Getting to Islands of Adventure...

[Zummi Gummi]

What's the best/ least expensive way to get to Islands of Adventure from Pop Century? Is it cheaper and more efficient to rent a car for one day, or is it still better to take a cab? I don't want to mess with public transportation, so I think those are the two options.

If I were to rent a car, is the drive easy? I'm prone to getting lost easily...

Finally, for those who have been, what time do you recommend arriving if you don't want to wait hours and hours for Potter? If the park opens at 9, what time should I be there to queue up? I'm assuming by 8, no?

 

[WDW_Emily]

You could use a Mears shuttle which depending on your party size, might be the cheapest. Last time we used it was about 2 years ago and it was around $18 round trip per person.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

It would be a party of two.

 

[Mr Bill]

The drive is no trouble at all, you'd just get on I-4 Eastbound, which is right next to Pop. Take that about 10 miles to exit 75-A and follow the signs to Universal.

I'm not sure about the cost aspect, but as far as the drive goes, you shouldn't have any trouble at all.

 

[lilclerk]

I rented a car in FL for the first time last September and had absolutely no problems. Getting to Universal and back wasn't difficult at all, and I have a tendency to miss turns and get lost even with a GPS.

However, for two people Mears will be cheaper. The number I have is 407-423-5566 Call the day before you want to go to Universal and they'll schedule a pick up time for the next day. I suggest being outside Pop early because we missed them one year. We got outside right before we should have been picked up, and they had already been and gone. We ended up taking an expensive cab ride instead.

 

[Rob562]

The Mears shuttle is the cheapest option, but if you're looking to be there for opening (and hence the shortest lines for Potter) Mears may not get you there in time. When I used them in Sept '09, we were getting to Universal about 9:30am, when the parks had opened at 9. (Part of the problem is that the bus usually stops to drop people off at Sea World, too)

It's worth at least looking into rental cars. Alamo and National have counters at the Car Care Center and the Dolphin. The CCC location opens at 6am, and they have a free shuttle to pick you up that starts at 7am. The Dolphin desk doesn't open until 8am.
A couple other major rental companies have desks at the hotels along Hotel Plaza Blvd, most of them offer some kind of free shuttle pickup. (I think there's an Enterprise location just off-property, too)

Check out mousesavers.com for group codes and coupon codes.

We have a mid-size car reserved for a 1-day rental in June through National for about $56. Add the $15 parking at Universal and it's about $35 per person. The extra money above the Mears bus is worth the flexibility and knowing we'll get there before opening.

As for directions, if you're one who gets lost easily, definitely go the I-4 route. But if you can handle a couple extra turns, try having Google Maps route you via Palm Parkway instead of I-4. It's actually easy. Once you get onto Palm Parkway, which starts near Hotel Plaza Blvd and the Crossroads shopping plaza, you stay on that road until you turn onto Universal property.
It's normally 10 extra minutes, but it's less traffic that the highway, and if there's any kind of rush-hour backup or accidents on I-4, the Palm Parkway route becomes the much faster option.

Oh, and I'd aim to be arriving on Universal property by 8-8:15. Save time by buying your tickets in advance, and either printing them at home or pick them up from the kiosk outside the park.

-Rob

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Thanks, everyone! I'll look into the rental car option, especially if I can get a shuttle to the CCC and still be at Universal in time for their opening.

This information has been very helpful.

 

[mikeb1967]

Ioa

Hey Nick A. My wife and i went there on nov. 2. We called Mears to schedule a pick up, they gave us several options for a pick up time, we choose 7:30am. They pick us up promptly, we did make a pick up at all stars but we were at Universal by 8:05am. We just walked around for a bit, the ticket counters were not even open til 8.45am and the park let us in starting at 8.55am. The cost was $9 per person each way = $36 total. To return we called 1 hour before we wanted to b picked up, we did stop at sea world on the way back and waited there for 5 min, but then directly back to the POP. It was effortless and only $36 and no hassle with traffic or paying for parking.
There is a package deal with a 1 day 2 park combo ticket that included transportation and ended up practically getting the transportation for free, but u had to purchase it at least 1 full day before going, we did not find out about that til the day before so we could not get it. Here s the link. MikeB
http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/universal/

 

[dxwwf3]

Mears Shuttle all the way

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Hey Nick A. My wife and i went there on nov. 2. We called Mears to schedule a pick up, they gave us several options for a pick up time, we choose 7:30am. They pick us up promptly, we did make a pick up at all stars but we were at Universal by 8:05am. We just walked around for a bit, the ticket counters were not even open til 8.45am and the park let us in starting at 8.55am. The cost was $9 per person each way = $36 total. To return we called 1 hour before we wanted to b picked up, we did stop at sea world on the way back and waited there for 5 min, but then directly back to the POP. It was effortless and only $36 and no hassle with traffic or paying for parking.
There is a package deal with a 1 day 2 park combo ticket that included transportation and ended up practically getting the transportation for free, but u had to purchase it at least 1 full day before going, we did not find out about that til the day before so we could not get it. Here s the link. MikeB
http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/universal/

Wow, that combo ticket with transportation seems like a great deal! I think I'll try to get that. Thanks, Mike!

 

[jvenegas]

It would be a party of two.

Party of two with Mears would be $36.00 round-trip. We used Mears on our last trip on January 5, 2011 from Pop to IOA.

 

[fbp]

Hey Nick A. My wife and i went there on nov. 2. We called Mears to schedule a pick up, they gave us several options for a pick up time, we choose 7:30am. They pick us up promptly, we did make a pick up at all stars but we were at Universal by 8:05am. We just walked around for a bit, the ticket counters were not even open til 8.45am and the park let us in starting at 8.55am. The cost was $9 per person each way = $36 total. To return we called 1 hour before we wanted to b picked up, we did stop at sea world on the way back and waited there for 5 min, but then directly back to the POP. It was effortless and only $36 and no hassle with traffic or paying for parking.
There is a package deal with a 1 day 2 park combo ticket that included transportation and ended up practically getting the transportation for free, but u had to purchase it at least 1 full day before going, we did not find out about that til the day before so we could not get it. Here s the link. MikeB
http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/universal/

We did exactly what you did, but in September 2010 and we didn't have to stop at Sea World. It was very easy and straight forward.

 

[emh1960]

Same Question

What about a taxi?
Can you have Bell Services call you one, and any idea of the price?
Thanks:shrug:

 

[Tink313]

Mears website has a taxi calculator. I was checking it out yesterday it said from Epcot to Universal was $35. Which for a family of 5 is better than the shuttle for $18 a head.

Shuttle 18*5=90
Taxi 35*2(roundtrip)=70 +10(tip)=80

Ten dollars less means I get to try out butterbear:sohappy: :wave: