Car Rental vs Disney Transportation OKW

[txcynow]

We'll be staying at OKW, should we rent a car or use the bus system?
Advise please. 5 night stay!

 

[beccasmom]

We rarely rent a car when we stay at OKW - and we've been going there at least yearly for over 12 years! Unless you have PS at a lot of different resort hotels, getting around is not that difficult. If you are going offsite (Universal, Sea World), I would say yes. A car is very helpful if you need to grocery shop beyond the general store merchandise, but there are ways around that. The buses run regularly and, except for the mid-afternoon periods, waits are not that long. A car is a definite convenience, but IMHO it is an expensive one if it sits unused most of the time. I’d rather spend the money on a great meal!

 

[tax58]

We always use the Disney buses to get to the parks. Going to other resorts could be a pain, but that is true at most resorts. We were there for New Years week and had excellent bus service.

 

[studog100]

we love to stay at OKW and the transportation is great. We have rented a car in the past simply because we like to go shopping. If you are planning on spending most of your time at Disney I would not spend the extra money. We have been the last couple of years in March and never have had to stand on a bus or wait in line for very long at all.. Enjoy your stay at OKW it is our favorite so far!!!!!!!

 

[Michael623]

I never go without a rental car. Trust me, there will be times you'll wish you rented. With the all of the codes on Mousesavers it is really reasonable. Once you subtract the cost of transportation from the airport to the World it is often a wash.

 

[RedRuby]

Once you subtract the cost of transportation from the airport to the World it is often a wash.

This is exactly what I was thinking until someone reminded me about the Magical Express. The ME transfers are very similar (if not identical) to what the cruiselines have done for years, so we figure it will atleast seem familiar (and cheap!).
If you -- the general reader not Michael specifically -- are not keen on ME:
What about the potential cost savings of renting a car at MCO, dropping off onsite (eg Swan, Hilton, etc.,) using Disney transportation during the week, and then picking up a car onsite and taking it back to MCO? That way, you've got more dire

 

[DisneyFans4]

I rented a car only once and it was a nightmare. If you rent a car definitely don't use Alamo---you are bused from the airport to their facility and then have to wait in line to rent a car. Maybe it was the time of year, who knows, but never again. You are also hit with so many different fees because your out of state and a traveler that it wasn't worth it. Disney buses are complimentary if your on Disney property so why not use them. Sure there are times it would be easier to have a car but then I realize the cost in the end.
I have no problem using Disney buses.

 

[CarolMN]

...(snip)....
What about the potential cost savings of renting a car at MCO, dropping off onsite (eg Swan, Hilton, etc.,) using Disney transportation during the week, and then picking up a car onsite and taking it back to MCO? That way, you've got more dire

FWIW, you really need to do the math - whenever I've looked into this, the cost of two single day rentals exceeded the cost of a weekly rental. There are many discount codes that make weekly rentals a very good value. For example, for an early December trip, we can rent a car for an entire week for less than $100. That includes everything except gas. I know it's at least $50 to rent a car for one day - there aren't many discounts for single day rentals. If all you want is transportation between MCO and the resort (and you don't want to use ME), a towncar is the way to go. JMHO. YMMV>

Anyway - do the math

 

[dianeschlicht]

We always stay at OKW and usually rent a car mostly for getting back and forth to the airport and also for visitng other resorts for dinner. We NEVER take the car to the parks except occationally to Animal Kingdom, if we have a time constraint, because the buses to AK take awhile.

We find park transportation from OKW to be excellent.

 

[jcodespoti]

As you can tell, it depends what you want to do. My wife and l like to go off site and hit other shops and eat of property. For that I strongly suggest renting a car. If you plan to to do Disney then maybe not.

Joe in CT

 

[married@wdw]

I rented a car only once and it was a nightmare. If you rent a car definitely don't use Alamo---you are bused from the airport to their facility and then have to wait in line to rent a car.

Alamo no longer has an off-site facility. They have merged with National and their rental service is at the airport.

