[GpaVader]

I have been using Groome for my airport service since arriving 3 years ago. They have been reliable, easy to schedule and always kept me up to date on my trips, along with providing good service with great staff.

On my trip home with them on Monday, 6/3, we were informed that door to door service will no longer be available South of 466. Anyone living South of 466 will either need to take the Express service or for an additional $15, they will pick you up and bring you to the express service drop off nearest you.

Not happy with this and will likely be seeking another provider. Just a heads up.

[NYcarrie]

I had a similar experience. I have used them for years when visiting my parents and always raved about the service. I recommended them to my brother and nephew to go back to Orlando airport last month and it was an hour and a half to get to the express pick up/drop off in Sumter Landing. Then another almost two hours to get to airport and my brother said they packed luggage and people into the van like sardines and a lot of people were upset. I sent a detailed response email to Groome to let them know what happened. Unfortunately, I never heard back from them (it's been a few weeks) and therefore I will not be recommending or using them again. Also we live north of 466.

[thelegges]

Any guesses that Target area of TV is getting too large for home pickup/ drop off?

Is the express still at LSL and Brownwood? Still shows both on website

[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by GpaVader

I have been using Groome for my airport service since arriving 3 years ago. They have been reliable, easy to schedule and always kept me up to date on my trips, along with providing good service with great staff.

On my trip home with them on Monday, 6/3, we were informed that door to door service will no longer be available South of 466. Anyone living South of 466 will either need to take the Express service or for an additional $15, they will pick you up and bring you to the express service drop off nearest you.

Not happy with this and will likely be seeking another provider. Just a heads up.

There is nothing about this on their website. When did it go into effect?

[Stu from NYC]

Hmm a neighbor tells me he will be picked up tomorrow morning and taken directly to airport.

[tophcfa]

My wife was told the same thing by a driver a few weeks ago. If you live south of 466 you have two options, take the home pick up service in a crowded van making several stops or find a way to get yourself to either the LSL or Brownwood terminal for the express service. Those living north of 466 can still get a home pickup ride to the LSL express terminal for an additional fee. The change makes sense because those living north of 466 are always the first picked up and last dropped off with the door to door van service. Living north of 466 the change is OK for us, but it definitely sucks for those living between 466 and 466A who will have very long rides on a crowded van.

[GpaVader]

The driver said that's what will happen, he didn't give any dates, so my guess is that they are taking care of the reservations they accepted before this. Interestingly a couple riding with us said that they had to be picked up and were brought to Brownwood...

As for the crowded van comment, I've only ridden on it a couple of times when it was at capacity. My last trip to MCO last Friday was full but I would not call it crowded. I still had more room than I did on the full flights I was booked on....

[Rainger99]

According to their website, they have two options. One is going to one of their pickup points (SS, LSL, Brownwood) for $40 and getting the van there.

The second choice is Residential Door-to-Door Service from your house to the airport for $45.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

According to their website, they have two options. One is going to one of their pickup points (SS, LSL, Brownwood) for $40 and getting the van there.

The second choice is Residential Door-to-Door Service from your house to the airport for $45.

The difference with their new policy is regarding getting to/from SS, LSL, or the Brownwood terminal for the express service. All Villagers used to be able to pay an additional fee and get picked up/dropped off between their home and the terminal closest to their home. That service is now only available for residents north of 466 to/from the LSL terminal. The logic is that the northern residents are the furthest from the airport, and since the Villages has grown so big, those residents had to go on a seemingly endless ride through the entire Villages after getting picked up or before getting dropped off using the residential door to door service. Residents further south can still use the residential door to door service if they don’t have a ride to a terminal for the express service.

[PGApromike]

We use Uber whenever there are 2 people or more. I also compare parking to number of days gone to decide if easier and more cost effective to drive. Cost is $90 one way for Uber(cheaper 3 or more sharing cost). There is no wait time, door to door service, regardless of where you live in The Villages.

[Laker14]

I used the door-to-door service when it was still available, back in October. I was going to MCO. After an hour of sitting in a cramped seat in a van, I was still in The Villages, going "door-to-door". After 2 hours, and finally arriving at the airport terminal, of being cramped in that seat, I literally could barely walk when I got out of the van.

Upon my return I took the transport to LSL and someone picked me up there. Not too bad since it was in the afternoon. However, if you are using Groome to take you to the airport, and you need to get to the pick-up depot, you might need a ride to the pick-up spot at 3AM. Not many of us want to bother a friend to drive us somewhere at 3 AM.

[KatieBon]

Originally Posted by GpaVader

I have been using Groome for my airport service since arriving 3 years ago. They have been reliable, easy to schedule and always kept me up to date on my trips, along with providing good service with great staff.

On my trip home with them on Monday, 6/3, we were informed that door to door service will no longer be available South of 466. Anyone living South of 466 will either need to take the Express service or for an additional $15, they will pick you up and bring you to the express service drop off nearest you.

Not happy with this and will likely be seeking another provider. Just a heads up.

I just switched from Groome to Village Airport Van, because the last time I had a flight delay, I couldn't get anyone on the phone at Groome to confirm I could get on their last van of the evening. VAV runs 24/7 and they have excellent communication. I'll admit, their vans are not as comfortable as Groome, but they do have door to door service. They are also planning to split their base of operations so they can cover the North/South areas separately, thus shorter times picking everyone up. Not sure when that's going to happen.

[Robojo]

Originally Posted by GpaVader

I have been using Groome for my airport service since arriving 3 years ago. They have been reliable, easy to schedule and always kept me up to date on my trips, along with providing good service with great staff.

On my trip home with them on Monday, 6/3, we were informed that door to door service will no longer be available South of 466. Anyone living South of 466 will either need to take the Express service or for an additional $15, they will pick you up and bring you to the express service drop off nearest you.

Not happy with this and will likely be seeking another provider. Just a heads up.

Kind of unrelated but still related. I OFFER PET CARE TO PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH VILLAGES.

[Villagesgal]

Been using the Villages Airport Van since they first opened. I live north of 466 and can hardly wait fir them to split the Villages north and south. It can take 3 or more hours each way, but they run 24/7 and have excellent phone response even in the middle of the night. My last flight was diverted to Newfoundland for a medical emergency on board so was delayed over 4 hours and we landed in terminal C instead of A. They already knew about it and we're picking me up there after midnight. I call that excellent service. Yes, it can take a long time to get there or home, but they are and have always been very reliable. Great company to deal with.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Robojo

Kind of unrelated but still related. I OFFER PET CARE TO PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH VILLAGES.

Kind of unrelated?