Driving Around the World v Buses

[WishnDisney]

Driving! It didn't take long for the car cool down and I was just happier driving back in my car at night, especially when I saw crowded buses with hot, tired people. The one night we took the bus we were standing in lines, standing on the bus, blech. I used to live in a city where I took public transportation and I didn't mind it. But that was after spending a day in an office building , not on my feet in a theme park.

 

[Networth]

We drive to WDW (Floridians). But never use our car, we hate to drive on vacation. The only time I am thinking about breaking this is for dinner ADRs at Jiko. I have TiW so can valet the car and it's much quicker to use a car to go from the GF to AKL than a bus.

 

[Annaelsa]

Disney transport is a definite plus for us as well. The ability to park at the airport at home, and have someone else transport us for the whole trip, outweighs any time we might miss waiting ten or even twenty minutes for a bus.

We aren't opposed to renting a car, but we always find we use it less than we anticipate. With Garden Grocer delivery, we really can't find a good reason to get a car on our trips.

 

[DVC Jen]

We drive everywhere and find it to always be faster to drive ourselves than take a bus. The MK may be faster on a bus as long as you don't have to wait a long time for it.

If you are staying at a WDW resort and have your parking pass parking in the theme parks is free.

One more thing - you always get a seat in your car!

 

[sjv919]

We love the buses. All the driving and gas is on someone else! We're from Tampa so obviously drive /to/ WDW, but the car typically stays parked at the resort while we hop on the bus for the few days we're there. Exceptions being dining reservations at a different resort or if we slept in too long to wait for a bus after breakfast and make RD. Even then, after our afternoon nap and swim we're back on the buses headed out for the evening.

 

[bshawcrew]

Strictly car people here. We've always had a car, either because we drove or flew and rented. We tried the buses one trip just to get the feel. Didn't like at all. At the end of a long day in the park, I do not want to stand on a crowded bus with crying kids and complaining adults. Plus the wait was too long for my liking. And like you, always seemed to get there just as the bus was leaving.

 

[garjanjones]

We do the bus even when we drive. We do RD and rarely stay until park close. We always are there at crowd level 8-10 (June). We have NEVER had to wait until the next bus. After reading the other replies it may depend more on the times you want to use the bus than I realized.

 

[TowMater92]

We always drive to DTD the buses take forever to go to and from DTD, we also use our car to go to water parks, Universal, grocery store and out to eat sometimes but everywhere else we use Disney transportation. We have driven to DHS and AK but we usually use the bus. By the time you get through the the gates(where you pay) get parked and ride the tram to the park entrance you don't really save much time. You save no time driving to MK and it usually takes more time if you do.

 

[bweagle]

We used to use the Disney buses exclusively after arriving on site, but 2 trips ago I went with my mom, who has a bad knee and those bus rides (especially those late in the evening after a long day in the parks) were excrutiating on her. You would think more men would give up a seat to a 60+ year old woman.....but that's another post for another time. Anyways, after 2 days of buses, she said never again and we began driving into the parks. We loved it and when I returned last year with my husband and kids we went ahead and drove our own car in again. (With the exception of MK, we still take the bus there to avoid the monorail /boat ride in) We like knowing we have a seat waiting for us and no line when we get there

 

[china mom]

I like the freedom that comes with bus transportation. My husband and I can split up and meet back at the hotel depending on which child wants to be where.

 

[WendyBelle]

We drive to every park except the MK. Love how quickly we make it into the parks and having a seat late at night on the way back to our resort is wonderful.

 

[denneg]

We vary between staying on and off property, so I see the benefit of both. But we have never rented a car when staying onsite, the cost of the rental outweighs the convenience of having our own car. I'd rather spend the money on other things on vacation than replacing a free service. When we are off site, I do like knowing I will have a seat, that I control the AC, if my kid is crying or overtired no one else is bothered, and DH and I don't have to juggle strollers, bags and kids. But staying on property and being able to send DH and the baby back for a nap while DS and I continue to have fun is a huge plus! With the exception of DD (which isn't applicable now that the parking problems have leveled the playing field, getting to the Boardwalk when we aren't staying there (our favorite nighttime activity), and dining at resorts, I have no complaints about the buses.

