Is this the year to rent a car? (need a Minnie Van alternative)

[Lilsia]

I realize my story is purely anecdotal, but I did not have a good bus experience when I stayed at CBR. This was in 2015, so things could be totally different now.

Our first day, we went to MK. We got to the bus stop at 5:40 AM for a 6 AM rope drop (knowing full well we wouldn’t make it in time), but the line was huge. There were people on phones trying to call Disney because they’d been standing out there for an hour and there had not been a single MK bus. We had a rental car and decided to just take it. We passed a few other CBR bus stops on our way out, also with huge lines.

Later that day, we’d taken a break and we’re heading back to the park. We once again went to the bus stop. An MK bus came by, but it was full and only stopped to let people off. We went back to the car...I just wasn’t in the mood to mess with it.

Obviously, this is just a snapshot of one day 5 years ago. But it’s easy to see how buses can get full at the first stop or 2 there and not have room for anyone else. Combine that with COVID and yeah, I’d want my own transportation. Not having to wear my mask on the way to or from the park or be in an enclosed space with strangers would be worthwhile to me (I’d opt for the ferry at the TYC in order to be outdoors).

Yeah, the busy times of the day are crazy. We have been avoiding those for years. Also to remember is that the resorts are operating at a fraction of the usual capacity. There was rarely more then 1 or 2 families on the bus with my on my trip in October. I can imagine the busier, holiday seasons can get busier. The only resort over the years that we did not like the bus service has been OKW. Every other resort that we have stayed at have been just fine over the last 25 years. I have also found that the wait time feels longer then it actually is. I have been at a bus stop many times and have heard people complain about how long they have been waiting when it was a gross exaggeration. I think the stress gets to people and it blows situations out of control. Of course, if someone feels safer not riding the bus, then they should get a car. I personally did not feel unsafe because of the distancing they are doing.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

A couple of young kid considerations from someone who drives to Disney and has a car anyway.

First -- doing Disney with small children is very different from going by yourself. Little kids have a "best used by" limit. On our first trip to WDW with DD, she was 2. We ran her into the ground, and one night at Epcot she made us pay. Little kids have very real limits -- not like "rope drop to close" adults at all.

Second -- having a car is magical for making midday trips back to the resort for nap/pool time. Absolutely magical. It expands the day and multiplies the enjoyment of the trip.

We also loved venturing outside of Disney...
The kids loved seeing gators @ the congo river golf place ( free) going for ice cream and Friendlys

 

[Aprilalidocious]

I've never been to Disney without my own car. Usually we stay off property in my parents' timeshare. I've stayed at POP for a week and even then, I took my own car because I like to go when I want and leave without a wait when I'm pooped (which is generally way after close)! All this to say, given how much _I_ like to determine when and where I go, especially with Covid making the rounds and a new variant deciding to vacation in the U.S., I'd certainly choose renting a vehicle. This is especially true when I had my three young kiddos with me. Now they are all older and we still prefer having our own car. It is absolutely worth the extra cost as you never know when the kids will need a break, or if at closing they just meltdown and you'll wish you weren't enduring it publicly. We have had great luck renting cars a few months out for around $30-$40 a day. You could always have your partner uber to the rental facility OR if you're flying in it's convenient at MCO. Finally, I forgot when. you are going but if it's during a notoriously busy time (like mid-February) do it ASAP as we have run into a time when it was impossible for us to get a rental at the convenient airport location. Hopefully 2021 won't see those kinds of crowds

 

[JimMIA]

We also loved venturing outside of Disney...
The kids loved seeing gators @ the congo river golf place ( free) going for ice cream and Friendlys

Sure -- and the dining! Even when we stay onsite, we eat offsite. The food is better, there is much more variety, and it's less expensive.

 

[Rich M]

I think you have decided already but I will throw my 2 cents. We rent a car every trip. My idea of vacation is not spending time on buses and waiting in line for buses. I want to be able to come and go as I please. We took my grandson when he was about to turn 2 and the car is a life saver. Most times when leaving the park he passed out in the stroller. I would have hated to get him out to fold up the stroller to get on the very crowded bus. I like to be able to drive to my dining reservations and also to check out other resorts. I also like going to Target or Walmart to get bottled water and fruit for the room as well as snacks for the little guy. We are bringing him for his 5th birthday in a couple weeks and we are getting a rental again.

 

[Princess2R]

Why do you feel like you are "taking your chances with the bus"? What are you imagining will happen? We started taking our kids to WDW when they were 1 & 2(they are 13 months apart and are now almost 19 & 20). I took them solo the next year when they were 2 & 3 years old. We have always used Disney transportation and have never rented a car. The busses are great.

