Drive or take Disney transportation?

[kegler4]

I hope this is the right place for this question.

We're staying at Pop Century and will have our own car. Most -- if not all -- days we will take advantage of the early opening. Some days we will stay at the same park the whole day while others we will be moving. Are we better off just leaving the car parked and taking Disney transportation, or does it depend on what we're doing that day?

thanks
richard, roanoke, va

 

[pmj4002]

Before moving to Orlando, I visited Disney several times usually staying 8-10 days. We always drove here from Michigan and camped at FW. The only time we moved the car was to get groceries from the grocery store.

There is really no need to use the car unless you leave Disney property. Disney buses are very reliable, and usually run on time.

 

[kegler4]

I know I can get around well on Disney transportation but I keep seeing these estimates of travel times and all seem to suggest things will go faster in most cases if you drive. But if you do drive, how far away do you have to park at the theme parks given that you are staying on site and getting there early? Does that make sense?

 

[Nebsky]

Was there March 13/19....
We drove our car from TX.

We stayed at Pop Century (not that impressed...Liked AS Sports better) and were planning on just leaving the car there.

We arrive and then jump on bus and go to MK. We left after Spectromagic and the line for the bus was HUGE!! For Pop, they had two of the bus queing areas combined into one big one and the the que was full and overflowing by at least 200 people. Wait was 45 mins for the bus, but when it did show up, they had three there. We decided to drive our own car to the parks at that point. That way we all would have a seat and the a/c worked really good. Im sure this was due to Spring Break, but my gosh...it was a long wait.

When we were there in late Aug 03, we never had a problem taking the bus. We stayed at AS Sports. Busses were full, but the waits werent as long.

 

[kegler4]

Thanks. We're there next week, which I know will be crowded, and I was wondering whether one would be faster than the other. By the time we booked All Star was full, but Pop wasn't. Last time we went (the only time) we spent so little time in our hotel room we didn't want to spend a bunch of $$.

 

[Twende]

We stayed at the POP and used the buses. We only had a problem one night at closing but honestly the lines to the car parking lot trams were even longer! So unless you have a handicapped pass or knew you could get parked near the front you might wait longer to get to your car than if you just took the resort buses.

 

[XStAnt]

I honestly believe there is no significant difference in time between driving and buses. Sure, there are times that a bus may take a few minutes longer, like if you just missed a bus and had to wait the full 20 minutes or so for the next one, or at closing when it is crowded. But there are also times when buses are quicker.

Most people who think driving is faster don't factor in the walk from your room to the car, driving to the park, parking the car, walking to the parking tram, waiting for the tram, riding the tram to the front of the park. All this takes time.

The bus from POP to MK should be a must. The buses drop you off right at the entrance to MK. If you drive you have to park at the TTC. Not only will you likely have to take a parking tram to the front of the TTC, but you'll then have to take a monorail or ferry the the entrance to MK.

If you are not going off Disney property then let Disney do the driving and relax on your vacation. Just remember that. like all public transportation, you may have to wait a few minutes for a bus.

 

[kegler4]

Thanks for the help. Yes, it did appear that Pop to MK on the bus was absolutely necessary. I imagine we will indeed park it and leave it the whole time.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

We were just at WDW for 4 days, just returned home yesterday.

We decided as a lark to test out the transportation options. I wanted to take the bus to the MK, but DH is a control freak re: transportation and insisted on driving.

So, when we left the park at midnight (closing), kids and I decided to take bus while DH drove.

We jumped on the bus as the last three people - it was waiting for us when we got there. As we looked back, DH had just missed the ferry and had to stand and wait for the next one.

I looked at my watch as we pulled away - it was midnight.

We were on the POR bus. For some reason it stopped at the POFQ main bus stop before it went to POR.

We arrived at the lobby bus stop at 12:15. Due to an exhausted 5yo who was experiencing motion sickness, we got off there and walked back to the room.

DH made it back at 12:45. Kids were both in bed asleep when he got there.

I won!

 

[mryder]

We try to take the bus when we go to the MK since it skips the Ticket and Transportation Center. You are dropped off right at the MK entrance and don't have to take the ferry or monorail. That is a big time savings.

The other parks we have tried both and I can't see no big advantage to either. We have never waited long for a tram and are usually in the car quickly and out of the parking lot quickly. Sometimes the car works better for us, my then 3 year old was sound asleep in his car seat by the time we got back to the resort.