Driving to the parks instead of using the busses

[bbak3030]

Our last Disney trip I'm 2010 was not the best as far as transportation goes. We stayed at POP and I still cringe when I think of all the issues we had with busses. We waited a long time and frequently would get to the front of the line for the next bus, just to have a scooter come rolling up and get to skip the line---along with 20 family members. Very frustrating and I don't care to experience that again.
Two options:
1. Fork over the money for the CR so we can be on the monorail and close to MK--but holy cow that's a lot of $$
2. Stay at POR and drive our own car to the parks, it looks like a beautiful resort!

Suggestions? We never even saw Wishes last time because I knew the busses would be a disaster leaving the park after the show!

 

[scdak]

You will get plenty of opinions on this question. I have done things all ways : offsite for years, Poly (once) and used the monorail and buses, POR (buses), POFQ (busses and my vehicle) and I don't think I would ever use Disney buses again! Boats - yes, monorail - yes but not buses. My time is too valuable to me, others will say they enjoy not having to think about driving and parking. I guess it just depends on what you like, where you are going, how much time you are spending at each park, where you have meals planned etc. I added up all the transportation time (worst case scenerios) and based on Disney suggestions to allow 1 hr or longer to go from resort to a dining location to be on time for ADR's and I decided that it was way too many hours for all the reservations that I had last fall, but then again, I was doing deluxe dining with table service meals 2-3 times a day for 10 days. For me, driving was the answer and I was very happy leaving 30-45 minutes before the meals and still be at the restaurant early.

 

[bbak3030]

Thanks for the reply! I don't mind the monorail and I don't remember having a problem with the boats. I'm really thinking of POR and driving. It's about $2,000 difference and that's a lot of money. We can even throw in some cab rides with all of that savings

 

[mdinme]

There is no way id go wo renting a car. We use it to shopand to get to the parks. Use priceline itll be twenty bux per day. Cheaper than poly upgrade.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

just remember you have to take either the monrail or ferry boat from parking to get to MK. only buses can drop off there. can not let family off at gate and then drive to parking. there can be lines for both heading back to parking at end of day and then the tram to your car. MK would be only park where having car may not be an advatage.

 

[bumbershoot]

Our last Disney trip I'm 2010 was not the best as far as transportation goes. We stayed at POP and I still cringe when I think of all the issues we had with busses. We waited a long time and frequently would get to the front of the line for the next bus, just to have a scooter come rolling up and get to skip the line---along with 20 family members. Very frustrating and I don't care to experience that again.
Two options:
1. Fork over the money for the CR so we can be on the monorail and close to MK--but holy cow that's a lot of $$
2. Stay at POR and drive our own car to the parks, it looks like a beautiful resort!

Suggestions? We never even saw Wishes last time because I knew the busses would be a disaster leaving the park after the show!

Considering that 6, I believe, is the max number of people that is supposed to go with a person on wheels, that's astonishing that you encountered so many exceptions to the rule! Stunning, really.


Stay, see Wishes, roam around the emptying-out park, then later go get the bus. That's what I would do if we wanted to see it (but Wishes doesn't do anything for us...totally spoiled by DLR's fireworks which we deem to be by far the best).



We get a rental car simply because being squished in with a bunch of other people doesn't make me happy. Watching people be unhappy -because Disney is doing the best they can in the fairest way possible for those who have mobility issues- makes me unhappy. Watching people *that I KNOW* sit in seats reserved for those with mobility issues, when those people I know do not HAVE mobility issues, bothers me.

So we drive. We go off site for groceries and souvenirs (Publix, Whole Foods, and Gift Land!), we go off site for food (Sweet Tomatoes)! We leave entirely and go to Universal (woo!). Someday we'll go to the giant orange stand, and maybe other places in the area. Having a car is good for us. I highly recommend it.

 

[bbak3030]

Considering that 6, I believe, is the max number of people that is supposed to go with a person on wheels, that's astonishing that you encountered so many exceptions to the rule! Stunning, really.