Busses are part of the disney experience!!

 

[EACarlson]

IMost times when leaving the park he passed out in the stroller. I would have hated to get him out to fold up the stroller to get on the very crowded bus.

Didn't you have to wake him up to take him out of the stroller and strap him in his car seat? Also, depending on the park and your resort you wouldn't have to take him out at all. We stayed at PoP, rolled the sleeping 4 year old right onto the Skyliner after leaving DHS, he didn't wake up until we tried to put him in bed.

 

[Rich M]

Didn't you have to wake him up to take him out of the stroller and strap him in his car seat? Also, depending on the park and your resort you wouldn't have to take him out at all. We stayed at PoP, rolled the sleeping 4 year old right onto the Skyliner after leaving DHS, he didn't wake up until we tried to put him in bed.

Yeah that is true

 

[Bullseye]

Every year is the year to rent a car in WDW! It's so much nicer having your own wheels. Just know, once you do it you might never go back.

 

[DisneyJade]

Oh man, so many good points made in this thread. Now I'm torn again. At the moment we don't have a rental, but we may add one.

I've started reading the Here Now and Just Back thread daily, to get clues about how long transportation is taking. One other bonus of the car, as someone mentioned, is the ability to visit other resorts. We would like to do dinner at a resort after our AK day, since it closes before our dinner time, and I'm interested in cruising around the monorail resorts after one of our MK days. But I'm scared of missing the last MK bus back to the resort and getting stuck with no way to safely get our littles back to CBR.

Thank you, everyone! Lots to think about!

 

[JimMIA]

Oh man, so many good points made in this thread. Now I'm torn again. At the moment we don't have a rental, but we may add one.

I've started reading the Here Now and Just Back thread daily, to get clues about how long transportation is taking. One other bonus of the car, as someone mentioned, is the ability to visit other resorts. We would like to do dinner at a resort after our AK day, since it closes before our dinner time, and I'm interested in cruising around the monorail resorts after one of our MK days. But I'm scared of missing the last MK bus back to the resort and getting stuck with no way to safely get our littles back to CBR.

Thank you, everyone! Lots to think about!

Suggestion for your AK day if you want some really good dining...

Take an easy 7 mile, 15 minute drive to Celebration and dine at Columbia Restaurant. https://www.columbiarestaurant.com/Menus-By-Location/Locations/Celebration

Great ambiance and service, and the food is to die for -- WAY better than anything Disney. (Pro tip: Whatever else you order, be sure to get a 1905 Salad. Great chef's salad mixed right at your table!)

And to add to the party, do NOT get dessert at Columbia. Just walk around the corner to Kilwin's and get some amazing ice cream and/or chocolate. Then take the kids across the street to the lakeside park where they can play in the kiddie fountains.

 

[JimMIA]

Suggestion for your AK day if you want some really good dining...

Take an easy 7 mile, 15 minute drive to Celebration and dine at Columbia Restaurant. https://www.columbiarestaurant.com/Menus-By-Location/Locations/Celebration

Great ambiance and service, and the food is to die for -- WAY better than anything Disney. (Pro tip: Whatever else you order, be sure to get a 1905 Salad. Great chef's salad mixed right at your table!)

And to add to the party, do NOT get dessert at Columbia. Just walk around the corner to Kilwin's and get some amazing ice cream and/or chocolate. Then take the kids across the street to the lakeside park where they can play in the kiddie fountains.

This a little amusing, lol. I liked my own suggestion so much I made reservations at Columbia Celebration for this Saturday night!

We're taking DD back to UCF Saturday and the timing just seems to work, so why not?

After I made the reservation I called to check on their mask procedures. All staff are masked at all times. Guests must wear masks to enter, but can remove masks once at their table. We will keep ours on except while actually eating.

 

[kevtlas]

This year will be our first time renting a car for our whole trip. Honestly, we only did because we are flying into Miami since our post-Disney cruise leaves from the Port of Miami and we are also visiting Vero Beach, so it was just cheaper to rent the car for the whole trip and drive from Miami than to mess around with flying into Orlando, renting a car to get to Vero, driving back to Orlando, returning the car and heading to WDW, then flying to Miami for the cruise and flying home from there. Way easier to just fly round trip to Miami, rent a car and drive up.

All that said, we usually rent the cheapest car we can find for just the first day, so we can visit the outlets, look for souvenirs, and buy drinks and snacks, and maybe eat somewhere off site. Usually costs us much less than having food and drinks delivered to the resort, and we can visit a few places around Orlando we normally wouldn't get to visit otherwise. Buses, boats and walking when possible have always been enough for us, even when our now teenagers were in strollers.