Do we need a car?

[PeteM]

My wife and I are arriving at Disney this weekend. This is my first visit. We're staying at Port Orleans Riverside. I know that I will have to get into Orlando at least for part of Saturday to watch Michigan with fellow fans (Go Blue).

In any case, I understand that one of the advantages of staying on the property is the buses for transportation within Disney. Is a rental car worth it?

 

[monami7]

You will need it to get into town. Other than that is is not nessesary at all. We sometimes book one because it is nice to have but not nessesary. Have fun!

 

[pepe of ohio]

We've never rented a car and have driven to WDW a few times in over 38 visits and have regrets. Even when we drove we parked the car in the lot and let Disney do the driving for us. It saves a ton of money not renting, getting around couldn't be easier then Disney transportation. Rental car time saving, I don't feel it is, huge parking lots, tram ride to entrances, traffic jams exiting the lots and directions and signs to follow plus a stifling hot car to get into. Easiest to just head to the bus stop and enter an A/Ced bus for a short ride, even standing its a nice relaxing ride, they run mostly15-20 minute intervals, sometimes alittle longer but I'm on vacation, relaxing and enjoying the scenery, what 10 or more minutes waiting in Disney.

As for the games, we go to the ESPN Club at the Boardwalk.

 

[Shells9]

We always drive, but we find when we go, we park the car and do not get into it until we leave.

I agree with ESPN for the game -- skip the car, and use that money for your bar tab!

 

[WillCAD]

Half the people on the DIS boards think that having a car at WDW is rediculous and laugh in our faces if we rent one.

The other half think that having a car is necessary because the WDW busses are crowded, slow, and uncomfortable. That's me.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I have been to the World 15 or so times, have always had a rental car. I used it quite a bit on first trip, but on all subsequent trips, mostly for to/from MCO, resort hopping, trips to DtD, and USF/IoA. If I can, I use Disney transportation, very efficient IMO.