Is saving a few $$ worth it NOT to have a car?

[Hunnypot]

Hi Budget experts. I'm trying to keep costs low for our Oct. trip and was thinking of using TTC fr $85 round trip. Our other option is renting a car from National's EA. We would need at least a mid-size for the two car seats and strollers etc. I know taking TTC could save us $60 dolars or so but I've heard horror stories about Disney transportation from PO RIverside lately (especially after nightly events) that I wonder if It's worth it. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[ilovemydog]

We used TTC and just loved them. They were there when we got off the plane and where at the hotel in no time. We enjoy (yes-enjoy) using Disney's transportation. Part of the enjoyment of a vacation is not having to drive (we do alot otherwise). We last stayed at the YC and found disney buses and boats to be relaxing!! No Driving!!!!! I know alot of people hate the transportation (Disney's) but we enjoy sitting back and letting someone else take over. We are teaching our 16 yr. old DD to drive so that may have something to do with it. LOL!!!!!!!!!

 

[epukane]

Considering some of the discounts you can get on rental cars, you might check into that very thoroughly before deciding to go with TTC. I know you'll need a bit bigger car than compact, but I've seen $150 for a week easily on that size, and somehow $85 for one round-trip doesn't seem like that good a deal.

Mousesavers might be a good place to search for discounts.

 

[Bob NC]

If you can afford the rental, GET IT!!! We always have our car or a rental and wouldn't do it any other way. I really have no major problems with WDW transportation. However, even the folks that like WDW transportation say that 20 minute waits are frequent for a bus. Lets just say you average 15 minutes waiting every time you take a bus. Go to the park in the morning, back in the afternoon, back to a park later, then back to the resort at night. At 15 minutes waiting each time, there's an hour. Then there's the time of the ride with other stops and such which may be 15 minutes also, there's another hour. There's 2 hours of bus transportation time which would be maybe 20-30 minutes TOTAL in a car. I feel we save hours EVERY day by driving rather than waiting for buses. A lot of folks like the 'break from driving' they get while on a WDW vacation. Personally, a 3 or 4 minute drive doesn't exhaust me a whole lot. Standing waiting for a bus DOES bother me though.

 

[chells]

Might try Priceline, last Feb we did the priceline car rental for the first time, and got a midsize through National for $16 a day, then used Emerald Aisle and got an SUV.

chells

 

[hobogary]

We drive to WDW so we always have our car, and we hardly ever use it. (only to DD if we plan on buys much). I know i would not spend money on a rental if we were only doing Disney.

 

[Kermit]

We drive to WDW, and we don't use our car at all once it's parked in the resort parking lot. I think as long as you're easy going and don't mind waiting a few minutes from time to time, you'll do fine with Disney transportation. In fact, there's a good chance you'll prefer it. We usually stay at PO-FQ, and we frequenly wait less than 5 minutes.

When you rent a car, you have to wait for a tram to get to your car in the parking lot, you have to remember where you parked and what your rental looks like, and you have to ride in a very hot car. Buses are easy to find, you don't have to worry about your kids getting run over in the parking lot, and many times the buses take a faster route than the way people have to drive.

 

[tinkerbell1967]

Our car sits in the resort lot for the entire week. After all, you are on vacation so let someone drive! We have never had any problems getting around or getting to places by a certain time.

 

[kinlaw6450]

I would have gone crazy without the car. We just got back and only used Disney transportation (busses) from our resort twice. It was nuts. After that we drove and things worked out much better!

 

[Emily921]

The last 3 trips, we have had 2 car seats and strollers. We have rented a minivan twice and a full size once. In January we rented from National and we got to pick any full size car we wanted. The Malibu was not big enough for the strollers and luggage. Thank goodness a Grand Prix was available. It barely fit all of our stuff!

I can't imagine being there without a car. It is difficult to go from one resort to another and the thought of waiting for a bus from Downtown Disney would be more hassle than it is worth.

Friends of ours stayed Port Orleans Riverside in May while we were at OKW. There was always lots of people waiting for them but they seemed to wait as long as we did which was 15-20 minutes.

We always go to Sea World and I love to shop at the Orlando Premium Outlet so a car is necessary. I probably got to Walmart at least twice to pick up groceries and other stuff I either forget or need.

It is better to use the buses to go to the park but I prefer having an auto to go to the water parks.

If your kids are more patient than mine, and you don't plan to go offsite, then do without the car. But if you need a car, I would be quite surprised if a midsize would be adequate for you.

 

[kwnancy]

If you plan on eating at any hotel restaurants or character meals a car is almost a definite. To get back to your resort after a dinner in a different resort can be a real challenge! We did dinner at the Yachtman's Steakhouse in Yacht and Beach club and we were staying at CBR - what a mess! Dinner was after the parks had closed. I think it took us almost 2 hours to get back to CBR.

 

[travelcoupons]

I'd feel like a prisoner without a car!

 

[dbltrbl]

Don't forget to add on $ for gas into your budget.
I think it also depends on the age of your kids, and what your schedule will be like. I liked the flexibility of having a vehicle. We used National EA also. Also let us take a trip to Belz!!

