Rental Car

[wdwdork]

Ok, so I know this subject has been dis'd over and over..and over. So my apologies for repeating what may have already been commented on. I read many posts but I couldn't find anyone talking about issues with the parking lot trams.

My family of 7 will be heading to WDW Sep 19-27 '09 and we are staying at ASMo. We have never rented a car and always utilized the buses from resort to parks and other resorts; with some good and some bad experiences.

I think I have decided to go ahead and rent a mini van for this trip, but I'm wondering if the time we save not waiting for a bus will be offset by the time we wait for the parking lot tram. My theory is that during the free DDP, most park guests will be staying onsite, and therfore the parking lots at the TTC, Epcot, HS, and AK will be relatively small. Therefore, waiting for a tram will be short. Or, even better, we can park close enough to the gates that we don't need to get on the tram.

Does anyone have any good advice on this subject? Thanks everyone!!

 

[DebbieB]

I'm staying at Animal Kingdom Villas. I used my rental car to go to DHS this morning. I got in the car at 8:20, parked at DHS at 8:30, was inside the park by 8:45. The tram was sitting there when I walked up, waited maybe 5 min to fill-up.

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I've moved this thread to the Transportation board.

 

[zstyles]

After my visit last week..there is no way I would rent a car unless I was planning on driving around orlando...We took a cab maybe 3 times..on for dinner. one for the Animal Kingdom and another back from the Animal Kingdom..less than 30 bucks for all three trips but the bus's are VERY efficient and free!

 

[linzbear]

The Tram is *much* faster than waiting for a bus, unless you're lucky and every time you walk up to the bus stop the bus is already there. Remember, there is only 1 tram stop, but something like 15 bus stops. It comes around probably every 5 minutes. And if you don't want to wait for the tram, you can always walk to your car. You're not required to take it! (In fact, at Epcot I frequently end up close enough to the gate that walking is faster than waiting for the tram).

In any case, most people will tell you to plan for 45 minutes of travel time by bus. By car, you can plan on 15 minutes of travel time. It is just so much faster!

 

[wdwdork]

Thanks everyone!! Much appreciate the good advice.

 

[DebbieB]

Tonight I went from Animal Kingdom Villas to Fort Wilderness Trail's End Buffet. Since we planned to go to MK after dinner, I decided to take the bus & boat. 1 hour and 15 minutes! I was 15 minutes late for our ADR (meeting friends).

 

[raidermatt]

General guideline is that with a car you will save time going anywhere except the Magic Kingdom. Getting into the Magic Kingdom will most likely take a bit longer since you have to go to the TTC and then take a boat or monorail.

But for all other destinations (from the value/moderate resorts), the car will save you time the vast majority of the time.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Tonight I went from Animal Kingdom Villas to Fort Wilderness Trail's End Buffet. Since we planned to go to MK after dinner, I decided to take the bus & boat. 1 hour and 15 minutes! I was 15 minutes late for our ADR (meeting friends).

Yeah, I mapped out something similar for another DISer several years ago - except they were starting at CBR (and going to the HDDR, not Trail's End). I think I timed it out at 78 minutes, and I think that turned out to be pretty accurate - bus to MK, walk to boat, boat to FW, including stops and wait time.

 

[wdwdork]

Yeah, I mapped out something similar for another DISer several years ago - except they were starting at CBR (and going to the HDDR, not Trail's End). I think I timed it out at 78 minutes, and I think that turned out to be pretty accurate - bus to MK, walk to boat, boat to FW, including stops and wait time.

That's one of the biggest reasons I am going to rent a car. We are doing HDDR and Ohana during our stay. Being able to drive to both resorts will hopefully help us make the res. Although, have you guys seen the rental car prices for September?!

 

[WillCAD]

Ok, so I know this subject has been dis'd over and over..and over. So my apologies for repeating what may have already been commented on. I read many posts but I couldn't find anyone talking about issues with the parking lot trams.

My family of 7 will be heading to WDW Sep 19-27 '09 and we are staying at ASMo. We have never rented a car and always utilized the buses from resort to parks and other resorts; with some good and some bad experiences.

