DH...FIGHT...who's right?! Car Rental or Disney Trasport

[bab31]

Gosh, ME was so easy and it really was great not to have to rent a car. Stand in line(the one time we did rent it took us about 45 minutes or so), fetch the luggage,try to figure our way out of the airport and in the right direction to WDW.

Returning was just as easy. We flew on a non participating airline- just put our luggage on the bus with us.

We stayed at CSR - never had an issue- only had one bus that was full and that was after illuminations at Epcot. It only took minutes to get anywhere and the longest ride was to DTD- (that took a while) It was great not to struggle with where we were going, parking, when you think about it you have to wait for those trams to get you back to your parked car.

ME and WDW transportation was great- I wouldnt waste the money.

Oh and I used Gardengrocer for breakfast food, soda, water etc - they were great- I did not need to stop at the grocery store on the way in- Our vacation started with ME!

 

[pepe of ohio]

We've been to WDW over 38 times since 1977 and never once rented a car for use on property. We've rented vans to get us to WDW, but once there leave them in the lot. Driving on property with all the different roads, turns, traffic is not worth it to us. We use Amtrak to get there now and have no use for a rented car, why the expense, how much time is it going to save you in a day? We're on property for 10 nights, not leaving property for anything, and the buses, monorails and boats work just fine, close to destination, A/C'ed and efficient. We most always go during off times, no holidays and not driving a car for 10 days is great, the bus wait, whats 15 minutes, even a few times a day and getting into a cool bus, bus knowing where its going, dropping you off close and traveling some private roads gets us there lickety split, espically when leaving a park, I've seen the endless line of red tail lights trying to get out of the vast parking lots, so why leave early to beat the traffic when you can save alot of money and just use Disney transportation!

 

[MidgeD79]

We usually drive to WDW so our van is there. I like having the flexability of using WDW's busses or using our van. The biggest plus for our van is your own seat with cold drinks and snacks.

 

[melanie18]

OK kimberlyp02, what are your actual dates of travel? I'm making it my mission to find you a good rental car rate!

From what I've gathered, you will be a party of 5?

 

[clkelley]

We use Disney transportation exclusively.

The reason may sound strange, but we do it so I can Drink

I'm no lusch by any means, but I do enjoy cocktails on occasion.

I have young adult children and ever since they have been venturing out with friends, I have told them that they should NEVER have to drive under the influence or get into a car where the driver has been drinking. They can call me any time, from anywhere and I will go pick them up no questions asked. (Only had to do it once )

Also, my hubby likes to go out and sing Kareoke on occasion, and there have been times when one of my sons drops me off where hubby is and I can get him home or I take a cab and then drive hubby home.

So as a result, I don't drink at home, so that I am available to do this for my family.

When I'm at Disney World, I know that everyone in my world has a way to get wherever they need without me getting behind the wheel or them getting behind the wheel, so I can have a cocktail when I want one!!!!

When I go out of town for work, camping trips or solo Disney trips, hubby doesn't drink for the same reason.

 

[Waseller77]

I have done both and with 2 little kids I say - RENT A CAR! You'll be kicking yourself when you're standing in line at the Magic Kingdom with 2 cranky kids waiting for 4 spots on a bus that has standing room only!

We find that without a car, we are trying to "beat the crowds" after Wishes or Spectro (or Illuminations or Fantasmic). That means racing to the bus lines with 2 young kids in tow and missing the end of these events! With a car, you can take your time getting back to it and enjoy the end of the show!

 

[clkelley]

I have done both and with 2 little kids I say - RENT A CAR! You'll be kicking yourself when you're standing in line at the Magic Kingdom with 2 cranky kids waiting for 4 spots on a bus that has standing room only!

We find that without a car, we are trying to "beat the crowds" after Wishes or Spectro (or Illuminations or Fantasmic). That means racing to the bus lines with 2 young kids in tow and missing the end of these events! With a car, you can take your time getting back to it and enjoy the end of the show!

You can catch the end of these events and still have a noncrowded bus.

Stay in the park!!!! If they are sleeping in their strollers, walk slowly around the park or find a nice bench and let the crowds clear out. If they are bouncing around burning off energy, find a quiet corner and let them do that.

There is no reason to wait in that loud, miserable, smelly bus line, watching the castle change colors, or watch the Epcot Fountain, or slowly stroll those neat pathways at Animal Kingdom, or watch the Lights on the Big Mickey Hat at the Studios is a lot more fun!!

 

[kimberlyp02]

OK kimberlyp02, what are your actual dates of travel? I'm making it my mission to find you a good rental car rate!

From what I've gathered, you will be a party of 5?

Wow! Thanks!! We are Traveling from Sept 22-29.

