Car vs Bus inside DisneyWorld

[josta]

I've really enjoyed reading everyone's posts, it's been a huge help in planning our Disney trip this fall. This is my first post, I apologize if it's already been asked--but my family will be driving to Orlando to visit Disney in Sept. We will be staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I've heard many good things about AKL, but the one negative was that it's a long ways away from most of the parks.... with it taking 1 hour + to get to some places via Disney Transport.

I decided that we would just drive to the parks each day. We booked through AAA, which is supposed to include a parking pass for spots closer to the park entrances (not sure if this is true or not). However, after reading some more on this it looks like while it does take much less time to drive to the parks, at least to get to the parking lot...you still have to get to the park entrance. For example, at Magic Kingdom once you park you need to take a trolly to the monorail to the front gate.

I have two questions:
1) What do you recommend, car or bus. Going to places like Animal Kingdom from AKL, I would take the bus...but for the rest of the parks, I'm not sure which will be faster / better.
2) The AAA parking pass. Has anyone used this?

I really appreciate your help on this, any info would be great!

 

[IhrkeFamily]

We have always used the bus for everything. For us it's just one less hassle to deal with. No navigating unfamiliar roads, no finding parking spaces (and paying!), no dragging sleepy kids to the car. The bus also has downsides, but we make it an experience. When waiting for the bus we try to guess which one will come next or we talk to the others waiting. And the kids LOVE riding the bus! No seat belts and they can sometimes stand are huge things to kids. Plus the magic of being on a Disney bus surrounded by Disney ads just keeps us enveloped in the experience.

 

[Alesia]

We have always used the bus for everything. For us it's just one less hassle to deal with. No navigating unfamiliar roads, no finding parking spaces (and paying!), no dragging sleepy kids to the car. The bus also has downsides, but we make it an experience. When waiting for the bus we try to guess which one will come next or we talk to the others waiting. And the kids LOVE riding the bus! No seat belts and they can sometimes stand are huge things to kids. Plus the magic of being on a Disney bus surrounded by Disney ads just keeps us enveloped in the experience.

I agree. I find the bus so much easier than driving.

 

[josta]

Thanks, good points on it being easier and actually enjoyable for the kids. Only problem now is that I will have to tell my wife she was right!! We should just use the Buses.

If anyone has any info on the AAA parking passes that would be great. AAA has told me that they have reserved spots close the entrances at the parks--I haven't seen anything about these passes on any blogs, so I'm a little skeptical.

Thanks again!

 

[tjmw2727]

For me not having to drive helps make it a vacation. The buses aren't perfect but IMHO they do a great job. While it won't take you an hour to get to any park, (esp AK!) they do tell you to "allow" an hour as buses come every 20 minutes on average.

For MK I find the bus easier as it drops you off at the entrance gates of MK - vs when you park you are at the TTC and have to take a tram to the welcome area and then boat or monorial to the park. I think for AK the buses would be fairly quick from AKL as well.

Perhaps give the buses a chance and then if you aren't happy you can then opt to drive !

 

[Ed J]

Cars are consistent the buses are not. Between the line for the busses and the actual ride it can take 2 or as much as 4 times longer to get where you are going via the bus. The only park we would use the busses for is the magic kingdom. At the MK you get dropped off at the entrance to the
park, if you drive you have to take the boat or mono rail to the park.

The rest of the parks use your AAA pass to get the row after handicapped parking spot.

 

[guitarob]

We rely solely on Disney Transportation while there. I don't want to have to worry about a car, parking, etc... Letting Disney get me where I need to go just adds to the feeling of truly being on vacation. I don't have to worry about anything but my ADR times, and what drink to have at the pool from the time I get off the plane until I get back on it.

I very much enjoy life "in the bubble" (as some are referring to it), even if it isn't quite as fast as a car, to me it's all part of the experience.

 

[canopynut66]

with any resort you will be ask if you need a parking pass upon check in. we NEVER drive to the parks we use Disney transportation and in one day you will know it well.. not sure who told you would take hour to get somewhere but have not had that happen in our 64 trips --so far will add...the buses let you out in front of the park your going to and then they are cool after you been in a hot park all day.. you can take on stroller if need to...will admit the first two trips we drove and the traffic all around there is a zoo and we found out the bus system is one of the best things they offer for relaxation. they do get crowded at closing times but we wait and shop and let the crowds die down and then walk right on a bus...we fly in and take the Magical Express to resort and never drive again until were back home in Indiana at the airport.....

