Drive to the parks or use hotel transportation? What's best?

[kaytieeldr]

I'm guessing Disney had a reason they discontinued it. You think a letter campaign would help bring it back?

It's worked for TV shows in the past https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/tv-shows-brought-back-cancellation.html/ It's brought back products https://www.theguardian.com/media/organgrinder/2010/jun/07/marketing-101-cadbury-flake and https://www.foodbeast.com/news/the-comeback-snacks/

 

[gharter]

We do both. Often if we want to be at a park early, we will drive.

 

[Gryhndmom]

After experiencing the Disney bus system....we vote for drive to the parks. Leaving HS on Saturday the bus to the contemporary was just pulling out and we waited 25 minutes for the next bus which stopped at wilderness lodge first so it took almost an hour to go from HS to contemporary/BLT with waiting for the bus and other drop off

 

[tguz]

We drive to Disney but once we are there, we park the car and don't get back in it until we head home. I think Disney transportation is very good. Yes, you have to wait for a bus but they come around pretty frequently. We also like taking a little boatride or ride on the Monorail to go have lunch at the GF or Poly when we are in the MK.

 

[shocker]

I would drive everywhere except MK. Too delicious to get dropped off right by security to pass up. No parking gate/tram/ferry/monorail needed.

I can honestly say I haven't driven to HS since they reconfigured the front entrance & parking lots. By the looks of it, this one might be worth not driving to as well.

AK & EP are my favs to drive to because I can usually walk. But, they're in the process of reworking EP entrance now too, so we'll see.

If you REALLY need a monorail ride save it for a night out with a nice dinner or a character breakfast along the route.

 

[leebee]

I hate the buses. WAIT for the bus in the morning, WAIT for the bus at night. I've waited in line at MK at park closing for close to an hour. Once you get on the bus you are privileged to be riding with a bazillion of your closest friends, standing, packed like sardines. Everyone is hot and sweaty until the a/c gets cranking; then you freeze. Think about your travel party. Do you have children who will be sleeping by the time you load onto the bus? You are going to have to hold them if you can't wake them so you can stand on the bus... and that stroller? It needs to be folded, so while holding a sleeping child and trying to maintain your own balance, you have to balance the stroller. Don't assume someone will offer you their seat; they are just as tired as you are.

We've timed it out several times when traveling with family members. The people in the car ALWAYS get back to the hotel before the bus riders. Sometimes the car people are actually in BED before the bus people stagger through the door. Although I sometimes have to opt for using the Disney buses (financially beneficial), I really hate using them and always opt for the car (if rental is affordable).

ETA: And driving to MK? Just consider the tram and the monorail as part of the fun. Where else can you ride a monorail?

 

[lookame]

I have Crohn’s and an ileostomy. Both issues make being at the mercy of bus schedules and in right crowded spaces with a bunch of people who may or may not be sick very difficult (immune suppressant drugs). So with my germ anxiety and issues I prefer to drive. I can do a bag change in the car if I need, I can ask my husband pull over so I can run into the closest bathroom, I keep sickness bags in the car in case the kids are feeling bad (both the kids and I can feel nauseated when we are overtired) so for me it’s better to drive. I’ve never felt packed in like a sardine on the monorail or boat but I feel like (from what I’ve read) I would be on a bus. If the bus had a seat essentially garunteed to me and a bathroom readily available then I’d put my mask on and deal with it but otherwise...I prefer not to. Plus we always felt like we got back to the resort pretty quickly when we drive. Also, I love the monorail! I look forward to riding it every trip

 

[kaytieeldr]

I hate the buses. WAIT for the bus in the morning, WAIT for the bus at night. I've waited in line at MK at park closing for close to an hour. Once you get on the bus you are privileged to be riding with a bazillion of your closest friends, standing, packed like sardines...

I just want to point out, leebee grew up in a city with virtually no public transportation Well, there was that T bus to Boston in the early 70s.... (no, not trying to convince her to take a bus).

If the bus had a seat essentially garunteed to me and a bathroom readily available

In no way trying to convince this poster, either. But a guaranteed seat is found by proactively stepping aside at the door, so Bing first in line for the next bus. Bathrooms on a local bus isn't reasonable. Again, not even thinking quoted poster should change their opinion of needs.

