Rental car worth it?? NEED HELP!

[karters*mom]

ok..tough question...just when i thought then questions were over I read it can take 58 mins from the resort to MK! holy long ride~

Is it worth it to rent a car?
We are planning on staying on the Disney Property at the resorts and such....would it be beneficial to rent a car to drive to places and such???

We are staying at All star sports...We have our dining ADR's everywhere...lol

Not sure of the cost or the best place to rent one??


Whats your 2 cents??

 

[corrmac]

If you are not planning on leaving the resort (to shop or visit other parks), you don't really need the car. I have never found the bus rides to be to long although it does take a bit of planning to get to other resorts for ADRs as there are no resort to resort buses. Parking the car in the colossal parking lots then getting to the main gates of the park would take some time to so it is nice to be dropped off at the entrance
Now if you are planning to leave the Disney grounds, I say rent a car as it is fairly expensive to cab around as Disneyworld is not actually in Orlando.
Have a blast!

 

[Donald - my hero]

ok..tough question...just when i thought then questions were over I read it can take 58 mins from the resort to MK! holy long ride~

Is it worth it to rent a car?
We are planning on staying on the Disney Property at the resorts and such....would it be beneficial to rent a car to drive to places and such???

We are staying at All star sports...We have our dining ADR's everywhere...lol

Not sure of the cost or the best place to rent one??


Whats your 2 cents??

Doncha just love planning a trip, just when you think everything is all in a row and ready to go something else crops up!

Whenever we go we rent a car --- we would rather get up a bit later to head to a breakfast at another resort than risk waiting for a bus that gets us there too late. We have never had mush trouble with parking for the parks. Get around the MK trouble with parking at EPCOT lot, taking the tram to front gate and hopping on the monorail, that gets us into the mood and still gives us the freedom of coming and going when WE choose.

Now that the Magical express service exists we rent on site

 

[ronandannette]

Very, very well worth it. It's really easy to drive around WDW (and outside into the near environs). You can zip from hotel to park or from park to park in minutes and parking is FREE if you're at a Disney resort. Any walk you might have to/from the parking lots is more than compensated for by NOT having to wait in the sweltering heat for buses. I simply wouldn't have been able to tolerate that. You will most likely also be "crowded-out" by the end of a day; not a fun prospect to be crammed into mass transit at that point either.

GET THE CAR!!



Annette

 

[cdnmickeylover]

We have done both -- rented and not rented on trips. Most of the time when we rented a car it just sat in the parking lot. We don't mind taking the busses esp. at the end of the day when everyone is leaving, the roads are packed with cars and we just sit on the bus. We usually don't rush out of the parks and wait til we can get a seat on the bus. It's never taken us 58 minutes to get to MK and we've stayed at ASSp (actually we've stayed at all the values). It depends on your tolerance though and if you like driving. We don't so we prefer the Disney transportation. We also talk to other people on the bus or boat which is sometimes really interesting. We also don't go offsite so have no real reason to have a car.

It is a matter of preference though. With Magical Express we don't see the need to rent but have lots of friends who do rent to drive to the parks. We consider the bus ride part of the charm of WDW.

 

[canucktyke]

If you are planning to shop Premium outlests, Florida Mall) then a car is your way to go. You asked where to rent them - the answer is on-line from most of the normal rental car companies, Budget, Alamo, Enterprise etc, and then they have counters and cars right in the Orlando airport. If you pre-pay, all you do is pick up your bags, walk to the parking garage (very close), pick out the car you want, and drive away (showing your paperwork to a person in a booth on the way out), easy!

 

[Shir Kahn]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that there are rental places at DTD, is that correct? DW wants to take the Magical Express from the airport to the resort and we're going to DTD on our first day. I'm hoping that I can just pick up a car there, rather than having to grab a taxi back to the airport. We love the freedom that having a car gives you!

 

[karters*mom]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that there are rental places at DTD, is that correct? DW wants to take the Magical Express from the airport to the resort and we're going to DTD on our first day. I'm hoping that I can just pick up a car there, rather than having to grab a taxi back to the airport. We love the freedom that having a car gives you!

Yes..price line said there is a pick up DTD...

 

[karters*mom]

Help..what / how is the best place to book it?
i think we'd like to take the Magical express to the hotel so picking it up at disney downtown is a great option as I was planning on going there are first day anyways!

Now to justify a car to hubby i need to find a good price..help please...lol
He gets cranky in the heat...I get cranky in crowds with rude people so i think a car my just suit us fine..

