How do you get around WDW?

[rmcildw2m]

Disney transportation is the best way to go , not always the fastest but good enough for me .

 

[kristenrice]

I would say that about 80% of the time, we use Disney transportation. When we travel over Easter/Spring Break, we drive down from Michigan because airfare is so expensive. But even when we have the car, we rarely drive it. For our summer/fall trips, airfare is usually in our budget so we fly.

The ONLY time I rented a car was for our first trip with the children. There were three factors that came into play in that decision:
1) Our children were 2 and 4 and I thought that the two strollers would be a huge PITA on the buses
2) We were doing a split-stay (2 nights at Pop, 5 nights at OKW) so the car made switching resorts much easier. Also, the parking at OKW is right outside of the room
3) I was able to get a mid-size (Chevy Malibu) for 8 days for a TOTAL cost of $77! That price was too good to pass up.

Since #1 and #3 will never happen again, I plan on using Disney transportation any time we fly into Orlando.

 

[photobob]

We always have our car but rarely move it while on property. Using Disney transportation is part of the Disney experience for us, always has been. We have really had some great conversations with people from all over the world sitting on benches in front of the resort waiting for a bus or being on a bus or boat or monorail. Is taking the Disney transportation the fastest way to get there? Sometimes, sometimes not but I am not in a hurry, I am enjoying the experience.

 

[disneygal922]

We always use Disney transportation. We have thought about driving a couple times but when it comes down to cost... It always ends up being cheaper to fly then it would be for a rental car (neither dh or i have a big enough car to be comfy for 20+ hours) and gas. I feel Disney transport is part of the magical experience. That way you don't have to worry about getting lost, filling up the tank, remembering where you park, etc.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Even though I have a car with me, I rarely use it when staying on property. I recently spent 5 days at BLT and 5 days at BCV just before Christmas, and a week at SSR followed by a week at OKW just after Christmas, and only used the car to move from one resort to the next. I think the longest bus wait was about 10 minutes. But most often it was 5 minutes or less.

Our experience is similar. While we don't often drive down from Minnesota (doing that next month though), we do always rent a car when we fly in. I just like the ability to use it off site for groceries etc, and also to go back and forth to other resorts for dinner reservations.

We almost never drive to the parks. The only exception is from OKW to AK we will drive if we have a specific schedule to meet. The time from OKW to AK can be a bit erratic because of the stop at Blizzard Beach. If we aren't in any particular toot to get there in a hurry, we still take the bus. I contend that coming in from the parking lots at any of the parks is much more of a hassle than waiting for the bus is. We rarely wait long for a bus anyway. Our usual places to stay are OKW and AKV, and the bus service at both is fantastic. Unfortunately, we have not had that same experience from the Epcot area resorts. Some like the idea that they can walk to the parks, but believe me....it's a LOT more walking. I'm old....I like to sit and let someone else drive for me!

 

[DVC-Don]

I usually use my own car, but the last stay at OKW I had to use a ECV so I used Disney transportation. It was a lot less hassle than I thought it would be.

 

[dmoore22]

We use the Disney Transportation System. I smile as the bus goes past the traffic backed up, waiting to get into the parking lot, and I know we'll be getting a fast pass while those poor souls are waiting for a parking lot tram.

 

[Plutofan]

We always do the 19 hour drive. We love the flexability of having our own car.

 

[castleri]

We have had a car on most visits and other than grocery trips or trips to the outlets or a day at the water park it sits in the same space we park it in when we arrive. I had my share of driving around Disney when we used to stay offsite and just getting out of the parking lot at the end of the night would drive me nuts. I'll wait for the bus any day rather than deal with the traffic made up of many people who don't know where they are going and are weaving back and forth between lanes. I do like to know the car is there IF I need it and have gotten some very good deals on full size cars through hotwire or with coupons but if the rates are too high we do without it.

 

[dvcbrad]

One of the biggest draws for us is not having to drive anywhere while on vacation especially if we've had a few drinks w/ dinner. We consider waiting for the bus, monorail, etc. part of the fun. It's down time to relax, people watch & meet some great folks.

