Do we use our car or the WDW transportation system?

[Miriade]

Hello!First thread! (and probably it's already asked but I was not able to pinpoint it )
Ok, we are going to stay on WDW property for 20 days in September. But we will rent a car all the period. We want to do multiple parks on some days and water parks/main parks also. We have the free DP with 2 dinner shows at Fort Wilderness and Poli and a night at Cirque.
Question is: it's "time saving" use our own transportation OR the schemes using bus, monorail and ferrys can work nicely to go around?
Thanks!

 

[skiingfast]

You'll be so surprised to see how many people are there from Brasil. Now that I recognize Portugese I sure was.

I'd see if you could not rent a car the whole time to save money. For days in the parks it is not nessecary. And may not save any time. The buses are really simple and convinient.

If you are going to the water parks or DTD cars are useful. It will save some time.

If you don't stay in a resort with a boat or monorail coming to it you don't really need to use them.

Despite what you read here, transportation in the resort is really simple.

Unless you are going off site there is really no need to a car.

 

[Dorisk3]

If you are going to hop around alot between water parks, theme parks and restaurants, definetly get the car.

Going from bus to bus gets old really quickly- you can get everywhere with the bus, but it will feel like you are spending a lot of your day on the bus going between parks.

We also like to go several places in the day, for example, Epcot in the morning, then Typhoon Lagoon later in the day. It is so much easier to throw your bathing suits in the trunk, and then after you're done in the park, head over to the water park and go. Taking a bus back to the hotel and then another to your next location is a big time waster.

Good luck in your decision!

 

[Tara]

You'll get many different answers- it's really personal preference. My preference is always to use my own transportation.

 

[mrodgers]

Never been there, don't know a thing about the transportation, but the post I saw of the lady who said she was glancing around and laid her eyes on the guy's head right in front of her with the lice running all around in his hair definitely does it for me. We are driving down and don't plan to touch a public transport other than when absolutely necessary.

 

[Tara]

Never been there, don't know a thing about the transportation, but the post I saw of the lady who said she was glancing around and laid her eyes on the guy's head right in front of her with the lice running all around in his hair definitely does it for me. We are driving down and don't plan to touch a public transport other than when absolutely necessary.

Are you planning on avoiding all rides, upholstered seating in your resort's lobby, and restaurant seating? (It is a misconception that lice can jump - they cannot and are only spread through direct contact with a person carrying them or with an article recently in contact with the infested person, such as a hat.) I've seen a lot of reasons for not riding buses at WDW, but this one takes the cake.

 

[mdinme]

Comical. Probably someone thinking they'll have a better chance of an empty bus: scare tactics

IT'S DISNEY TRANSPORTATION TERRORISM.

 

[sharadoc]

Totally off-topic but re: lice. My DD got them last year in August at Disney World. Must have been trying on hats at a gift shop. Don't do it!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Well my family and I always have our own car while at WDW for going to such places as Downtown Disney, offsite restaurants and malls. However since we stay onsite we use WDW transportation/walkways when going to the parks, so for us we like having both options available.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

The one combination that works well regarding Disney transportation is to take it to MK and/or hop over to EP. Being dropped off right at MK instead of the TTC saves time and walking steps.

If on any day you plan on hopping from one location to another, except the example listed above, the car is usually the quickest.

 

[aaylasecura]

1. I'm extremely jealous that you're going to be there for 20 days. I kind of envy you right now.

2. DO NOT TAKE DISNEY WORLD TRANSPORTATION UNLESS NECESSARY!!!! It's slow and in my opinion, if you're staying at a Disney hotel, you get free parking anyways. Take transportation if you're going from a monorail resort to Magic Kingdom or something else as simple as that. But, don't hope on getting to a park from a resort across property. I waited 40 minutes for a Magic Kingdom bus from Coronado Springs Resort and then gave up. It also gives you the ability to leave at a moments notice if you get sick or something serious.

3. Enjoy yourself!

 

[LoveKermit]

I also think it depends where you stay. When we stayed at the Poly, we drove to AK and DHS. But always monorailed to Epcot.

When we stayed at the Dolphin and BWV, we drove to AK still. One morning we bussed to MK and then went to Epcot and walked back.

As we start to lose our need for the stroller, we may start to use the busses more. But you will read that people say to allow an hour to move from hotel to park for ADRs and such. We never have to allow that when we drive. Even back to MK for evening stuff. Usually half hour--tops.

