Disney bus or drive?

[siegal]

Am staying at the Wyndham across from downtown disney so I know you can take that bus to a resort and then switch to a park bus. we will have our car as we are driving.

Prefer not to pay for parking but we have a huge double stroller and 2 kids under. 3 so not sure how feasible the changing bus thing is.

Any thoughts?

 

[siskaren]

You're not allowed to park at the resorts for theme park access.

 

[wdwrich]

You're not allowed to park at the resorts for theme park access.

The OP didn't say they were planning to do that. They said they would take a DTD bus to a resort and switch. Since they are staying across the street from DTD, it seems they would walk over to the DTD bus stop.

OP- You would save a ton of time by driving to the parks. Yes, you would pay the parking fee (once per day), but considering how much you will be spending for your WDW vacation, time is precious. How many days will you visit the parks? If it's a significant number of days, consider getting an AP for one person in your group. With an AP, theme park parking is free.

 

[Alesia]

Considering that bus service from DTD to the resorts doesn't start until about 10:00, you won't be getting to the parks until about lunchtime.

And yes, with small kids and a double stroller, it's going to be a huge PITA.

I would just work the parking fee into the budget.

 

[sam_gordon]

I am a big believer in using Disney transportation, but in your circumstances, I would drive.

 

[got2lovedisney]

We just stayed at the Wyndham and found the bus in the morning was fine. Schedule every 30 minutes at the top and bottom of the hour. Goes first to MK and then to Hollywood Studios. On the way back, one night, Group A. took ferry from MK to TTC and then back to Wyndam. Group B walked to Contemporary and bus to DtD and walked over. Group A got there first as we had to wait for the bus to DtD. Second day, returning from MK...took monorail over to TTC. That bus then went over to AK before heading to the resort. Seems like we were on the bus for an hour.
It was hit or miss on the timeliness. Since you're going to be juggling a stroller and kids...I'd say drive yourself.

 

[siegal]

You're not allowed to park at the resorts for theme park access.

I'm parking at my hotel

 

[siegal]

It seems the consensus is to drive.
We planned on buying the weekday annual passes but I don't think they include parking. Not sure if an upgrade is worth it

 

[wdwrich]

It seems the consensus is to drive.
We planned on buying the weekday annual passes but I don't think they include parking. Not sure if an upgrade is worth it

Your are correct. The FL resident weekday passes do not include parking.

 

[jennylyn_b]

Considering that bus service from DTD to the resorts doesn't start until about 10:00, you won't be getting to the parks until about lunchtime. And yes, with small kids and a double stroller, it's going to be a huge PITA. I would just work the parking fee into the budget.

Bus service starts earlier than that as the shops and restaurants begin opening at 8:30 am. I have taken resort to DTD buses as early as 9 am

 

[Alesia]

Bus service starts earlier than that as the shops and restaurants begin opening at 8:30 am. I have taken resort to DTD buses as early as 9 am

Yes. Resort to DTD buses start earlier than DTD to resort buses (which is what the OP needs.)

 

[bumbershoot]

It seems the consensus is to drive.
We planned on buying the weekday annual passes but I don't think they include parking. Not sure if an upgrade is worth it

Just doing quick and rough math, it seems the difference between the select weekday and the basic AP is about $270. How long is your trip? Will you be going back more times in the year? Will you be doing day visits? If you think you'll spend about 18 days total at the parks inside of a year, it seems to make one upgrade worth it to cover themepark parking.

This isn't Disney but Universal...my cousins who are local bought the Power Pass at Universal and did it on the monthly plan. They then realized they loved Universal and found themselves going often. But the PP doesn't include parking. to upgrade means to pay off the full PP and then pay the full upgrade fee; you can't roll it into monthly payments. So they've kept on paying for parking, instead of plunking down the money they were trying to save (why they did monthly payments and did the power pass). At the end of the year they had paid far more for daily parking and the PP than they would have paid for a Preferred.

Don't do that to yourself if there's any chance you might have a total of that many days at the themeparks. Have the adult most likely to visit upgrade to the pass that includes parking, if there's a chance of that many days.

 

[goofy4tink]

Are you planning on walking over to DTD and hopping on a bus there, in the morning? That's going to be a pain in the neck! And the buses, running from DTD to the resorts, aren't all that reliable until about 9:30. Even then, you could be sitting there, waiting for 20+ mins for a bus to come!!

You really should consider driving to the parks. You need to pay only one time each day...just hold onto your receipt at the first park you pay to park at. Then, if you move to another park that day, just show them the receipt from the first park. I realize you don't want to pay to park, but that's the choice you make when you stay off-site. You really need to figure that into your budget...it will be soooooo much easier for your family. Can you upgrade just your AP to the regular, all inclusive one that allows free parking?

 

[N365PA]

Please don't use the perks of those of us staying on property. Drive and pay. Or stay on property.

"Complimentary transportation throughout Walt Disney World Resort—including transportation to and from Disney Theme Parks and Disney Water Parks—is available to Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels."

 

[jennylyn_b]

Yes. Resort to DTD buses start earlier than DTD to resort buses (which is what the OP needs.)

Yes but if the buses are going to DTD then wouldn't it reason that you could hop on one of those and go back to the resort? No? (I'm asking not being rude. Sometimes that doesn't come off right lol)

 

[Alesia]

Yes but if the buses are going to DTD then wouldn't it reason that you could hop on one of those and go back to the resort? No? (I'm asking not being rude. Sometimes that doesn't come off right lol)

No. Just because a bus comes from a resort doesn't mean that it is going back to a resort. The way the buses are dispatched is really fluid - it isn't just that the same bus goes back and forth between 2 points.

 

[sam_gordon]

Please don't use the perks of those of us staying on property. Drive and pay. Or stay on property.

"Complimentary transportation throughout Walt Disney World Resort—including transportation to and from Disney Theme Parks and Disney Water Parks—is available to Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels."

Where'd you find that? It's no where near accurate. Anyone can use Disney Transportation. You don't need to be staying, eating, or shopping in a resort.

 

[jennylyn_b]

No. Just because a bus comes from a resort doesn't mean that it is going back to a resort. The way the buses are dispatched is really fluid - it isn't just that the same bus goes back and forth between 2 points.

I understand how the buses work but I also would find it strange that none of them would be going back to any resorts in the morning.

 

[jennylyn_b]

Where'd you find that? It's no where near accurate. Anyone can use Disney Transportation. You don't need to be staying, eating, or shopping in a resort.

Actually that is the correct wording and the bus drivers could ask for resort id. Or at least they could when there were kttw. They don't but it is for guests and says it in many many places and also it part of the talk on the bus when you are arriving at your destination and on the ME bus.

Again it's not enforced though.

 

[Gracie09]

Actually that is the correct wording and the bus drivers could ask for resort id. Or at least they could when there were kttw. They don't but it is for guests and says it in many many places and also it part of the talk on the bus when you are arriving at your destination and on the ME bus. Again it's not enforced though.

I'm sorry but you are incorrect. I'm on my phone so can't link but on the wdw website, FAQ, transportation it says all modes of transportations, monorail, bus, boat etc are available to guests regardless of if they are staying insure or offsite. Disney wants to move people around. They want to make it easy for you to spend your money and maybe even see how easy it is to stay at an on site resort so next time that is where you will stay.

Op just pay to park. You don't want to be messing around transferring buses etc especially at the end of the day when everyone is tired and cranky.;