Better to drive to all parks except MK?

[chrisandsav]

An acquaintance told me it would be much faster and easier to drive to three parks and take the bus to Magic Kingdom, since we'd walk forever to get from parking to the entrance to MK. Is this the case? We're staying at Art of Animation, so parking will be free, right?

 

[Missytara]

If you stay onsite, parking is free at the parks.

Taking the bus vs. using the car is usually personal preference. I feel it is not a vacation unless I "leave the driving to someone else." But I normally fly.

This year, I have the car and it will be nice to have that flexibility.

 

[mrsltg]

I agree with your friend IF you plan on bring at rope drop at the other parks. We drive everywhere but MK, and we're always parked right up front, so there's no need for a tram.

 

[bdklein]

An acquaintance told me it would be much faster and easier to drive to three parks and take the bus to Magic Kingdom, since we'd walk forever to get from parking to the entrance to MK. Is this the case? We're staying at Art of Animation, so parking will be free, right?

I just want to clarify that you cannot walk from the parking lot of the MK (otherwise known as the Transporation and Ticket Center or TTC) to the MK itself.

 

[mickeynut1]

An acquaintance told me it would be much faster and easier to drive to three parks and take the bus to Magic Kingdom, since we'd walk forever to get from parking to the entrance to MK. Is this the case? We're staying at Art of Animation, so parking will be free, right?

For us, driving is more of a hassle than taking Disney transportation. However, we are never in a hurry when on vacation, so we don't mind if it takes a little longer getting to/from the parks. As the pp said, parking is free when staying onsite.

 

[pieface]

I rent a car because I enjoy the freedom of going where you want. M.K. is the only park where Disney transportation is faster. I have always been able to park close enough at the other 3 parks to walk in. It is nice at the end of the night to be able to sit and drive back to our resort instead of standing in line waiting for a bus. Once your on the bus it's crowded and you might have to stand and bounce around. It all depends what you prefer I like the rental car.

 

[bek]

Parking is free for resort guests.

I always have my car with me, so I do a mix of Disney transportation and my own driving.

If I want to be at EP, AK or HS before rope drop, I drive. Rope drop at MK, take Disney transportation.

If I'm going to enjoy adult beverages, I take Disney transportation.

If I'm going to close down a park and not hop to another park, I drive. It's a bit of a toss-up on this one for MK because the buses are right at the MK gate. But for all the rest, I prefer sitting in an air conditioned car while battling the exiting crowds.

If I'm not going at rope drop or not closing down a park, I check to see how crowded the bus lines are and then decide. If the bus line isn't long, I'll usually opt for Disney Transport.

If it was a choice between a rental car and Disney Transport, Disney Transport is fine and I wouldn't pay the extra for a rental car.

 

[Marionnette]

An acquaintance told me it would be much faster and easier to drive to three parks and take the bus to Magic Kingdom, since we'd walk forever to get from parking to the entrance to MK. Is this the case? We're staying at Art of Animation, so parking will be free, right?

My own experience is that it is faster to drive than it is to take the buses. I feel as if I wait forever for a bus and then sometimes, it has to stop at other resorts or a waterpark before continuing on to the theme park.

MK is a toss up because the buses drop you off at the entrance to the park whereas the parking lot is across the lagoon, so you have to either take the boat or the monorail to get to the park. Even so, when I stay in YC, BC or BWI I choose to drive. Those resort all share transportation to the MK and it takes well over an hour to get there. I would still prefer to take my chances with a parking tram and the boat than board an MK bus from the BWI!

 

[travelitis]

My husband likes to drive because it is faster, but I like to use Disney transportation. When we are dealing with our son's wheelchair or scooter, we'd rather drive.

I've been to Disney every week this year, and I've encountered break-downs in the transportation that have resulted in delays. One night we were parked at MK and were leaving Epcot to find the monorail was out of service. The line for the bus to the TTC was backed up to the restrooms outside of Epcot. Two hours, two buses, a connection at CS, a boat, some shopping at the Poly, and the MK loop of the monorail later, we made it to the car. LOL. We could have skipped that monorail loop, but my friend didn't want to walk from the beach of the Poly to the car, even though the Poly is next to the TTC. Our motto is it doesn't matter how long it takes as long as we are sitting. We laughed the whole time we were on our quest to get to the parking lot. The moral of the story is that if you can't roll with the glitches, you ought to drive. My dh needs to drive. lol.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

Doesn't matter the time of day you visit, it is quicker to drive to AK. Probably true for DHS and Epcot. For MK I'd take a cab to Contemporary then walk to MK if really worried about time. That's much better than waiting on the bus, riding it to multiple stops, then finally arriving at your resort.