If we want beer/groceries we grab a cab for less than $15 & we can pick out our own stuff & it takes less than an hour. We have many of the same restaurants at home that are in the Orlando area & our favorite restaurants at WDW have a view of MK. Can't get that off-site!

Pretty much the same with us. I have a fairly lengthy daily commute (45 mins to an hour) on a daily basis with frequent drives into either downtown Chicago or to Chicago neighborhoods. For me, then, part of the relaxation of being on vacation is not having to drive! I know how to commute from location to location at Disney, even if there's not direct transportation, by using different combos of bus, boat, monorail and/or walking. (The last time we were there, we stayed at OKW, took the bus to DHS and walked to Boardwalk for breakfast at Kouzina, took the bus to DD, and then the boat back to OKW. For dinner, we took the boat back & forth to DD for dinner at Fulton's. Great fun!)

Bottomline, the whole thing is just more relaxing to me not having to get in a car and drive somewhere. To top it off, I don't have to worry about driving after having had late afternoon adult beverages somewhere fun or the same with dinner.

 

[mdsd8700]

Well we are definately not in the majority here, but we always rent a car. We have only been on a Disney bus once since we started going in 1993. The bus ride was fine, but for us it is all about flexbility and time. We eat at many different resorts during our stay and any park we can't walk to, we drive to. Since we always do RD we always get closer parking. My husband takes the train everyday so no driving involved for work, so he doesn't mind driving while on vacation in WDW.

 

[normr]

I'm surprised that Zip Car hasn't come to the area, if you're not familiar with Zip Car, it's a company that places rental vehicles around in an area, they have them in New York City, San Francisco and many other places, and basically you become a member and then anytime you need a car for a few hours, you reserve it on your smart phone, which they have an app for, it shows you where the car is parked, you go over to the car which you've signed up for and unlock it with your smart phone app, and the car is yours by the hour or day, the cost includes gas and insurance, my daughter used it all the time when she lived in New York City and needed a car or truck to go shopping outside the city or when she bought furniture

 

[scottashackleton]

Disney transportation is a Godsend! So easy and convenient and all the drivers are very friendly. No need to worry about parking or trams!

 

[daisyx3]

We have almost always used Disney transport. Our first rip we had a car and hardly used it. In 2009 we did rent a car because I heard stories about bus transport at SSR and it was spring break. We used it to go to every park at rope drop (except MK). That worked out well.
In 2010 we skipped the car, but we did take a taxi to make sure we got to TL right at open so we would get the spot we like right by the entrance to the wave pool. We got there at 9 (it opened at 10) and were the second family to arrive. Yes, I'm one of those people. But I like that spot, darn it. One taxi ride (we took the bus at the end of our day) is a LOT cheaper than a week's car rental. I just priced them out for grins....we could get a car for the week for $264 in Orlando, but at MCO or at the car care center we were talking at least $500.
Daisyx3

 

[happyann79]

I always take the buses!

 

[AirGoofy]

We always do the 19 hour drive. We love the flexability of having our own car.

We have a 13 hour drive, but once we get there, we park the car and never get back in until we leave.

 

[arthur06]

We almost always use ME.

On our last trip we rented a car for 1/2 our trip. There were a few things that we wanted to do outside WDW. We had wanted to visit Siesta Key and Yoders in the Sarasota area and DW wanted to hit a few outlet shops.

I would say that 3/4 of the time we use ME. We love it, and when you stay at DVC, there is usually a park within walking/boating distance. So it isn't like we are always on a bus.

 

[JimC]

We use own car since we live close to MCO. On property we use our car, walk, ride boats or monorail. We rarely ever use the bus system

 

[mikron]

Have used the bus system since 2004 when we bought into DVC. We like the bus, boat & tram systems and enjoy the action on those systems. We do rent colf cart when at the Fort to get around also.

 

[eliza61]

I loathe, hate and despise Disney transportation. Sorry, just don't like it.
I'm glad you guys have met nice people because man o man, the folks who are so rude and god forbid you don't break down your stroller fast enough!! Jeez

Not to mention, the end of the night made dash to get on a bus and back to the resort.

We don't go if we don't have a car.