Getting around to the parks?

[AR81]

Okay, here's the plan. We will be staying onsite but will have rental car because we are also going to be doing stuff outside the parks a couple of the days. Hopefully, more than likely, will be staying at WL. I know to get to MK we should just use their boat or bus service especially since we plan on booking a very early adr to CP that morning. But in reference to all the other parks like Epcot, HS, waterparks, etc.. I was planning on using our car since parking is free. I just think it will probably be faster than waiting on buses, etc.. This is our first time staying onsite so this is all new to us (7 years ago was our last trip). Any experience or advice people can give me about parking at the parks when you have your own car? I mean I should be able to just park and take a tram, walk or whatever to the front gates of the park. It's not like MK where you actually park at the TTC and have to take a ferry or monorail to the park. Is MK the only one like that? Sorry to be so longwinded but I think yall know what I am trying to say.

 

[freya]

Other than MK we always drive our rental car to the parks. I usually try to plan to go to MK before or after a dinner res at one on the Monorail Hotels so we can park in their lot. We have found that driving to the parks saves a lot of precious time!

 

[rwdavis2]

Out last on site stay was at WL (January, 2004) and we drove everywhere except MK. We got to Ak before rope drop and parked so close we walked in from the lot. IMHO, driving is always quicker. Makes it easier to park hop as well.
BD

 

[Tara]

Out last on site stay was at WL (January, 2004) and we drove everywhere except MK. We got to Ak before rope drop and parked so close we walked in from the lot. IMHO, driving is always quicker. Makes it easier to park hop as well.
BD

 

[Gowahoowa]

Okay, here's the plan. We will be staying onsite but will have rental car because we are also going to be doing stuff outside the parks a couple of the days. Hopefully, more than likely, will be staying at WL. I know to get to MK we should just use their boat or bus service especially since we plan on booking a very early adr to CP that morning. But in reference to all the other parks like Epcot, HS, waterparks, etc.. I was planning on using our car since parking is free. I just think it will probably be faster than waiting on buses, etc.. This is our first time staying onsite so this is all new to us (7 years ago was our last trip). Any experience or advice people can give me about parking at the parks when you have your own car? I mean I should be able to just park and take a tram, walk or whatever to the front gates of the park. It's not like MK where you actually park at the TTC and have to take a ferry or monorail to the park. Is MK the only one like that? Sorry to be so longwinded but I think yall know what I am trying to say.

We have always had our car at WDW and the only park we drive to is the waterpark. We also drive to Downtown. We stay at the VWL and take the boat to the MK. Fast and Fun. We also take a boat to the Contemporary and then the monorail to Epcot and the other monorail resorts for dining. We bus to the AK and HS. I can't comment on how much time is actually saved by driving to the parks, but using the buses isn't that bad and doesn't throw our schedule off. We always know we have a car if we need to get somewhere fast.

 

[AR81]

Thanks for your responses. For MK, do you know how early the boats run in the morning from WL? For example, having an 8 adr for CP can I catch a boat around 7:30 or are the buses the only option for that time in the morning. This would be a morning when the normal opening time wouldn't be until 9. I thought about driving but I think I read somewhere here on the boards that the parking lots aren't open until 30 mins or so before the actual park hours. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[rotlex]

We also drive everywhere now with the exception of MK due to the TTC, monorail switch.

We used to be staunch believers in only using Disney transportation, always stay on site, until we took our own car for the first time a while back. The convenience of having a vehicle is just amazing. No more feeling like a refuge waiting on a bus, no lines, no worrying if we are going to make it to a dinner rezzie on time or not!