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

[TDC Nala]

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.


Jo

Should you be holding hands while he's driving?

 

[JoBird]

Should you be holding hands while he's driving?

Are you serious?????????

 

[funcinderella]

I'm all for renting a car (I have twin 5 yr olds), and agree with all of the other posters reasons. We have stayed at Poly and also at Beach Club, and still rent a car regardless. It's nice to have all modes of transportation available to you. Poly to MK? Monorail all the way!! Beach Club to DTD for some shopping? Hop in the car! You can usually get a rental so cheap, it's worth it. And while I imagine DME usually runs fine, the one time I had to use it (got "snowed out" for an extra day at Disney and had already given up the car rental) there was a big mess, one of the buses didn't make it and people ended up missing their flight (this was from POP) and it convinced me not to really depend on ME in the future.

 

[jodifla]

We always have a car. It's SO much easier when you have kids, unless your idea of a fun time is waiting at the bus stop.

Recent reports say they've cut back the bus trips to every 30 minutes instead of 20.

And if you want to get from one resort to another to eat, PLAN ON TWO HOURS EACH WAY using WDW transportation.

Not the way I want to spend my vacation.

 

[TDC Nala]

Are you serious?????????

Should he not have both hands on the wheel?
There are so many times when couples can hold hands, I don't know how they do it when one of them is driving.

 

[Evil Princess]

Should he not have both hands on the wheel?
There are so many times when couples can hold hands, I don't know how they do it when one of them is driving.

Uhhhh...I usually drive with only one hand, unless I have to make a crazy turn that requires alot of wheel movement.

 

[frannn]

It gives us the opportunity to grab our luggage, DD4, and various equipment (stroller, booster, etc), and head right over to our resort. Plus, we can make a grocery run for diapers, drinks, snacks, etc; make ADRs without worrying about catching the bus in time, or having transportation after AK closes; do a shopping trip at DTD and throw the bags in the trunk; and go offsite to the outlets. DH insists on using the WDW transportation as much as possible, while I love using a rental car. Its just easier when its a bit more crowded (like MNSSHP night, or at park closing time), and you don't have to control a stroller, your bags, and a small child on 2 seats, plus you know you are guaranteed a seat in your rental car! I hate waiting for a bus, only to see its already full 20 people ahead of me!

 

[JoBird]

Should he not have both hands on the wheel?
There are so many times when couples can hold hands, I don't know how they do it when one of them is driving.

I am going to try to be nice here, because I have recently turned over a new leaf...

When car makers make it so that no one is capable of:

1. Eating while driving
2. applying make up while driving
3. Caring for children while driving
4. answering a cell phone while driving
5. talking on a cell phone while driving
6. changing clothes while driving
7. changing radio stations while driving
8. changing the temperature setting while driving
9. having sex while driving...yes I have seen this
10. the most important... not drinking and driving...

THEN, I will quit holding my husband's hand for a brief few moments.
By the way, are you guilty of ANY of the above mentioned things?

Sorry OP, I will not turn your thread into an ugly-fest. I was merely giving my opinion as to what works for me and my family in my previous post.

Jodi

 

[clkelley]

We always have a car. It's SO much easier when you have kids, unless your idea of a fun time is waiting at the bus stop.

Recent reports say they've cut back the bus trips to every 30 minutes instead of 20.

And if you want to get from one resort to another to eat, PLAN ON TWO HOURS EACH WAY using WDW transportation.

Not the way I want to spend my vacation.

That's what bugs me that folks say the main reason for a car is eating at other resorts. Why would one PLAN to eat somewhere where they had to go from resort to resort to eat.

If I want to eat at a resort restaurant, I plan to go to that restaurant when I can have easy transportation.

For example, if I want to eat at Boma, I eat there when I'm at Animal Kingdom.

If I want to eat at Beach Club, I eat there when I'm at the Studios or Epcot, and plan it for a time when I can walk over to the Studios and get a bus back to my resort.

If I want to eat at Chef Mickeys, I plan it for a time when MK is open so I can just take a bus to Magic Kingdom and walk over.

Doesn't anybody consider those things when making ADRs? Or do folks truly go back to "their" resort and then have to figure out how to get to dinner??

 

[melanie18]

So far, I've checked Alamo, National, Dollar & Budget (I'm partial to Alamo or National, but that's just me).

Using a coupon from the Entertainment Book, I've found a midsize SUV for $243.85 (including all fees). If you are splitting the cost, that's not TOO bad. However, I love a good challenge, so I'm going to keep trying.

 

[kimberlyp02]

lol....thanks! We were thinking we could probably go with the Pontiac G6 type car?? We are all very small people. I found on Alamo for it about $180 using a coupon code and the pre-pay discount. THis was picking it up from the Car Care Center too.

What'd odd is that it seems like certain times though you get about $100 cheaper than others for picking it up. It was really weird, if I chose an hour earlier or later it was $100 higher, but at 1:30pm it was cheaper??? Couldn't figure that one out.

What happens if you schedule to pick up at 1:30 and don't get there until 2 or 2:30?? Do they charge you the higher price?

 

[kimberlyp02]

oh, that was with all taxes/fees too. Maybe it was like $185 or $189, anyway, it was under $190.

 

[matysgrandma]

That's what bugs me that folks say the main reason for a car is eating at other resorts. Why would one PLAN to eat somewhere where they had to go from resort to resort to eat.

