Do we get a car or not??

[KPtoys]

We are going for 7 days in September. There are 5 of us, 2 adults, 5yr old, 2 1/2 yr old, 7 month old. We were going to take the ME from the airport. We are staying at the Poly. A huge reason we are staying there is for the monorail. Now here comes the problem. I hate lugging kids around. Especially the little ones. We will have the double stroller. 4 arms and 3 kids and all our stuff. Now going to DTD, MGM and AK are going to be our problems. Not to mention that DH would like to go play golf once or twice while we are there. He has no problem taking a taxi to golf. I just wonder if the cost of a car to rent and park for a few days is worth the convenience of having a car. Another factor is we are going along with another family with the same amount of people as ours. I don't know if they will rent a car but I don't think they want to. Should we get one for us and save the hassel? It would be about $300 for the week. TIA!

 

[mommy2paris]

We're trying to make the same decision... dh & i, and 2 dd's - 2 1/2 & 7 months, also going in september. We are staying at an all star resort, so no monorail, and I just can't imagine lugging the kids and strollers and bags on the busses! Good luck making a decision. We are definetely leaning towards the car!

 

[Kies99]

We are going for 7 days in September. There are 5 of us, 2 adults, 5yr old, 2 1/2 yr old, 7 month old. We were going to take the ME from the airport. We are staying at the Poly. A huge reason we are staying there is for the monorail. Now here comes the problem. I hate lugging kids around. Especially the little ones. We will have the double stroller. 4 arms and 3 kids and all our stuff. Now going to DTD, MGM and AK are going to be our problems. Not to mention that DH would like to go play golf once or twice while we are there. He has no problem taking a taxi to golf. I just wonder if the cost of a car to rent and park for a few days is worth the convenience of having a car. Another factor is we are going along with another family with the same amount of people as ours. I don't know if they will rent a car but I don't think they want to. Should we get one for us and save the hassel? It would be about $300 for the week. TIA!

You will still need to "lug" the kids and stuff out to the car, drive the car and pay for parking, "lug" the kids and stuff to the park entrance and "lug" everything around the parks.

It's extremely easy to "lug" everything on the busses at Disney. It's not worth the added expense of the car and parking, just to go to DTD, MGM and AK. I'd pass on it. Save the money for something else.

We stayed at POP with a 3yo and 5yo and had no issues with the transportation and "lugging" our kids and stuff.

 

[eeyore45]

The Poly is so very convenient - and like others have said, just walk out the door to the busses - they are wonderful there!!

 

[KPtoys]

You will still need to "lug" the kids and stuff out to the car, drive the car and pay for parking, "lug" the kids and stuff to the park entrance and "lug" everything around the parks.

It's extremely easy to "lug" everything on the busses at Disney. It's not worth the added expense of the car and parking, just to go to DTD, MGM and AK. I'd pass on it. Save the money for something else.

We stayed at POP with a 3yo and 5yo and had no issues with the transportation and "lugging" our kids and stuff.

Thank you. This was the kick in the but that I needed.

 

[Kies99]

Thank you. This was the kick in the but that I needed.

You're welcome! I love to kick butt's!

That $300 could be better spent on other things like souvenirs and such. I'd say if you were definitely planning on leaving the resort area to go somewhere else, then consider it, but staying on site and having the Monorail to get to MK and Epcot, you should pass.

By the way, we stayed at Pop and it was fine. However we are going to go Poly on our next trip. Little quieter than Pop and on the monorail!

 

[jimmacmn]

Not to mention that DH would like to go play golf once or twice while we are there. He has no problem taking a taxi to golf.

If DH is playing golf at one of the Disney courses, the taxi transportation to and from the course is paid by Disney (including tip). On the way out to the course order the taxi from bell services and coming back order it at the pro shop

 

[kelleigh1]

One of the guys I work with just returned from WDW over the weekend. (Actually, two just returned, but I've only had a chance to talk to one.) He went with his wife and their two boys - ages 3 1/2 and 1 1/2.

He did say that he wished he'd rented a car just because taking the bus meant standing many times and the kids would get a bit antsy, the younger one especially. But then he did say that renting a car would have required car seats, so maybe they were better off with the buses.

 

[KPtoys]

If DH is playing golf at one of the Disney courses, the taxi transportation to and from the course is paid by Disney (including tip). On the way out to the course order the taxi from bell services and coming back order it at the pro shop

Wow, that is GREAT to hear!!

Any other tips on golf? That is how I am getting DH to go to Disney, the promise of golf.

 

[jimmacmn]

Any other tips on golf? That is how I am getting DH to go to Disney, the promise of golf.

