Hire cars to the parks or disney buses?

[MichelinMan]

I've never stayed on-site at WDW before, so have never used their buses to get to the parks.

I would have assumed that using a hire car would be quicker and less stressful than waiting for the disney buses (especially as I tend to like to be in total control of my travel arrangements where at all possible!). However, reading most posts here it sounds like most people use the buses to get to the parks.

So my question is, are there real benefits in using the buses as opposed to a car? Or is my thinking correct and the car is actually quicker.

If it helps, I am probably looking at staying at POP (although AKL may be a goer if I can get a decent deal). Also, I have no problem driving in the States (done it many times before) which I know puts a lot of people off. I will need a hire car anyway, as I need to get off-site a fair bit too.

 

[Goofyish]

I have always used the Disney transport to get to the parks from the resort and never really had a problem with the time it takes to get to where I'm going or the wait time for the buses - although I have the attitude that I'm on holiday so there is no rush, just relax and go with the flow Busiest time for buses is usually coming out of the parks at night after the fireworks/night time shows (i.e. Illuminations Wishes, Fantasmic etc.). Lines for the resort buses can be enormous. I find it best to grab a snack and a drink, find a place to sit and watch all the crowds rush to the exit. Then once the crowds have gone take a nice stroll out of the near empty park to the buses. This is especially nice in Epcot where you can walk round a deserted World Showcase.
Buses run at least an hour after park closing and Disney will never leave you stranded at a park

If you have an early or evening ADR booked, then it may be quicker to take your car or book a cab. Although getting to MK may be slower than the bus because you have to park in the MK car parks and then catch the monorail or boat to the MK, where as the resort bus drop off is quite close to the entrance.

Using the buses also means you can have a drink in the parks (except MK).

All the park bus stops are close to the park entrances, where as the car parks are huge and you may be quite a way from the entrance and have to catch the tram to and from your car.

If you plan to travel off-site after visiting a park if you have driven to the parks in your hire car you don't need to go back to the resort first, so that will save time.

So I guess it depends what your plans are for the day and how you feel.

 

[torsie24]

I'd definitely choose a bus to MK over parking.

You'll get there and back a lot quicker!

 

[Chilly]

I think get a hire car and then it depends which park you are going to and what your plans for the day are.

We tend to drive most of the time but get the bus sometimes.

 

[tinks_1989]

I have used both I think the buses are fine but I am never in a rush on holiday not even in WDW! It did take us an hour from when we got to the bus stop at Animal Kingdom to when we arrived at our hotel (SSR) bus stop but i personally think the cost of parking is ridiculous and would rather wait for a bus!

I havent ever stayed at POP but late at night especially after fireworks the queue's at the bus stops for the value resorts were HUGE!

 

[wayneg]

All down to what you want to do and if you are happy with buses.
Upto last year we did not enjoy our experiences with Disney buses but last year as we were on Dining plan and doing things like Hoop Dee Doo and an evening drinking around the world(Epcot) we decided to give the buses a proper chance rather than going with an attitude and expecting them to be bad, have to say we got on OK with them, far better than previous times, MK from OKW was easier than the car and we came across some really helpful drivers (one taking us direct to our studio after a late MK evening as we were the only ones onboard)
Saying that I would never want to do a trip without car but thats because we do so much away from Disney, if not on the dining plan we eat every evening meal offsite. We go Geocaching, visit friends, trips to Port, coast etc.

 

[mcarthur205]

It did take us an hour from when we got to the bus stop at Animal Kingdom to when we arrived at our hotel (SSR) bus stop but i personally think the cost of parking is ridiculous and would rather wait for a bus!

Parking at theme parks and resorts is free for onsite guests.

We use the buses a lot but always have a rental car and have used that when time is an issue. For example, getting to an adr at a resort restaurant as resort to resort transport takes longer. For theme parks we usually use the buses, the only place I would be reluctant to use the car for is MK as the bus stop is so much more convenient than the parking lot.

