Newbie in need of help, Is car hire essential ?

[Soprano]

We did not use a car for our first three trips and stayed on I-Drive and found it easy to get around as we had free transportation to Disney. But it was a bit of a slog getting around to the shops waiting for buses etc.

Now we would NEVER go without a car as its so easy to get around. And you can carry more goods

I'm more into the whole Orlando experience, than just Disney and am baffled by those who stay on site and have never been out of Disney grounds, so that makes a car more of a must for us.

 

[2Tiggies]

I'm more into the whole Orlando experience, than just Disney and am baffled by those who stay on site and have never been out of Disney grounds, so that makes a car more of a must for us.

Are you talking about me? Okay, we do always leave Disney property once or twice during a trip, and we just use a taxi for that. I must say though, if you are staying onsite and want to leave Disney property it is very difficult without a car - as opposed to staying offsite and trying to get to Disney, which is a whole lot more doable. If you want to get out and eat offsite, then a car would save you a lot of hassle. If you want to get out and see more and also if you want to eat off property, then a car would be cheaper than numerous cab trips and tips. It depends how often you plan to leave and also if you are not staying at a Disney Hotel, whether you are happy to be at the mercy of the shuttle from your hotel, which will be less regular than the Disney buses.

 

[Soprano]

Are you talking about me? Okay, we do always leave Disney property once or twice during a trip, and we just use a taxi for that. I must say though, if you are staying onsite and want to leave Disney property it is very difficult without a car - as opposed to staying offsite and trying to get to Disney, which is a whole lot more doable. If you want to get out and eat offsite, then a car would save you a lot of hassle. If you want to get out and see more and also if you want to eat off property, then a car would be cheaper than numerous cab trips and tips. It depends how often you plan to leave and also if you are not staying at a Disney Hotel, whether you are happy to be at the mercy of the shuttle from your hotel, which will be less regular than the Disney buses.

Wasn't thinking about anyone in particular I just think it's a little odd going so far and only seeing a part of what Orlando has to offer. I'll admit though, no really does it as polished and well thought out as Disney. And as long as people enjoy it, them good luck to them

 

[Hilary]

I just think it's a little odd going so far and only seeing a part of what Orlando has to offer.

I think it depends on what kind of holiday you want. If you are going specifically to 'do' the parks you'll have a different approach than if you are going to Orlando as a wider destination, or indeed Florida or the USA, when your trip might include some park visits.

Would it be 'odd' to go to Disneyland Paris and not venture into the city?

We've done all kinds of trips ranging from two weeks staying on site and never leaving WDW, right through to the other extreme of two weeks travelling around Florida and not setting foot inside a park, with many trips that have combined a bit of both.

We all have our own individual wish lists for what we hope to get out of our trips Our transport choices (to answer the OP) vary according to our plans for each trip.

 

[Pegasus928]

We have never stayed onsite so have always found a car to be a necessity rather than a luxury.
If I ever did stay onsite I would still hire a car for the duration of my stay based purely on the trip reports I have read on here. I can count on one hand the amount of times someone has wrote about pleasurable experiences with Disney transport, yet have lost count how many have had cause to bemoan it.
Late and crowded buses. Tired and cranky kids who have to stand for the trip at the end of a long day. Rude drivers. Queue jumping at the stops. My mind was made up a long time ago that I would never put myself through it as I go on holiday to relax and not get wound up by the sorts of things I regularly read on here.

 

[Soprano]

I think it depends on what kind of holiday you want. If you are going specifically to 'do' the parks you'll have a different approach than if you are going to Orlando as a wider destination, or indeed Florida or the USA, when your trip might include some park visits.

Would it be 'odd' to go to Disneyland Paris and not venture into the city?

We've done all kinds of trips ranging from two weeks staying on site and never leaving WDW, right through to the other extreme of two weeks travelling around Florida and not setting foot inside a park, with many trips that have combined a bit of both.

We all have our own individual wish lists for what we hope to get out of our trips Our transport choices (to answer the OP) vary according to our plans for each trip.

I mean trips to Orlando, which is why I said Orlando in particular. I'm just a believer, if people only go to Disney every year, and don't venture outside WDW, they are missing out on some great stuff the city has to offer. I've read reports about people who have gone to Florida for times and never gone outside Disney property. So yeah, I do find that a little odd, but as I also said
as long as people enjoy themselves, thats the thing.

I can count on one hand the amount of times someone has wrote about pleasurable experiences with Disney transport, yet have lost count how many have had cause to bemoan it.
Late and crowded buses. Tired and cranky kids who have to stand for the trip at the end of a long day. Rude drivers. Queue jumping at the stops. My mind was made up a long time ago that I would never put myself through it as I go on holiday to relax and not get wound up by the sorts of things I regularly read on here.

You hit the nail on the head there! Its a rare thing to see someone give up their seat for someone who needs it on a Disney bus. My only problem is, I can never find my car, as they all look the same

 

[luke]

I mean trips to Orlando, which is why I said Orlando in particular. I'm just a believer, if people only go to Disney every year, and don't venture outside WDW, they are missing out on some great stuff the city has to offer. I've read reports about people who have gone to Florida for times and never gone outside Disney property. So yeah, I do find that a little odd, but as I also said
as long as people enjoy themselves, thats the thing.



You hit the nail on the head there! Its a rare thing to see someone give up their seat for someone who needs it on a Disney bus. My only problem is, I can never find my car, as they all look the same

I totally agree with regard to seeing all Orlando has to offer. I guess that's what makes us that do 'orlando holidays' differ in opinion to those who do 'disney holidays'

as for not finding your car, I assume lots of Americans have that problem, hence the button on the remote lock key that sets off the alarm

 

[steve_rob]

as for not finding your car, I assume lots of Americans have that problem, hence the button on the remote lock key that sets off the alarm

On a recent trip we were so glad we had a hire car with central locking - if at any time we couldn't tell which one out of the many identical cars were ours, we just hit the button to open the boot and watched it fly up!

 

[Soprano]

On a recent trip we were so glad we had a hire car with central locking - if at any time we couldn't tell which one out of the many identical cars were ours, we just hit the button to open the boot and watched it fly up!

Yeah, we did this. The annoying thing was I'd wave the key in the air, hear, the beep then try and work out where the noise came from