Car Rental or buses?

[janeyb]

Just booked for POFQ next year and decided to book bus transfer to resort instead of car hire. We were in Disney with our 16 mth old this year, staying at the AKL and found buses great, so we thought we may as well stick with them again this year.

I'm now having second thoughts because I've read alot of posts about long bus journies stopping at the POR before heading for the parks! Having now had a 2nd baby and our 2 children being 15 mths and 3yrs at the time we travel next year I was thinking would it be easier to hire a car?

I've never used the paking at the parks, Do you still have to wait for transport to and from your car? If so, isn't it just as easy to catch a bus?

Any advice?

 

[Goofyish]

POFQ does share buses with POR, but it really depends on the time of day and what park you are going to as to whether you will have any problems with full buses etc.

When we have stayed at POR we haven't had any problems with the buses. Even if one bus is full you only have a short wait until the next one

You biggest problem will be if you stay late in the parks for fireworks (MK - Wishes, Epcot - Illuminations or MGM - Fantasmic). These is a bit rush for the resort buses a park closing and if you head straight to the bus stops you are likely to have quite a long wait - not good with very tired young children
We have found it best to stay in the parks and wait for the rush and bus lines go down - grab a drink and an icecream, find a nice place to sit and watch everyone rush by

As for parking at the parks, there are trams that pick you up from the carparks (remember your carpark name and car location!!!) and drop you off near the park entrance - apart from MK! Where you are dropped off at the TTC and have to get the monorail or ferry boat to MK.

 

[wayneg]

Out of 13 visits to Orlando, I have only been without car for 24 hours because Alamo ran out of cars. It was the worst day out of all our days we have had in Orlando.
We were staying at ASM, had to get on buses, 1st time on a bus for 20 years, did not enjoy, stuck with dining at ASM food court, overpriced yuk.
We did consider staying at POFQ next Aug with free dining plan but could not do it without a car, I know we would not enjoy it. We enjoy too many places to eat offsite. Need my fix of Sweet Tomato twice a week at least.
Only you know what you want out of a holiday, buses would not be for us.

 

[AndRu]

Only you know what you want out of a holiday, buses would not be for us.

Seconded! I can understand why people without children might want to use a bus but with? - not for me!

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I have to agree with AndRu and Wayne - guess in many ways I cannot comment on using buses etc because we have always rented a car.

If anyone can manage without one then good on them, but for us a holiday in Florida without a car is unthinkable.

You have so much more flexibilty if you have your own transport.

 

[musketeer]

This is our 3rd trip but 1st time onsite so we are going to try the buses and i'm also renting a car as i like the freedom to go out as and when we want to also to eat offsite.
One year we were in SW and our youngest dd was ill so the car was a godsend then as we had the opportunity to get back to the hotel asap.