Car Vs Transfer

[angel659]

Hi

We booked a flydrive with Virgin and booked all star movies seperate. It will be 2 adults 3 children aged 5, 23 months x 2 (twins).

Thomas Cook has booked us a F4 car for 2 weeks, which works out about £400ish.

My husband sais that we do not need a car and can use Mears Transport to and from the airport and whatever transport we use from the hotel to other parks. He feels we should do mostly Disney and definately Seaworld (for me). He argues we get free transportation around Disney. I mentioned Universal, but he feels that this would be difficult and pointless, due to the twins age. I am argueing saying there will be childrens rides and the we can choose certain rides to parent swap. He still feels slightly unhappy. With the car money and universal tickets we could spend it on having a great time. We cant agree unless one of us backs down.

Please help and advise would really appreciate it.

 

[carolfoy]

I agree with your husband, if you're doing mainly Disney then a car will be hanging around for most of the time doing nothing, you can always get the lynx bus from the ticket and transportation centre for a day out at seaworld and the cost would be minimal (only a couple of dollars each way) the car would be most useful for getting off site especially if you wanted to eat at one of the many Idrive, Kissimmee or Old town restaurants where you amy not want to hang around for a bus but if you think you'll be in WDW for most/all of the time then the car would only be used as a transfer. Thats a pretty expensive transfer!!!!

 

[angel659]

I can see what you are saying. I dont want to do just Disney. I want to go to Universal as well. Perhaps mall. Bruce sais the parks are not suitable for 23 months as most of the rides are for adults. I can see what he is saying. Sorry if I wasnt clear we are both argueing wether we do mostly disney etc....

 

[Hilary]

Another vote with your DH's plan to decline the car because you're staying on-site at WDW.

Our family thinks the Disney transport is excellent and all adds to our holiday experience - no worrying about who has to drive, navigating, etc., etc. Yes, we might spend ten minutes waiting for a WDW bus but, at the end of a long day in the parks, it's great to be taken right back to the resort with no hassle (IMHO!).

For the return trip to the airport you'll find it cheaper to take a taxi or arrange a private transfer than pay for a Mears shuttle for 5 of you. Last time we did this, it cost about $80 return. If you decide to visit SeaWorld, you'll be able to arrange a taxi to take you from your resort, (or Mears pick up at all the WDW resorts). With the children likely to be tired out after a park day, it might be more convenient to arrange your own taxi than be tied to shuttle times.

Cost aside (and £400 isn't insignificant!), we find it more relaxing to be without the car in Orlando. Because our trips usually involve a stay on the coast as well as Orlando, we do have a car, but it stays in the parking lot when we're in WDW!

 

[Hilary]

Sorry if I wasnt clear we are both argueing wether we do mostly disney etc....

Sorry, I've answered the 'wrong' question too!

All the parks have some rides/attractions for all ages, although Universal's IOA is geared towards thrill ride more than the others. I still think I agree with your DH that Disney is going to have more appeal to your children at their ages now.

 

[jools]

I would agree with your husband, I don't think you will need a car if you are staying on Disney as the Disney transport is very good.

I f you wanted to go to Sea World and Universal you could get a taxi which will be much cheaper than paying ££££s for the car hire.

Also from the being of May Disney are doing a FREE pick-up and return service from the airport (Disney Magical Express) for all people who are staying at one of their WDW Resorts. We have booked this service for our trip at the end of May so can't comment on it yet, but this will also save you some ££s as you will not need to pay for a transfer if you decide against the car.