If I want to eat at a resort restaurant, I plan to go to that restaurant when I can have easy transportation.

For example, if I want to eat at Boma, I eat there when I'm at Animal Kingdom.

If I want to eat at Beach Club, I eat there when I'm at the Studios or Epcot, and plan it for a time when I can walk over to the Studios and get a bus back to my resort.

If I want to eat at Chef Mickeys, I plan it for a time when MK is open so I can just take a bus to Magic Kingdom and walk over.

Doesn't anybody consider those things when making ADRs? Or do folks truly go back to "their" resort and then have to figure out how to get to dinner??

Your planning may be fine for you and yours, but let's say I want to eat at Boma's for dinner 7:30 pm and AK closes at 5:00. So I guess I'd have to take the bus to AKL, hang around there until my dinner time, eat, then catch a bus to another park, then a bus to my resort. That's too much work for me. I like jumping in my car and driving wherever I chose to go.

 

[clkelley]

Your planning may be fine for you and yours, but let's say I want to eat at Boma's for dinner 7:30 pm and AK closes at 5:00. So I guess I'd have to take the bus to AKL, hang around there until my dinner time, eat, then catch a bus to another park, then a bus to my resort. That's too much work for me. I like jumping in my car and driving wherever I chose to go.

I have eaten at Boma at 8pm, but I planned it for an evening where Animal Kingdom had evening EMH. We took a bus over about 7:30, had our dinner, then went to PI and stayed at Adventurer's Club through Hoopla! then went back to our resort.

I'm not saying that going strictly on Disney Transportation is the way to go for some families, but if one thinks things through, it doesn't have to be the hassle that some make it out to be.

 

[daisax]

I'm not saying that going strictly on Disney Transportation is the way to go for some families, but if one thinks things through, it doesn't have to be the hassle that some make it out to be.​

Nor does driving!

For me driving's the fastest point from A to B. I understand those who don't enjoy driving, or who don't enjoy driving in unfamiliar surroundings wanting the comfort of others doing it for them. They consider the bus "relaxing" -- for me it's anything but. I rode public transportation for 10 years -- it long ago lost its charm for me

I'll still plan a day in the park roughly based on where my dining reservations are, but it doesn't have to be set in stone. And even if I want to go to a monorail resort for dinner, I'll still take my car from the park, because when I'm done, I want to waddle to the car and go straight to my resort without making connections.

 

[Michele]

I just got a rate of 101.38 plus tax and fees on a midsive SUV for a week in April. Alamo, with a code from Mousesavers and an online Alamo coupon.

 

[ZoZo]

I'm going through the same debate myself. Can't do Magical Express because we're staying at Shades of Green. have done a town car before and liked it, but felt a little limited transportation-wise with just SOG and WDW transportation. Took forever getting from Epcot to DTD without a car.

So this time I think we'll do a rental car. Town car is $119 plus tips, and got a good rental rate, so it's not very much more to rent a car, even if we don't use it too much. I think for the sake of flexibility, we'll like the rental car.

 

[Liltx]

I didn't read all of the posts but. . .

Before kiddos we did go twice without a car and it was fine. Since kiddos there is no way I would be without a car for a week. It is part of my security to know that if they need a doctor or diapers or formula or we just want to do something besides Disney we can. Yes, it sits in the parking lot for 90% of the trip but the money is worth it in flexibility. It's only $250 for 10 days in a premium car. JMHO

Monica

 

[pbharris4]

lol....thanks! We were thinking we could probably go with the Pontiac G6 type car?? We are all very small people. I found on Alamo for it about $180 using a coupon code and the pre-pay discount. THis was picking it up from the Car Care Center too.

What'd odd is that it seems like certain times though you get about $100 cheaper than others for picking it up. It was really weird, if I chose an hour earlier or later it was $100 higher, but at 1:30pm it was cheaper??? Couldn't figure that one out.

What happens if you schedule to pick up at 1:30 and don't get there until 2 or 2:30?? Do they charge you the higher price?

If you don't get there around the time you said you'd be there, you'll probably be considered a No Show and be charged something AND they'll let your reservation go. If I am wrong someone will correct me.

I would get a bigger car. I can't remember exactly how many children you'll have with you, but if you are bringing strollers and at least 3-4 pieces of luggage, it almost defintely will not fit in the Pontiac 6. You have to think of the luggage space too. I almost made that mistake last year. I was going to get that car and then saw a great rate for a Premium so I got that and thankfully it fit our 1 stroller and 4 or 5 pcs of luggage (3 big, 2 small) and 1 bookbag..barely. We had a Chrysler Pacificia. If you are using ME then I guess that wouldn't matter.

 

[Boncho]

I've never driven on Disney property and I never plan to. To my wife and me, one off the delicious treats of a WDW vacation is no driving for a week. So I know how you feel.

However ....

Why not try it the other way once? Throw your husband a bone. If you decide you really don't care for it, you STILL have the option of leaving the car in the resort parking lot and taking Disney Transport, anyway.

I'm almost 16 years into a very happy marriage. Part of it is we let each other "win" every now and then. Pick your battles. And don't forget to rub it in when you're right!

And just think - if the car sits in the parking lot all week, you can remind him of this if he ever wants to rent a car at Disney again.