Disney Transportation vs. Renting a Car

[disneycat321]

We’ve only ever used Disney transportation at WDW, and we’ve never had many complaints about it, though it sometimes does take awhile (especially to and from Disney Springs). We live in a very car-dependent area, so we aren’t adverse to driving generally, but we kind of like having the break on vacation.

However, the removal of ME has me wondering if we should consider renting a car and using it for the week.

For those who have done both, which do you prefer - using Disney transportation or renting a car and using that? Why? And, other than the obvious cost of renting the car and parking fees at our resort, are there other hidden costs I should be aware of?

Thank you!

 

[Carol_]

I prefer staying in the bubble. I drive a lot in my real life. Disney transportation makes me feel like a princess in a carriage. (Even if I occasionally have to wait for my carriage to arrive.)

 

[Ross Kratter]

I definitely prefer using Disney transportation when I stay on property. It takes away so much of the hassle. The only time I don’t is when I go for meals at other resorts, since there’s no resort-to-resort transportation. I used to use the Minnie Vans for this purpose. Hopefully they’ll be back.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I like having both options and what we use will vary based on the park, resort, if any adult beverages are involved, etc. I've had times where we rent a car and it stays parked the whole time (which admittedly is a waste) and other times where we've opted to drive quite a bit. But the flexibility is worth it for us.

Thinking in the context of current conditions, there were times in the summer where I was very happy to have that mask-free car time before or after the parks vs full-time masking required when busing. Sometimes after a July park day you're just ready to get that thing off!

Same applies for things like the trip to/from the airport. I'd much rather have our own vehicle vs other group/shared options given COVID concerns and protocols.

 

[petrymom]

Until our Sept 2020 trip we ALWAYS used transportation. We drove down to avoid flying this time. (Wisconsin to Florida). So, the drive down stunk as we were hit in Tennessee and ended up renting a car to finish the trip, but having a car at Disney was actually really nice, to the point of wanting to rent a car again this May. We are flying down, but are renting. With the pandemic restrictions, we found the buses to be slow. We tried to use the transport and ended up driving to the parks except for when we could use the skyliners. Those were awesome!! Now, not sure I would visit Disney without some form of vehicle with.

 

[disneycat321]

I like having both options and what we use will vary based on the park, resort, if any adult beverages are involved, etc. I've had times where we rent a car and it stays parked the whole time (which admittedly is a waste) and other times where we've opted to drive quite a bit. But the flexibility is worth it for us.

Thinking in the context of current conditions, there were times in the summer where I was very happy to have that mask-free car time before or after the parks vs full-time masking required when busing. Sometimes after a July park day you're just ready to get that thing off!

Same applies for things like the trip to/from the airport. I'd much rather have our own vehicle vs other group/shared options given COVID concerns and protocols.

I think I'd definitely want a car if we were going right now because of masks alone. We're looking at early 2022. Granted, who knows what things will look like by then! That flexibility piece is what keeps me considering it, though.

Until our Sept 2020 trip we ALWAYS used transportation. We drove down to avoid flying this time. (Wisconsin to Florida). So, the drive down stunk as we were hit in Tennessee and ended up renting a car to finish the trip, but having a car at Disney was actually really nice, to the point of wanting to rent a car again this May. We are flying down, but are renting. With the pandemic restrictions, we found the buses to be slow. We tried to use the transport and ended up driving to the parks except for when we could use the skyliners. Those were awesome!! Now, not sure I would visit Disney without some form of vehicle with.

We haven't been since the skyliner opened, but we are definitely super excited to try them, car or no car! Also, that is awful about getting hit on your way to Disney! I hope you had a wonderful trip to help make up for all that hassle!

 

[Spunky946]

I think it also depends on where you are staying. We stayed at por and had a car and it was super nice to be able to drive up and park right by our room. Parking at the deluxe resorts can be a little more tricky, either way we loved having a car,

 

[Timandalicia]

We’ve only ever used Disney transportation at WDW, and we’ve never had many complaints about it, though it sometimes does take awhile (especially to and from Disney Springs). We live in a very car-dependent area, so we aren’t adverse to driving generally, but we kind of like having the break on vacation.