Any advice is great..thanks for all your help..Your Awesome!

 

[SaskDisNut]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that there are rental places at DTD, is that correct? DW wants to take the Magical Express from the airport to the resort and we're going to DTD on our first day. I'm hoping that I can just pick up a car there, rather than having to grab a taxi back to the airport. We love the freedom that having a car gives you!

Yes there are rental places at DTD. I rented from Dollar at the Regal Sun Resort which is just a short walk from the Marketplace bus stops. If you go to mousesavers.com and look for a rental code discount you can save some money too! I'm sure there are other rentals agencies at the other hotels as well but I don't know what they are.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Thought the Disney system did the best job it could. Noticed that when it was busy at the bus stop it was also busy at the tram stop to the parking lot. We raced another family once from MGM back to ASMU. We left the park gates at the same time and my family on the bus beat their family back.

In August I love the feeling of immediate air conditioning in the buses as opposed to the stuffy shut tight car heat with hot seat belt clips you are faced with. It's enough to make you melt.

 

[joech]

We rented a vehicle for both of our trips last year and we will contine to do so. It is really easy to get around within Disneyworld with a vehicle. From our resorts AKL to any parks took no more than 10-15 minutes of driving either way during christmas weeks.

I can't picture myself, DW, DD (4 yrs) DS (almost 2) with 2 stroller wait for the bus with long line of people after spending a full day at the parks. AKL line seems to be one of the shortest one and We still wouldn't take the chance.

 

[karters*mom]

We rented a vehicle for both of our trips last year and we will contine to do so. It is really easy to get around within Disneyworld with a vehicle. From our resorts AKL to any parks took no more than 10-15 minutes of driving either way during christmas weeks.

I can't picture myself, DW, DD (4 yrs) DS (almost 2) with 2 stroller wait for the bus with long line of people after spending a full day at the parks. AKL line seems to be one of the shortest one and We still wouldn't take the chance.

I'm going to rent one..I found a good price on hotwire..but never booked there before and are kind of nervous...$152 for 8 days..

 

[joech]

We got our rental from Budget and Thrity and the last trip during christmas is close to $500 for 2 weeks for a minivan. We booked our through expedia.ca and never had any problem. Your price seems really good. Where do you pick up the car? Is it a local car rental company?

 

[karters*mom]

We got our rental from Budget and Thrity and the last trip during christmas is close to $500 for 2 weeks for a minivan. We booked our through expedia.ca and never had any problem. Your price seems really good. Where do you pick up the car? Is it a local car rental company?

Hotwire.com..i chose airport pick-up..now it says its major companies ie: Alamo, National etc..but you don't know until you confirm your listing..kind of like the name your price thing on Priceline I guess! I've never booked a car before...lol

 

[surfer_ed]

We rented a vehicle for both of our trips last year and we will contine to do so. It is really easy to get around within Disneyworld with a vehicle. From our resorts AKL to any parks took no more than 10-15 minutes of driving either way during christmas weeks.

I can't picture myself, DW, DD (4 yrs) DS (almost 2) with 2 stroller wait for the bus with long line of people after spending a full day at the parks. AKL line seems to be one of the shortest one and We still wouldn't take the chance.

Everybody varies, I have 2 small kids (DS 1 and DD#) and think that jumping in a rental car and strapping the kids in the car seats and packing the stollers is too much work compared to jumping on the bus. Of couse best solution is to stay on the Monarail line.

I rented form both Alamo (on-site at MK) and Budget, short ride close to DTD and it was great. Consider renting one for the days you might go off property. A few times we rented form MCO and returned it at WDW when we knew it was no longer needed.

Can't you do something more interetssing with $152? Keys to the Kingdom Tour, stay another day etc.

 

[karters*mom]

Everybody varies, I have 2 small kids (DS 1 and DD#) and think that jumping in a rental car and strapping the kids in the car seats and packing the stollers is too much work compared to jumping on the bus. Of couse best solution is to stay on the Monarail line.

I rented form both Alamo (on-site at MK) and Budget, short ride close to DTD and it was great. Consider renting one for the days you might go off property. A few times we rented form MCO and returned it at WDW when we knew it was no longer needed.

Can't you do something more interetssing with $152? Keys to the Kingdom Tour, stay another day etc.

