Do I NEED a rental car??

[libertygirl]

First trip ever with, four in party with kids 5 and 8. We are staying at the Wilderness Lodge in late October. I know we're okay for the ride to MK, but how about the other parks? We'd rather not have to spend 40+ minute just to get to parks - would renting be faster or is the driving directions not worth it? We would also stop at a market for groceries before getting to WL. Also what size car can we manage with? Also, should I try later rental, right now prices are so high!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[n2mm]

While the WDW transportation is adequate, we always rent a car. There are lots of folks that love the transportation and they are happy with it. We prefer a rental car ourselves. You should need at least a full size, mostly because of luggage space. We like the option of zipping from one park to another within 10 minutes instead of waitig on buses. We also visit the grocery store several times. We find driving to the water parks and DTD easier too. The layout of WDW is very simple and the signs are wonderful and helpful. I would cacluate the costs of transporting your family to and from the airport and incorporate that into the cost of the rental car. We got a great deal on National for our next 3 trips. We usually only use National and Dollar because they are both located right at the terminal and have both been very good to us. We reserved a full size for $108 a week before taxes and fees. If you plan to rent a car, please visit mousesavers.com for special discounts, codes, and other helpful information.

 

[MK Familystone]

Your first time to Disney , on site off site, or what?

Condition: this trip without children????

IT'S EASIER FOR ALL TO RESOND?

Do you want to experience WDW or drive a car?
First time on a WDW vacation, you have to experience what the WDW guest services are all about.
If you want to treat the WDW experience as just another Amusement park drive your brains away.
If you were going to visit the moon would you ask NASA for an
Avis rent-a-car or accept the moon land rover that came with rocket that got you there.
I don't mean to ge harsh but, when you go to WDW you have to stop and smell the roses and listen to the sounds and see the sights like from the monrail or shuttle boat which give you, ourself time to plan what you and you companions a are interested in seeing at your next destination, as you use the tranportation system at the WDW total complex, which by driving a car diosn't allow, only people like me, and other WDW veterans have looked under every rock and bought stones (bricks) and viewed every fireworks and show and etc. use cars for special reasons.
Go on vacation and let Disney do the Work!

ENJOY!

THE MAGIC HAPPENS!!!

 

[safetymom]

MK Familystone , I can experience the magic by having my car. I wouldn't do it any other way. I don't have to wait for any transportation.

We also have gotten to experience many happy CM's by driving. Got to see them singing and dancing at the park entrances. I wouldn't have seen that on the transportation.

I have taken the friendship boats and ridden the monorail so I have seen the onsite magic. But at the end of the evening I can be in my resort while those that ride the transporation are still waiting to get there.

I find the driving at Disney to be relaxing.

A full size car would fit the bill. Being able to stop and pick up food is a great. Also getting to Downtown Disney is muh easier.

You will have a great vacation no matter which one you choose.

 

[Aisling]

MK Familystone, I agree with you! I also like to experience ALL of WDW, and using their transportation is a big part of that.

Libertygirl, on the boats, busses, and momorails, the drivers are mostly enthusiastic CMs who talk on the speakers to the passengers, telling Disney trivia, or tips, or just friendly chatter, like "where are you from?"

We never needed a rental car, since we don't go offsite while we're at Disney, and we never had a problem with transportation.

 

[Sandi]

I think it depends on what you're going to do. If you're just going to the 4 major parks, then you do not need a car. If, however, you want to go to the water parks and you will be dining at one of the resorts, then I would get a car. I would also work into the question the cost of the car versus limo service.

We (me, DH, and 9yo DD) are also staying at the WL at the end of October. DH is driving down early and we'll fly down to meet him, so we'll have a car. We will only use it to go to TL, BB, Downtown Disney, and the AKL for dinner.

If this were my first time, I think I'd let Disney do the driving!

 

[RweTHEREyet]

We almost always have a car at our disposal. That being said, since this is your first trip, you won't know your way around the Disney property and could spend a lot more time than you would on the bus ride figuring out where you are going. Although the roads are well marked, it is easy to get turned around at WDW. For a first trip, I would leave the driving to the WDW bus/boat/monorail drivers. If you are ever in a hurry to get from one hotel to another, you can always take a quick taxi.