However, the removal of ME has me wondering if we should consider renting a car and using it for the week.

For those who have done both, which do you prefer - using Disney transportation or renting a car and using that? Why? And, other than the obvious cost of renting the car and parking fees at our resort, are there other hidden costs I should be aware of?

Thank you!

Ok one of you in the relationship is posting this to prove to the other one that you shouldn’t rent a car, and that person is right. Seeee. I told you. Jk

Unless you are going off site a lot, by the time your done with renting and parking expenses, it totals up to the same as Uber (as needed). Plus you wasted all that time getting the car. And there are a lot of twists and turns to do at night while exhausted.

Fun fact: Magic Kingdom parking lot is the size of all of of Disneyland. All of it. What a hassle.

Try this: Use Disney transportation except set aside what you would pay for renting the car and treat yourself to some ubers here and there throughout the trip. You’d be amazed at how much you’ll be able to get chauffeured around.

 

[Castlequeen5]

We usually drive to Disney and stay on site. Once the car is parked, it doesn’t get moved again until it’s time to leave. I love not having to deal with traffic and parking.

The last time we were there, we flew. (Pre-Covid) We used Disney transportation exclusively. I never felt like I needed a car, so it was never an issue for me. I like the buses and the Skyliner.

We are coming next month, which will be our first time to Disney since the pandemic changed everything. Actually it’s our first time to go anywhere, beside right here in our local community. So I am curious how I will feel once I’m there. I’m a consistent mask user and very aware of my distance to others. I’ve read that Disney does pretty good with Covid precautions, so I don’t think I’ll be too nervous. We are planning to use Disney transportation once we get there, although I may change my mind if I feel too crowded or the service is painfully slow.

So I guess during these Covid times, I’ll be glad to have a car. But if I were flying, I don’t think I could justify the expense of renting one for a “just in case” scenario.

 

[disneycat321]

Ok one of you in the relationship is posting this to prove to the other one that you shouldn’t rent a car, and that person is right. Seeee. I told you. Jk

Unless you are going off site a lot, by the time your done with renting and parking expenses, it totals up to the same as Uber (as needed). Plus you wasted all that time getting the car. And there are a lot of twists and turns to do at night while exhausted.

Fun fact: Magic Kingdom parking lot is the size of all of of Disneyland. All of it. What a hassle.

Try this: Use Disney transportation except set aside what you would pay for renting the car and treat yourself to some ubers here and there throughout the trip. You’d be amazed at how much you’ll be able to get chauffeured around.

Thank you for this post; it made me laugh!

DLR is our home park (we live in CA), so that size comparison really hits home! YIKES.

We usually drive to Disney and stay on site. Once the car is parked, it doesn’t get moved again until it’s time to leave. I love not having to deal with traffic and parking.

The last time we were there, we flew. (Pre-Covid) We used Disney transportation exclusively. I never felt like I needed a car, so it was never an issue for me. I like the buses and the Skyliner.

We are coming next month, which will be our first time to Disney since the pandemic changed everything. Actually it’s our first time to go anywhere, beside right here in our local community. So I am curious how I will feel once I’m there. I’m a consistent mask user and very aware of my distance to others. I’ve read that Disney does pretty good with Covid precautions, so I don’t think I’ll be too nervous. We are planning to use Disney transportation once we get there, although I may change my mind if I feel too crowded or the service is painfully slow.

So I guess during these Covid times, I’ll be glad to have a car. But if I were flying, I don’t think I could justify the expense of renting one for a “just in case” scenario.

I honestly wish we could drive to WDW, but it's 2,800 miles away, so I think we'll pass, haha! We do drive to DLR and then just leave the car in the hotel parking lot the whole time.

We're now strongly considering staying at CBR for the skyliner access...really excited to try it!