We always rent a car and after our last trip, I will never, ever really on Disney again. We were there with my sisters and their families. DH and I decided to take my neice and three nephews for the day but our car was only a five seater. First, we took a bus to MGM -- 35 minutes (could have done it in 10 minutes, with parking and walking to the gate, in a car). After checking out ESPN weekend, we wanted to go to DD. There are no longer direct buses to do that. Well, we grabbed a bus to CB, then another to DD. The total experience was 80 minutes!!! INSANE! Total drive time -- with parking -- would have been about 6 minutes in a car. We like to eat and shop in the resorts as well, so a car is a must. I guess I'm spoiled -- cars are just so much quicker!

 

[Pooh Pal]

I too am a firm believer in renting a car.

My first adult trip, our honeymoon, we rented but never left the World so we never used the car. After that, and with more World knowledge, we have rented the last 8 trips through National. It's on-site and with our free Emerald Club membership, we grab our bags and head right to the parking garage, no waiting in lines!

We also like to visit Margaritaville, so a car is a must. But to me, it is so much easier and convenient to hop in the car and drive anywhere in the World that you can't walk to.

Plus, as a DVC member (or guest), valet is free! How cool is that!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I have to disagree with those who think hopping in a car and driving to a park is easier and faster or more convenient. The OKW buses have gotten very good in the past few years, and there is no way I can drive to, say the MK and park and take the tram and then a Monorail or ferry to the front gate anywhere near as easily or as quickly as I can take a bus from OKW and be right at the front gate in about 10 minutes. The only place I think there might be an advantage to driving as far as parks are concerned, is to AK. The buses from OKW to AK stop at Blizzard Beach, and that makes the trip long. Also, the bus stops at AK are quite a hike from the entrance.

Now for going to other resorts...A car makes doing dinner at one of the other resorts MUCH easier! This is especially true if you are going to dinner and returning AFTER the parks close. Transferring through DTD just takes a LOT of time, and a car is very helpful for those types of trips.

 

[DebbieB]

We always rent a car. It can take a bus 20 minutes just to get around to all the stops at OKW.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We always rent a car. It can take a bus 20 minutes just to get around to all the stops at OKW.

Since when? The first stop at OKW is Peninsular road. If you get on there, it takes about 8 minutes to go through all the other stops and get to HH (last stop). If you don't want to do that, just walk the extra block to HH and be at the last stop. From the last stop to MK takes about 10 minutes. Epcot takes less and MGM about the same. By the time you get in your car, leave the resort, drive to the park (and you can't take some of those shortcuts the bus takes) and park your car, wait for a tram or walk in from the lot to the entrance or transportation to the entrance, I doubt you are saving any time or effort. Add traffic into and out of the booths, and I'm quite sure it takes longer to take the car. As I said, the only exception would be AK because of the stop at Blizzard Beach. Around here, there used to be a public transportation slogan that said, "leave the driving to us", and I prefer to do that at WDW too.

 

[DebbieB]

I know in March a friend and I were waiting for the MK bus at the HH in the mid-afternoon. We saw the bus come into the resort and it was 20 minutes before it came to our stop, we timed it. It seems like we always have bad luck waiting for busses, we always seem to just miss one and it's a 15 or 20 minute wait. I'd rather just jump in the car.

 

[dianeschlicht]

And you have that perogative. I think there are always times when the bus takes longer if they have to load and unload a wheelchair etc. I still contend (especially to the MK) that jumping in your car will take you longer than the bus.

 

[drakethib]

We'll be staying at OKW, should we rent a car or use the bus system?
Advise please. 5 night stay!

We usually soley rely on Disney Transportation while @ WDW (OKW) but on our last trip we rented an El Cheapo car and found it to come in quite handy.We went offsite and looked around Orlando (heck we even drove to Vero Beach) and had a great time. Went to a few places to eat offsite as well. We still used the bus systems 95% of the time for onsite attractions.

I would not use the cars to go to the parks as they charge you an $8.00 parking charge.


Hard call to make but I would definetly consider it.

My 2 cents.

 

[dianeschlicht]

The parking charge is non-existant for folks staying on-site.