Is it possible to do Disney without renting a car and staying offsite?

[ryka]

I do not drive due to some medical conditions. The person that was suppose to come with us that would have drove is no longer able to make it. I was wondering if it is possible to do Disney without driving? We are staying at Bluee tree Resort. I know they have a shuttle but it only runs at certain times. I was thinking about taking cabs if needed. It is me and my 3 children. Does anyone have a idea about how much it would cost to take a cab? We are there from April 1 to the 7th. I am trying to convonce myself this is possible. Please somebody reassure me. I do not want to stay onsite because I really would like to have the extra room and it is cheaper for us to stay offsite. Please help

 

[seashoreCM]

Yes you can take cabs. For Magic Kingdom the cab stand and drop off is in the parking lot area where you need to use the monorail or ferry to get to MK proper.

I can only wild guess the cost at about $30. per ride.

 

[ryka]

Yes you can take cabs. For Magic Kingdom the cab stand and drop off is in the parking lot area where you need to use the monorail or ferry to get to MK proper.

I can only wild guess the cost at about $30. per ride.

Thank you.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

It is possible to do Disney offsite without a car, but it's not going to be the most convenient. Can you reserve/rent a car, because it will probably be cheaper (even with the daily parking fee) to do that versus daily cabs.

 

[kaytieeldr]

No, the OP said she can't drive; otherwise I'd agree with you, jlewis, and even start looking for good car deals for her .

OP, I don't know - and won't ask - how much you're paying for the Blue Tree Resort, but I do suggest you instead consider staying at one of the properties on Hotel Plaza Boulevard. These seven or so hotels are the Lake Buena Vista version of 'Good Neighbor' hotels. The advantages: range of room types and rates, range of amenities, close to Downtown Disney, and they have their own buses that run on schedule to all the parks and DtD until about 1AM daily.

 

[plutolovr]

OP, you also have to see about car seats. I don't know the ages of your children, but if you need car seats for them you have to make sure the cab will have enough or you have to bring your own, then you'll have to have somewhere to keep them while you're in the parks.

 

[ryka]

No, the OP said she can't drive; otherwise I'd agree with you, jlewis, and even start looking for good car deals for her .

OP, I don't know - and won't ask - how much you're paying for the Blue Tree Resort, but I do suggest you instead consider staying at one of the properties on Hotel Plaza Boulevard. These seven or so hotels are the Lake Buena Vista version of 'Good Neighbor' hotels. The advantages: range of room types and rates, range of amenities, close to Downtown Disney, and they have their own buses that run on schedule to all the parks and DtD until about 1AM daily.

We are paying about 1000 for the week. I haven't looked at those properties but will look. I really want a place that has a washer and dryer and room so we can spread out. I have stayed at blue tree before and it was nice.

 

[pampam]

We never drive. Just stay at a hotel that has free shuttle to the parks (most do, but ask when you make your restervations). If you stay on #192 the #56bus will take you to MK (TTC) for $2.00 adult fare.

 

[Brian Noble]

Fundamentally, not having a car is extremely inconvenient unless you are staying at a Disney resort. I know you want someone to tell you otherwise, but it is what it is.

DTD resorts are the least bad "second option" from a transportation point of view, but none of them are condo-style. The closest to that is the Doubletree, which has two room suites, but not anything close to what you want.

You might look into Wyndham Bonnet Creek. It is all condo, has scheduled transportation, and while it isn't the most convenient possible, they do run relatively frequently.

 

[Minnesota!]

I do not drive due to some medical conditions. The person that was suppose to come with us that would have drove is no longer able to make it. I was wondering if it is possible to do Disney without driving? We are staying at Bluee tree Resort. I know they have a shuttle but it only runs at certain times. I was thinking about taking cabs if needed. It is me and my 3 children. Does anyone have a idea about how much it would cost to take a cab? We are there from April 1 to the 7th. I am trying to convonce myself this is possible. Please somebody reassure me. I do not want to stay onsite because I really would like to have the extra room and it is cheaper for us to stay offsite. Please help

I think it would be much more expensive to stay offsite and have to cab everywhere vs. staying onsite or at a DTD hotel. Honestly, I would look at staying a lot closer. Do laundry in the shared laundry facilities. Look at a value resort...you and 3 kids will fit fine in one. Then you won't have to pay $30 each way every time you want to go/com to/from a park. Just priced it and a room at Movies would be $1100 for the week.

So you would definitely save money in staying onsite vs. offsite and cabs.

 

[sharadoc]

I would suggest looking at the Bonnet Creek thread on the Orlando Hotels thread. You can get a 1 BR for $100 a night or less within 60 days. Here is the info from the first post on the FAQ:

The best price is available when you book within 60 days of your trip. If you make a reservation through Ken Price at www.vacationupgrades.com, he will automatically check at the 60-day point if there is still availability and rebook you at the lower rate.

There is a shuttle, a great pool, great amenities, etc. there. And you won't need a parking pass, which means you won't get on the hook for a major timeshare presentation!

Go over to that board and you'll probably find a lot of good info. It's all about staying offsite. http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=15

 

[Lewisc]

Consider changing to BCR. They have the best complimentary shuttle service of any offsite condo type property. The complex is surrounded by Disney property. A taxi ride won't break the bank.


You could also consider staying onsite, at a DVC property. You could price a room direct from Disney, sometimes discounted rates are available or you could rent points. You'll be saving around $100 +tip for a car service to/from the airport and probably $50/day in taxis. I'm assuming a fare of $30 and that you'll be able to use the shuttle a couple of times.

I checked the shuttle service:
GOING:
8:35A MK
11:35 DHS, MK

You'll have to use Disney transportation to get to other parks.

