Car Rental: Yes/No/Maybe So

[sethschroeder]

So another post got me thinking about car rentals and where people stand.

When staying on property does it make sense for a car rental?

I personally think it doesn't make sense at all.
-The wait for busses range from 0-20 mins (but I seemed to notice it was more like 5-10 usually except downtown disney and water parks where it might be a little over the 20 mins even, this was in July by the way)
-Busses pick you up at the resort door and drop you off at the park entrance (parking could have you way out from the park forcing you to find a tram or walk for a long ways)
-Busses/Boats/Monorail allow you to all relax together on the way to the park (to gather your thoughts)
-Busses/Boats/Monorail allow you to not have to worry about traffic or directions or where to park or any of the 1 in a 1,000,000 things that could possibly go wrong (I don't want to worry about a flat tire or someone scratching the rental door)

The reasons I could think about getting a rental FOR THE DAY:
+your going offsite and don't want to take a taxi (rental likely cheaper)
+you are planning on going to dinner at another resort for a special night and don't want to have to hope around to get from one resort to another
+you have an extremely early reservation and don't want to have to worry about what time the first bus pulls around and don't want to taxi it

 

[maryj11]

I voted no because we arrive Disney Magic Express then use the Disney buses or boats. It is just more relaxing letting someone else deal with the traffic ect. and it's free We did go to Universal while staying at a Disney resort and it was no trouble paying a little bit for the Mears shuttle. We were going to go to an early breakfast at the Beach Club taking a taxi from POR and bus back from HS . Someone said it would cost around 20.00 so that would be cheaper then a car rental. I guess it depends on where you are staying. I myself do not like driving especially in places I dont know well.

 

[MichelleVW]

I was there this week with no car....never never never again. We always drive to the parks and it is sooo much faster and so much easier. Buses took way longer than driving.

 

[nugov2]

Never...wouldn't take public transportation at home won't on vacation either at least not a bus. A boat or monorail I'd be more willing, but still at a place like WDW would want a car. The lines going is one thing, but every night we left the parks they were massive...no thanks. I also don't find being on a bus or other transportation with potentially loud, smelly strangers relaxing, but am perfectly relaxed in my air condition car where I can laugh and joke with my family. To each their own though

 

[teambeaman]

We rented a car the last time we were there and we will always rent a car from now on. On a prior trip, there were several times where DH or I had to stand while holding our 30+ pound sleeping 2yo all the way to the resort on the bus because it was packed and no one wanted to give up a seat. DH said if we're not renting a car, we're not going. It was just so much easier to not have to wait in bus lines and deal with crowds, not to mention, resort hop and sight see. IMHO, a car is worth every penny.

 

[Planogirl]

We've stayed without a car but never again! We tried it during our last onsite stay but we had rented a car for a portion of the trip so we could go to Universal and a few other places. I so missed that car after we turned it in.

 

[imthemamahere]

We rent a car every time. The convenience of going where we want, when we want, is worth the rental cost. We won't do Disney without one.

 

[figment_jii]

Another vote for renting a car. My family liked to use a mixture of transportation methods. We usually stay at one of the Epcot resorts, so we boat or walk to Epcot and DHS. We bus to MK and we drive to AK and DTD. We also do a lot of dining at the various resorts and having a car makes it much easier to get from resort to resort.

 

[hardhead]

Did it once with no car, never again.

 

[dsdeleon]

Onsite at Disney - yes. Onsite at universal - no.

 

[GillianP1301]

Definitely a yes for us. I like having the freedom of a car and it's a definite time saver. It would drive me nuts to be waiting 15 minutes or more for a bus knowing I could already be where I wanted to go by car in that same time.

 

[kastoney]

It's a big old no for me. The busses get is everywhere we need to be efficiently and love the drop off at the front gate. Plus love that we can partake of adult beverages and not worry about driving.

 

[kmb584]

A car is a definite must-have for us as Disney transport can be spotty. There were times we waited over 40 minutes for a bus to arrive. When we drive we get to the parks a lot faster and there's no waiting in line for a bus at the end of the night.

 

[sethschroeder]

I would be interest to know how far away you park when going to the parks mid-day? Also what busses were you on? Deluxe or mid or value that they were overpacked and extremely long lines?