 

[Castlequeen5]

I honestly wish we could drive to WDW, but it's 2,800 miles away, so I think we'll pass, haha! We do drive to DLR and then just leave the car in the hotel parking lot the whole time.

We're now strongly considering staying at CBR for the skyliner access...really excited to try it!

We stayed at CBR and Pop last trip (October 2019) and LOVED being on the Skyliner! Our first night was at CBR and we were very close to the Riviera Station. We arrived late at night and the Skyliner was closed for the night. The gondolas were just hanging on the line. So we were walking under them...Amazed. It was so cool! This round we’re staying at Pop. So we are excited about using the Skyliner again. I wish we could get to ALL the parks using the Skyliner.

We drove to DL...it’s about 24 hours from my house. It’s way too far unless you got plenty of time and plenty of stops! Ha! Actually we LOVED Disneyland! The Paint the Night Parade/Disney Forever Fireworks were my absolute favorite show of any park. And we think Carsland with Radiator Springs is the best theme/ride ever!!! We had season passes one year. We flew out to LA three different times and drove once. That was a fun year!

 

[disneycat321]

We stayed at CBR and Pop last trip (October 2019) and LOVED being on the Skyliner! Our first night was at CBR and we were very close to the Riviera Station. We arrived late at night and the Skyliner was closed for the night. The gondolas were just hanging on the line. So we were walking under them...Amazed. It was so cool! This round we’re staying at Pop. So we are excited about using the Skyliner again. I wish we could get to ALL the parks using the Skyliner.

We drove to DL...it’s about 24 hours from my house. It’s way too far unless you got plenty of time and plenty of stops! Ha! Actually we LOVED Disneyland! The Paint the Night Parade/Disney Forever Fireworks were my absolute favorite show of any park. And we think Carsland with Radiator Springs is the best theme/ride ever!!! We had season passes one year. We flew out to LA three different times and drove once. That was a fun year!

We stayed at YC in July 2019, so we got to see the skyliner being tested by the IG, and even that made us pretty excited! Epcot is our favorite, so easy access from CBR via skyliner was definitely a huge selling point! I'm glad to hear that you had such a positive experience with it!

24 hours is pretty incredible for a road trip, though I'd say Disneyland is worth it. I so miss Paint the Night - it was my absolute favorite, too! That does sound like a fun year! We had DLR APs for a few years when we were locals, and I still dream of having them some year again, or I guess a "membership" since they're reimagining APs at DLR. Now we live about a 7 hour drive away, so it's not too bad.

 

[petrymom]

I think I'd definitely want a car if we were going right now because of masks alone. We're looking at early 2022. Granted, who knows what things will look like by then! That flexibility piece is what keeps me considering it, though.



We haven't been since the skyliner opened, but we are definitely super excited to try them, car or no car! Also, that is awful about getting hit on your way to Disney! I hope you had a wonderful trip to help make up for all that hassle!

Yes, the skyliners are awesome!!! Thank you, we did make the absolute best of the trip and, as always, Disney did not diappoint!!

 

[Edeyore]

There are definitely pros and cons. Having a vehicle allows you to travel off property, or to & from the parks on your schedule. However, remember depending on the resort you
stay at there will be a parking charge, at the resort. Depending on the resort it is around $20-$25 a night.

 

[Castlequeen5]

W

We stayed at YC in July 2019, so we got to see the skyliner being tested by the IG, and even that made us pretty excited! Epcot is our favorite, so easy access from CBR via skyliner was definitely a huge selling point! I'm glad to hear that you had such a positive experience with it!

24 hours is pretty incredible for a road trip, though I'd say Disneyland is worth it. I so miss Paint the Night - it was my absolute favorite, too! That does sound like a fun year! We had DLR APs for a few years when we were locals, and I still dream of having them some year again, or I guess a "membership" since they're reimagining APs at DLR. Now we live about a 7 hour drive away, so it's not too bad.

