Do you used your own car when staying onsite?

[ChiTownZee]

Do any of you use your own car and drive yourself to the parks when you stay at a Disney resort? I've read reports that it's quicker to drive yourself instead of busing it, but isn't that one of the main perks of staying onsite?

 

[joepoe]

It may be quicker to drive TO the parks sometimes, but I guarantee you that the buses are much quicker when you leave the parks at closing.

 

[Tikiman]

I have always found it better to have your own car. If you don't believe me try to go from MGM to Downtown Disney using the bus...or should I say many busses. We keep some of our stuff in the car so we don't have to have it with us in the park all day but if we need it we can get back tothe car.

Steve

 

[joepoe]

Car is also good for day trips, extra trips to the grocery store, the outlet malls, golf, etc.

 

[gringrinninghost]

I've always used my own car, you get to park free since you are a resort guest and there is no waiting in the heat for your bus or trying to cram 100 people in a bus at closing. When the park closes take your time and don't rush out like most of the folks wanting to ride the bus. It just adds a level of ease to your trip.

 

[bellsonmytoes]

It's also great when you can take all your swim gear to Animal Kingdom, leave it in the car and when you get so hot you can't stand it, jump in the car and you can head to a water park..... quick and easy, also good for dining at other resorts. For my 3 night trip coming up, the price of a rental is less than it would cost us to ride Mears from the airport, and I have the option of using the car or not.... mostly I will use it.

 

[robinb]

We always rent a car and always use it. We drive to the parks, except the MK where the bus is better. We drive to the other resorts to pool-hop (we're DVC members and are allowed to), eat and explore. We drive off-site to eat where it's less expensive. I could not go to WDW without a car!

 

[Tink]

We always rent a car. We usually go for a week to WDW. We go to the grocery store, and Sea world during our trips so it easier to have our own car. We sometimes drive our car to MGM, EPCOT and AK. We haven't driven to MK in years, since you have to do the whole TTC thing and the buses get you so close.

It's also easire to drive to the water parks and Downtown for us.

We have gone for shorter tris and not rented a car.

 

[mrsltg]

I'm very "pro-car". I really think it's the only way to go. The only way I'd go without is if I were staying at a monorail resort and it was a very short trip.


Erin

 

[GEM]

We usually drive down, so we do have a car. We DO NOT use it to get to the parks, though. The busses are much easier, in our opinion. No parking hassles, traffice, etc. We really like using Disney transportation for getting to and from the parks. It's nice to let somebody else do the driving, especially at the end of a long day. We have never had to wait long for a bus or boat to or from a park.

We DO use our car for getting to Downtown Disney, other resorts for meals, the Boardwalk, the water parks, and the mini golf places. Although you can get all those places with Disney transportation, it is much quicker to use a car. We have done a few trips without a car, though, when we have flown down. It wasn't too bad at all. It just took a little extra planning and time to get to some of those other places. We probably won't ever bother to rent a car if we fly.

Be aware that if you drive your own car to the Magic Kingdom, you will have to park at the Ticket and Transportation Center and take the monorail or ferry over. The bus will let you out right at the park.

 

[Poohbear123]

Because I can't drive. That is why I love to go to WDW as I don't need to drive!

 

[Kermit]

We drive to WDW, but we don't use our car once we get there. I'd rather wait for a bus in the shade instead of walking across a hot, crowded parking lot. I also enjoy the fact that the buses are air conditioned. Cars that have been sitting in the parking lot all day are very hot. There may have been a few times we could have done it faster by car, but it's not worth it to us.

 

[Desnik]

We drive down so we always have our car but we never use it to go to the parks. After driving so much we like to take a break and use the buses. We do use our car to go to DtD because it is just so much easier to get there and back with your own car. We also like to resort hop and it is very easy to do when you have your own transportation.

 

[PamNC]

I must have my own car. We typically drive down (it's 9 hours for us) but when we do fly we rent a car. Tried the bus thing. Can't stand it. We like having the freedom to move around when we want and not having to stop here and there to get somewhere. Plus if you're tired and ready to go back to your resort, why sit or even stand (had to do this once) on a crowded, hot bus? I know alot of people use it and like it but we absolutely refuse. Plus, for the price of the shuttle...add a little more and you have a rent a car for a week.

Just my opinion.

PamNC

 

[Karel]

We usually drive so we have a car onsite but the two times we flew, we did not rent a car. I prefer to take the bus everywhere - it's part of the vacation. We do not ride buses at home so its different.

There are instances when using a car would be easier. We drove to the Boardwalk once and to Wilderness Lodge for dinner. You have to know the bus, boat, monorail system and be prepared to NOT listen to the front desk way. They'll send you all the way out to DTD or the transportation center when there are easier ways to go.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

We too drive down but the car never moves from the time we get there untill we leave. This is DH's favorite part of a WDW vacation and how I talk him into going. We have learned a lot about he system and how to best get from place to place. We even take the bus to DD with out problems. I like not returning to a hot parked car at the end of the day, meeting people on the bus and making DH happy.


Jordan's mom

 

[Karel]

We usually drive so we have a car onsite but the two times we flew, we did not rent a car. I prefer to take the bus everywhere - it's part of the vacation. We do not ride buses at home so its different.

There are instances when using a car would be easier. We drove to the Boardwalk once and to Wilderness Lodge for dinner. You have to know the bus, boat, monorail system and be prepared to NOT listen to the front desk way. They'll send you all the way out to DTD or the transportation center when there are easier ways to go.

 

[AF Brenda]

We drive down, but always use WDW transportation to get to the parks. We try to avoid driving any more than we have to at WDW - the kids enjoy the bus, and we enjoy not having to park, etc.

 

[jeleebeene]

This was the first time that we had driven down, stayed onsite and had a car. I must say, we will drive down from now on, or atleast rent a car if we fly down.
Even though the busses are wonderful getting to the parks, if you want to go anywhere else, it is just too much of a hassle and the wait time is horrible. We wanted to go from the Magic Kingdom to MGM one day - the bus took forever to get there. We could have driven the car 3 times back and forth in the amount of time it took us to get from one place to the other.
We used the busses early in the morning, and then upon returning in the afternoon to the hotel, we always drove as the busses seemed to run less frequently.
If you want to go to DTD, I would definitely want a car - the only day we wish we would have taken a bus, someone famous was at Planet Hollywood (it was either Sunday or a night through out the week I can not remember) and parking was terrible. My DH heard that N'Sync was there, but that was just from hearing other people talk. If that wasn't happening, the parking is usually great.
If you can, I would say rent a car if you are flying, as it is great to get to and from places quickly!

 

[rhodgkie]

I guess, I'm a little wishy-washy--I think they are both okay. But if you are staying at FW Cabins, I think a car is quite useful. When we were there, you would have to catch one internal FW bus to get to another station, etc. But when I have stayed at other places, I did not miss a car very much.

Have fun!