Do you Rent a Car OR use DME & buses? Why?

[amomma23]

We only use ME and buses. ME is way too convenient to skip. I love just getting off the plane and going. The worst part of traveling is dealing with all of our stuff. ME does it for us.
Buses are great because they're free. We are a family of 5, so renting a cheapo compact car is out. It's so nice that we don't have to add 3 car seats to our travel gear, as well.
Disney is a vacation for us. DH and I don't have to strap tired kids into a hot car. We give ourselves plenty of time to travel, and don't have to be anywhere NOW. Disney transport really takes a lot of the hassle/stress out of our vacation.

 

[ciera321]

We used to always rent a car, but several years ago we decided to try ME along with the buses, and haven't gone back. The money we saved was well worth it and we've usually found the bus service pretty good. Plus, I'd much rather wait for a nice air conditioned bus than get in a car that's been baking in the sun for hours. Just what works for us...

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

It's funny how it's so split down the middle and how people have very strong opinions one way or the other. I think it's like a PP said, whatever is going to cause you less stress.

I TOTALLY agree with the poster who said not driving is one of the top reasons for staying on site! I absolutely LOVE checking my bag curbside at my home airport and not seeing it again until it's in my room!

For us, as a family, waiting a few minutes for a bus isn't a big deal. We've always stayed at values and never had any real issue with the transportation at all. And the stress that driving, dealing with traffic, parking, learning new roads, getting gas, etc., etc. would cause just isn't worth it to us. And the money saved is just one more positive to using Disney transportation!

All this being said, we are renting a car for one day this time. My son is dying to go to Legoland, so we will drive there. I'm not looking forward to driving at all! But he so wants to go, we're going to suck it up and do it. But we're dropping that rental car off ASAP and relaxing on a bus for the rest of our trip!

 

[Mr. Pig]

We used to drive to Florida but now fly and use DME. We don't rent a car.

The buses can be inconvenient but I still prefer them to driving (I know I would be the driver). Relying on Disney transportation means I can totally cut myself off from the outside world and let them do the work. I guess we are just never in that much of a hurry to get somewhere.

I also can't see spending the money on a rental that is used so little.

I will admit that resort to resort is a pain.

 

[shyjade]

Part of the appeal of going to Disney (for me) is DME and Disney transportation. Yes, I could get there quicker with my own car, but I like not having to worry about directions, traffic, etc. I'd rather wait 20 minutes to step on an air conditioned bus, sit back and relax after a long day in the parks and heat than open up a car that's been sitting in the hot sun all day and wait for it to cool off, then fight the traffic. Not to mention the money savings for gas & rental fees, which allows us to stay a few more nights.

I'm a single mom so for me, it is important to relax and just have fun with my daughter on vacation. That's why we continue to return to Disney for our vacations. I know there are more efficient ways to get around Disney, but I really enjoy not having to "think" to get from point A to point B.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I don't like paying for things twice. DME while posted as "free" is still something I'm paying for. It's silly to pay for a car to take me to the same place that the free transportation will get me.

If we are going to Universal we will rent a car for those days or just use Mears.

I don't like driving on vacation unless i have to and because i am used to public transportation. I think Disney does a great job.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

We use the bus system, since we don't plan on going anywhere off-property. I actually don't mind the crowded buses-one of my favorite moments is when we leave a park at night and the bus driver turns off the lights.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

DME.

I drive enough at home. I don't want to have to deal with finding a parking place, filling up gas, etc. I can do all that at home for free.

It's nice to let Disney worry about everything.

Besides, I stay at BLT, so MK is 1/2 a blocks walk, Epcot is a short monorail ride. It's only AK which I never go to and HS that I need the bus for (and if I hit up a water park).

 

[thrillridejunkie]

I go on vacation just so I don't have to drive.

 

[Grammy4Lizzy]

My DH doesn't care to drive anymore but he does like to tell me where to drive even if it is in the wrong direction.
The drive to the airport is stressful enough so we do DME and the buses. So restful. And he can't tell the driver to make a Utrun as soon as they can.

 

[Valgoof]

We drove down in 2011 and used our car the whole time. In 2012, we flew and used Disney transportation exclusively. DH was not a fan of standing on the busses, after waiting for one to come. Sooo we are renting a car for the next trip. I think we may use ME and then rent a car at the Dolphin.

 

[meliss8599]

Thanks for everyone's replies so far. You all make valid points.

I find when you stay at a Disney Hotel and are going to Disney Theme Parks, its nice to be totally immersed in Disney on your vacation. If we're driving we have to think of gas, where to go, parking, etc. where as on the bus system, Disney does that for us

You are right about being totally immersed. That's one of the reasons we stay at CBR even though we can stay cheaper at Swan/Dolphin with my teacher discount. We love being totally and completely surrounded by Disney. And we DO love taking the buses--it is a special part of our trip. The waiting and not knowing when they are coming in the mornings is very stressful, however, and that's one of the main reasons having a car starts to become appealing.

While we would be getting the rental free, I didn't even think about the cost of gas, so thank you.

We used to drive to Florida but now fly and use DME. We don't rent a car.

The buses can be inconvenient but I still prefer them to driving (I know I would be the driver). Relying on Disney transportation means I can totally cut myself off from the outside world and let them do the work. I guess we are just never in that much of a hurry to get somewhere.

I also can't see spending the money on a rental that is used so little.

I will admit that resort to resort is a pain.

You're right about being "cut off"--it is nice.

