car vs. Disney transport

[shoppie]

I have heard many people say it is easier to get around be car than by the Disney transport system. Please tell me what you find to be the easiest..

 

[NCRedding]

I always rent a car when we go to Disney, just for the freedom to go off-site etc. Going from resort to park, or from parks to other parks, I always take the bus. Going between resorts, I ususually drive. I don't like driving in the crush of exit time, so if we're staying for the end show, etc. we walk a little slower and use disney.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Question comes up a lot. My answer is --car.
Disney Transportation is great from Resort hotel to theme park, and back.
But if you want to vary things a bit, a car is the only way to go. For example, our first day itinerary usually includes lunch, a game of miniature golf, a quick shopping trip at DD, a swim at our pool, then dinner at a hotel restaurant. Would be VERY time consuming to try that with Disney transportation.

 

[madthemouse]

We like having a car at are disposal. We stay at the BCV, and the only time we use Disney transportation is when we travel to the MK. You just can't beat how close you are to the entrance, as opposed to the parking area. Other than that we will drive to BB, AK, DTD and the other resorts that we visit to eat at or rent water crafts etc. Plus, we spend time at US resorts. When the girls are getting ready for dinner or taking a nap.....I can drive over to MGM for a quick couple of rides on the RnR and ToT and be back in less that hour!


IMO, we feel it's worth having a car. We have a rental from Budget for the week of May 8th, for $156.44 that's with tax and surcharges for a full size!

 

[sgtdisney]

Here is another vote for renting a car! I just love the freedom that having a car affords me when I am on vacation. We tend to resort hop, and many times go off property and that just seems to be easier when you have your own transportation. As Uncleromulus said, Disney transportation is great when you are going from your resort to the parks, but if you want to hop around to other hotels (not on the monorail loop) or just want to randomly move around, in my experience, it is easier having your own car. It really depends on where you are staying and what you hope to do when you are there.

 

[DMRick]

Car!! Espeically since we like ot go from resort to resort.

 

[fairytalelover]

But what about parking ? Wouldn't it be a pain to have to find parking everywhere you go and probably have to pay for parking everytime?

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by fairytalelover
But what about parking ? Wouldn't it be a pain to have to find parking everywhere you go and probably have to pay for parking everytime?

If you are staying on property you do not have to pay for parking anywhere at Disney World, even the resorts (unless you use Valet Parking.) If you are staying off property you only have to pay once per day and only if you are going to the parks.

I have never found it to be a pain to park. I know a lot of people will not use their car when they go to the Magic Kingdom because the bus service drops you off at the door. I have yet to try that. I don't mind pulling up into the parking lot and taking the trams. It reminds me of my childhood when we would go to Disneyland, at least that's what I tell myself..

 

[SnackyStacky]

Here's another vote for a car!

I thought it would be a NIGHTMARE getting out of the parking lot at closing time, but Disney really has it down to an art, and I NEVER had a problem getting out.

I will be spending my honeymoon at the Beach Club and the Polynesian, and will use the car to get everywhere except the Magic Kingdom.

And as sgtdisney said, parking is free throughout the entire resort if you're staying on property. It's also free if you're an annual passholder.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Parking has never been a problem, even at the MK.
Getting off the lot at closing time isn't much "worse" than standing in the bus line struggling to get on the bus quick enough to find a seat.

 

[crisi]

Just because you haven't had a dissenting opinion yet.

We seldom rent a car and when we do we tend to leave it parked. We find Disney transportation to be pretty good and where it isn't good (resort to resort travel, getting out of the park at closing time or even at park opening) we will take a cab. The towncar plus cab costs aren't too much more than renting a car (espcecially when you start paying for gas, tolls, taxes on the rental) and we don't have to deal with driving.

But, we are the type of people who don't like to drive. My husband enjoys driving, but only if he is driving a really nice car (and I'm not renting him a BMW! That isn't cost effective at all!). We get easily lost at Disney (other people don't, we must have a bad sense of direction).

Our home DVC resort is BWVs, so we can walk to MGM and Epcot faster than we can drive and park. It also means we are at "restaurant central" between the four hotels right there and Epcot and MGM - so we don't need to do a lot of resort to resort travel to be content with our restaurant choices. For the past half dozen trips, we haven't left Disney property, so we aren't eating offsite, going to Universal, or shopping at the outlet mall.

Our last rental car experience was such a nightmare. We spent two hours picking it up, were charged more than the quote and when we complained were told we could try to find another car, but good luck, most of the car companies were turning down people without reservations. They didn't have the carseats we reserved. Getting baggage taken care of was such a nightmare compared with baggage handling with a towncar service. I'd spend hours on a Disney bus standing before I spent another two hours in the pickup lot at the Orlando airport.

