Driving from resorts to parks each day?

[3littlecuties]

I'm not sure if this should be posted in resorts or theme park strategies.

I have posted some questions about staying at POR. Last time we stayed at Poly largely due to ease of getting to the parks. We have 3 little ones (currently 7, 5, and 2) and felt like it would be very challenging getting on and off buses with a double stroller and diaper bag, etc. Our 5 year old daughter also has Down syndrome and can't walk very far without tiring and also has a tendency to dart away from us so we have to hold her hand or she could get lost or run out in the street.

We are considering POR because it would be cheaper but I'm wondering if we should stick with a monorail resort for the same reasons as last time. From the Poly, we took monorail to MK and Epcot (our most frequented parks) and drove our car to AK and HS.

If we stayed at POR, could we just drive to the parks every day? We didn't think driving was bad at all but we only did it two days. We could leave when we wanted without waiting for a bus. We just had to wait a bit to park and then walk in the lot to the entrance (we had 2 of the kids in the stroller so it was easier than folding it up for the parking lot transportation.

Thoughts? Is there something that I'm missing? If we had 3 kids who could just get up on the bus themselves, then it wouldn't be a big deal. But with little ones who need help and us having a bag and stroller, I'm wondering if it will just be too much.

 

[3littlecuties]

Also - I'll add that last year we went in October so lower crowds. This time we are considering early June 2014. Higher crowds.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Yes, you can drive to the parks if it is easier. We drive sometimes and use Disney transportation sometimes. At MK, you will park at the Transportation and Ticket Center and will have to take the ferry or the monorail to MK, so allow extra time. Disney buses will drop you off directly at MK.

If you are early enough, you can park reasonably close and avoid taking the trams. It might be worth taking the bus if you go to a park in the afternoon, though, or you might have to park far away.

We find it as easy to drive as to take Disney transportation at AK and DHS in particular.

It is hard to beat the convenience of the monorail resorts when you have a stroller, though. The Contemporary might be a little less than the Poly, and there is a walking path to MK.

 

[3littlecuties]

If you are early enough, you can park reasonably close and avoid taking the trams. It might be worth taking the bus if you go to a park in the afternoon, though, or you might have to park far away.

I should add also that we just recently got a handicap parking sticker for my daughter so I'm assuming that there would be closer spots? We have only used it once or twice so far but the main reason was for places with large parking lots that are hard for her to walk and longer distance for her to run out in front of cars. Since she is 5, she doesn't want to be in the stroller as much any more (I don't blame her) but she also isn't aware of danger and large parking lots are dangerous for her.

 

[grimley1968]

I should add also that we just recently got a handicap parking sticker for my daughter so I'm assuming that there would be closer spots? We have only used it once or twice so far but the main reason was for places with large parking lots that are hard for her to walk and longer distance for her to run out in front of cars. Since she is 5, she doesn't want to be in the stroller as much any more (I don't blame her) but she also isn't aware of danger and large parking lots are dangerous for her.

We prefer to drive everywhere except MK. MK has the whole TTC transfer point where you have to get on a monorail or ferry boat to get to MK itself, while buses take you straight to the front of MK. Everywhere else you just drive to and possibly ride the parking lot trams to get to the parks.

As far as the parking lots go: a) they only park one row at a time, meaning you can walk however you want in the already full rows. There's not a lot of looking out you need to do except to make sure not to wander into the currently-parking row and to watch out for the trams. b) if you decide not to use the handicap sticker, the distance between where you park and the tram loading areas is quite short, and then the trams take you not far at all from the bag check area in front of the parks, except for MK of course.