Stay, see Wishes, roam around the emptying-out park, then later go get the bus. That's what I would do if we wanted to see it (but Wishes doesn't do anything for us...totally spoiled by DLR's fireworks which we deem to be by far the best).

We get a rental car simply because being squished in with a bunch of other people doesn't make me happy. Watching people be unhappy -because Disney is doing the best they can in the fairest way possible for those who have mobility issues- makes me unhappy. Watching people *that I KNOW* sit in seats reserved for those with mobility issues, when those people I know do not HAVE mobility issues, bothers me.

So we drive. We go off site for groceries and souvenirs (Publix, Whole Foods, and Gift Land!), we go off site for food (Sweet Tomatoes)! We leave entirely and go to Universal (woo!). Someday we'll go to the giant orange stand, and maybe other places in the area. Having a car is good for us. I highly recommend it.

Yep, I was stunned too. I didn't even know about the 6 people rule. It was just extremely frustrating. I can't deal with it again and I simply refuse to. We will just drive. We will have our car because we are driving to Disney anyway. I'm glad so many people seem to do the same thing with no real problems.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[stitchlovestink]

Considering that 6, I believe, is the max number of people that is supposed to go with a person on wheels, that's astonishing that you encountered so many exceptions to the rule! Stunning, really.

Yep, I was stunned too. I didn't even know about the 6 people rule. It was just extremely frustrating. I can't deal with it again and I simply refuse to. We will just drive. We will have our car because we are driving to Disney anyway. I'm glad so many people seem to do the same thing with no real problems.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

A few years ago, it was often a problem... I'm not sure if the 6 people rule was applicable back then. It may have been, and the drivers just didn't enforce it. But I will agree with the other poster that there were often times that there would be way too many people getting on the bus with the ECV. And it is supposed to be a total of 6 including the ECV user. Nowadays, they are much better about enforcing that rule! And I am an ECV user. I rarely have more than 1 or 2 people with me. And we generally tend to travel at off peak times, with exception! But I totally disagree with this bringing the entire clan along! It isn't fair. I do understand why others get upset.

 

[goofy4tink]

Yep, I was stunned too. I didn't even know about the 6 people rule. It was just extremely frustrating. I can't deal with it again and I simply refuse to. We will just drive. We will have our car because we are driving to Disney anyway. I'm glad so many people seem to do the same thing with no real problems.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

The suggestion of no more than 6 'rule' wasn't in effect back in 2010....I don't think anyway.

Here's the thing. It happens...at every resort. But, you just don't see a large group boarding with an ECV all that often. I have stayed at Pop 5 times...I have not waited more than 20 mins for a bus there. If the first bus to come filled up, another was right behind it.
But then again, I seldom get to a bus stop at any time withing 30 mins of a park opening. I'm either out there an hour prior or 30 mins after the park opens. That way, I don't have huge groups waiting!

If I were you, I would stay at POR, and drive the car. But, be aware, there will be times when you have to use trams. And at MK? There is a tram, and then either the boat or the monorail to wait for. So, leave plenty of time.

 

[sharadoc]

We drive everywhere, the only time we'll take the bus to MK is during "off" hours.

When the crowd is leaving after Wishes at MK, we will walk slowly out of the park, grab a snack at the MK Bakery and wait. We've been some of the last folks out of the park. Easy and not stressful at all.

Even when it's crowded, the walk to the ferry and tram is quicker than the buses or monorail craziness back to the TTC. The ferry holds hundreds of people, so you usually can walk on and take a lovely slow boat ride back to the parking lot. Trams will be lined up and ready to load you.

So, in our estimation, it's easier to keep moving slowly rather than standing around pressed up against sweaty cranky people in line and having to stand on a bus. Every other park is very easy to drive and either walk or tram to your car.

 

[DVC-Don]

Never rely on the monorail as part of your plans as it breaks down too often nowadays.