Advice on car hire please :)

[Holstar]

Hey you wonderful people!

It feels like life has somewhat taken over and I've not been here for a little while! I've weirdly missed DisBoards and all the pre-planning I've been able to do!

So, we're booked for 23rd August - 10th September 2013. We're doing a split stay - 11 nights at the Yacht Club and then a week in a villa.

As we've never been before, and my boyfriend and I are taking our three nieces (15, 12 and 9) we wanted to make it as relaxed as possible, rather than rushing around all the parks and then trying to cram in other stuff, such as Discovery Cove in a two week trip - hence adding on a week in a villa!

The plan, is very much to spend the twelve days whilst we're at the Yacht Club just doing Disney and then do Discovery Cove, Wet 'n Wild etc in the week we're in the villa.

So, we sort of said that we'd only get car hire for our week in the villa but not for Disney as I didn't think we'd need it. However, having had a look at maps, and some trip reports, I'm now not entirely sure that's the best idea.

When you stay on site, do you guys still hire a car? Do you use the car to get to the Disney parks? Do you find it easier than using the busses?

If so, where do you park? Are the car parks close to the entrance of the parks or further away than the bus stops? If you're staying on site do you still pay car parking? Is it expensive?

Apologies for so many questions!

Hollie xxxxxx

 

[chmurf]

When you stay on site, do you guys still hire a car?

yes. for me USA = car

Do you use the car to get to the Disney parks?

yes

Do you find it easier than using the busses?

yes, especially with kids at the end of an exhausting day

If so, where do you park?

Parks parking lot

Are the car parks close to the entrance of the parks or further away than the bus stops?

They are farther away than the bus stops, but there are free trams getting you from the car parks to the park entrance (the question is : would you rather wait for a bus for 20 minutes in an uncovered area, under a blazing sun, or walk the whopping 2 or 3 minutes from your car to the tram stop ?)
for MK you park at TTC and you'll need to take the monorail or boat to MK anyway

If you're staying on site do you still pay car parking?

disney hotel guests get free parking at all disney parks

Is it expensive?

obviously not if you're a resort guest since it's free for you
if you stay offsite it's $15 a day (pay once per day even if you hop - show parking receipt for that day at the next park if you do more than one park that day)

 

[GirlDreamer]

We've decided to get a car even if we stay onsite the whole time. We'll use it wherever we go as it gives us more freedom. There's some days we'll want to get breakfast off property as I'm a huge fan of Perkins. And we also want to be able to go to Walmart to buy some water and snacks to bring to the parks to save a little. There's also the thing that with a car the whole stay, we don't have to jam all the Disney days together and then do the off property stuff only when we do have a car.

We always park in the parks car park as it's free for onsite guests anyway. If you go before parks open, you will more than likely be parked so close to the entrance that you wouldn't have to worry about the trams anyway, but they're still there if it's more convenient for you.

 

[Elise79]

We always get a car but don't pick it up from the airport anymore - get ME to our resort and get the car later.

Staying at Yacht Club I would be tempted to leave it a few days as I would only drive to AK and water parks from there. I would walk to Epcot & DHS and bus to MK. Always bus to MK as it quicker than driving as you park at the TTC.

A car is easier if you have ADRs at other resorts and handy for eating QS elsewhere too

 

[wayneg]

Many people manage without a car, I couldn't.
We are now at OKW, if we want lunch at POFQ its right next door 2-3 minute drive, buses would take me to DTD then to POFQ then reverse back and on return a 15 minute tour of OKW before getting back to Millers rd.
Tonight we are going to GF for a meal, its all hassle without a car to me.

As above USA= Car, either onsite or offsite.

 

[scoobydooby]

You don't need a car on Disney property. I have done the trip three times without. I prefer a car and we had one last time and will have one this next trip. But you don't need it. I think the biggest question is how you plan to eat. Getting from the Yacht Club to all the parks is pretty easy. Very easy to Epcot (5 minute walk), easy to DHS (20 minute walk or boat ride), bus to everywhere else. Water parks a minor pain. However, if you want to eat off site or even on site at different hotels, not the resort you are staying at or not the park you are in then a car comes into its own. Equally, if you're only doing this a few times in 11 days taxis will cost much less than a car. On multiple trips I have had 3 poor bus experiences. All pretty horrible but 3 out of a couple of hundred trips must be placed in perspective. The point made above is a good one, but I would never go out of my way like that just for a counter service meal. There's always something decent close by for us. I never use the car to get to MK. It's more of a pain than the bus or monorail.

 

[luke]

I'm with Wayne, car no matter where we stay.
Only ever used wdw buses once and it was a terrible experience

 

[Holstar]

Thanks guys!

I had an idea that it's maybe not something we would need, as there's transport provided, but it would be something we may want.

We're on the DDP, so we are planning on taking time out to have a sit down meal once a day. Our girls don't eat much throughout the day, so this is most likely going to be dinner - the car would definitely help!

Also, I was having nightmares about having to wait half an hour+ in the heat for a bus with three tired and hot children, like Disneyland Paris!

Car hire for the whole period it is!

Any good suggestions for places to book? I'm guessing we won't be able to do it quite yet, what with us still being 13 months out. But, it's always good to have an idea of prices!

xxx

 

[GirlDreamer]

I've used Auto Europe for the next trip. They have all insurances included and they have a guarantee to match the price if you can find a similar rental cheaper elsewhere.

I've also used Holiday Autos before and have always been happy with them.

 

[chmurf]

Any good suggestions for places to book?

whatever you do, remember this rule of thumb : book and prepay on UK sites, it will come up 2 or 3 times cheaper than renting from the same care hire company from their US sites

also remember that cars you get for free in some "packages" often end up being more expensive than renting direct (because of all hidden fees and mandatory insurances and stuff)

Make some simulations on the car hire websites (alamo.co.uk, or the ones PP mentionned) I don't think it's too early to be able to book, but cars are not something that will run out or sell out. It's not like hotel rooms or restaurant tables. So there is no hurry paying for that car (unless you want this part done). You might be able to rent that far in advance, but you wouldn't be able to apply discounts (which would expire before your rental period), so just wait, and you'll see that we have some experienced people around here who always post when they discover a deal for car hire.

 

[Elise79]

Check:
http://www.usrentacar.co.uk
http://www.netflights.co.uk
http://www.holidayautos.co.uk - also can get Quidco cash back plus discount info here

You might want to price 14 days hire up and compare to 17 days and collect from close to Disney - might be quite a bit cheaper.

You may also want to consider getting ME to the resort anyway as the girls will probably enjoy it with the Disney video on the bus.