Non-driver

[Adrian276]

I will be staying in the International Drive area for two weeks in May (unsure of hotel yet - allocated on arrival). I will not be driving whilst there and wonder if you have any advice on getting around, I will mostly be doing the parks, shopping etc. Some friends say I will definately need a car and now I am getting a bit worried about it! Thanks.

Adrian

 

[#1MMFan]

You don't need a car. I've never used one there and I've still survived easily.

I haven't stayed off-site in years, but I did do it twice and we took buses organised by the hotels to the parks. It's easy to get a taxi to Universal, and to be honest if I was visiting Florida Mall again from I-drive I'd get a taxi. I get a taxi to the mall from WDW and it's fine, expensive but fine. The cost won't be high from I-drive so don't worry.

By the way, welcome to the boards! You'll find this is a great place to get loads of info about WDW. I didn't find out about it until three trips later, but it has certainly clued me up. Which part of the UK are yo

 

[signtalker]

Last time we went, we had the first week without a car and the second week with.
There is plenty of transport to get you about to the parks and various other places,on our second week with the car we did however wonder how we managed in the first week, it was much better being able to come and go as we pleased and not have to wait around for transport, each to his own I suppose.
I however wouldnt do florida agin without a car.BUT... the transport is all geared up for people that dont drive, i think its a matter of personal opion.

Jules

 

[BevS97]

Can you drive?

Personally, I wouldn't consider staying off-site without a car. Yes there are shuttles to the parks from most hotels, and there is the i-drive trolley, but I think having your own car gives you a lot more freedom and flexibility. Americans are so used to having cars everywhere, that even a trip to Walmart is nearly impossible without a car, and other than I-drive you won't find many pavements.

The reason I like the car is because we do many things each day - we will set out in the morning, stop somewhere for breakfast, head to a park, leave mid-afternoon, go shopping someplace, maybe stop at a water park for a swim, find somewhere for dinner and return to the hotel late in the evening. To hop around from place to place like that on public transport would be very difficult, not to mention all the stuff we carry in the car like changes of clothes, drinks etc so that when we return to the car we can freshen up and replenish ourselves.

Saying that, it certainly can be done, and I know many people have visited Orlando without a car in the past and lived to tell the tale.

Would it be possible for you to budget in for a car if you decide you needed one? You can rent them from the hotel, or from places along i-drive, so if after a couple of days you decided that it was more hassle than it was worth, you could rent a car then. Or even just rent one for a few days mid-trip, to do a few things that were proving more difficult on public transport - like that all important trip to Walmart!

Bev

 

[Clarey]

We stayed at the Quality Inn two years ago and managed without a car. We used the I.Ride for Sea world and Universal and we had Mears shuttles organised by Virgin for Disney. It is easier with a car but you can still get to all the places without one without it being to expensive

 

[Sharby]

While not impossible, it is challenging to stay offsite without a car. We did it in 93- but have since stayed on-site.
But here's what I remember, what we did, and what I'd do differently:

Be very organized and very comfortable for the day. Have what you will need for the day on your back, your most comfortable shoes etc. You might go so far as to write down a detailed itinerary on small cards, so that you remember what you plan to do for the day - so that you not only know what park you want to do for the day, but in what order you want to do things when you get there. If possible, go to your public library and borrow the book "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World".

Study up as much as possible on the parks - if one of the parks opens early that day - do not go to that park - that's the park you'll be going to the following day. This method works quite well if you do not have early entry (EE) privileges. Remember you want to go to the park that had EE the day BEFORE - because the park the has EE is typically the most crowded for the entire day.

Find out what times the transportation runs to and from the hotel. Plan your day around these times and budget some taxi or Mears shuttle money (not like the free bus your hotel provides - this is a shuttle where you phone for pickup and drop off and you'll be travelling with others) for a couple of trips from Disney back to your hotel. Also find out what is the closest on-site place for a taxi to pick you up on Disney property (I think it was Downtown Disney - double-check on that) and maybe go there on the free Disney bus before calling your taxi (might save you a couple of dollars if you get your taxi as close as possible to the roads back to your hotel).