 

[lookame]

I just want to point out, leebee grew up in a city with virtually no public transportation Well, there was that T bus to Boston in the early 70s.... (no, not trying to convince her to take a bus).

In no way trying to convince this poster, either. But a guaranteed seat is found by proactively stepping aside at the door, so Bing first in line for the next bus. Bathrooms on a local bus isn't reasonable. Again, not even thinking quoted poster should change their opinion of needs.

I know that a bathroom is unreasonable which is why we drive. Its something my condition requires-the ability to make a stop for me to use the restroom or have one close by. Stepping aside creates a longer wait and my kids when they are ready to leave won’t understand the need to wait longer, and even so, the proximity to a bunch a strangers would still set off my anxiety. Driving allows us to have a better trip allowing us to avoid the things which cause me issues.

 

[gatour]

For hotel/park transportation, Ww usually utilize Disney Transportation. We have a tendency to park hopesp. between the Studios/Epcot/MK, so don't have to worry about having to go back to the original park to get the car. It is also not much fun looking for your car in the parking lot when it is raining.

I don't like to deal with the traffic. While I know where I am going (which lane to be in) since I have been there so many times. There are a lot of people who don't, with some of them driving unfamiliar cars (rentals). They have a tendency to suddenly slow down or swerve across several lanes to exit the current road.

For hotel to hotel transportation like for dinner reservations we sometimes utilize the car due to the time sensitive manner of the dinner reservation.

 

[sam_gordon]

And driving to MK? Just consider the tram and the monorail as part of the fun. Where else can you ride a monorail?

Yea, there's NEVER a wait for the monorail at the end of the night.

 

[krayzie]

It seems that I should give myself at least an hour if I plan on taking the shuttle from Port Orleans Riverside to the parks. If I drive, is 30 minutes a reasonable amount of time or do I need longer for the parking lot tram?

 

[loves to dive]

We always use the WDW transportation system. We have always driven down, park our car at the hotel and don't get in it again until we leave. We have driven to a park twice. Both times to AK on a move day during a split stay. We figured we had to move the car to the next resort anyway and we were up very early so it was just as easy to drive. We were at FW camping a few weeks ago and still used WDW transportation, we did rent a golf cart though to drive to the bus stop.

 

[gatour]

ETA: And driving to MK? Just consider the tram and the monorail as part of the fun. Where else can you ride a monorail?

Las Vegas. They run between MGM Grand and the Sahara. In fact the original trains were retired Disney monorail trains.

 

[maxiesmom]

It seems that I should give myself at least an hour if I plan on taking the shuttle from Port Orleans Riverside to the parks. If I drive, is 30 minutes a reasonable amount of time or do I need longer for the parking lot tram?

Thirty minutes to drive, park, and get into the park? I would plan on longer. Depending on when you arrive you may have to wait a few trams before you can get on one.

 

[krayzie]

Thirty minutes to drive, park, and get into the park? I would plan on longer. Depending on when you arrive you may have to wait a few trams before you can get on one.

hmm so do you think both methods will require at least an hour? Trying to figure out what the best option is.

 

[sam_gordon]

hmm so do you think both methods will require at least an hour? Trying to figure out what the best option is.

I would budget at least an hour for both methods. My guess is a car may be ~15 minutes quicker.

 

[Christine]

I did a mix of car, bus, and monorail last year. In my experience, the car was always faster than the bus. Each time I did the bus, I never got lucky and always had a wait. One thing I rarely ever waited for was the parking lot tram. They are ALWAYS there. There was one time I left Animal Kingdom one afternoon and I was walking up as a tram was loading and I didn't make it on the tram. There was another idling behind it and I hopped on that one. I'm sure other people have different experiences though.

 

[maxiesmom]

I did a mix of car, bus, and monorail last year. In my experience, the car was always faster than the bus. Each time I did the bus, I never got lucky and always had a wait. One thing I rarely ever waited for was the parking lot tram. They are ALWAYS there. There was one time I left Animal Kingdom one afternoon and I was walking up as a tram was loading and I didn't make it on the tram. There was another idling behind it and I hopped on that one. I'm sure other people have different experiences though.

Wow wish I had your luck with the trams. I always seem to have to wait till at lest the 3rd one in order to get on. And always seem to have to wait for them to show up. Just like with the buses, it is all in how lucky you are at that exact time. Sometimes lucky, sometimes not.