I was looking and the Car Care Center would be awesome or the airport. Well, really anywhere around disney. Seems like the other disney locations are crazy though. I checked and Alamo seems to have some of the best rates out, but I wasn't sure of where to look.

Oh and Yes, we will have 3 adults and 2 kids in carseats.

Thanks SO much!!!

 

[elan]

We rent a car now.

When we're ready to leave, we can leave. No more standing in lines.

The kids begin to rest once they are in the car.

...the signs at WDW can be confusing thou. We use the map given out at the front desk to get around. We have missed a turn or two.

 

[liznboys]

We have 4 young sons (7, 5, 3, 1). We've found that renting a car (in our case a minivan) is the way to go. It gives us so much more freedom and flexibility. And with little ones, it means everything when you have more options because you never know what the day will bring.

We do still use WDW transport for certain things. Although on our most recent trip last month we never ended up using the buses at all. I can't tell you how many times we got into our comfy minivan and looked at the buses and said "I'm so glad we have our own van!!" It is soooooo worth it to us.

 

[dcgrumpy]

I never rented a car until I had kids. Our first trip with DS we didn't rent a car and we said we'd never do it again. Dealing with little kids, diaper bags and strollers on a crowded bus is not fun. Once we're done with strollers we'll probably stop renting.

Another plus with renting a car, it makes it so easy to eat at other resorts.

 

[JoBird]

We always, always rent a car. You never know when Little Precious is going to wake up in the middle of the night, sick from licking one to many hand rails and raging with fever or throwing up. Makes those unforseen incidents easier to handle, being proactive from the beginning, knowing your car is waiting right outside to take you to the store to pick up ANYthing you might need.

Also, getting in the car at the end of the busy day at the parks allows for calm "down-time" for the children before you put them in the shower and to bed. Very relaxing driving home with DH behind the wheel, holding hands and talking softly about your favorite part of the day, looking forward to the next, rather than being crammed into a bus, (usually standing), holding a crying child, because there are no seats left.

JMO from MY experiences.

No one can say what is right for every family. You have to try it all out and learn what works best for you.

Good Luck.

Jo

 

[Poorman]

Wow! Thanks!! We are Traveling from Sept 22-29.

I was looking and the Car Care Center would be awesome or the airport. Well, really anywhere around disney. Seems like the other disney locations are crazy though. I checked and Alamo seems to have some of the best rates out, but I wasn't sure of where to look.

Oh and Yes, we will have 3 adults and 2 kids in carseats.

Thanks SO much!!!

Ok, I usually don't comment on these car rental things because it really is a personal decision.
When we are on property we stay DVC, the only reason we use a car is to by groceries and eat off site. In that way it is justified. We go with 2 grandchildren 5 & 7. Now we don't have strollers but we did and it wasn't too bad with all the equiptment. You are on the dining plan so you do not have any reason to leave Disney property. I can tell you from experiance, 9 times out of 10 it is better to take the bus than drive a car. I would just take the money saved and put it towards a tour or something like that. If you must rent, by all means use DME and rent a car while on the property, it usually is cheaper and you don't have the hassle of driving from MCO.

Good luck.

Rich

 

[jstouder]

Last year was our first trip together we did rent a car. When we checked into our resort we thought we would at least give Disney transportation a try. One trip was enough for DH. It was so hot out and we had to wait quite a while for a bus to pick us up to go to Epcot. Then when we were done at the park we had to wait a long time again for a bus to take us back to our resort.

So for us impatient ones we rent a car. It prevents arguments!!!

Plus most of our ADR's are at other resorts. To me it is a pain to have to take one bus to a park and then transfer to another one to get to the resort for dinner.

I vote for the car.

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

I'll add my .02...not sure how helpful but we are having the same discussion. I haven't read all the responses yet but I have printed them off and I will enjoy reading them when DD2 naps.

Anyway...my .02. What concerns me the most is going to an ADR for dinner after an afternoon break. We're staying at VWL and have ADR for Norway Princess Dinner at 6:00. Now according to the books I've read and posts I've read...we need to allow 1 hour travel time PLUS 30 minutes walking through FW to get to Norway on time. So we would have to leave at 4:30 to get to an ADR at 6...to me that seems crazy considering the travel time should only be 15 minutes(by car) but when you factor in waiting for the bus and then the bus picking up at other resorts (for WL we'd pick up FW from what I've read).

Also, if the bus to AK takes 40 minutes to get to the park by 9:00 opening, you'd have to be at the bus stop by 8 at the latest. If you have young kids, this extra time is valuable...what if little Timmy isn't ready to go by the time you have to be at the bus stop and you miss the bus...another 20 minutes.