 

[DebbieB]

It's really a personal preference. I don't mind driving at WDW at all. The road system is very easy to follow. We get in the car, crank up the AC and radio, relax and head directly where we are going. We enjoy that much more than fighting the crowds on busses. We do enjoy the friendship boats when staying at BWV.

I agree that for a first trip you may want to use the transportation to experience it and learn your way around.

 

[apagano]

I'm in line with the majority of the other posters. It's really a personal preference. Do you need to rent a car. No. You're staying onsite, so Disney Transport should be adequate. At the same time, having a car does increase your flexibility. You'll have to decide for yourself if the added flexibility is worth the cost of renting a car.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I agree- it really depends on your own personal preference. I've been offsite with vehicle (and family- we drove there) and onsite with no vehicle (solo) and I really don't think we can handle being there for as long as we're going to be there- without a vehicle. I mean with children there are just some things you might need (well maybe not 5 and 8yrs old- but with younger ones like my youngest- you just sometimes can't anticipate what you'll need. How do you pack enough pullups and swim diapers and still have room for clothes? LOL Just an example....)

It was nice at times to just use WDW transportation when I was going solo- but it still bothered me at times. Probably because living in small town rural Texas I am NOT used to using public transportation (ever- the only time we've been in a Taxi is from the airport to car rental place when on vacation here and there LOL). And I know I'd be stressed out the entire trip worrying if we'd need to go to the store for some reason/etc with the kids. But then that's just me- some people might be used to using public transportation. I'm not... always had a car and get kinda panicky when I don't- atleast a little. LOL) Yes, we have two vehicles because I couldn't handle being home alone with 3 kids while DH was at work also! LOL

If I go again on a solo trip or for instance just with my oldest daughter- I'd probably not rent a car.... but I won't miss out on the magic by having a vehicle when I do go with the whole family. I'd also feel better about having that option 'just in case' we're in a hurry to get to a PS or something. I almost had some serious issues missing appointments and PSs because WDW transportation is great- but sometime unexpectedly takes much longer than you think it will or that it has in the past going the same route!

Our next trip is going to be flying with the family and I most likely will not go without having a rental car. We'll probably use WDW transportation for the most part- but I'd like to have it there just in case. Again, just depends on the personal preference I guess. We'd probably also like to do Sea World, IOA/US, as well as some of the many other things there are to do there in that area.

BTW- don't the buses also go to the water parks??? I thought they did....

 

[Sandi]

Yes, the busses do go to the water parks. They aren't usually direct, though. You have at least a stop or two before or after. I just hate lugging around clothes, towels, etc. on a bus. Much easier in your car.

 

[Pugsley]

One more consideration... If you want to visit other resorts at all it is pretty time-consuming to do that without a car. I was staying at CSR last month and had a dinner PS at AKL. I was able to drive there in 5 minutes. If I had to rely on WDW transportation, I would have had to wait for a bus to a park, then wait for another bus to AKL. And then do the same thing on the return (or even worse, have to change buses at DTD if the parks are closed). That process could waste two hours of my time.

MKFamilyStone, I also like to experience ALL of WDW. That's why I rent a car so that my options are wide open and my time there is maximized. During each trip I take buses, monorails and boats because I enjoy them, but I also enjoy driving around WDW property and having the flexibility of a car.

All that being said, for a first-time visitor staying on-site, not planning to leave WDW, and wanting to save money, I would probably recommend doing without a rental car.

 

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

I have a question because we were wondering if we should rent a car.

We were figuring (take MK for example) that by the time you caught the monorail to the ticket and transportation, then caught a tram car to get to your parking lot, wouldn't it just be easier to use Disney transportation even if you did have to stand there for 15-20 mins. Or even Epcot. Unless you're close, again catch the tram car to parking lot, walk to car. . . Maybe I'm figuring wrong. We haven't been there with a car on our last 4 trips but usually it's just me and DH this time we're taking sis and her husband. I'll take any advice.

 

[safetymom]

I find having my own car saves me time. We never wait long for a tram. We also don't have to worry how full the bus might be.

If we are going to park hop we will park at Epcot, take the monorail to MK. I can also take the boat to MGM.

It is cheaper also because usually there is 4 of us than using a shuttle or limo.

