Drive or take Disney shuttle to parks?

[ImaFunMom]

We will drive to Disney so we will have our vehicle for use. I've read that it's usually faster and easier to drive yourself rather than to rely on the Disney transportation from hotel to parks. What 'cha think?

 

[paigevz]

Probably faster, but we don't like to drive on vacation, so don't even rent a car. We shuttle to Disney and then use Disney transpo for all until we shuttle back to the airport.

We like to look out the windows at hotels and such going to places, and sit all tuckered out coming back........................

 

[ImaFunMom]

If you are having breakfast at 8:30 with Donald (Breakfastasaurus), what time should you board your shuttle to get there (from AS Movie)? Thanks!

 

[justloveit]

We drive also, but always use Disney Transportation. They drop you off right at the front gate. Navigating through traffic and knowing where we are going is not our problem, the bus driver does all that. And by the time you find a place to park and wait for the parking lot tram and fight traffic out of the parking lot, you might as well just jump on the bus. This works for us. Good Luck!

 

[bishop1989]

We find it much easier and enjoyable to use WDW trans. The shuttle to park from airport, monorail, buses, etc. It may save you a few minutes each way by driving, but after parking and riding tram to gate and everything else involved, we always ride Disney transporation.

 

[DLBDS]

It really doesn't take long between the resorts to the parks using Disney trans. It's a much more relaxing form of transportation after a full day (or even a half-day) at the parks. It's really only recommended that you drive your car when you're traveling to another resort from your own resort. Disney buses only take you from resort to park NOT resort to resort.

 

[MelanieC]

Over the years we have went from likeing to take the bus to only wanting to drive. This past summer we decided to only take the bus to MK. The first day we did that it took us over 2 hours to get back to our hotel because the line was so backed up and there were no busses that showed up for our hotel. From that day on we drove to each park including MK. We took the monorail over to the TTC tram to the car. It was much easier. I find parking at EPCOT, AK & MGM very easy. Most of the time we are only a few rows out at EPCOT. At the end of the night we are in our car and at our hotel so much quicker than if we took the bus.

 

[shafke]

The only park I take Disney transportation to is MK since if you drive you still need to get from your car to the TTC then either monorail or ferry to MK.

Both MGM and Epcot it is just as fast to walk from our car to the entrance... especially if we just missed the tram.

 

[Kick Save]

Typically we'd hop the busses where ever we were going, but this past trip we drove a couple of times and found it to be pretty easy. The upsides are when you want to leave, just leave. And, there aren't 70 people to fight with for seats.

Our next trip (Aug) we're going to do a little more driving to the parks and see how it works out. We're thinking of using Disney trans in the mornings, then after our mid-day break drive to our afternoon park.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

We drive ourselves. DH has a thing about the bus. Guess we've had to deal with more than our fair share of rude and/or smelly people.

 

[paigevz]

OP: To Donald's from AsMO...........you'll have to go into the park, then walk on into Donald's could take a while, I'd probably be at the bus stop at 7, but then I always leave lots of extra time. You can go on and check in if you are there early........you might still have to wait for your ADR, but we often get in early that way.

Melanie........what hotel? Oops, sorry, I see it was POP in high summer. How frustrating. I had always heard the POP service was pretty good.

 

[paigevz]

It really doesn't take long between the resorts to the parks using Disney trans. It's a much more relaxing form of transportation after a full day (or even a half-day) at the parks. It's really only recommended that you drive your car when you're traveling to another resort from your own resort. Disney buses only take you from resort to park NOT resort to resort.

Yes, but we take disney trans to a park, then that resort's trans to there. Easiest at the monorail hotels and WL. Takes a while to get over to the values or AKL, but the boys love to see the decor. We don't visit the mods much, except the one we're staying in!

 

[grimley1968]

Driving to MGM and AK isn't a bad idea, especially if the waits for the buses are slow. Driving to EPCOT might not be too bad, unless you get there when the lot's filled up. However, to get to MK, it's almost always easier, and faster to take a bus. The reason is that you have to park at the TTC lot when you drive to MK, take the trams to the TTC, then take a monorail or ferry boat from there to MK. The buses from the resorts to MK go straight to the front of MK and it's not more than 150 feet from there to the gates.

