How do I get to Seaworld and Busch Gardens from Wilderness Lodge? Cheapest way?

[TLPL]

Hi all, I am a DVC memeber (I bought in when I thought I have money to spend), and I'm starting to plan my annual trip next May. After been to WDW so many times, I think I have seem pretty much everything Disney has to offer(for now). On this next trip, I would like to explore other theme parks in FL. I saw on the web site the combo ticket for Seaworld, Aquatica and Busch Gardens is only $109, good for 14 days. That is like less than half of any MYW plus water park ticket Disney charge. I think it is really cool. But the only question is.. how do I get there?? Can I take a bus or taxi? Or do I need a rental car? Which way is cheaper? We are just 2 adults with no kid and we are flying down from here. We are staying at Villa @ Wildeness lodge for 5 nights and planning to take the Magical Express from the airport.
Has anyone done this before and has any advice for me? Am I being too much of a cheapo?

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Busch Gardens is in Tampa so you'll need a car to get there. It's about an hour away from Orlando. There may be a shuttle service. Hopefully someone who has done it will chime in soon.

I think what I would do is rent a car for the Busch Gardens part of the trip. For SeaWorld and Aquatica you could either rent a car, take a bus or taxi.

Busch Gardens and Aquatica are really only one day parks and I've done everything at SeaWorld in a day and a half. So you may want to keep that in mind. If you are going for a week, what will you do the rest of the time? Would you go to Universal/Islands of Adventure?

If it was me, I'd probably rent a car just to keep it simple.

[Big V]

I always rent a car when I'm down there, but a lot of people don't like to drive in Orlando. They do have the "Lynx" public bus service there, but it would be a hassle to use it. There are a lot of other things to see and do instead of WDW.

[Ava]

A few years back I took a bus from ASMovies to SeaWorld. I think it was run by Mears, they pick up at the Disney hotels & take you to SeaWorld (probably Universal too). I don't remember how much it cost. The only downside to doing this is that you are at the mercy of someone else as to what time you leave the park. The bus had a set pick up time both ways.

[TLPL]

Yeah I found they have free shuttle bus service to Busch garden if we get their combo ticket. But like Ava mentioned, it is on their scheduel, and have to get to their pick up point.
Rent a car for a day or two sounds good, we can then check out the Disney outlet store and eat off site. (We love Sweet Tomatos which they don't have up here where we live)
My plane is to take it easy for the rest of the time, go to Downtown Disney, enjoy the pools, and resort hop using ferry and monorail.
Hey Big V where can I get good rate for rental car? Is it cheaper to rent it from airport or from around the resorts?
Thanks guys!

[fuse04]

For BG, if you do not want to hire a car, Mears operates a coach service for BG between Orlando and BG. If you have a multi park ticket, like the one on your post it is free, otherwise $10 pp. The coach starts at Universal but has some planned pick ups on the way to Tampa. Ssdly non of those pickups are on WDW property.

I cannot remembr all the pickup points but maybe the nearest is Goodings at Crossroads Shopping Centre near Downtown Disney. Could get the Disney bus to DTD (check what time thye start running) and walk or cab from there, or cab straight to Goodings from WL

https://secure.mearstransportation.c...schGardens.asp

For Aquitca and Seaworld Mears operate a shuttle van for $18 pp return trip, book 24hrs in advance to arrange pickup and hten call Mears a coupld of hours before you wish to depart and return to WL

Have used both the above services successfully

[Big V]

Originally Posted by TLPL

Hey Big V where can I get good rate for rental car? Is it cheaper to rent it from airport or from around the resorts?
Thanks guys!

Go on the transportation board for car rental info:
http://www.disboards.com/forumdispla...aysprune=&f=16
I know that there is a car rental place on Disney property, but not sure where it is. I think it's by the Hess gas station by the Swan & Dolphin resorts.
I like Sweet Tomatoes too! I think they just put up a new one very close to WDW.
Go to the Orlando Hotel and Attraction Forums too:
http://www.disboards.com/forumdispla...sprune=30&f=15
There is a lot of info there too!