Part of the appeal of going to Disney (for me) is DME and Disney transportation. Yes, I could get there quicker with my own car, but I like not having to worry about directions, traffic, etc. I'd rather wait 20 minutes to step on an air conditioned bus, sit back and relax after a long day in the parks and heat than open up a car that's been sitting in the hot sun all day and wait for it to cool off, then fight the traffic. Not to mention the money savings for gas & rental fees, which allows us to stay a few more nights.

I really enjoy not having to "think" to get from point A to point B.

I also was concerned about knowing where to go. That WOULD be stressful. I'll have to talk to DH about his comfort level with the roads. He's usually pretty amazing with navigation.

DME.

I drive enough at home. I don't want to have to deal with finding a parking place, filling up gas, etc. I can do all that at home for free.

It's nice to let Disney worry about everything.

Finding parking and how far it is from the parks WAS a concern I had.

In general, I guess we could rent the car and use it for a day or two to see how we like it. DD says she would be really sad not taking the buses and I have to admit that I would be too so we shall see. Thank you again everyone for your responses. I look forward to reading others.

 

[Sparkly]

We're likely doing both. Renting a car for when we we want to go offsite or to DTD and using Disney transportation for parks.

 

[ols386]

We usually rent a car. Like the freedom to go when and where we want to. Not that you can't do that using Disney transportation (as long as you want to stay on Disney property all the time), but for us it seems to work out better.

I don't like standing and waiting for a bus. Most of the time back when we did use the Disney transportation, we did not have long waits, but a handful of times we did have VERY long waits, and I don't miss that.

 

[cluvsdisney]

We rent a car. I commute via public transportation for work so that's nearly the last thing I want to do on vacation. We like the freedom to get to where & when we want to go, in the comfort of our own vehicle. We like to go to the store for some snacks & drinks for the room and eat off sight. Plus it's a huge time saver when it comes to eating at other resorts - none of that bus transferring business. It can take a long time which we would rather spend enjoying the vacation instead of waiting/commuting.

The signage in and around Disney is excellent so we find it easy to navigate.

 

[squirrel4569]

Last trip we drove our own car and there were some nice things about it. We were able to go off site and see friends that live in Orlando proper and getting to DTD was much easier. We did get lost once or twice that required us to turn around to get where we needed to go but otherwise it was pretty smooth.

Flying in though, definitely using DME and Disney transportation. Yes there can be a wait but we've also stayed at places like Pop or AoA where there is a dedicated, one-stop bus. This makes it pretty easy to get around without significant delay. Knowing what to expect makes a difference too. We know to plan plenty of time in the event there is a line, buses are running late, etc. Not having to deal with luggage is also a plus. My wife packs tons of stuff and it's heavy. The kids can't pull them around when they are in strollers and not having to drag suitcases around while pushing strollers or making multiple trips is a major bonus.

We only fly when we can get flights that make driving not worth the time and money or if we get a major discount like FD a few years ago.

Vegas and WDW are two of my favorite vacation places and a large part of that is because we don't have to drive. To me it's just much more relaxing. To each their own though and YMMV.

 

[stargazertechie]

We use DME. For us, our vacation includes having a break from driving. I find it to be just as much of a time suck to walk out to the car, find parking at the park, etc. Plus, you have gas costs. On the trips that we stay off-site, we easily burn a tank of gas.

 

[pooh4evr]

We do both, or at least the last big trip we did, for the first time. Prior trips we just used DME and the busses, but after having a car we will always have one now. Last time DH got the car, and the girls and I went to the resort on DME, worked out perfectly, we arrived within maybe 5 minutes of each other. We decided to do it that way some could get a smaller car and save some $, since we didn't have to have one that would fit all the luggage and stroller. Next trip we are renting from the car care center, plan is to take DME, check in and then have the car rental co pick us up to rent the car, then Maybe a water park and DTD. Anyway the car was better for us because it didn't take as long to go from place to place, and it was nice at the end of the night to have a seat instead of waiting in a long line for an overcrowded bus.

 

[disney-akj]

We love having a rental car. We like to be able to get a few things at the store for our rooms (water, beer, etc.), we like being able to go to the airport to head home when we choose rather than DME, we like to be in the comfort of AC in our own space sitting instead of packed with sweaty strangers on a bus at the end of the day, and we LOVE that it is so much easier to get to ADRs outside of the parks with a rental. We do not usually do it to save time while going to the parks, because this can be hit or miss. We usually will take the bus to MK, so we still get the experience . Gas costs are fairly small, if you are staying on-site parking is free, and the roads are marked very well so it is hard to get lost (plus cell phones with navigation almost make this impossible). Also, you don't have to walk to the parking lot. There are trams running constantly to take you to your car. I say since it is free, try it- you may like it?

ETA: You can still use Disney's luggage services without using DME. We checked our bags yesterday morning at the resort and didn't see them again until 1:30 this morning when we got to our home airport (we took a late flight out and spent all day in the parks).

 

[superdisneydork]

We'll be flying into Orlando and have always used DME in the past and then the buses from CBR to the parks.

We've never rented a car before, but DH might be able to get a free rental through his work.

Is having your own transportation that much faster than the buses? Or is the parking and walking to the parks just as time-consuming as waiting for a bus?

What has your experience been? Is it worth it to rent a car?

I never rent a car, though it's crossed my mind. The thing for me though is the cost, it's not worth it. The DME and park busses are sufficent and even enjoyable at times, but occasionally I wish I had a car. Though if you have a FREE rental, just take it, the drive to WDW is easy enough, and if you choose to, you can use the park busses anyway if you decide the car is a hassle, but if you end up needing/wanting it, you have it anyway.

Does anyone know if you can have DME handle your luggage if you don't ride with them? Maybe send one person with the car and the rest with DME is that's important to you.

Matt