 

[Elise79]

We have a car and drive to the parks except MK. MK the bus is easy and quicker as it drops you the entrance rather than the TTC.

The only time we don't if we both want a drink then we will take the bus.

Also if you do take a car and get there at park opening walk to the front entrance the trams are slower 90% of the time.

 

[jackieleanne]

I thought the buses were ok in November/December and the other Resort hotel buses didn't seem that bad at all. But the POP Buses well they were always packed and we could be waiting ages to get on one.

We will be taking our car this time as doing 18 days and also plan on visiting UO, Kennedy Space Centre etc plus I just didn't like not having the option of the car. I think this year we will more than likely use the car. Except maybe at Epcot were I'm thinking we would probably be having a few drinks.

As has been said if you are going to MK for park opening I'd use the car in 2008 we always got right at the very front of the parking lot and walked under the bridge to the monorail. It was so quick!

 

[MichelinMan]

Thanks for the replies - I reckon buses to MK may be an advantage from what I've read, but I will drive to the other parks I think.

 

[dixonsontour]

If you have the unofficial guide to WDW - it has a table in with minutes to each park from each resort via car or bus. I know for OKW car was quicker every time except MK.

We used the bus without any issues during our stay at all star movies Dec 09. We just hired a car for 6 days of the trip for offsite shopping etc.

I'd read all the horror stories on the main DIS boards. I think a lot of complaints stem from the fact that a lot of US visitors are not used to taking the bus full stop. Seriously I read things like - we had to wait 5 mins, we had to fold the stroller.

Resort to park was fine. At the end of the night the longest wait was nearly an hour to get on a bus after MVMCP - but I chose to leave at the end with everyone else.

A car definitely made it easier when dining at other hotels.

That said 2010 at OKW we didn't use the bus once - had a car the whole time.

 

[ford family]

We have a slightly different approach.
Our WDW visits are usually no more than four or five days, often less.
We drive over from the Gulf Coast arriving at AK as it opens. In the afternoon we drive over to the BWV and check in. The car then becomes redundant. We can walk to Epcot and HS and the bus is always quicker for MK.
On the last day we pack up the car before spending the morning in one of the parks. We return to the BWV car park and drive to DTD for shopping and lunch before heading back to the coast.

ford family

 

[Mermaid2sea]

We hire car everytime we go but we don't use it to get to the parks as the resort buses were easier. We only used the car for shopping and sometimes to get to other resorts when on the dining plan.

 

[Girlsontour]

We love Disney buses We love waiting for them, talking to people in the line.....they are, for us, part of staying in Disney. We actually get excited when we first see one when arriving there!!

 

[OldKeyWelsh]

We also loved the buses whe we stayed at OKW last year, and used them much more than we thought we would. We never had to wait long and we liked the fact that the stops were right outside the entrances to the parks.
I suppose it depends on which resort you stay at how full the buses get,but we never had to stand - sometimes we were the only ones aboard.

 

[Lynn2205]

we stayed on site at WDW and we always got the disney buses and we found it less stressful than the car. We didn't have to worry about parking or remembering to drive on the opposite side of the road etc.

My partner is disabled and uses a wheelchair abraod and the only downside to the Disney buses is that it can get cramped and it's a bit of a pain boarding with a wheelchair because of the way they fit them in.

 

[VailaTigger]

We love Disney buses We love waiting for them, talking to people in the line.....they are, for us, part of staying in Disney. We actually get excited when we first see one when arriving there!!

Ditto!!!

 

[Zeebs]

If it was just me and hubby we would probably be quite happy to take the buses. With 3 small children absolutely not. We liked getting to the end of the day, getting a guaranteed seat in the car, turning the aircon on and relaxing. All without having to wait for the next one to show up.

We are off site so we have to drive anyway but the perk of being able to use the bus system certainly would never be one of the reasons to stay on site for us.

Kirsten