Do we need a car ?

[aoifesmom]

Hi


We are looking a booking for Oct 2010 in a moderate and upgrading to disney dinning plan. We have never been to WDW before and have a DD who will be 8. We are planning on only doing the disney parks this time. We have been to America twice before and both times had a car a toured around. However we are wondering do we really need a car this time ? It will cost us around £300 in ins with a virgin package. If we have a car would we be able to drive to the parks ? or would we take the bus any way ? Also if we did not have a car is there any moderate that woud be better than the other ?


Thanks

Jo

 

[wilma-bride]

If you are not planning on doing any of the parks other than Disney and you don't want to venture offsite, to shop or eat, then you would be fine without a car. We have visited Florida a total of 6 times so far - 3 without a car (all offsite stays) and 3 with a car. Without a doubt, you have more freedom with a car and can just go where you please without having to rely on transportation, however, if you don't intend to venture offsite, you could manage to get around Disney perfectly well without one.

As far as which moderate, the only comment I would make is that Port Orleans has a boat that runs to Downtown Disney so, if you plan to spend a lot of time there, that might be a slightly better bet for you

 

[OrlandoMagic]

Hi


We are looking a booking for Oct 2010 in a moderate and upgrading to disney dinning plan. We have never been to WDW before and have a DD who will be 8. We are planning on only doing the disney parks this time. We have been to America twice before and both times had a car a toured around. However we are wondering do we really need a car this time ? It will cost us around £300 in ins with a virgin package. If we have a car would we be able to drive to the parks ? or would we take the bus any way ? Also if we did not have a car is there any moderate that woud be better than the other ?


Thanks

Jo

If you decide to go for a car then you are best declining the car hire in the Virgin package, its way overpriced! Go for a separate car hire, there are plenty of good company's to choose from. I'm sure some of the guys here will suggest some for you!

 

[Pegasus928]

I would say the same - if you don't intend going anywhere but Disney then I wouldn't see the point of having a car.
If, however, you have a change of heart and think that you may want to nip off site for a night or 2 then why not just consider hiring one for a few days in the middle.
Definately don't go for Virgins option though. There are far cheaper alternatives out there.
How long do you intend going for, as your OP didn't say.

 

[TOONMADLAD]

If you do want a car try usrentacar.co.uk very competative prices

 

[jtlover]

If you are not going anywhere else than Disney I wouldnt bother with a car.

The only problem you might encounter is trying to get to a meal restaurant if you are say going to a hotel restaurant and going straight from your hotel, as you would have to go to a park and then transfer from there, as no buses go park to park. But a bit of planning and it isnt a problem.

I would save the money.

 

[comingtodisney]

we went last year and stayed at cbr, we did'nt hire a car and still did seaworld and international drive using the lynx busses, as long as you relax and do not take it as a need to get there in hurry attitude it is not a problem. our attitude to holidays is sit back, relax and enjoy the experience.

 

[wayneg]

Everyone wants to do different things on a holiday. If you are only doing Disney then you can probably get away with no car easy enough. You get free transport to and from MCO(if flying into there)
For us even in August when staying onsite with DDP we still visit Universal, coast, Celebration, Old Town, Friends houses, taking a cruise from Post Canaveral.
I personally could not use Disney transport, just the short ride at Fort Wilderness from car park to Pioneer Hall winds me up, I hate crowded buses and stop starting.
USrentacar have cars from £224 for 14 days rental. Kenny suggested renting there if needed, I estimate you would get about 4 days rental locally for your £224, it is a very expensive way of renting. Anyone rented locally recently for current prices?

 

[aoifesmom]

Thanks for the replies, we are going for 14 days, we did think if we felt we needed one once there we could hire one there and then. Although note someone said this would be more expensive. If on Disney Dining plan are there restaurants in Down town Disney we can use ? Also any idea what time the disney parks will close in Oct, i.e would we be able to have our evening meal or do they close before this would be possible ?


Thanks Again

 

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

Everyone is different.
I personally wouldn't go without hiring a car beforehand.
However we like the freedom of travelling and go further than just Disney.
If you only plan on doing the disney parks,then you would get away easily without hiring a car,that said like Wayne mentioned I too would hate stop starting and with young children they tire easily and want to get back to the room as soon as possible.
Virgin are over priced and you can hire a car cheaper via other companies like other's have mentioned.

 

[wayneg]

Thanks for the replies, we are going for 14 days, we did think if we felt we needed one once there we could hire one there and then. Although note someone said this would be more expensive. If on Disney Dining plan are there restaurants in Down town Disney we can use ? Also any idea what time the disney parks will close in Oct, i.e would we be able to have our evening meal or do they close before this would be possible ?


