Afternoon breaks, go back to resort by bus or car?

[isabellea]

I need help with our planned breaks on our Epcot and DHS days (no break when we'll visit MK and AK). We have our car and staying at CSR.

Option 1: Drive to park for rope-drop then drive back to resort for break and again to go back to park for dinner and evening.

Option 2: Drive to park for rope-drop and back in the evening (after Illuminations or Fantastic!) but take Disney bus for the breaks.

Option 3: Only take the bus?

Option 4: Another combination of car/bus than mention?

What will save me the most time? From looking at the maps, it looks like CSR is pretty close to EPCOT and DHS. Is there any advantage to take the bus versus the car like at MK where it brings you closer to the park?

Thank you for your help!
Isabelle

 

[AllieBoo]

We normally drive to DHS because it's a fairly small parking lot and it doesn't take us long to park and get on a tram or walk to the front gates. We usually drive to AK too. For Epcot and MK, we always ride the bus.

 

[larryz]

MK for sure
Car = boat/monorail to TTC, tram to car, car to resort; lather, reverse, repeat to go back. Of course, the main reason to drive is to miss the gaggle at the end of the day. If you're not staying past fireworks, just take the bus.
Bus = get on bus to resort.

Other parks are a tossup...

 

[kelmcg]

I have found that using a car will take up a lot less time for 3 of the parks. At MK it is a toss up.........you have to park at the TTC and then take to monorail or ferry but the wait for a monorail is usually a lot shorter than your wait for a bus!

 

[tstottle]

Trying to make the same decision for our family. I have read how CSR busses are great, but we will want the quickest way and most things I have read say that driving is quicker. I think that the only advantage to bus is MK where you get dropped off so much closer. CSR does seem pretty close to both to DHS and Epcot, but I don't know if this makes a difference between bus or car, except that you will save any bus waiting time, but lose a little time walking in/out of the park from your car. Other than that, we think the bus ride is a little bit more of a break (AC already going, no need to navigate), but we want to go the quickest way and save time so I think we will drive. Probably not a huge difference either way, unless you end up with an unusually long wait for a bus, and you just never know now long your are going to have to wait!

 

[bsbrady]

If you have a car, it is by far the quickest way. The buses will take 30 or minutes, most likely more. The car is quick. If you have a car, use it

 

[Amunet]

I can't compare because we don't use car. But we have used bus for breaks at all parks and they are just fine. Not too many people people leaving in the afternoon and not too many people returning in the evenings (compared to lots going in late morning/early afternoon and leaving just after fireworks/evening).

So, it's not too bad if you do decide to take bus ^_^

 

[Lilliputian]

I wouldn't do option 2. You may get back to your resort, go for a nice swim, and then end up taking a nap. You could find yourself unwilling to go back to a park but be forced to do so to get your car. Not worth the risk. (And if that doesn't seem like a likely scenario for your family, remember that it could also be that someone gets sick or something like that.)

I would at least take the bus to MK. Driving to the other parks isn't bad, but the bus can be better in the evenings because they sometimes make you park so far away in the afternoon. And while walking through the parking lots isn't too terrible around closing time because they do a good job making walking lanes, I don't think it's anyone's favorite thing.

 

[lugnut33]

Car

 

[FancyNancy]

We always go by bus because we don't bring or rent a car. CSR has excellent busing but definitely try it both ways and see what works best for you

 

[Alfalfa]

MK is the hardest. Usually Tram/Ferry because the monorail line was so long. And because we usually leave after Wishes, so do tens of thousands of other people and we'd find ourselves waiting in line 20-40 minutes for the monorail or ferry.

But there are a few tricks we've used going to/from MK and the parking lot when the crowds are heavy:

TO MK:
1. If the Express monorail line is backed up, try the Resort monorail line. Often the line is much smaller.
2. If the large Ferry line is very long, walk over to the Poly and take the small ferry to MK

FROM MK:
1. If the Express monorail line is backed up, try the Resort monorail line. Many guests don't seem to understand that both stop at the TTC
2. If the large Ferry line is also very long, take the small ferry to the Poly and walk over to the TTC
3. When all of the monorail/TTC Ferry/Resort Ferry lines at MK seem like they are miles long, we'll walk to CR and get right on the monorail and then get off at TTC

ALL OTHER PARKS (Including water parks):

We've had our own little races between car and bus back to or from the resort. Car always wins.

 

[phinz]

I'll always choose car over bus. Buses can take forever, and I loathe the Disney bus system after my 65-minute journey from DD to CBR for Easter, 2002.

 

[kaetra]

NM

 

[DemoBri1]

If I have the car I would always drive. This way I'm not saddled by the bus schedules to and from the parks. Then comes the main part of your question which would be if you drive should you drive back and forth or simply drive in the morning and then back at night using the Disney Transit system for breaks. I would probably vote for driving back for breaks just in case you have a change in plans. That way, someone wouldn't have to go back to get your car if you decide not to go back to the park for the evening. You may be a bit further back in the lot, but you'll still have the tram to drop you near your spot, so you shouldn't have that long of a walk. Your only inconvenience would be a slightly longer tram ride.

 

[jagfanjosh3252]

I drive to the park at rope drop then catch a bus for a mid day nap and leave my car there. That way when it's time to leave for the day, my car is right at front