Plan on eating a large breakfast (making sure you're finished in plenty of time for the first bus of the day from your hotel) AND dinner at or near your hotel. Disney food is very expensive, so plan to eat offsite as much as possible - this way you can save a some of your $$ for taxi fare. If possible, budget for taxi's for return trips in the late afternoon of each day.

A typical day would involve you getting up early and getting to WDW as early as possible. Plan a mid-day break near to the park of the day - i.e. if at MK - take the monorail to the Polynesian for lunch and a stroll about the grounds - before retuning to the parks for the afternoon. Then either try and meet up with your late afternoon bus back to the hotel OR take a taxi back. Take plenty of time to get to know your hotel's swimming pool. Perhaps plan one day (the day before you go home?) where you go to the park for an evening and definitely plan on taking a taxi back to the hotel that night - although do not stay until closing as the taxi meter will be ticking away as you are caught in a line-up to get out of the park.

With planning, it is possible to have a great time offsite without a car. I think the real key to it working well, though, is planning. HTH.

 

[Adrian276]

Thanks everyone. I can drive but have never driven abroad and do not feel at all confident about it, (also my co-passenger is a useless navigator!!!). However, I will take my driving licence as I may just feel that the hassle without a car is not worth it. The concensus seems to be that a car makes a huge difference. This is a great site with loads of useful info and really helpful people, thanks again.

Adrian

 

[allie5]

Hi Adrian

It can be a nerve wracking idea driving in the US, but isnt that hard, honestly!!

The cars are so easy to drive (automatics) so just stop and go really. The roads are generally a grid system and most cars have a little digital compass, so point the right way and you will rarely get lost!! The roads are quieter and slower than ours, so if you make a mistake it doesnt matter. They dont have roundabouts or confusing road layouts like we do here. We did end up on the Miami toll road once and the toll plaza attendants were sooo helpful, they pointed out when it was safe to u-turn and sent us on our way with the right instructions!! They are very Brit-tolerant!!

DH loves driving out there and loves the roads.....even I will be driving this year and I am the worlds worst coward!! Go for it....you will have much more freedom and will have a much better holiday!!

Have fun.
Allie.

 

[vernon]

Hi Adrian, many people get nervous about driving abroad. IMHO America is one of the easiest places to drive. Granted driving on the other side of the road takes some concentrating, but all the cars are automatic so you don't have to worry about changing gear (but winding the window down instead ) . You can get the smallest type of hirecar (usually the size of an escort) for about £150 a week inclusive of all taxes.

While staying on I-Drive getting to the parks in that area ( SeaWorld, IOA and US ) is pretty easy and it would give you a chance to get used to the road system and get to know the immediate area of your hotel. The potentially more difficult part is getting to Disney without a car. While there are bus services and taxis available this is either going to be time consuming, relatively expensive or both. Often after a long day in the parks the last thing you want is to stand in the sun waiting for a bus or taxi.

IMHO you have two options (other than your current one of Idrive and no car),
1) you can see if it's possible to split your vacation and spend one week staying on site at Disney and one week on I-drive. If you DEFINATELY don't want to drive this is going to be the easiest option as Disney have a fantastic transport system that means you don't have to drive at all and there is no real inconvenience. There will be a cost to this, but Disney has some good deals on it's All Star resorts and it may not prove as expensive as you think. It's likely the rooms would come with your Disney passes so factor in the cost of a 5 day hopper plus ticket ( probably your best choice) to see if it looks reasonable value to you.
2) Stay with your booked accomodation and take a week doing I-drive attractions getting yourself orientated at least to that area. Book one weeks car hire ( it's going to be MUCH cheaper to do this from theUK before you go) in the smallest car they have. That car will be big enough for a family of four if you're just driving around to the parks and a bit of shopping, plus there is a good chance they won't have that car available and will give you a free upgrade. These companies only keep a minimal number of the smallest cars and will try to "upsell" you to a bigger, flashier car. If you're in any doubt the car you've ordered is sufficient, ask to see the original car BEFORE you upgrade. There's a good chance they'll upgrade you anyway . It's going to be much easier for you to get to and back from Disney in a car than having to wait for busses. I don't know if you have kids, but they can get fractious at the end of a long day. It can be stressful to have them screaming or crying in a car for 20 minutes, but that's multiplied by a factor of 10 if thats for an hour and it's on a bus ( by a factor of 20 if it's someone elses kid and it's an hour on the bus LOL). The other big plus, IMHO for a car is if you plan to do any shopping ( a big draw in Orlando) unless you want to be carrying ALL of your purchase around ALL DAY, then stumbling about on a bus to get them home it's going to make life far easier if you have the ability to drive to the various malls and outlets. Many of the shops and outlets are spread out over a reasonable distance, while in the case of Belz, it is theorettically possible to walk between the different shops and buildings, in summer it's going to make the experience an unpleasant one.