 

[pumpkinboy]

I'm with Crisi: for most ppl, Disney transport is just easier. In our family, we have the added issue of a 6 yr old son who is wheelchair bound. Even with our handicap placard and preferred parking access, we almost never rent a car at WDW. We stay in Disney hotels (AKL, BCV, and BWV BWV BWV our home away from home), and use our feet, boats, buses and the Monorail with few problems, even with the sub-par BW bus service. I personally like the following circuit: BWV (home) by boat to Epcot Int'l gateway, walk thru Epcot to Monorail, to TTC, change monorail to Magic Kingdom, then return home by Disney bus.

In our family we must take certain precautions, since we need a relatively empty bus so we can fit in the wheelchair and get it securely tied-down; but even so we have never felt a need for a car when down there.

Admittedly, it would be nice not to have to wait, and to get exactly where you want to go when you want to go there, but I just don't need the hassle of parking and driving when I am on vacation. Also if yo have a large group with divergent interests, or a group with teeneagers who want to go do stuff on their own, you can just split up and find your ways back to the hotel seperately.

 

[jimmiej]

When I'm on vacation, I don't want to drive. I don't want to have to think about directions, parking, etc. I like being dropped off at the front gate. I like using the various forms of Disney transportation-bus, boat, monorail, or just walking (if you stay at a EPCOT area resort). The only driving I do is to the airport, long term parking, & let someone else drive while I relax. Just a personal preference.

 

[shoppie]

Thanks for all the helpful advise!!!

 

[ZachnElli]

Another car renter here! We've always rented a car. I think the towncar prices are outrageous, especially if you need to go offsite (we go shopping at outlets, have a relative in the area we go see, and sometimes hit Sea World and usually US). We've never found parking to be a problem. Leaving the park is not as bad a people say, yeah, there is a line, but there's a line for Disney transportation too and the car line is constantly moving. My friend just got back and rented a car and will never go back to not having one! If you don't like driving, then don't get a car, but we do and have no problems with directions.

 

[crazywig]

i would never go without a car, especially to get from resort to resort (which we do a lot for dinner). the only time i use disney transport is to get to mk for early entry, and the monorail of course.

 

[crisi]

Another thing to consider is how many people you are traveling with. I'd forgotten this until just now, but renting a car with two or four people was always pretty easy and cost effective. Before a few years ago, we traveled as childless adults on our own or with friends. A four door car and we were happy.

The last two trips we have had six people - our own kids and grandparents as well. Which would have meant renting a minivan (which we did once). Minivans tend to be more expensive to rent (and are NOT fun to drive), and aren't very comfortable for adults in the back - they seem to be designed for Mom and Dad and kids. Not Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa and kids.

The other thing, pumpkinboy alluded to, is that as you add party members (especially teens and adults), you begin to up your chances of splitting the party. One of the trips we took as adults we took with my sister and her husband. We split the rental down the middle, but whenever the party split up, they got the car. It was fine with us, but if your party is going to have arguements about who gets the car when you split up, it may be best to not have one at all.

So take a minute to think through who you are traveling with.

 

[BrerMama]

Pondering this question myself. We do have 5 plus luggage and stroller to get from the airport to the hotel, which will require a minivan. We are early risers and don't wait very patiently and want the ease of being able to leave when we're ready, not when a bus arrives. However, it's just not cheap to rent a minivan for a week. Right now I'm being quoted at least $300/week from all the in-airport companies (and that includes using codes). A towncar is $120 or so with tips. We could take multiple taxi trips and still come out ahead.

 

[off2disney]

I rented a car but split the use of it with bus service. I used disney transportation when I went to the early entry parks but use the car for off site use - tracked down a wal-mart, visited the character outlet shops and visited some of the other resorts. Out of six days there, I used the car about half the time. And it was so much easier getting back to the airport without having to wait or depend on Mears or a towncar. I was lucky and got a Grand Am for 6 days for a total of $138, so I was pleased.

 

[Michael623]

I'm with Crisi: for most ppl, Disney transport is just easier.

Who are these "most people? Do you know most people?

I think the busses are awful. I wouldn't go without a rental car. Nothing beats the ability of going anywhere you want any time you want. And you know I've never had to stand in my rental car with someone with BO invading my personal space and a screaming child six inches from my ear as is often the case on the busses. By the way I just made a rental car reservation for the end of January at Payless, who I have used several times without a single complaint, 6 days $77.36. No that isn't a misprint. To me it is totally worth it.