Thanks Again

Places to eat on regular DDP.
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/me...09 Disney Dining Plan - Walt Disney World.pdf

Downtown Disney® Area
Cookes of Dublin (L,D)
Earl of Sandwich (B,L,D)
FoodQuest (L,D)
Wolfgang Puck® Express (L,D)
Cap’n Jack’s Restaurant (L,D)
Planet Hollywood® (L,D)
Raglan RoadTM Irish Pub and Restaurant (L,D)
Wolfgang Puck® Cafe (L,D)

For closing times you can look here for last years Oct hours but this year they could close earlier. http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours.htm

 

[Goofyish]

We stay on-site and mainly stick to the the Disney parks. When we do venture off site to a shopping mall/oulet or to Seaworld/Universal we either take a cab or a Towncar. The cost doesn't approach the cost of car rental for 2 weeks.

There are also cheaper, if not quite as convenient options to get off site. Mears operate a shuttle service to all the major attractions outside of Disney. You just call them the day before to book a place.

There is also the Lynx bus (route 50) that leaves from the Transporation and Ticket Centre and DTD to Seaworld.

Personally I enjoy Disney transport - it can be slow but who cares when you are on vacation

 

[aoifesmom]

Thanks again, we are now now back onto hiring a car considering everything you have said. Especially places to eat of an evening, will look at doing the hire seperate though.

 

[PebblesMK]

Disney has an Alamo car rental on site in case you do decide that you need a car. I will be renting one for just a day or two and it's pretty reasonably priced. And if I remember correctly, they will even give you a lift to the rental spot.

 

[wayneg]

Disney has an Alamo car rental on site in case you do decide that you need a car. I will be renting one for just a day or two and it's pretty reasonably priced. And if I remember correctly, they will even give you a lift to the rental spot.

Do you have your own insurance or buy it with the rental?
Its the insurance that costs so much for UK travellers not the rental.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Just a thought - we've ended up adding 3 days car hire in the middle of our trip and have booked it through Virgin Holidays (we also have our flights and 7 nights of our accomodation through them).

To collect a compact car from the WDW Dolphin for 3 days and inclusive of their platinum insurance (which includes car seats for the children and additional driver fees) it cost us - £87 total. I didn't think that was bad, and I couldn't see that I could get that any cheaper if I booked it direct (plus it will all be pre-paid rather than another cost to consider when I get there)


The dolphin is ideal for us as we can walk there from the Beach Club where we are staying - you can also collect the Virgin Holidays cars from the Car Care Centre which is at the Transportation & ticket centre (just get on the monorail/boat from MK).

hope that helps a little!!

 

[PebblesMK]

Do you have your own insurance or buy it with the rental?
Its the insurance that costs so much for UK travellers not the rental.

I do have my own insurance. However, I do know that with certain credit cards (not sure if the credit cards are the same there as here in the states), insurance is included as one of their perks so you don't have to get the insurance. Is the insurance that much more for you? I know when I've checked into it it's only been about 35 extra dollars for the entire length of the rental, not a per day thing. I would definitely call Alamo and find out. The other nice thing is there isn't a deposit required like most other places.

 

[wayneg]

I do have my own insurance. However, I do know that with certain credit cards (not sure if the credit cards are the same there as here in the states), insurance is included as one of their perks so you don't have to get the insurance. Is the insurance that much more for you? I know when I've checked into it it's only been about 35 extra dollars for the entire length of the rental, not a per day thing. I would definitely call Alamo and find out. The other nice thing is there isn't a deposit required like most other places.

Our CC do not include any insurance for car rentals. Just checked price with Alamo.com for 4 day rental
Base rental with taxes/fees $208.01
Inc CDW $309.56
Inc CDW & EP $364.51

If we pre pay in UK for the same 4 days from same location same car same company(Alamo, 4 dr full size) incl all insurances £152(£$230)

So it actually works out at 5 days rental paid for with Alamo incl insurance $483.06 works out at approx same price as prepaying in UK for 14 days $477

Although I would go with Budget, prepay in UK would be $434 incl all ins for 14 days.

 

[Shooby doo]

Having done DDP last year,I wouldn't want to do it without a car,for us having the car made it alot easier to get to the resorts for our ADR times plus some of the bus queues that we seen at CBR were longer than the ones for the rides!
SD

 

[bombhead444]

It will be our 7th trip to the world this year and we have always had a car, but i'm sure if your only doing the parks then the disney transport would be fine,we used disney a few times and had no problems with it.

I think it all depends on how much freedom you want,if your doin the halloween party that does finish late,so a car is a good idea,but as everyone else says your on vacation so the times your own.

Good luck