 

[Adrian276]

Thanks again, your words of encouragement are making me feel alot less anxious about driving. Vernon, you say it is cheaper to hire a car from the UK rather than wiat until I am there. Do you have any companies in mind, bearing in mind I will be in I-Drive area (airport transfers are already sorted).

Adrian

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Non-Driver here !!! Well OK that's because I can't drive recently failed a test

I have stayed 4 times on I-Drive without a car and have managed to get where I want when I want perfectly fine. I-Drive is one of the few pedestrian friendly areas in Orlando and you see lots of people walking about, and then you don't have to worry if you fancy that drink.

To WDW I used to get the hotel organised shuttle or organised one with Mears they were very convenient and if we wanted to leave the park earlier we'd ring them from a payphone about 30 minutes before we wanted to leave and there'd be a shuttle waiting.

On I-Drive I'd get the trolley to Sea World and Wet'n'Wild and found it quite easy to get a trolley most of the way to Universal and then walk the rest although to be honest it's only about $8 in a cab anyway.

If we ate late at a park or in Downtown Disney we'd get a WDW bus (which you can ride if you're a multi-day pass holder) to Downtown Disney and then get a cab back.

I guess you also have to take into account the cost of the car - i.e. the insurances etc and whether or not you'd spend that on other transportation - when I checked the last time I stayed on I Drive there were 2 of us and we spent what we thought to be the equivalent for car insurance. When we went with another couple it was cheaper than hiring a car as we shared cabs nearly all the time and didn't even bother with hotel shuttles.

If however you did want to explore more of the Orlando area and Florida e.g. space coast then I would suggest hiring a car if you don't want to go on one of the organised trips.

Just another opinion if you're still unsure.

 

[Sharby]

Me again (I posted several boxes up)

Anyway. Now that you've explained that you do drive (even if your 'co-passenger is a useless navigator'-LOL) - it is possible to rent (sorry, 'hire' in Britspeak) a car in the area. The company will arrange to come and get you at your hotel and take you to their office where you will do the paperwork and then you will drive the car back to your hotel. And as has been suggested, do arrange a car before you leave home.

It might be worth the extra couple of dollars to arrange with a reputable company and make sure you understand about insurance requirements before you get to the office to sign the papers! Generally speaking, car hires are least expensive in blocks of a week.

Also Florida is quite flat, easy to drive, and most of your driving will be on long flat stretches - all your 'useless navigator' will have to do is remember the exit number!

Good luck Adrian - and have a wonderful trip, and do let us know how it all turned out. Most importantly, let us know whether or not you and your companion get the DISney bug and become converts as to the fact that there is practically NO other place in the world to vacation.

 

[alisonia]

If you keep your driving on the I4 to a minimum then the rest is a piece of cake. With lots of roads like the 417 -Florida Greenway, the Beeline and the Osceola Parkway-you can get from A to B quite quickly as they are toll roads and are not over used.


Navigation isn't difficult either.

Then if you want to try a Boggy Creek airboat ride and see a bit of the real Florida, visit Winter Park or just have a good old look around then a car makes everything so much more possible.

