Driving from resort to park. How hard?

Our first trip we did not rent a car and used Disney transportation exclusively...our second trip we decided to rent a car, and probably will never do a trip without one again! It's just so much faster to use your own transporation for all the parks except MK (We DO continue to use Disney trans for that)....especially if you're staying in a resort that shares buses with other resorts.

Edited to add...we don't find getting around very difficult. Here is a link to one of the best maps I've found that really shows the internal WDW road system well: http://www.disney.co.uk/usa-resorts/waltdisneyworld/VII/maps/pdf/wdwmap.pdf

I printed the map before we left and kept it in the rental throughout our stay
 
we have GPS too!! A garmin one but we wont be using it on our trip in May b/c we arent getting a rental car and we're using ME instead but my dad is so crazy w/it, we use it when we go out to eat to see if it can locate the places or not, so I better not tell him he could use it in WDW, he might change his mind bout the rental car lol!! although it keeps him from complaining about the bus lines so I'm not sure, at one point he even said that he would get the rental car and my mom, brother and I could do ME and put all the luggage with it but the cost of rental cars for May i guess arent fitting into our budget so no GPS using for us and I dont think my dad is that crazy to take it on the buses, i'm not even sure you could??
 
Normally you can just follow the signs but sometimes that doesn't work to well either. Just make sure you have someone in the passenger seat looking at the map they give you of the parks and roads and you should be okay. Also plan ahead look at the map before you leave. If you're still not to sure you can always take the bus from MK to AK or from the resort.
 


Denise, that's an awesome map! I've bookmarked the site! I've never known how everything was layed out until now. I'm 99% sure we're going to stay at an All Star now!
 
dunnhorn, I was researching portable GPS devices today. I am hard of hearing would the Garmin work for me? Will it plug into my car speakers? Do you have to attach it to the windshield? Any and all info greatly appreciated. It was going to be my Christmas present but I am thinking it would be better to get it before our upcoming trips. Thank you so very much!!:)

Vital, one of the best kept secrets at Disney is how convenient the AS's are to many things. What I love the most is that it is at the end of the main road so I cannot get lost UNLESS I turn left out of Pleasure Island instead of right. :rotfl2:

Slightly Goofy
 
Hi there -

We have the 2730 and it does have a FM transmitter on it (or look to make sure that the model you are looking at does) and it comes fully loaded with a host of female voices. If the frequency of the female voice doesn't work for you, you can download a male voice (Daniel) from the internet (we did that... I like the sound of his british accent.) Also, there is a CHIME that goes off right before the person talks to you, which is good. The display also lists your vehicle speed and the exact distance before you make a turn, so if you have trouble hearing the visual is good. If you miss your turn, it will recalculate in seconds. We usually leave the sound off unless we are in total unfamiliar territory.

The one we have doesn't hard-install on any car. It sits on a bean bag holder that is surprisingly stable. We like this because this means we can take it with us whereever we go. I bought the carrying case for it from amazon.com but it is not that big.

My husband is saying that there is also an earphone jack... he said that he is thinking you can also use that earphone jack to put in a tape adaptor to broadcast over your speakers in case the FM transmitter doesn't work.

The model we have has XM radio - my husband's dad has the one right below it with no XM and his love for Garmin is what turned us on to it - we need th XM traffic because we live in Atlanta and my husband's commute is 25 miles one way. Anyway - the XM is not essential, but it is a nice feature. Couldn't recommend Garmin enough. I have a friend who has one too (the non-XM model). He totally loves it....
 


Leslie Ann, thank you so very much for taking the time and trouble to give me this very useful information. It sounds like the Garmin would be the perfect thing for this directionally challenged person. Wonder if it would give me directions around DW too? As many times as I have been I still get turned around in some of the parks. Just about the time I remember where everything is it is time to leave. :lmao:

My new car has six speakers so I do not use the sound system unless I am on a freeway.

You LIVE in Atlanta?? You brave folks. There is lots to love there but I do not envy you the traffic one tiny bit. I will be passing through on September 8th and you never saw so many prayers coming so fast in the 15 minutes or so it takes me to get through there.

Vital, I booked into Sports for 24 nites this morning. Maybe I will see you round?

Slightly Goofy
 
Leslie Ann, thank you so very much for taking the time and trouble to give me this very useful information. It sounds like the Garmin would be the perfect thing for this directionally challenged person. Wonder if it would give me directions around DW too? As many times as I have been I still get turned around in some of the parks. Just about the time I remember where everything is it is time to leave. :lmao:

My new car has six speakers so I do not use the sound system unless I am on a freeway.

You LIVE in Atlanta?? You brave folks. There is lots to love there but I do not envy you the traffic one tiny bit. I will be passing through on September 8th and you never saw so many prayers coming so fast in the 15 minutes or so it takes me to get through there.

Vital, I booked into Sports for 24 nites this morning. Maybe I will see you round?

Slightly Goofy

There are quite a few of us going on a cruise October 27 and are going to MNSSHP the 26th! If y'all want to meet us for the party, come to our cruise meets thread and join in! The more the merrier! We are also meeting some from the adults and solo travelers thread there!pirate:

Thank y'all for your help! I'm seriously thinking of a Garmin now~! But I do know for sure that I'll be staying at an All Star thanks to all the info here!
 
vital, our plans call for going to the Halloween Party (our first) on the 21st right now. We will be at EPCOT on the 26th.

I have decided to go ahead and get the Garmin soon instead of giving it to myself for Christmas. Since we have two trips to Florida planned before Christmas it makes more sense.

I am keeping an eye on the Boards and making a list, and checking it twice or more to see who is going to be at the Sports while we are there and if someone starts a Free Dining ADR thread I will print that out also and I really hope to be able to meet several people, you included.

I counted and I met over 2 dozen last time. I credit it all to my special t shirt I had made. You would have to see it, and I hope you do, to believe it. :lmao:

SG/Linda
 
I'm going to stay at Sports unless there's a team event those 2 nights! I'm already going to be tired and I don't need to be exhausted when I hop on that 7 day DCL cruise! I need my energy to snorkel, swim and walk on the beach!:lmao: We are going to make ADR's for LTT the 26th at 5ish so we'll be in the park for MNSSHP! During the day on the 26th we'll be at AK just so my son can ride EE. He made me (his poor mother:rotfl: ) ride it all alone last time. Now he regrets not riding it. He's only 7! He shouldn't have regrets yet!

Maybe we can meet at Sports between parks! Just look for a gal and her son running around the field looking crazy. We'll probably have on our Mississippi State hats too! I usually put a lime green mickey head on me somewhere!pirate:
 
I understand that you can request written out directions for any place you want to go at your resort desk.

It was step by step too, which would be very helpful for someone like me. I can get lost going around the corner, of my hometown.

SG
 

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