RETURN:
6:10 p.m. Animal Kingdom® (lane 55)
6:20 p.m. Hollywood Studios® (lane 41)
6:30 p.m. Magic Kingdom® (lane 69)
6:45 p.m. Sea World® (Green Canopy)
7:30 p.m. Universal Studios® (lane 86)
10:45 p.m. Magic Kingdom® (lane 69)

Renting a car isn't an option for you. Budgeting at least $50/day for taxis is the only way it will be possible to have and enjoyable vacation. and stay at that resort.

 

[NotUrsula]

Possible? Yes. Pleasant? No.

If there is any way you can swing onsite or at least DTD or Bonnet Creek, do it. Once you get well off the property boundaries, the cost of cabs will break the difference.

 

[Brian Noble]

Once you get well off the property boundaries, the cost of cabs will break the difference.

Not if you compare apples to apples. It sounds like the OP has (at least) a 2BR condo offsite, and is paying $1000...during Easter. Even renting the least expensive 2BR DVC villa from an owner is going to run close to $4000 or more. $3000 pays for a lot of cab rides.

 

[ryka]

Not if you compare apples to apples. It sounds like the OP has (at least) a 2BR condo offsite, and is paying $1000...during Easter. Even renting the least expensive 2BR DVC villa from an owner is going to run close to $4000 or more. $3000 pays for a lot of cab rides.

Yes it is a 2 bedroom condo at Easter. I wouldn't even consider staying onsite in a room at a value with my teenage son. That is just looking for trouble and wouldn't be a very enjoyable trip. I do know staying onsite would be easier but this is our first trip I am taking them on by myself. I am trying to do it as budget friendly as possible while keeping us all happy. I figured the money I saved on renting a car would pay for our cab ride to and from. As I said they do have a shuttle but from what I remember it only runs 2 times a day. So I can take it to the parks but if I want to come back for lunch or something I was just looking for other options.

 

[DonnaL]

I second the Wyndham Bonnet Creek suggestion....yes, it is technically offsite, but, is completely surrounded by WDW property......so you can't get any closer to onsite. We did stay there one night a few years ago before checking into DVC, however, did not use their transportation since we had a rental car that trip so I cannot comment on the frequency or how good the transportation is....I can only say even if you do need to use taxi service to supplement the Bonnet Creek buses your cost can't possibly be any more than if you used a taxi for transportation between onsite areas.....which may not be the case if you're staying a distance offsite.....which BlueGreen resort are you reserved at.....I know there is one right off Rt. 535 (Apopka Vineland Rd) area a short distance from the Palm Parkway intersection...which is fairly close to the DTD area.

 

[NotUrsula]

Not if you compare apples to apples. It sounds like the OP has (at least) a 2BR condo offsite, and is paying $1000...during Easter. Even renting the least expensive 2BR DVC villa from an owner is going to run close to $4000 or more. $3000 pays for a lot of cab rides.

Well, that's true, but I wasn't assuming that she was going to go for a 2 bdr DVC villa, probably more like two rooms at the Hilton DTD. (A w/d is handy, of course, but in the long run bringing a couple of extra suitcases could be more cost-effective than lots of cab rides.)

Different things cause sticker shock for different people. IME, most folks who don't regularly use cabs find cab fares to be expensive right out of the gate, so spending up to $70/day on cabs seems ridiculously exhorbitant. She seemed to be planning to use the condo complex's bus service, so I assumed (perhaps wrongly) that she was frugal about transportation. Allowing for traffic, which you pretty much have to do in that area, I would assume an average expense of around $25 each way (including tip) for a cab to that offside location from the MK. Epcot or DHS would be cheaper, DAK more expensive. Mears has a cab calculator on their website, but it doesn't account for traffic time. It isn't unusual to run up $3 just waiting for a light to change.)

For what it's worth, for $3K she could probably hire a car and driver to be at her beck and call. Any Orlando DIS'ers with a minivan want to make a quick $3K?

 

[SaraJayne]

Yes it is a 2 bedroom condo at Easter. I wouldn't even consider staying onsite in a room at a value with my teenage son. That is just looking for trouble and wouldn't be a very enjoyable trip. I do know staying onsite would be easier but this is our first trip I am taking them on by myself. I am trying to do it as budget friendly as possible while keeping us all happy. I figured the money I saved on renting a car would pay for our cab ride to and from. As I said they do have a shuttle but from what I remember it only runs 2 times a day. So I can take it to the parks but if I want to come back for lunch or something I was just looking for other options.

Rent two rooms at a value. A rental car would probably run you $250 or less...that's four days worth of cab rides (at $30 a pop).

Staying offsite without a car is going to be very inconvenient and frustrating. Can it be done? Yes. But it's going to be irritating for you and your kids, having to wait for the shuttle to leave the property and then to cut your park time short to make sure you're at the shuttle pick up on time.

 

[DisCookie]

Maybe you can take the Lynx bus? That's what I am doing for my offsite stay at the end of the month. A ride is only $2 or $4.50 for an all day pass.
My hotel has a shuttle, but I'm taking Lynx as a backup in case the times don't work well for me.

 

[Brian Noble]

Well, that's true, but I wasn't assuming that she was going to go for a 2 bdr DVC villa, probably more like two rooms at the Hilton DTD. (A w/d is handy, of course, but in the long run bringing a couple of extra suitcases could be more cost-effective than lots of cab rides.)

I guess as I read between the lines of the original post and the followup(s), it seemed as though "space" was the nonnegotiable feature. Maybe I read too much into it. But, there's a qualitative difference between two hotel rooms and a 2BR condo---and it's not just the w/d.