Having said all that, the buses take you much closer to the entrance and you save time that way. I don't know. This is such a dilemma for us...we just go round and round. When it was just DH and I we absolutely loved the buses and had no problems what so ever. But now for a family of 5, the waiting (this could be fun visiting w/other families), carrying backpacks/tote bags & stroller, and the constant worrying on my part about us not being able to all fit on a standing only crowded bus.

So I know I didn't help but I think my DH and I need to think this over again...I think I just convinced myself we need a rental.

Have a great time whatever you decide.

 

[matysgrandma]

RENT A CAR gets my vote!!!!
We've done both, and I'll tell ya I wouldn't be without my rental. I can go from one hotel to the next without a problem, so dining at the hotels is no longer an issue. The thought of waiting for a bus as opposed to getting in my car after a long day makes this decision so much easier!

 

[daisax]

I'm definitely in the "rent a car" camp, but there's no wrong answer, really, just different opinions. For ME, renting makes the most sense, since I go to other resorts a lot (especially with dining!), and I'm not crazy about waiting in line and being in enclosed spaces with other people's whining children and husbands and wives

If the kids would be happy because it's a bus ride, you can sell them on the super fast outdoor tram ride to the parking lot! Unless you have the bad luck to be at the super far end of the line of cars, you can usually hustle and get right onto a tram in as little time as it takes to walk from the bus stop to the gates (usually the trams drop you off significantly closer than the buses do)

The downside is the lack of immediate AC when you get in the car, but the upside is that trams are usually immediate service, they go fast enough that it's somewhat cool riding them, and once you're in the car, you can blast the AC, roll down the windows, and comfort yourself that you're a) sitting, and b) it's a nice soft comfortable surface and not a hard bus seat and c) your children are safely buckled in and d) you have your own radio/music/blessed peace and quiet to drive away to.

I can deal with the crowds and the hustle and bustle in the parks, but when I leave the park, I'm ready to unwind -- immediately. For me, that means my own space to whisk me back to my resort.

 

[Michele]

We have done it both ways and prefer renting a car.

We won't go again without renting a car.

Basically, I like to go places on 'my' time not wait for transportation. Stopping at other places before we get to where we want to go really irks me. I found it saved tons of time. And it's Disney, so of course they make it easy!!! No driving around the parking lot looking for a space, they guide you right to the area they are parking in at that time, have trams waiting right there for you to get on. Very easy!!!! I think lugging things, strollers, etc is much harder to do on a bus than a car and think how much easier the kids will fall asleep in the car rather than on a cramped, noisy bus.

As far as lugging the car seats, if you choose a rental car co that has a counter in the airport, they are just one floor down from baggage claim, then the cars are just across the street in the parking garage. Not far to carry.

I'd say you should give it a try, you won't know if it works for you until you try it.

BTW, we never had any problem with getting lost. But neither Dh nor I are directionally challenged.

 

[cinjam]

In all of our trips, we've always used Disney transportation once at our hotel. From the airport to the hotel, I would always use a towne car service because #1) I wanted my kids in car seats and #2) I wanted the grocery store stop. #3) I did not want to share the bus with 20 other people making stops at other resorts for drop-offs. My kids are tied from the 3 hour plane ride. With the towne car they are in their own familiar seats, the can scream if they'd like to, but usually just fall asleep durnig the drive. I have no desire to try ME.

My kids are currently 3 and 6 - we've gone every year since the oldest was 1.

We've never had a problem with WDW transportation - I've always said it is the way to go. No worries - get on at your hotel, get off at your destination. Usually fast and efficient. I have no complaints about WDW transportation.

Last September, we went to WDW (free dining), and I found a rental car that cost about the same as the towne car service and thought I would give renting a car a try. Money-wise it was a wash: I was shelling out $130 either to a service or a rental car company - didn't matter to me. So if the car just sat in the parking lot for the entire week, it didn't matter.

Well, it worked out SO well having a car. I had my grocery store stop (a few times during the week actually), negotiating around WDW property turned out to be pretty darn easy (signage is really good). Getting the luggage from the bagage claim to the car was actually quite easy. DH pays the $3.00 and rents on of those cart things - all the luggage & car seats go right on that. I have the kidsin the stroller at that point.

Crowds were minimal during the time we went so parking at the parks was not a real big problem. MK was the only park we had a long time (ie from the time you park the car to the time you enter the park).

We were at POP this last time, and we decided to try the buses one day. While it wasn't bad, it wasn't as great as driving ourselves! POP bus wait areas have no shade and that really did pose a problem for us (well...DH mostly).

So, I suggest you give renting a car a try - you just may like it!

 

[TDC Nala]

If your husband insists, rent the car. But register him as the only driver.