We were at Disney in July 2019 too. I think we were on some of the same threads back then. That’s when we got our APs. But unfortunately, we had to cancel them because of the pandemic.

You live in a beautiful state. We’ve been all the way to the top at the Redwoods and all the way down to the bottom in San Diego. On our last visit we had to miss our stay in Yosemite, because of the fires. So we hope to go back there someday and perhaps go to Disneyland while we’re there!

Hopefully you are able to figure out whether you need a rental car. Then I hope you enjoy your next visit to WDW and finally get to ride the Skyliner!

 

[Blondie58]

We’ve only ever used Disney transportation at WDW, and we’ve never had many complaints about it, though it sometimes does take awhile (especially to and from Disney Springs). We live in a very car-dependent area, so we aren’t adverse to driving generally, but we kind of like having the break on vacation.

However, the removal of ME has me wondering if we should consider renting a car and using it for the week.

For those who have done both, which do you prefer - using Disney transportation or renting a car and using that? Why? And, other than the obvious cost of renting the car and parking fees at our resort, are there other hidden costs I should be aware of?

Thank you!

Not relaxing for us to drive on vacation with the traffic, roads we do not know AND construction. We prefer the Disney bubble and WDW transportation. We personally would rather pay for transportation to WDW from MCO and then take the busses, monorails, or boats. (We have Ubered once to HS to get in que for RotR.) Personal opinion means others may not be in agreement but this is what works for us.

 

[sam_gordon]

When we stayed on site, the car (if we had one) would stay parked. It is much more relaxing (to me) to let someone else take care of the driving. Yes, you will spend some time waiting. Didn't bother us.

Others are adamant that they must have their own transportation. If you did a poll, it would probably come down about 50/50.

 

[ppony]

Until our trip this time past year, we had ALWAYS rented a car. That's since 1994 we've rented cars. This was our first time using WDW transportation exclusively and I was in a wheelchair this time which was why we decided to do do Disney transport. Renting a vehicle to handle a chair is exceptionally expensive in addition to the asking rates at the resorts now.

All I can say is WHY DIDN'T WE DO THAT SOONER?! It made life so much more simple. So much less hassle. The lines to wait for a bus had worried me before as well as having to be the focus of attention for being a first load person bcz ppl can be exceptionally mean and cruel, but despite the latter, it was easy to ignore that or the ease of getting around.

 

[Cheburashka]

For those who have done both, which do you prefer - using Disney transportation or renting a car and using that? Why? And, other than the obvious cost of renting the car and parking fees at our resort, are there other hidden costs I should be aware of?

Once Magical Express goes away, we will always rent a car. A big part of the relaxation of using Disney's transportation was letting them handle our trip to & from the airport (especially our luggage, back in the day). Once we can no longer waltz directly from our plane to the next available Disney bus, we'll go straight to the car rental section, instead. We rented cars for our two trips since WDW's reopening, and have found having a rental car to be convenient at Disney World.

Fare thee well, Magical Express!

 

[disneycat321]

W

We were at Disney in July 2019 too. I think we were on some of the same threads back then. That’s when we got our APs. But unfortunately, we had to cancel them because of the pandemic.

You live in a beautiful state. We’ve been all the way to the top at the Redwoods and all the way down to the bottom in San Diego. On our last visit we had to miss our stay in Yosemite, because of the fires. So we hope to go back there someday and perhaps go to Disneyland while we’re there!

Hopefully you are able to figure out whether you need a rental car. Then I hope you enjoy your next visit to WDW and finally get to ride the Skyliner!

Yes, I remember you on there back then, too! Sorry about your APs. Definitely a disappointing year to get those. We do love our state! It's just a little too far from WDW for our liking, but other than that, we like it! Next time you're in CA, try to stop by the Walt Disney Family Museum in SF if you haven't been there yet. It's absolutely amazing, especially for fans of Disney history! Granted, SF is pretty far from Yosemite and DLR, but that museum is really cool if you ever get a chance.