I can only go off my experiences but we are staying at BW again so like someone said positive about the boats we have that to our two main parks we hit on a daily basis and will even walk through Epcot to get to the monorail as well for the fun of it.

 

[sethschroeder]

A car is a definite must-have for us as Disney transport can be spotty. There were times we waited over 40 minutes for a bus to arrive. When we drive we get to the parks a lot faster and there's no waiting in line for a bus at the end of the night.

Over 40 mins ? What resort did you stay at ?

 

[kmb584]

Over 40 mins ? What resort did you stay at ?

This was back in '11 at CSR. Buses kept coming but all were full, dispatch kept saying they were sending an empty one and it never arrived, and the poor CP CM looked like he was going to have a heart attack (there were about 100 people at the bus stop by this time all waiting for a bus to MK).

I would be interest to know how far away you park when going to the parks mid-day? Also what busses were you on? Deluxe or mid or value that they were overpacked and extremely long lines?

Mostly deluxe with GF being the worst of the bunch. Transport to MK and EP were obviously fine but the delay in buses to DHS and AK were the reason we decided to start driving ourselves. Bus services at the moderates (the CSR Experience being the exception) was nowhere near as bad as what we've experienced at deluxe resorts, and we've stayed at every resort except AoA, Pop, ASMo, and Sports. I can't answer the parking question as we're always out the door about one hour prior to RD.

 

[minnie mum]

We have never felt the need to rent a car (or drive our own if we drive to WDW). We're on vacation, and are quite happy to let others do the driving. If we dine at a resort, we use taxis- thus allowing both of us to enjoy a couple of adult beverages. I could see renting if you have young children. Navigating buses while lugging strollers, bags and carrying little ones is a biiigggg PITA. And of course if you are planning activities offsit, renting a car would be needed. And then there are those people without the patience to wait for the next bus- better that they handle their own transportation and spare the rest of us the grumbling and muttering.

 

[lovin'fl]

NEVER had a rental car at WDW...10+ trips. We either drive our own car or we take ME from airport and rely on Disney transportation. No need for a rental.

 

[ChadsGirl]

We have never rented a car and likely never will. We have never felt the need for it except when traveling between resorts, in which case we just a taxi. Much cheaper to take a taxi on an as-needed basis vs renting a car for the whole trip.

I like not dealing with the stress of knowing where we're going, fighting traffic, parking, etc.

 

[hookedonears]

So another post got me thinking about car rentals and where people stand.

When staying on property does it make sense for a car rental?

I personally think it doesn't make sense at all.
-The wait for busses range from 0-20 mins (but I seemed to notice it was more like 5-10 usually except downtown disney and water parks where it might be a little over the 20 mins even, this was in July by the way)
-Busses pick you up at the resort door and drop you off at the park entrance (parking could have you way out from the park forcing you to find a tram or walk for a long ways)
-Busses/Boats/Monorail allow you to all relax together on the way to the park (to gather your thoughts)
-Busses/Boats/Monorail allow you to not have to worry about traffic or directions or where to park or any of the 1 in a 1,000,000 things that could possibly go wrong (I don't want to worry about a flat tire or someone scratching the rental door)

The reasons I could think about getting a rental FOR THE DAY:
+your going offsite and don't want to take a taxi (rental likely cheaper)
+you are planning on going to dinner at another resort for a special night and don't want to have to hope around to get from one resort to another
+you have an extremely early reservation and don't want to have to worry about what time the first bus pulls around and don't want to taxi it

Rented a car only once in 17 years of going as a family, and never again. We just don't like having to park and walk across giant parking lots. For us, it just takes some of the Disney magic away. Yes it may be more convenient and yes it may save you a little time, but we like the Disney transportation, especially the Monorail. Now, I'm speaking from my experiences of staying at the GF and Polynesian, which make up the majority of our stays. Where you stay, however might make a difference in your Disney transportation experience. We didn't particularly like the bus waits during our stays at the Beach Club and the Caribbean Beach, but even staying there wouldn't change our minds about a car.

We do, however rent a Limo "town car" for transfers to and from MCO. Having a driver waiting for us, and not having to wait for the Disney Express Bus is more than worth it. They will even stop for you at a grocery store if you want them to.