My 23 year old son had never driven abroad either but as he had to stay an extra day after we had left letting him keep the car was the best option. It was great. We had ran out of time to collect some new patio furniture from Costco-so he was dispatched to get it before he drove himself back to the airport. Considering it was his first time in Orlando-he soon got the knack of the best ways to get around.

An E 2 or 4 door- costs about £150 a week.

Alison

 

[JohnnySharp]

Having been to Florida the first time on honeymoon without a car
all our following trips we have rented one and I do all the driving.

To be honest a holiday without one just would not be the same.

I agree with BevS97 completely, the number of times we drive past people sat waiting for the bus - there are loads of people who do not rent a car.

Obviously everybody is a bit wary the first time but compared to driving in the UK it really is much more easy going and trouble free.
Plus it gves you so many more options, there is no way we would ever go to Orlando not renting a car.

 

[vernon]

Adrian I've used these companies before and found them both OK. http://www.holidayautos.co.uk/home/ and http://autosabroad.com/usa-and-canada/index.htm

Ebookers also say they will pricematch and have a similar offering. I'm sure people will come up with a few other similar companies. I've left it to arriving in the USA before and got SCREWED on the insurance rates.

 

[Olaf]

Originally posted by BevS97
like that all important trip to Walmart!

Bev, you crack up! What is it with Wal-mart and you Brits! There ought to be a law against that store. Next time try Target, it's much more genteel.

Adrian, I have to second all those who have suggested renting a car. I know it can be done (Orlando without car), but I think your vacation would be much more enjoyable with ready transport. But, then I'm an American, and the thought of being without wheels makes me break out in a cold sweat.

 

[alisonia]

Airline Network at the moment are undercutting everyone-how they are doing it I don't know.

Alison

 

[bbowers]

Originally posted by vernon
I've left it to arriving in the USA before and got SCREWED on the insurance rates.

Got a tip from the DisneyDollarLess site - if your insurance covers you in a rental, get a letter from your agent stating this and take it with you to rent your car. (Also, if you credit card covers you, take a copy of THAT statement.) The car rental agents will then back off on forcing that unnecessary insurance on you.

 

[BevS97]

Got a tip from the DisneyDollarLess site - if your insurance covers you in a rental, get a letter from your agent stating this and take it with you to rent your car. (Also, if you credit card covers you, take a copy of THAT statement.) The car rental agents will then back off on forcing that unnecessary insurance on you.

Unfortunately for us Brits, that insurance is necessary as our insurance does not cover us in the same way as yours. However, if you book from the UK, you can usually get a package price including all the expensive insurances, for a lot less than the daily rate you will be charged if you wait till you get to the States.

Here's a thought that i don't know the answer too - I wonder if you decided once you are over there that you needed a car, could you call one of the UK consolidators, or use an internet terminal to book online, and hire a car via a UK place with an all inclusive rate once you are already in Orlando?

Bev, you crack up! What is it with Wal-mart and you Brits! There ought to be a law against that store. Next time try Target, it's much more genteel.

Actually I love Target! Or as we used to call it when I lived in the States... TarGhey. Last time I wsa over in Orlando I actually bought new sofa covers from Target while we were out there. My husband thought I was mad, but things like that are way more expensive (and very hard to find) at home.

I think Walmart just really tickles Brits because we don't have anything like it over here. A place that really does sell anything and everything and is cheap too!

What was the original question??? Oh yes - car hire.... I've always done very well with www.choiceair.co.uk and we never ever order more than the very smallest car available, and have never had anything remotely small at all - the smallest has been a Neon, which by UK standards is a pretty respectable size.

Bev

 

[Olaf]

Originally posted by BevS97
I think Walmart just really tickles Brits because we don't have anything like it over here. A place that really does sell anything and everything and is cheap too!

Oh I get it, it's a tourist attraction! I avoid Wal-mart like the plague. It's too crowded, dirty, and I can never find an employee who knows where anything is situated.