By the time you go Disney will be down to 4 courses and I think I read somewhere that Lake Buena Vista will be closed this summer for some renovations. I'm not sure if it will be back on line when you are going to be there. Also, Eagle Pines is closing for good in August so that leaves just Palm, Magnolia and Osprey Ridge. My favoirte is Osprey Ridge and if he is going to play twice, I'd say definitely go for one round at Osprey. Of the other two, I personally prefer Palm but if he wants to play on a course where the final round of a PGA tournament is played, that would be the Magnolia. The Mag also has the (Mickey) Mouse sand trap on the par 3 7th hole. One thing that I have a bee in my bonnet over is the placement of the NASCAR attraction at WDW. It is right across the road from the 5th green/6th tee on the Palm course. The sounds from that attraction are quite irritating and can be heard from just about anywhere on the Palm or Magnolia courses.

He should love Disney golf. DW and I do!

 

[beccasmom]

Cars can be helpful at WDW in some circumstances, but you should be fine. For the buses to the other areas, you may need to wait longer than for a monorail, but it's not that bad. We rent a car when we know we are going to a non-Disney area and then we return it. Driving is a major hassle here at home; I leave the work to Disney!

 

[eliza61]

Ok, I going to be the lone dissenter here. If you can budget it, I'd go for rent. We always rented when my 3 kids were younger. The main reason. CONVENIENCE. As the mom-lady, I wanted my vacation to be easy as I could possible get it. Since we stayed on site, parking at the parks was free, I never ran into traffic and it was a dream not to deal with a stroller on a bus. Also really made it easy when we wanted to go resort-to- resort for a meal.
We've been going for 10 years straight, my kids are now teenagers and now I just budget the cost of a rental into my vacation plans.

 

[CleveRocks]

Never rented a car at WDW, never regretted it.

Our first time was with a 5 year old and 2.5 year old. We rented strollers in the parks, so no stroller-on-bus issues. I was so happy NOT to wait in line for transportation (monorail, ferry, or parking lot tram) only to then pile into a HOT car and drive home.

I loved getting onto air conditioned buses and leaving the driving and thinking to someone else for once in my life. As the Dad-man (a nod to eliza61 ), I always want my vacation to be as easy as it can possibly get, and one of those things for me is leaving my car at my home airport parking lot and not driving again until I drive home from that airport.

 

[jimmacmn]

For many of our previouc trips we have rented cars. For the most part they staued in the parking lot unless we were going to a golf course on property or going to another resort for dinner or looking around. Also it was a good way to get to and from the airport. The last time there, we used ME (Magical Express) to and from the airport and the Disney paid taxis for the trips to the golf course. The night we went to the Flying Fish at the Boardwalk for dinner, we got a taxi (we paid for that). We probably went to one other resort by taxi that trip. This saved us a bunch of $ on car rentalover previous trips

 

[Cindy's Mom]

This is the first trip that we are not renting a car -- we only use our car for resort dining. This trip I picked all MK hotels for dining. One night DH and I are going to Spoodles for dinner and we will probably just take a cab.

As a PP has said - we too rented our strollers at the parks,this way they are not on the bus/monorail with us. The downside to driving to the parks is that you have to park in the lots and walk or tram to the gates. The busses drop you off right in front.

When we had our car at WDW we used Disney tranport for parks and our car for resort hopping. I don't think we will miss it this year. But the kids are a bit older, we started going when our kids were the same age as OP's so I know where she's coming from.

Also, you mentioned that you are going with another family and they DON'T want to rent a car. If that were the case with us, I wouldn't rent one either. You'd spend too much time "meeting" up with each other.

 

[illiniowl]

I like to rent a car but I have to say that if we ever stayed at Poly (and someday I'd like to!) I'd probably rethink it. Just so convenient to get from there (or the TTC, which you can walk to) to everywhere.

 

[Liltx]

We always rent a car for our family. We have a 4 and 2yo. We use bus transport to the major parks (MK and AK) and ride the boat to MGM and walk to Epcot. We use the car to buy groceries (diapers, formula, tolietries, snacks, water, wine, beer), drive to DTD, drive to the waterparks, and to drive to the other resorts for dinners. But the biggest reason we rent is for what we hope will not happen- EMERGENCIES. I want the ability to leave to a dr. ASAP or run to the store for whatever we might need quickly (meds etc.). I also do not like to leave so early to the airport. For us it is very worth it to rent a car even if it does stay in the parking lot most of the time.

We were able to rent a full size SUV for $196 including tax for 9 days. I think you could get way under $300.

 

[swilphil]

I don't think you'll need one. I put our double stroller on the bus several times with no problem--much easier than having to drag it through the parking lot. You could always take a taxi the few times you go to DTD or MGM/AK. Another option is to plan your trip so you'll do those three places in consecutive days, then you could rent a car for just three days and pick up/drop off at the Alamo/National desk at the Swan/Dolphin next to the Boardwalk and within walking distance of Epcot.