Disney transportation or drive?

[Poohtigeey]

I need some expert opinions! We will have our car, but I've always liked to forget about driving for the week, and just hop on a bus. However, I'm hearing more and more people say they prefer to drive themselves. Is it hard to navigate around property? I hate the aggrivation of getting lost? We're staying at POR. We are going to drive to AKL to eat at Boma. Should we drive to the parks too? What about MK? Is it better to take the bus there? We will have our two year old with us so I'm trying to think what's best for her too. Thank you for your input!

 

[jaurban]

I personally vote for the car. We had a rental last December, with our DD4, we had a split stay at BC and AKL, and used the car to go to HDDR and MK from the BC and all parks but AK from AKL. Since we were at BC part of the time we were able to walk to Epcot, which was great and we took the boat to MGM, which was ok, but a bit slow on the return. MK we took the car and I am glad we did as the drive was very quick - we did have to take the tram to the TTC once, walked once from the parking lot, but having the car means not having to be concerned about waiting for the bus and getting a seat. At AKL we took the bus, and probably should have driven, as we waited about 25 minutes for the pick up to go to the park, and about 25 for the return pick up. Driving, we could have done it in about 5.

 

[Endeavour105]

I need some expert opinions! We will have our car, but I've always liked to forget about driving for the week, and just hop on a bus. However, I'm hearing more and more people say they prefer to drive themselves. Is it hard to navigate around property? I hate the aggrivation of getting lost? We're staying at POR. We are going to drive to AKL to eat at Boma. Should we drive to the parks too? What about MK? Is it better to take the bus there? We will have our two year old with us so I'm trying to think what's best for her too. Thank you for your input!

Since you're staying at a WDW resort, parking is free...I'd drive AFTER I got a good map of WDW and studied it - it's easy to get lost on the WDW roadway system. For getting to the MK, you must park in the MK lot and take either the monorail or the ferry boat to the MK from the TTC...you cannot park directly at the MK as you can at other WDW parks.

 

[kimluvswdw]

We have thought about this many times and when we go we like to use Disney transportation. It is great when you are tired after a long day at the park to hop on an air conditioned bus and be driven to the door of your resort. No playing the game "wheres my car in that big parking lot".

 

[Mickiethepooh]

Car absolutely, I use two scooters so I really must drive, doing two scooters on a bus is a nightmare for all concerned. but even if I did not have them I would drive. saves huge amounts of time and agrevation. the property is not that hard to navigate.

 

[Momelie]

Another vote for driving your car!

POR is one of the easiest resorts to navigate to and from the parks. Just take a left out of the resorts, and you are right there at one of the main intersections. The signs are very plainly marked, and after about 2 or 3 times of navigating it, you won't even need to look at the signs anymore!

Its just so much quicker than the buses, and after a long day of jostling around a park, and being in tight contact with other humans, it feels so good to have the decompression time to just get in your car with just your family, and drive your air conditioned car to your resort.

JMHO only, though, YMMV!

 

[teacher31]

We've always been car people - until this year. We loved the bus system. We did have to wait a couple of times, but it was more relaxing than hoofing it to the tram. We're planning on being bus people from now on.

 

[tkldisney]

I vote for the car to. It's so easy to drive around within WDW. They have huge signs everywhere. Even if your not sure, your still on Disney property and will always find your way. I have tried both using their transportation & driving and now I always rent a car. If we are on monorail resort thats easy, use that for Epcot & MK and drive to AK & MGM otherwise we drive to all. To me the worst is finding a parking space in DTD Marketplace on the weekends.
If you happen to get off Disney property (which I have in the dark) it's still very easy to find your way around. Even is you have to stop & ask directions everyone knows where WDW is.

 

[Poohtigeey]

Thanks everyone. Great info. Where would I get a good map of WDW property? Would AAA have one or would I get one at the resort? My post was moved! Oops! I didn't know there was a transportation board!

 

[clkelley]

I'm the opposite, I much prefer Disney transportation. Having Disney do the driving is part of the vacation. Also when going from Epcot or the Studios to the Epcot resorts, we just walk. The boats are too slow.

We do a LOT of park hopping and eat at a lot of different resorts. Yes, it does take a bit of advance planning to not have transfers, but we love not worrying about where are car is.

Even when we stay at the campground, we get set up and move the truck out to the overflow lot. We just don't even want it cluttering up the campsite.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I vote for a car. Nothing worse than having to wait half an hour to ride a bus with your little one asking when it's your turn... then boarding the bus only to find it's standing room only. The AC in the car is nice, and it's so convenient to use the trunk to tote necessities you may need throughout the day without having to return to your room.

Using a car (even if you do make a wrong turn now and then) will save you so much time, even to the MK, though that's debated here. We've tried it both ways and if you add in the wait time for the buses, the car is faster.

If you are bad about remembering where you park, simply take a picture of the lot section marker with your phone or digital camera when you park.

Enjoy your trip!!

 

[inaminute]

Car.

No more Disney busses for me. They are packing more and more people into those things and I just don't feel safe. Besides, we usually have to wait for the bus to show up, or I have to wait for the next bus. I have a bad knee, and can't stand on the bus. I'd hate to fall and hurt someone. I've given up on hoping someone will give up their seat--it just doesnt happen.

We've discovered a lot of freedom with a rental car. We take the tram back to the parking lot at the end of the day, we never have to wait for a bus to show up, we have no problem getting a seat, the air conditioning can be adjusted to our liking, we can listen to what we like on the radio, and usually get back to the resort before the bus does!

...but it was more relaxing than hoofing it to the tram.

I found the trams to be closer than the Disney busses at nearly all parks, except Magic Kingdom, of course.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Car--always. Even to the MK.