Help me with ALL costs/savings of Renting a Car

[MommytoaSweetie]

I'm trying to figure out everything extra we'll pay with renting a car like tolls to/from MCO as well as savings (buying a few groceries on the way down for cheap breakfasts in the room). We're staying at Pop Century and we know that it would be easier for our family to have a car, but certainly cheaper to just use WDW transportation, so we're trying to figure out if it's worth adding it to our budget (currently I found a rate of $200 for the week for a midsize car that I think would fit our family tightly - we'll have luggage + stroller + carseats - one rearfacing). If we go through WDW transportation, we do have to buy a CARES harness for DD1, but other than that it's free, but of course there will be long waits at buses, full buses and possibility of standing with two little ones on the bus, waiting for DME and waiting for our luggage (not a big deal to us) and all that. What are your opinions?

I guess what I'm trying to do is put a price on the convenience of renting a car versus the actual price of it.

[diznee princess]

we just came back and tolls were 2.50 each way taking beeline to I4 to WDW if you go hwy 417 the back way and the way WDW busses go i believe its maybe 50- 75 cents more. It takes about the same amount of time either way.

We always get a car. Waiting for busses with small children and strollers can be tiresome especially if you go during a peak time. If we are park hopping we like to have the car to go back and forth from park to park. Its just faster and you only pay one parking fee for the day. Actually if you are staying onsite your parking will be free anyway!
You can keep sweaters and items in the car you can go back to get later in the day without waiting for the bus and taking an hour out of your time to go back for something.

You can then stop at the Super Walmart or any store for your items you might need and that means less packing @ home!
We also like to hit the outlets and the character premier Disney outlet for sweatshirts or tees from the park at deep discounts. And my kids love to eat at Cracker Barrel before leaving Orlando.

Its a breeze returning the car right @ the airport and its literally a 20 minute drive to and from the airport even w/stopping for tolls. With the ME you have to leave earlier than you might want to to allow for the time they take to get you there.

So I say if you can swing it and get a good price for a car, it might be worth it. Lowest gas was about 2.66 last week but you will use very little, so that shouldn't be too much expense.

[MommytoaSweetie]

Thanks for that great info! It definitely seems worth it to us to rent a car... we had always done that in the past (staying off-site), but didn't last time because we were on-site. The buses weren't awful, but I do remember us saying "next time we should probably rent a car"... we should probably take our own advice. Those tolls aren't bad at all... not like crazy tolls going up to NYC or something that we're used to!