I think I have decided to go ahead and rent a mini van for this trip, but I'm wondering if the time we save not waiting for a bus will be offset by the time we wait for the parking lot tram. My theory is that during the free DDP, most park guests will be staying onsite, and therfore the parking lots at the TTC, Epcot, HS, and AK will be relatively small. Therefore, waiting for a tram will be short. Or, even better, we can park close enough to the gates that we don't need to get on the tram.

Does anyone have any good advice on this subject? Thanks everyone!!

When you're there in September, overall crowds will be extremely low, and the parking lots will not fill up. You'll get fairly good parking spaces every day, and if you get there early enough, you'll get GREAT parking spaces close enough to the gates that you won't need the trams at all.

Crowds in the lots will pick up somewhat on the weekends, as locals visit the parks, but you can still get good parking spots, especially if you get there early.

But even when I'm not parked close to the gates, I often skip the tram and walk, simply to save time. I'm usually at the gates before the tram has a chance to pick up people from the area where I parked and drop them at the gates. If you think, "That's too far to walk! I'd rather wait for the tram" then WDW is probably not the vacation for you - it's ALL walking!

I've been to WDW during both empty and crowded times, and I drive myself everywhere. Self-driving is always faster than taking WDW transportation, except at MK, where the parking lot is on the other side of the Seven Seas Lagoon from the park. But I don't mind the extra time; I consider the monorail and ferryboats at MK to be attractions, not transportation, so my Disney Day starts the moment I get on the ferry in the morning, not when I get to the gates, and it doesn't end until I step off the monorail at TTC in the evening.

Besides, with a family of 7, you will always have a hard time finding seats on the buses, and when you do they will never be together. With your rental van, you all be guaranteed seats, all be together, and you'll get where you're going much faster and easier than with the buses.

 

[wdwdork]

When you're there in September, overall crowds will be extremely low, and the parking lots will not fill up. You'll get fairly good parking spaces every day, and if you get there early enough, you'll get GREAT parking spaces close enough to the gates that you won't need the trams at all.

Crowds in the lots will pick up somewhat on the weekends, as locals visit the parks, but you can still get good parking spots, especially if you get there early.

But even when I'm not parked close to the gates, I often skip the tram and walk, simply to save time. I'm usually at the gates before the tram has a chance to pick up people from the area where I parked and drop them at the gates. If you think, "That's too far to walk! I'd rather wait for the tram" then WDW is probably not the vacation for you - it's ALL walking!

I've been to WDW during both empty and crowded times, and I drive myself everywhere. Self-driving is always faster than taking WDW transportation, except at MK, where the parking lot is on the other side of the Seven Seas Lagoon from the park. But I don't mind the extra time; I consider the monorail and ferryboats at MK to be attractions, not transportation, so my Disney Day starts the moment I get on the ferry in the morning, not when I get to the gates, and it doesn't end until I step off the monorail at TTC in the evening.

Besides, with a family of 7, you will always have a hard time finding seats on the buses, and when you do they will never be together. With your rental van, you all be guaranteed seats, all be together, and you'll get where you're going much faster and easier than with the buses.

Thanks Will. Great info. We have DD7, DS5, and DD1 so I'm sure we'll be leaving the parks early afternoon to go swim and rest at the resort. I'm hoping the mini van will give us a little more flexability. Just hoping those rental prices come down!!

 

[VAN]

We are also going in September and I was able to snag a good rate on a mid-size car renting from the CCC. HOWEVER, a couple weeks ago, everything for September when sky-high. I am expecting the rates to come down and coupons for that time period to come out prior to Sept.

I have my rate locked in; however, can always hope for something to be lower last minute.

Good luck.

 

[WillCAD]

Thanks Will. Great info. We have DD7, DS5, and DD1 so I'm sure we'll be leaving the parks early afternoon to go swim and rest at the resort. I'm hoping the mini van will give us a little more flexability. Just hoping those rental prices come down!!

The van will definitely give you added flexibility and comfort.

If you do a mid-day break, be sure to take your car. This will give you two possible advantages - first, you'll be able to go to a different park in the afternoon if you choose, and second, entering a park later in the day increases your chances of being able to go up to the front of the lot and grab a space that was vacated by someone who left early.

My afternoon parking spot is often much closer to the gates than my morning spot; let's face it, those who arrive early enough for rope drop often leave early for a break, and when they do, they leave primo parking spaces available.