My thought on a rental car are & and my hubby actually agrees now..AMAZING...lol

~#1 its is a vacation..ENJOY..why get stressed out over which bus goes where at which time and what happpens if we miss it..this way you can hop in your car and so what you wish..you run 10min behind its ok cause you have pokey children you don't have to catch the bus! For $18 or less a day its well worth it

~ that if its easier to go from place to place without waiting for the bus..worrying that we will be late for our ADR's ..what happens if we wake up 10 min late one morning..miss the bus and miss our Breakfast ADR. We were told that there is no direct Resort-resort bus and we have ADR's booked at some nice hotels.

~if it rains we have more options where we can stay dry and do things!


~We were told to go from one end to MK it takes approx 50 min's...when it takes 10 to drive...

~Then we have a place to store our stuff at the parks, can come out to get anything if needed. Drinks, change of clothes, change of shoes, warmer / cooler clothing. We don't have to drag it around the park.


~We can also stop and get drinks/food and stuff for our room on the way in. Saves Garden grocer fees and such.

~We arrive at 10am and can't obviously check into our hotel at that time so it also gives us a place to put our carry-ons and such. Rather than dragging those on the bus from place to place til we can check in.

~Our flight the following friday leaves at 8:55pm. So we have a place to keep our luggage instead of leaving it where other people have access to it when we have to check out. Then we do not have to make sure we are back at the hotel to get the luggage and wait for the bus.

~Tired cranky child at the end of the day can fall asleep in the car and be peacefully moved to the hotel room...rather than become crankier on a crowded bus! that is worth the extra $$ right there

Plus I received an $318 credit on my credit card because my travel agent applied a Canadian Resident code and we received a credit back..so now I have to use that up..so all in all its not really costing us anything in the end!!

 

[MinnieMommy]

Hi karters*mom,

You must be so excited for the birthday surprise trip!
I believe the choice of car rental or no car rental is a very individual thing.
Renting seems to be what you feel will be a good choice for your family, and no-one knows your family better than you.
Do you sense a big BUT coming..
I just wanted to add a few comments regarding our family's previous rental experiences, just FYI.
Keep in mind if you decide to go with a rental from the airport... make sure they really are "at the airport", many companies say airport location, but when you get there, you have to go line up for a shuttle that will take you to an off-site location (close by) where you have to get in line for your car. The transporation board should have TONS of info for you as to which ones are truly at MCO.
Also, keep in mind that if you are leaving things in your car in a parking lot and hoping to run back to grab things as you need them, it may not be as close as you think. It can be quite a trek back out to your vehicle, so you may want to leave things there that you MAY need, rather than things you will very likely need.

 

[karters*mom]

Hi karters*mom,

You must be so excited for the birthday surprise trip!
I believe the choice of car rental or no car rental is a very individual thing.
Renting seems to be what you feel will be a good choice for your family, and no-one knows your family better than you.
Do you sense a big BUT coming..
I just wanted to add a few comments regarding our family's previous rental experiences, just FYI.
Keep in mind if you decide to go with a rental from the airport... make sure they really are "at the airport", many companies say airport location, but when you get there, you have to go line up for a shuttle that will take you to an off-site location (close by) where you have to get in line for your car. The transporation board should have TONS of info for you as to which ones are truly at MCO.
Also, keep in mind that if you are leaving things in your car in a parking lot and hoping to run back to grab things as you need them, it may not be as close as you think. It can be quite a trek back out to your vehicle, so you may want to leave things there that you MAY need, rather than things you will very likely need.

thanks for the great advice! I am excited! Trying to pack some things without my sin knowing is proving tricky...He asked why my suitcase was out and i said I didn't put it away from my "Girls" vacation to Cuba I had a few months back. He was ok with that answer.

I don't really want to lug suitcases and stuff from the airport to an off site car place.... We have an early flight..and will be tired already...lol

 

[karters*mom]

ok..thanks to everyones great advice..I took the plunge!

first attempt @ Priceline

$8 day. Economy Car

declined



tried it again


$9 day for a compact car....

accepted

Pick up 10:30am April 18th
Return 7:00pm April 25th

The guy almost gave me a heart attack when I called to make sure my reservation was booked right...I said drop off time 7pm..he said no 10:30am...I said nope it says 7pm on my sheet...he then said 10:30am on the 26th..guess I should have listened to his full sentence.. .We have it booked for 8 days...cause we area actually needing it for 7 days 8.5 hours!



Total $72.00 plus $41.28 tax

My rental car just cost $113.28..or $14 a Day.. I could not be more thrilled...​