I like being able to drive around and see more of the WDW property but others may not enjoy that.

 

[BevS97]

we also like to have a car - if we are just going to MK and then back to the hotel, then the bus is probably faster, and we may do that, but for all the other parks and destinations then I prefer to have some independence.

We like to park hop a lot, and a typical day may see us start in MK, then hop over to DTD for some lunch, then into a water park in the afternoon and maybe to a resort hotel for dinner in the evening. I just don't think that would be very easy without a car - putting aside how long the transport would take, there's the question of carrying everything - our car always has our swimming gear in it, spare clothes, change of shoes etc etc, it's nice to be able to come back to the car and change your shoes, have a drink and then head off to do something else without having to go back to the room.

We also like to go off-site and visit the rest of Florida - we will go to Seaworld , IOA/Universal, eat at offsite restaurants etc, go shopping all of these things are much easier with a car.

But if I was going for a short trip (less than a week) and only planning on staying onsite, then I would consider doing without the car - I don't think it's an essential, but it's definitely nice to have.

LoveThatDisney - we have visited in Early May and Early June and on both trips found that we didn't need to use the trams in the parking lots very much at all. MK is the exception, as the layout is such that it's a long walk even if you are right at the front of the lot, but at Epcot and MGM in particular we rarely use the tram - if it's there as we are passing then we would get on, but we wouldn't wait for it

bev

 

[MK Familystone]

My suggestion of not driving allows a guest time to whatch the sun rise, and set on the Seven seas laguon, look over the railing at the boat luonch and watch the large mouth bass cruise by, maybe that's why the BASS boats where near by, as well as the bird population of the area, like taking the ride on the MK Railroad from Main St Station to MIckey's star land.
Looking out of the Monorail window and noticing the small air strip for the VIP"S and Etc on your way to Epcot.
Cruising from Epcot to MGM at night, noticing the wedding cake illusion of the clam shells of the Dolphin as well as the lighting of the Epcot and MK Resorts reflecting off the water as you past by on the water shuttles.
There more to nature at WDW than the pink flamingos at Epcot.
Question what are the theme songs that run all day long at the different Parks.

ENJOY!

THE MAGIC HAPPENS!!!

 

[Rpsemont]

Fortheloveof Disney:

We were figuring (take MK for example) that by the time you caught the monorail to the ticket and transportation, then caught a tram car to get to your parking lot, wouldn't it just be easier to use Disney transportation even if you did have to stand there for 15-20 mins.

Our second trip we made it from the Hyatt Orlando into the gate at the MK in about 26 minutes - door of hotel room to MK turnstiles. I always compare that to the 25 minutes we waited for a bus one morning at DXL before we finally gave up and took a cab. And that didn't count the 3-5 minutes walk from the room to bus stop! Overall that morning it probably took up almost an hour to get to the park. I have never waited more than 3 minutes for a tram and except for MK, they drop you closer to the gates than where the busses pull up.

libertygirl: No you don't NEED a car, but you may find if you get a special that the cost of the car is not that much greater than Mears, or having a towncar service (depends on how long you're going for) And while leaving the parks there a queues for the busses, at the resorts, there on not. Sometimes it's hard to keep children standing in one place without a queue and if a crowd forms at the resort waiting for the bus, you're likely to loose your spot to all those parents with older children that line up right on the curb. (you, of course, don't really want your children right by the curb!) If the cost differential isn't that much, I'd opt for the rental car. You can always leave it parked when you get to the resorts.

 

[lsyorke]

For most of our trips we used Disney Transportation and never really had a problem. Our July trip to WLV was with our 2 year old granddaughter and we ended up taking alot of taxis just because of her schedule and lack of waiting tolerance! I found that WL transportation was the slowest of all of our resort stays. (BWV,BVC,YC) We waited for an hour for a boat from the Contemporary to WL in a rainstorm. While this was not the norm all the time it would have been nice to jump in the car and be "HOME" .
That said, we rented a car for our November trip at OKW and loved having the car available. DS and I park hop alot and want to see specific things on each trip and having the car made it very fast.
I would never go without a car again! For the minimal cost(very cheap if you figure transporation to and from the airport) with codes it was well worth having the flexibility to do as we pleased, and another perk was eating offsite for a bargain meal.