 

[holycow]

to add my .02....We've done both...once we had a rental car and ended up returning because we used the Disney transportation...but this was when we had an 8 year old with us....since having a baby we have found it is easier to have our own car...with strollers and young children that are unpredictible it was a matter of convienence...by the way one night after being at the Magic Kingdom we waited about 40 minutes for a bus to take us back to PO....with a 2 year old it was difficult...and I can't even imagine if we had brought our own stoller....
Don't get me wrong...I love the Disney Transportation but having done it both ways with small children and not....I would have to choose having the car.
Have a great time!
HOlycow

 

[Sleepy]

We always drive to our Florida vacations so we always have a car, but we never touch it after we arrive. We stay onsite at both Universal and WDW so that we DON'T have to bother with driving to and from the hotels. It's just too easy after a long tiresome day in the parks to let someone else do the driving...not to mention you don't have to worry about where you parked the car and how long it takes you to get to it.

 

[eyeores mom]

were staying at the Poly in mid-Aug and had thought we might need a car to get to AK, MGM, and TL. but im worried about the parking lots being closed or having to walk a long way if we go to any of these places at mid-afternoon. Any thoughts? weve always used buses from POR and rarely had long waits.

 

[DisneyKidds]

We ALWAYS rent a car and would pay whatever we had to to have it. We used WDW transportation on our very first trip 10 years ago. Not that the buses were terrible, but a car is sooo much more convenient.

A typical day for us might involve going from our hotel to GF or BC for a character breakfast. From there to a theme park, from there back to our hotel for a nap, next to TL or BB for a few hours in the afternoon, off to dinner at another resort, then to a park at night to finish the day, and who knows, maybe even an E night or MVMCP. I don't even want to count how many busses this would be - and how long you be waiting (even if a bus showed up in 10 minutes- which isn't always likely). Getting around in a car is very easy. Plus we have strollers to deal with which can be a hassle on a bus. I have taken buses to DD and it is always a long trip.

If you are the type to go from your hotel to a park and stay there all day the buses may be fine. If you want to hop from your hotel to various parks, resorts and attractions all in the same day, a car gives you unlimited flexibility that we wouldn't give up for any price.

 

[minster22]

Count me in the "have a car category".We always rent a car{minivan the last time].We always rent from one of the agencies at the airport so we do not have to take the shuttle to pick up a car.We are usually on the road to WDW within a half hour after getting off the plane. The convenience of having a car on porperty is invaluable to me. After a long hot day in the parks I want to be able to get into my own airconditioned car and go right to my resort/waterpark/grocery store/other resort dining.Keep checking the websites for rental rates, they change very frequently. Right now the lowest I have is for a compact for a week in Nov for $105 {total is $138 with all taxes}. This is with Budget. II also have a ressie with Dollar for $109 and have a free upgrade that I got when I joined their Fastlane program, I am hoping to get the same kind of coupon from joining the Budget program. And I got a $15 coupon off th Budget website {courtesy of the Mousesaver site, THANK YOU!!!} which will bring my week rental of an intermediate down to $123. Sorry for the length of this.....Hope it helps!!

 

[Loan]

I totally agree with BobNC. My sentiments exactly. Driving to and from the parks and ASMu was pretty darn easy, IMHO. We did take the bus one day to MK, to avoid the Monorail/ferry ride, which was great when we got there, but leaving was a nightmare! I did not enjoy being stuffed into a bus with a bunch of tired sweaty people (myself included) and we had to stand in line for at least 30 minutes. I got a full sized car for 6 days for 190.00 that held 3 adults and 3 kids easily. It was actually not that much more than the shuttle would have been. It was worth every penny.

 

[Lisa P.]

eyeores mom, the lots at the theme parks won't be closed if you go during mid-August. Attendance actually begins to drop off a bit at that time of year, since most of the southeast go back to school then (here in NC, August 9th). TL will be crowded at that time of year due to the heat, but it's open late too. Arrive after 3PM and you may be able to take someone's parking space who's left for the day. Or arrive right after the midday thundershowers. I'd hate to wait around for the TL bus back to our resort and we've ALWAYS driven to the water parks for that reason.

The one time that I've been at WDW without access to a rental car, I only went to the theme parks and back to my hotel. For that, Disney transport was fine.

With children, we have always used our car for anything else and sometimes for the parks (besides MK). Besides groceries and replacing broken sandals, ruinned swimsuit, etc., we've also had a couple clinic visits over the years (ear infections after all that swimming, strep throat, etc.). For us, bringing kids on a long vacation means having a car.

Besides, we all hate standing around when we are tired after standing in so many other lines, to wait for the return bus, or the kids' sitting on the sidewalk in the middle of the queue. And we take a day off from the parks, here and there, to enjoy our resorts. Those days usually include a character meal or nice dinner at a resort restaurant other than ours, as well as boat rentals. Getting there by Disney transport is too drawn out. We drive.

If it would make the difference between being able to go or not, affording a much-anticipated special dinner or something like that, then skip the car. Otherwise, I'd get it.