To book this service you ring WDW Central Reservations and give them your date of visit, resort you are staying at and flight details.

jools

 

[Celestine]

Angela659 - you get my vote...take the car!!! I don't know when you are booked for, but frequently it is standing room only on Disney transport & people don't give up their seat, even if you're struggling with young childrren & all the paraphenalia they involve. The only time we used WDW transport from ASMo in December was for EE at MK because otherwise you only get as far as TTC so it is one park where it is quicker to use transport. Having a car meant we could eat off site, get our digital photos downloaded to CD for a sensible price as well as hit a couple of malls. Look at pricing a car independently as it is often cheaper than taking the one the TO offers. Potentially another option would be to use the Magical Express service from the airport (cost = nothing!) & hire a car on site for a few days if you need to use it so neither of you is effectively backing down

 

[peewakio]

Another one in agreement with the hubby

If you are spending most of the time at Disney the car is virtually redundant.

When we first went to Universal (before IOA was built) we felt that it was a little too old for our boys who were only 3 and 5 at the time.

The 050 lynx bus from the ticket and transportation centre takes you directly to SeaWorld and leaving AM and returning PM it will be virtually empty as it is basically meant for locals travelling to work at Disney.

 

[lagunn]

if you dont do universal your children will miss out on barney..my dds loved this when they first went ages 3 and 1 yr 8 mths..

 

[gilld]

I agree with Celestine. Do the Magical Express transfers to and from Disney and perhaps hire a car for a few days in the middle to go to US/IOA if you really want to go there, though there isn't too much for youngsters, and for shopping.

 

[angel659]

Hi

I like the idea of the free disney transport. I have just emailed my dh and mentioned the free pick up. If we do decide that we want a car we can hire in between. I never knew about this service. I will be calling them later on, but we are not going until October would they still be offering this service?

Thanks for all your advice I love this site!

 

[angel659]

Hi

I am having problems finding Disney Central Reservations number. Does anyone have it to hand?

Thanks again,

 

[angel659]

Just rung Disney. They said I have to phone Disney.co.uk, who I booked it through and they will add it to our booking. I phoned Disney.co.uk and they said to call back on Friday. So I will call then. Thanks for letting me know about the transfers I didnt know they existed.

 

[Miffy2003]

Angel, why not compromise and hire a car for a few days in the middle of your trip?

That's what we are doing this time - we have saved money in not taking the car and will rely on WDW transport (which we find very convenient). We are having the car to go offsite for say 3 or 4 days to do SeaWorld, and shopping (!!)

 

[maureen4200040]

The only problem I can forsee is that someone would'nt give up their seat on the bus if they saw you struggling with young children. On previous trips to Disney I have used the Lynx bus service - which I think is excellent.

Its a bit more expensive than the I-trolley whenever I've travelled on it, its never been crowded and there is always plenty of empty seats available.

The I-trolley has to be the most uncomfortable bus I have ever ridden on - 99.9% of the time its full (I'm talking ram packed)- you can't move for fear of knocking someone over - god help you if your sitting at the back of the bus, it will take you 2 mths to get off. And the seats if you can call them that can only be described as HARD AS NAILS. I'm sure many people get nightmares about this bus.

P.S The bonus for you is that your children can travel for free on both these buses.

 

[udnylad]

Hi Folks

The first time we stayed on-site we were fortunate to stay for 3 weeks. We used Mear's transfers to arrive and depart and hired a car for the middle week. We still found that the car was not used that much
That might have been poor planning on our part but the Disney transport really is brill!!

Our children were quite young, it took them about 3-4 days to acclimatise and then it took longer to cover all the Disney parks without going "commando" style. I don't think you said how long you are staying for but we took the best part of 16 days to cover the Disney parks to our satisfaction (we did not do it all) at our children pace i.e. park in morning then back to hotel for pool and chill time then back to parks after tea.

Now we would probably use a hire car at the start of the hols to get some shopping for bottled water, milk, cereal and soft drinks and a cool box ($4) which saved us a fortune on Disney prices. It saved us lots of time because we could have breakfast in the hotel room without any agreements from the kids and then hit the parks running.

Go for it. Use the free Disney transfer then hire a car for a few days for shopping and getting to Malls and other non-Disney parks.

Hope you enjoy your hols.