 

[tlkscott]

We find that driving is faster. We do early ADR's to get into the parks before they open so we are some of the first ones into the parking lot and get to park very close. The only place we haven't used the car for is DTD. We rented points and stayed at animal kingdom lodge kidani village. You park under the building and we had a room close to an elevator so it only took us 1-2 minutes to get to the car. The bus would be 5-10 minute walk.

 

[eliz603]

Just got back less than 2 hours ago from our first driving trip! We have usually flown, and my DH has always hated the buses. We were at OKW this time with our own car, and we were able to park right outside our door. We certainly arrived faster than via bus, and the trams were fast with nearly no wait. I didn't mind them, even with a stroller. Last night we left the MK at 11:45 and were walking in our room in less than 40 minutes, and that included the monorail, tram, etc.

 

[MartDM]

For those of you who drive, can you try to describe how much time you save? We drive to DTD and the water parks, and I've contemplated driving to EP/HS/AK, but never have.

I've always figured that, by the time you walk from your room to your car, drive to the park, and walk from your car to the entrance, you really wouldn't be saving all that much time vs. waiting a few minutes for the bus right outside the hotel and then being dropped right outside the gate. Anyone care to share your thoughts/experiences? Can you make any comparisons to convince me?

 

[Rosebud123]

Not a fan of the Disney busses. I live in a big city and love to use them at home, but at Disney I want to get from point A to point B ASAP. I can't stand jockeying for position to make sure I get on a bus and I don't like not knowing when the next one is coming. Driving is so easy!

 

[tiredsigh]

We got a rental car last trip, and it made us so much happier! I hate how overcrowded the buses get. I hate having to wait for them to arrive. Instead, I can park in front of the room and we can relax in soft seats with a radio and a cup holder and no one is yelling at their child to "shut up!" or changing a diaper halfway on my lap.

It was so pleasant and made us all so much happier. We found it worth every penny!

This trip, we are driving again. The only WDW transport we will use will be the boat from POR to DTD for fun.

 

[aprincessatlast]

For those of you who drive, can you try to describe how much time you save? We drive to DTD and the water parks, and I've contemplated driving to EP/HS/AK, but never have.

I've always figured that, by the time you walk from your room to your car, drive to the park, and walk from your car to the entrance, you really wouldn't be saving all that much time vs. waiting a few minutes for the bus right outside the hotel and then being dropped right outside the gate. Anyone care to share your thoughts/experiences? Can you make any comparisons to convince me?

We have only driven a couple of times. We usually fly and use busses mostly. When we drove we realized how much time was saved at 2 parks in particular. Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. The parking lot is right there. Just as close as the bus stops. It really is much faster than waiting for a bus and hoping you will get on it and it not fill up or it be jammed pack. The longest wait we have ever had was at DHS for a bus. Granted getting there was easy but it was the getting back part that took forever!

Epcot is still a time saver with driving but the parking does seem to be a wee bit further away and proved a toss up. We always used a bus to MK as the busses always won in that scenario.

THe walk to the parking lot and the bus stop is usually pretty= at the hotel and often times closer as a PP pointed out. So t that is another time saver. Really with a bus you are waiting on an unknown variable. With your car you kind of know exactly how long it will take you.

 

[mickyzzzzz05]

We use the busses. Usually we stay at All Star Sports and our luck with busses has been great over the years. The majority of the time the bus is just pulling up as we are walking to the bus stop or it comes shortly after we get to the bus stop. There have been exceptions but over the years they have been few and far between.

 

[Cookie Princess]

Trying to make RD can be more stressful using the busses if they are running behind. In a rental car, we can control when we will get to the parks better.