 

[goofy4tink]

When you see 'plan on an hour from resort to parks', they are talking the outside limit! It has seldom taken me more than 30 mins to get from AKL to any park.
I like to take the buses...I'm on vacation, I don't mind a slight wait...and that's all it is most of the time.
So...AAA parking permits. Yes, they do allow for slightly closer parking. I have been with someone that used it. And at most parks it worked very well. But, at MK??? While it is closer to the main area of TTC, you still have to take either the ferry or monorail over to the MK. The TTC (transportation and ticket center) is the parking lot for the MK. When you take a bus, from your resort, it drops you off close to the park entrance..you just walk there..takes about 3 mins.
Otherwise, you can park a bit closer to the park entrances at DHS, AK, and Epcot.
I just prefer the buses..no need to worry about the other 'lost' drivers on the roadways. And believe me...there are some nutty drivers out there!!

 

[josta]

Thanks for all your input, you've answered my questions. Sounds like I need to give the buses a try, especially to MK.... Also, thanks for explaining the AAA parking pass -- good to know that it exists, but now I know why no one talks about it--everyone is taking the bus!! Thanks again.

 

[DebbieB]

I stayed at Kidani in 2009 and preferred to drive to the parks. The park busses stop first at Kidani, then Jambo. I took the bus a couple mornings to MK, no problem getting on at Kidani but at Jambo they did not fit everyone on so it was packed. I drove to DHS one morning, I was there in 10 minutes, same with Epcot. I just don't have the patience for the busses.

I did take a bus and boat to Fort Wilderness, I was meeting friends for dinner at Trails End and then we were going to MK after. I figured I didn't want to have to move my car or go back there after MK. I left Kidani an hour before our reservation. I did not make it, I was 15 minutes late. Waited long for the bus, just missed the boat. Very frustrating.

 

[OurDogCisco]

Generally, I would say it takes a hour to get from the time you leave your room to get to the gates of the park. So, that would include walking from your room to the bus stop to waiting for the bus to driving over to the park bus location and then, walking to the front gates of the park. We found when we drove our car we really only saved on the waiting for the bus time which could be anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. But we tend to visit during busier seasons so, the wait is usually less as they have more buses going and coming. The only place that I really thought a bus was slow was for Downtown Disney. Seemed like you wait a long time for that bus and it stops at multiple places. We prefer the bus for several reasons. One we live in CA and for us it is a vacation not to have to drive since we spend a lot of time in our cars. Second, we like to have alcohol with dinner and usually, the one driving has to limit themselves to one drink. So, we much prefer the bus to not have to worry about (I'm not saying we are lushes or anything). Plus, the times of year we visit the parks are super crowded so unless you get there at park opening you will have a quite a walk from the parking lot to the front gates. And, if you see a tram then, you know you are parking far away from the gates.

 

[wdwrich]

We much prefer driving to the parks. (We've done WDW both with and without a rental car.) MK is probably the one park we use Disney transport, but that's not always the case. Staying at AKL, the bus to DAK is probably going to be more convenient than driving as the OP stated.
Where driving really pays off is when you want to travel between resort hotels, especially in the evenings when some/all of the parks are closed.

 

[goofy4tink]

I would just try and get the AAA parking pass. Then, you'll have it if you decide you want to drive. It costs nothing...and it might be nice to have...just in case.
IF you find you don't care for using the buses, then you'll be able to park closer to the park entrances with the pass.

 

[kiki02]

bus!!!

so fun

 

[wdwrich]

bus!!!

so fun

Well sometimes it can be fun. At the end of a long hot day at the parks when you wait 30-40 minutes for a bus with enough room to squeeze you on, then stand for the entire trip in a mass of grumpy, sweaty, stinky people... not so much fun.

 

[jwcollin]

The last two times we have been to the World, we have had a rental car. But we have taken both the bus and the car to the parks. It really depends on what the plans are for the day, if we have dining reservations somewhere else (like a resort hotel) during the day. We like both modes of transportations for different reasons. The car is very convenient, but we always try to ride on all of the different types of Disney transportation they have! Ferries, monorail, buses, they are all part of the fun

 

[ceemys]

I have driven twice (from Indiana) and flown once in the last 6 years, flying again this August. I like both. When I did drive, I only used my car for early morning ADR's and hotel ADR's. Otherwise I used the buses. It was easier to let Disney do all the driving. We enjoyed talking to people on the bus.

 

[2binak]

We prefer to drive to the parks as much as possible. Sometimes we'll hop on a bus to park hop, but for the most part, we like the control that comes with driving ourselves.

As for the bus from Animal Kingdom Resort to MK, I timed it last time we stayed there and it was 17 minutes from Jambo to the bus stop at MK.