Commute time from HIFS outside park vs. inside

[jh3]

I am planning a first DW trip in early June. I am considering staying at the Holiday Inn Family Suites outside the park.

Is the commute to the park (MK, Epcot, etc.) really longer if I stay at HIFS vs. getting to the park from a hotel inside the park?

If so by how much time?

If I do stay outside the park I am planning on renting a car and driving to the parks. If I stay inside should I rent a car or rely on Dis transportation?

THANKS FOR ANY FEEDBACK!!!

 

[Geoff_M]

We found that travelling by car to the parks from HIFS was probably only slightly longer than driving from the All-Stars on-site. It pretty much is just over the WDW property line.

As for the car vs. bus issue, we personally like the flexibility of having a car with us.

 

[anabelle]

I was about 5-7 minutes to the parking lots. You will take more time going to MK because you park then go to the TTC. We found it an easy commute. My kids actually like HIFS as much as the parks. We are actually spending more time in the hotel this time.

 

[QueenTrident]

We stayed at HIFS last year and loved it. It is minutes from the entrance to WDW property. DD and Typhoon Lagoon are probably about 5 minutes away, then everything else is a bit further. The only time we wished we had stayed on property (and in a hotel with a monorail) was when we went to MK. Commuting from the TTC was a drag. But, the benefits of HIFS and the freedom of having a car for everything else far outweighed the negatives.