It sounds like you will be park hoppers. You'll have to play it by ear. You'll enjoy the flexibility of both. And for 20 days, you'll probably need a trip to the drug store or grocery store and you'll be glad to get off property for a bit.

Have fun!

 

[goofy4tink]

If you'll be there for 20 days, time is most certainly not of the essence. I routinely use WDW transportation, with no bad results. Is it the absolute quickest way? No, not always. There are times it is quicker to take your own car. Going to DTD is always faster if you drive yourself.
But, I'm on vacation. I don't want the addtl expense of a rental car unless absolutely neccesary. Most of the deluxe resort parking areas are pretty far removed from the resort itself, so you have a bit of a hike to your car. The moderates and value resorts are a bit better but most entail some walk from room to car.
But, there are those who won't be at WDW without their car..that's their choice. I just don't feel the need. Now, if you are planning on going offsite during your trip, then yes, you should have a rental car.

 

[NewEnglander]

the post I saw of the lady who said she was glancing around and laid her eyes on the guy's head right in front of her with the lice running all around in his hair definitely does it for me.

Did you really believe her?

 

[skiingfast]

Did you really believe her?

It's comments like this that make me really wish that Disboards had a like feature like facebook or a youtube thumb up or down function. But this will have to do.

 

[goofy4tink]

Never been there, don't know a thing about the transportation, but the post I saw of the lady who said she was glancing around and laid her eyes on the guy's head right in front of her with the lice running all around in his hair definitely does it for me. We are driving down and don't plan to touch a public transport other than when absolutely necessary.

All right....I'll go there. I have had children with the dreaded 'lice' issue. And my dd, at the ripe old age of 11, had it about as badly as you can get. BUT....I never, ever saw any bugs running all around in her hair. Those critters are pretty small. I'm sure that this 'report' was a gross exaggeration, if it happened at all. And posting this type of thing does nothing to help anyone.

Using the transportation system at WDW is perfectly safe. You aren't going to 'get' anything. You stand a better chance of 'getting' something when you ride M:S or RnRC....your head is going to be pushed against a spot where hundreds of other heads have just been!! Much worse than sitting or standing on a bus.
Your hands are going to touch railings that hundreds, if not thousands, of grimy, germ infested little hands have just touched.

Doesn't that all sound 'yummy'?? Really people, there are things out there....use normal precautions.

 

[Miriade]

Oh, thanks for the all the answers... it's a little controvertial theme but we do plan to hop between parks-restaurants-water parks-hotel (to a little toes' up)-parks-restaurants so I do believe we'll try the boats and the monorail a little for the experience and joy-of-the-ride but more often than not we'll take the car. Not paying the parkin fee was a great info b.t.w.
yep, all 20 day in WDW/Universal and for all the reading I've been doing around here I am starting to think it's not going to be enough time to do all the lovely and funny things you can do once in the happiest place in the world!

1. I'm extremely jealous that you're going to be there for 20 days. I kind of envy you right now.

2. DO NOT TAKE DISNEY WORLD TRANSPORTATION UNLESS NECESSARY!!!! It's slow and in my opinion, if you're staying at a Disney hotel, you get free parking anyways. Take transportation if you're going from a monorail resort to Magic Kingdom or something else as simple as that. But, don't hope on getting to a park from a resort across property. I waited 40 minutes for a Magic Kingdom bus from Coronado Springs Resort and then gave up. It also gives you the ability to leave at a moments notice if you get sick or something serious.

3. Enjoy yourself!

 

[fla4fun]

I drive to WDW, so I always have a car. However, I almost always use WDW transportation. I do drive to DTD, because it seems like the DTD buses always take twice as long to arrive at the resort as the other buses. Although I seldom park hop, I have done it using WDW transportation and it hasn't been a problem. I was shopping on the last day of a trip and hit MK, FW, Epcot, and DHS all within a four hour period, so you know Disney transport will get you where you need to be. I just enjoy not having to do the driving and dealing with the traffic.

If you are planning more than two different parks/destinations in one day though, it can be faster to drive. You do get free parking as a resort guest, and depending on your destinations, it may be faster than switching from one bus to another. When you start adding up a half hour here and a half hour there, it makes a difference, especially if you are planning to spend some time in each place.

My guess is you'll end up with a mix of taking the car and taking Disney transportation.