Bus vs drive

[saramick]

E are staying at as movies jan 5-9 going to each park one time. Would you drive or take the bus to maximize time. Based on your choice what time would you rec leaving to get to the park for rope drop?

 

[Disneylover99]

Be at your resort bus stop one hour before park opening.

 

[glassslippergirl]

E are staying at as movies jan 5-9 going to each park one time. Would you drive or take the bus to maximize time. Based on your choice what time would you rec leaving to get to the park for rope drop?

We always drive. In general, it maximizes time by not waiting in potentially long lines for busses. You will always have a seat after a long day in the parks, also.

That said, you might consider the bus for MK because it's a big production getting from the parking lot to the TTC then on a monorail or boat for MK. For the other parks, if you like to walk, the parking lots are small enough to even skip the tram and head right to the gate.

I'd recommend leaving 45 mins early for RD.

 

[ken2]

If you are driving to WDW then I would just take your car.Sounds like you are staying on property so the front desk will give you a parking pass for all parks for the length of your stay.We always drive and have found that it saves time.Pack a small cooler with cold drinks for when you leave the parks and put in the trunk.The last thing we want to do after hours in the park is wait for a bus.Or you can drive and get a place up front then take the bus back to the resort for a break in the afternoon,and when you return you will still have your up front parking spot.Personally,I hate the buses in the morning and after the parks close.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Take the bus to the Magic Kingdom. You avoid walking or taking the tram to the TTC, waiting for the ferry or monorail, making your way over to the entrance plaza. The bus stops a few hundred feet from the park entrance.

If you're going to drink, take the buses to the specific parks.

Everything else, up to you.

 

[aaarcher86]

We drive everywhere, even MK. Especially if we are leaving when the park closes. It does take longer to get to the TTC but it takes the same amount of time to wait a few turns for the bus, in our experience. And at least then we are sitting in a car by ourselves versus on a crowded bus or standing on sore feet.

 

[ilovebassets]

We drive everywhere, even MK. Especially if we are leaving when the park closes. It does take longer to get to the TTC but it takes the same amount of time to wait a few turns for the bus, in our experience. And at least then we are sitting in a car by ourselves versus on a crowded bus or standing on sore feet.

This. If you have your car, use it. I'm all about public transportation but especially if you have children and strollers, the buses are a complete headache. I have seen more meltdowns on buses than anywhere else in WDW. We took them sometimes when we visited before having kids, but now with a 2 young boys, I am SOOO grateful to just plop everyone in the car at the end of the day.

Oh, and if you're relatively fit, there's no need to use the trams in the parking lots either. We often find it faster and easier to just walk from our car to the park entrance, especially at Animal Kingdom and Epcot. Don't follow the herd onto the trams.

 

[goodgodmrsmolly]

Oh, and if you're relatively fit, there's no need to use the trams in the parking lots either. We often find it faster and easier to just walk from our car to the park entrance, especially at Animal Kingdom and Epcot. Don't follow the herd onto the trams.

Oh god that trams.... I sometimes will be like "Hey, the tram is here and isn't full, let's jump on" then end up waiting for it to fill up, then hear the whole safety message (and then a second time if someone refuses to listen and gets on after no more boarding call). Then you finally go, only to hold for the tram at the station still parked and hasn't even called for no further boarding and then has to play the safety message before leaving so you can pull up. Avoid the tram at all costs.

But overall, I would never solely rely on Disney buses again. I will always get a car.

 

[acceber32]

We use to take the Disney buses but with kids now it's just easier to drive yourself. We take the buses to MK but might try driving next time. It's just really crowded at park closing and waiting an hour late at night with young kids is torture.

 

[vdoucet78]

We end up driving more and more each trip. Our last trip we actually only took the bus once - to Downtown Disney. Driving is much more efficient. And I agree with walking instead of riding the tram when possible!

 

[North of Mouse]

We prefer the relaxation of leaving the 'driving' to Disney - stress free to us - we do enough driving during regular life.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Just a note from the other side.

We drove to Disney, parked our car and didn't move it until the day we left Disney.

We rode buses everywhere.

 

[minnie mum]

Just a note from the other side.

We drove to Disney, parked our car and didn't move it until the day we left Disney.

We rode buses everywhere.

This is exactly what we have done for many years. The only times we've used the car were the rare occasions when we had to go off site.

 

[Robo]

Just posting my support to the twice-monthly bus vs car debate threads.

 

[bookgirl]

Done both and prefer not to drive. Granted I have no kids, but I've done it with my senior parents.

Sometimes they're worse than kids because not only are they slow, cranky and don't listen while wandering in the wrong direction, but they back seat drive when you're trying to park.


That being said, I prefer Disney Transportation.

 

[Vernie822]

We didn't mind the buses on our last trip. We had rented a car and only really took the buses a few times. I enjoyed having the car so trips to a different resort for dinner were really simple. However, I kind of missed the easiness of just taking buses and not driving at all!

 

[MrKnight]

You should take the BUS! There is really no reason to drive to the parks if you are staying on-property at a Disney Resort, especially during peak seasons when the roads are already congested with off-property guests driving in and the parking lots filling up.. If you are worried about waiting in long lines for buses, I recommend avoiding leaving the park immediately after firework shows when there is large amount of guest leaving, wait until at least 15-20 minutes after the show has ended or better yet stay later if the park is open later..

 

[MickeyMinnie1971]

Oh god that trams.... I sometimes will be like "Hey, the tram is here and isn't full, let's jump on" then end up waiting for it to fill up, then hear the whole safety message (and then a second time if someone refuses to listen and gets on after no more boarding call). Then you finally go, only to hold for the tram at the station still parked and hasn't even called for no further boarding and then has to play the safety message before leaving so you can pull up. Avoid the tram at all costs. But overall, I would never solely rely on Disney buses again. I will always get a car.

This is hilarious! Sometimes when I park in Aladdin at MK I see people fighting to get a seat on the tram when it pulls up. I always just walk from the closer lots.

 

[Pappa Bear]

Just a note from the other side.

We drove to Disney, parked our car and didn't move it until the day we left Disney.

We rode buses everywhere.

Which is EXACTLY what we have done on our past trips.

This time however, the GrandGirl's parents are in charge of planning so we will simply follow their plans. For once, we are basically along for the ride and intend to enjoy the journey no matter what method of travel is chosen

 

[kitkat95]

E are staying at as movies jan 5-9 going to each park one time. Would you drive or take the bus to maximize time. Based on your choice what time would you rec leaving to get to the park for rope drop?

Take the bus most definitely, parking when driving is a madhouse and you have all that extra walking to get to the park. When waiting for the bus we've only had to wait twice maybe for another bus other than that we always have gotten on the first bus we caught and it takes you straight to the park gates, so much easier.