber ride pickup queue is reset.

And for passengers looking for a ride, that means they have to wait. An Uber driver named Ivan said, “They have to wait a long time because there’s no way to get out of here. That’s why we chose to park over here [in the South TNC lot] even though we don’t have signal because it’s easier to get out of here. Over there [the North TNC lot] it’s jammed.”

Several drivers have been forced to switch their cell phone carriers to Verizon as it’s the only one that delivers a “somewhat usable signal” in the South TNC lot.

Angela Starke, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs & Community Relations at MCO, said the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) is working on improving coverage.

“GOAA staff members have been working with cell providers, in conjunction with the Federal Aviation Administration, to improve coverage in the cell phone parking lots,” said Starke. “Simultaneously, in January, our IT team successfully deployed a wi-fi infrastructure by strategically placing four wi-fi access points, effectively covering the TNC lot area in the South. These access points are interconnected, ensuring seamless delivery of wi-fi signals. This improvement should help rideshare drivers with mobile apps and enable wi-fi calling.”

She also said that there are agreements in place with two cell phone carriers to improve the signal.

“Currently, and based on our coordination with FAA, we have agreements with two of the three major cell phone providers to improve coverage in the cell phone parking lots,” she said. “This would be a combination of small cell poles and antennae in the South and North cell lots. The benefit is that this cell service improvement should extend into the South TNC lot; however, it is not guaranteed. Once the project is complete, we will verify.”

Only time will tell if these improvements will actually make a difference for Uber drivers at MCO, and eventually — to travelers trying to get to their destinations. This is definitely something to keep in mind if you’re traveling from MCO to Disney World or Universal Orlando.

Instead, consider booking a trip with Mears — they partner with Disney to bring you to onsite hotels at reasonable rates.

If you’re looking for a travel agent to help with your vacation, we recommend our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help take a bunch of the stress out of the entire booking process for you!

Stay tuned to AllEars as we bring you the latest travel news and more.

Is Uber the Cheapest Way to Get to Disney World From the Orlando Airport?

Have you ever dealt with long Uber wait times at MCO? Tell us in the comments.

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