 

[WillCAD]

I prefer to drive.

It's not just a matter of time savings, although for most destinations at WDW driving is quicker than the busses, but it's also a matter of comfort level.

Here are a few pros and cons, at least from my perspective:

Bus:
- Gotta wait up to 20 mins for the bus to show up
- Gotta wait up to 20 more mins for the bus to load and unload, especially if there are folks in wheelchairs or ECVs
- Busses are often SRO, forcing me to stand up through the entire ride (last time I stayed at Pop with no car I stood up on 75% of the bus rides I took)
- Busses often make multiple stops, taking much longer to get where you're going
- At the end of a park day, bus waits can often exceed 45 mins

Car:
- Wait for the parking lot tram is only 5 minutes or less most of the time, and I often park close enough to walk directly to my car anyway
- No wait for loading; get in and get moving
- No standing in my car; I always get a seat
- My car goes exactly where I want; no multiple stops
- At the end of a park day, the wait for a parking tram is way shorter than the wait for a bus, and there is seldom much of a delay in getting out of the lot

Keep in mid that these observations are based on my personal experience, which is mostly in the off-seasons, although I have been to WDW in May and June a few times.

 

[drogerstn]

We drive most of the time, especially, as mentioned by many already, to MGM, AK, and EPCOT.

We like to have a small cooler with drinks in the car waiting for us when we leave the parks. Even if there is a line of cars leaving the park, we can drink and talk easily amongst ourselves AND everyone has a seat.

 

[Kimberly815]

I prefer to drive.

It's not just a matter of time savings, although for most destinations at WDW driving is quicker than the busses, but it's also a matter of comfort level.

Here are a few pros and cons, at least from my perspective:

Bus:
- Gotta wait up to 20 mins for the bus to show up
- Gotta wait up to 20 more mins for the bus to load and unload, especially if there are folks in wheelchairs or ECVs
- Busses are often SRO, forcing me to stand up through the entire ride (last time I stayed at Pop with no car I stood up on 75% of the bus rides I took)
- Busses often make multiple stops, taking much longer to get where you're going
- At the end of a park day, bus waits can often exceed 45 mins

Car:
- Wait for the parking lot tram is only 5 minutes or less most of the time, and I often park close enough to walk directly to my car anyway
- No wait for loading; get in and get moving
- No standing in my car; I always get a seat
- My car goes exactly where I want; no multiple stops
- At the end of a park day, the wait for a parking tram is way shorter than the wait for a bus, and there is seldom much of a delay in getting out of the lot

Keep in mid that these observations are based on my personal experience, which is mostly in the off-seasons, although I have been to WDW in May and June a few times.

That is the same way I have always felt about car vs bus!

We always drive. Also, I believe that the unofficial guide states that it is always faster to drive your car than to take any WDW transportation (With the exception of going to the MK from one of the MK resorts).

 

[IwannaseeMickey]

We drove down and ended up driving ourselves everyday. The bus stop (POR) was a building down and our car was right out front. We had the AAA parking pass and we just drove. No waiting in lines, but a little more walk to the lots. We'd do it again!

 

[KimR]

We always drive except when going to MK from an EPCOT resort, then we usually take the bus because it seems to be faster. However, we've never attempted to take the bus back to the resort at closing time. I've heard and can imagine that would be a nightmare.

 

[RescueRanger]

It's not about time for us. I like the fact that I can park my car when I get to WDW and not have to worry about driving til we head back home. WDW transportation is not perfect but it works just fine for us.

 

[judykay53]

We've always used WDW transportation. I'd rather just sit back and let them do the driving. However, it is because of that transportation that I do not want to stay at POP again. The bus stops at the resort are not covered and at the parks it seemed like they were always the very last one.. In 2004 we stayed at the FW cabins and the transportation was always pleasant. Last year it was torture walking past their bus stops to get to the POP bus stop with my feet aching so badly and then having to face another long walk to our rooms. At the cabins we had our car (never drove it) but not last year. Also the boat ride from FW is so relaxing and cool.