ok another stupid question

[lovin diz]

we will be staying at POP in November 08; i have read that the busses at pop go directly to the parks, so it is quicker that some of the other resorts; which do you think is quicker? driving our car or catching the bus...also if we drive our car, do we still have to pay to park, or can we show them our key, and park for free? TIA

 

[Trekker]

You will have a parking pass in the window of your car for the resort, this allows free parking at the parks.

Faster than the bus? Maybe a little, more convenient than the bus? Not in my opinion - the times I've drive to / rented a car at WDW it sits in the parking lot at the resort unless I'm going off site for something

 

[mickeystoontown]

we will be staying at POP in November 08; i have read that the busses at pop go directly to the parks, so it is quicker that some of the other resorts; which do you think is quicker? driving our car or catching the bus...also if we drive our car, do we still have to pay to park, or can we show them our key, and park for free? TIA

Park and resort parking is free to Disney resort guests.

For years, we drove our own car to the parks but after taking Disney transportation, I'll never drive my car to the parks again. I love having someone else watch for traffic and it's great to get in a nice and cool bus instead of a steaming hot car during the Summer days.

If you drive your own car, you will have to park the car in the theme park parking lot, get onto a tram and then be taken to the park entrance.

If you are going to the Magic Kingdom in your own car, you will drive to the Magic Kingdom parking lot, get onto a tram that takes you to the Ticket and Transportation Center and then you get onto either the ferry or the monorail which take you to the Magic Kingdom park entrance.

The resort buses take you directly to the bus stops near the park entrance. Much much easier than taking your own car.

I'm not sure about the Pop buses, but I know that the buses at the CBR that are heading to the Animal Kingdom also stop at Blizzard Beach and the buses going to Downtown Disney also stop at Typhoon Lagoon.

I believe I read other posters saying their resorts did the same thing.

 

[madalex]

Taking the tram from the parking lot to the front entrance at AK, Epcot and MGM is not a big deal, so driving to those parks v. taking the bus is a toss-up for me.

However, as another poster pointed out, at MK, from the parking lot, you still have to take either the monorail or the ferry to get to the entrance, while the bus will take you right to the entrance. Thus, for MK, taking the bus is definitely the way to go.

 

[f7prez]

Going to the parks we use Disney Transportation.

Going to other resorts for dinner, shopping or exploring, we drive

Disney can get you to a theme park quick. Everywhere else takes three times longer than driving yourself.

 

[DISNEYNY]

I agree that when going to a park it is definitely easier to use Disney transportation. If you are going to another resort for dinner or to explore it may be easier to drive your car. I am flying so I have no choice. I'm not renting a car so it is WDW transportation for me.

 

[RJD]

Except for trying to go from resort to resort, Disney transport is definitely more convenient in my opinion. I've read some other posters' opinions about crowded buses, especially at closing time. But unless you have a good parking spot and can walk to your car, those little trams that take you to the lots are easily as crazy if not more so than the buses. If it's busy, it's like a stampede when one of those trams show up!

 

[wendypooh]

We use Disney transportation for everything!!!! We park our car upon arrival and then do not see it again until we are leaving!! It is SO much more convenient for us to let Disney do the driving!!!

 

[sbdw]

That's one of the nice parts of staying at Pop.
The buses only go to the park and back to the
resort. The other value resorts share the sames
buses. We for years brought our dogs with us
and boarded them at Epcot. The great part of this
is that you can park right at the entrance because
of the kennel and "visit" you pet and while your there
take a stroll through the park.

 

[skipperkim]

I agree, let Disney do the driving. It is a pain to get from resort to resort using Disney transportation, but it still better than me driving.

 

[Mr. Pig]

I agree, let Disney do the driving. It is a pain to get from resort to resort using Disney transportation, but it still better than me driving.

That's always my thought. That's why we use Disney transportation.

You will get both answers on these boards. Many would rather drive themselves. It can be quicker since you don't have to wait for a bus - and the bus drop-off at Epcot for POP is quite a distance from the entrance. Most would agree that driving to MK would NOT be quicker than a bus since the bus takes you to the entrance and driving requires an additional monorail/ferry trip.

 

[Doc CW]

I think driving is faster b/c you dont have to wait for the bus to get there, but the buses are easier b/c they are right outside the exits of the parks they are really convienient and its free.

 

[WillCAD]

I prefer to drive myself everywhere at WDW.

Getting into MK does take longer, because the resort busses are next to the park gates but the parking lot is on the other side of the Seven Seas Lagoon, but at the other parks I have always gotten there quicker by driving myself.

My main reasons for driving myself are
1) Time savings
2) Ability to go resort-to-resort in 10 minutes instead of 45
3) Ability to go off-site for shopping and dining any time I want
4) Never having to wait for a bus
5) ALWAYS getting a seat when I leave the parks exhausted and cranky at the end of the day
6) Never having to share a bus with 100 sweaty, smelly, cranky strangers - or 20 chanting cheerleaders singing "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer - REINDEER!" at the tops of their lungs all the way to the park
7) I can play whatever I want on the radio

 

[Cee]