Do you really need a car at OKW?

[Cinderpals]

Just to add...we're also staying at the OKW during the later part of our stay. I was booking some additional meals through disney dining. The CM found us an early Chef Mickey's ADR. She said, "Well, you'll have to have your own transportation to the Contemporary and not rely on bus service since it's so early." I let her know that I'll have a car with me.

When we first began going to WDW, I couldn't imagine why anyone would rent a car during their stay because of Disney Transportation. After staying at the DVCs and venturing out into Lake Buena Vista and Orlando, I can't imagine being without one. We will not use the car everyday, but I love the flexibility of having our own transportation. No catching a bus to a park, then waiting for a hotel bus. We can zip over to Disney Quest and play for a few hours, have lunch at the Cheesecake Factory Express go back to the room to rest, then catch a bus to one of the parks for the parades and show.

I booked a car through Alamo a month ago for our trip this month. Great rate with prepay and a code. Looked it up this morning, and it was $50 less, so I called and revised it! More money for gas!! I had the option of picking up a car at WDW (cost more), or dropping it off at one of the WDW sights (no additional cost), and take Magical Express to the Airport.

 

[DebbieB]

I always rent a car. I'm leaving tomorrow for 5 nights at BWV, I got a car with National for $105 total. Sometimes take the bus to MK. Will drive to AK, DD, outlets, food shopping. Staying at BWV, we'll take the boat or walk to Epcot & MGM. When staying at OKW, we usually drive to Epcot & MGM. I just prefer the comfort of the car. I hate being packed into a bus like sardines, holding on for dear life to a bar, especially at the end of the day.

 

[utahkennedys]

I wouldn't say you have to rent a car, but I always want a car. On our first trip to OKW we had the car all but the last 2 days b/c I decided to drop it off at the Dolphin. I hated not having it...I like to get groceries, go to the Premium Outlets, run to Walgreens if I need to, etc. Also, getting to other resorts takes way too long on the buses if you ask me. If we have a dinner ressie, I like to get in my car and go. But, to the parks the buses were totally fine and relaxing. Parking in big parking lots, waiting for the trams, etc. isn't fun to me.

 

[jmatias]

Thanks for asking this question....this is exactly the info I need for our December trip to OKW.

I was contemplating not getting the rental car since price quotes have been on the high side. But after reading this thread I realize that we do enjoy having our rental car...especially with young children it gives us more flexibility.

We normally drive our car wherever we want to go on property...but next trip we'll try as several others do and take the buses to the parks and use the car for the dinners, etc.

Thanks,
Jen

 

[Dean]

Thanks for asking this question....this is exactly the info I need for our December trip to OKW.

I was contemplating not getting the rental car since price quotes have been on the high side. But after reading this thread I realize that we do enjoy having our rental car...especially with young children it gives us more flexibility.

We normally drive our car wherever we want to go on property...but next trip we'll try as several others do and take the buses to the parks and use the car for the dinners, etc.

Thanks,
Jen

As I noted, we drive and always have a car for OKW and I agree with your decision. We are only 4 hours away. But in the spirit of complete honesty and given the currently free ME, I think the situation has shifted somewhat. I want you to be aware we've had other similar threads on a car at OKW and SSR that were not so one sided with many being very comfortable without a car.

 

[Cinderpals]

I'll be there for 28 days with a car the whole time!! I'll take notes

5Ns at the OKW --last part of trip

 

[jtiggercat]

If I had really young children, I might feel differently; however we've never had a car, and we've never missed having one at OKW. Without a car, we don't leave the "world" and who wants to leave the "world" ever?

We rent a car for the first day and drop it off after lunch. This allows us to do a little off-site shopping and collect groceries.

For early morning reservations, call a cab. It's not a big deal, and the front desk can recommend a company. We've had an occassional late night and taken a cab home, too. Frankly, a couple of cab rides is far cheaper than renting a car for a week.

We take a cab back to the airport--shuttles work, but they always seem to require us to leave the world a whole lot earlier than we need or want to.

 

[thelobstershanty]

We have stayed at OKW both with and without a car. We prefer having a car. We never take the car to MK, but do use it for almost everywhere else. We especially like having a car at park closings. The lines for buses can be quite long at this time. It is so nice to just jump in your car and be back at your resort while everyone else is still at the parks doing the cattle shuffle.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We have stayed at OKW both with and without a car. We prefer having a car. We never take the car to MK, but do use it for almost everywhere else. We especially like having a car at park closings. The lines for buses can be quite long at this time. It is so nice to just jump in your car and be back at your resort while everyone else is still at the parks doing the cattle shuffle.

Actually, when we have had large groups in a GV, we have had several people leaving Epcot post Illuminations. Some drove, and some took the bus. In every instance the bus people were back to the villa before the drivers. The only time that was not true, was when one group had parked at Y&B to have dinner at Cape May prior to Illuminations. They left via the International gateway, and then drove back to OKW, and arrived ahead of the rest of us. That is NOT a kosher method to do though, and you would not be allowed to park at Y&BC if you were not doing a dinner reservation there.

 

[Cinderpals]

I just got a great rate through Alamo with Prepay option for a midsize!! $77 per week!! Had the option of dropping off at Dolphin to take Magical Express back home, but decided not to. Would have cost the same, but cost more to pick-up from Dolphin or Walt Disney location at that time.

So, a couple of cab rides and the trip from the airport would cost us more than that.

 

[NJOYURLIFE]

We usually rent a car, but many times it will sit in the lot unused for several days at a time. We usually only use the car for grocery runs, dining reservations at other resorts, and for a few off site trips. We RARELY if ever take the car to the parks.

This is what we do also and we've never had any problems with the park transportation.d

 

[thelobstershanty]

Actually, when we have had large groups in a GV, we have had several people leaving Epcot post Illuminations. Some drove, and some took the bus. In every instance the bus people were back to the villa before the drivers. The only time that was not true, was when one group had parked at Y&B to have dinner at Cape May prior to Illuminations. They left via the International gateway, and then drove back to OKW, and arrived ahead of the rest of us. That is NOT a kosher method to do though, and you would not be allowed to park at Y&BC if you were not doing a dinner reservation there.

It is not so much the travel times that bother us it is the sheer volume of people all shuffling along in the ques waiting for the bus; that we perfer not to deal with.

 

[KarenB]

We (8 of us) spent the last week without a car at OKW. The only time we really wished we had one was the evening we wanted to eat at the Baordwalk. It was a very long trip to and from there. Also, my in-laws stopped in to see us on the first day we were there. They allowed the men to use the car and go grocery shopping which was a huge help. Other than that, I felt we had no need for a car.

Karen

 

[MiaSRN62]

We always have a car with us but it just sits there on park days. We only use the rental for driving offsite to visit relatives/Uni/Sea World/or for resort dining. Otherwise, the car sits and we use the OKW busses which we have found to be just fine over the years. You are never very far from one of the bus stops. I don't think staying at OKW is any different than say other large/spread out resorts such as POR or CB to name a few where one may not have a car. The busses run about every 10-15 min and there are 5 bus stops throughout the resort.