[seasheller]

Originally Posted by Big V

I always rent a car when I'm down there, but a lot of people don't like to drive in Orlando. They do have the "Lynx" public bus service there, but it would be a hassle to use it. There are a lot of other things to see and do instead of WDW.

We used the Lynx bus service at Christmas time two years ago. It was absolutely no hassle (even though Disney people will tell you it is). Go online to their website for hours of operation. We took a Disney bus from our resort to Downtown Disney. The Lynx bus pick up was in a parking lot behind Cirque du Soleil (sp?). When we got there, the huge parking lot was completely empty, but our bus showed up right on time, at the letter C stop. Pick up was at 15 minutes after the hour. The bus went direct to Seaworld. They told us where to wait for return pick up and what time. We were dropped off right at Downtown Disney near the resort bus stops at the end of the day. Cost was 50 cents per person each way. When we crossed over I-4 on the way back, I was so glad we were not driving in that sea of headlights as far as you could see. I asked several Disney people at the resort about catching the bus, but no one seemed to think it could be done. After calling Lynx from our resort, I knew it was worth a try. I would do it again.

[Neesy228]

Originally Posted by seasheller

We used the Lynx bus service at Christmas time two years ago. It was absolutely no hassle (even though Disney people will tell you it is). Go online to their website for hours of operation. We took a Disney bus from our resort to Downtown Disney. The Lynx bus pick up was in a parking lot behind Cirque du Soleil (sp?). When we got there, the huge parking lot was completely empty, but our bus showed up right on time, at the letter C stop. Pick up was at 15 minutes after the hour. The bus went direct to Seaworld. They told us where to wait for return pick up and what time. We were dropped off right at Downtown Disney near the resort bus stops at the end of the day. Cost was 50 cents per person each way. When we crossed over I-4 on the way back, I was so glad we were not driving in that sea of headlights as far as you could see. I asked several Disney people at the resort about catching the bus, but no one seemed to think it could be done. After calling Lynx from our resort, I knew it was worth a try. I would do it again.

We did something very similar, except you can catch the Lynx bus just outside of the TTC as well, and go directly to Sea World. The bus stops right across the parking lot from the park entrance and they pick you up at the same place. We were traveling with our three kids and had no problem at all doing it, and I would definitely do it again. The bus drivers were helpful and kind and made sure we got off when we were supposed to. The only downside was the time it took us to get there from our resort. I would highly recommend traveling that way if you have the time to spare and want to keep it low cost.

[a1tinkfans]

We used LYNX bus from TTC.....VERY cheap, bring CHANGE not dollars!

..keep in mind it is not DISNEY buses and NOT magical, real people, real world!

[TLPL]

Hey Neesy, Seasheller,or Ava are Aquatica and Sea world close together? like the way Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure?

[Cheshire Figment]

There is a Lynx (Orlando Regional Transit) Express Bus #50 every 30 minutes that goes from the TTC to DTD to Sea World to downtown Orlando. From TTC to SW is 37 minutes and DTD to SW is 19 minutes. Last bus to Disney leaves SW at 11:10pm. check out www.golynx.com for more detail.

To Busch Gardens basically you would have to rent a car or check with Mears to see if they provide a service.

[Jessje]

You can also take the Lynx buss early in the morning to Seaworld and from there with the shuttle to Busch Gardens.
We don't have a drivers license so we rely completely on public transportation when we are in Florida. We stay offsite, and get everywhere we want using public transportation, hotel shuttles or in a rare case gatortours.com

[TinkandAriel]

We took a taxi from OKW to Seaworld --there were 6 of us, it cost 19 ea way. It was super easy, just asked outside the hospitality house and they called a taxi/van for us. Once we left Seaworld there were a pile of taxis waiting and we hopped in the first van.

[TLPL]

Can someone recommand which bus stop I should go to catch the Lynx bus from Wilderness Lodge? TTC or Downtown Disney? TTC seems closer to the Wilderness Lodge but I don't recall there is any way to get there.