On or Off site?

[JustGo]

I'm in the very early planning stages, so these are very vague but a couple things I'm hoping y'all can help with.
1) I can't walk far, so will be using my wheelchair, is there plenty of handicap spots available? How about mid-day?
2) I don't deal well with heat and expect to have to go back to the hotel during afternoon to cool off. Will I spend more time driving to a close off-site hotel or taking the transportation to one of the value resorts? Thinking pop if we stay on site.

Yes, this was copied and pasted from another forum I posted to before hearing about this one. Seeing that this site has as a "disABILITIES!" sub forum I thought this might be a better place.

 

[Timhags]

Trip dates and location of stay u are planning on will help us guide u

 

[JustGo]

Early June 2020, Disney World.
Sorry, I copy/pasted from World forum and didn't think enough to update. I'm still very new to this

 

[gap2368]

Handicap spots can run out depending on a how crowded the parks are but I think then they have medical over flow. You can ask to be parked closer to where the tram drop off is.

The gondola should be up by your date and this should make an break easer from EPCOT and Hollywood Studios

Not sure about the other parks I find not going peak times the bus lines are not bad you might wait 20 minutes for a bus

 

[kaytieeldr]

Have you chosen specific on-site and off-site properties already? We could probably give you better answers with more information.

 

[mamabunny]

@JustGo In *general* WDW internal transportation (buses) run to/from Resorts to Parks & Disney Springs about every 20 minutes.

Remember that currently, pretty much every bus running at WDW has only 2 spaces for personal mobility devices, so if you roll up and there is already someone with an ECV and someone with a wheelchair in line ahead of you, you will have to wait for the next bus - but that bus will come along in about 20 minutes!

The biggest difference after that is simply how long it takes to get from Park A to Resort Y. The time from Wilderness Lodge to MK is a whole different critter than from WL to AK, simply because of distance. Add in the time of day and traffic levels, and it can be easily 30 minutes longer to get to AK from WL.

The Values are, generally speaking, located closer to EPCOT and HS and Disney Springs, so those travel times would be the shortest via bus most likely. AK and MK will take longer - but you get to leave the driving to a friendly WDW CM who will navigate it all for you. When you take the bus, you don't have to worry about parking spaces running out, or remembering where you parked. You don't have to try and figure out all of the road construction (that is constantly on-going it seems) and if there happens to be a Disney Run that day, you don't have to worry about how to get around, because the bus drivers know exactly where to go.

Personally, once I get to WDW, I park and let Disney do the driving for me!

If you stay at POP or AOA, you will also have the new Gondolas as a transportation option to HS and Epcot IG. We don't have travel times or line estimates on that system yet, because it is not yet open to Guests, but it will be by the time your trip rolls around.

 

[redberyl]

The best combination for us is to stay onsite and rent a car. I know thats the most expensive option and not everyone can do it, but for us its worth the extra convenience. If we couldnt do that I would chose to stay at one of the values and use the buses

 

[JustGo]

We're driving down, so we'll have a car. I really didn't think about driving from a value resort. Figured we'd leave the car parked and let the drivers deal with the stress of traffic

 

[JustGo]

If staying on-site, I read theme park parking is free. How does that work?
Also, I see handicap parking at resorts is also free. Does that still get free theme park parking?

 

[gap2368]

If staying on-site, I read theme park parking is free. How does that work?
Also, I see handicap parking at resorts is also free. Does that still get free theme park parking?

If staying on site you will pay to park at the hotel value is $13 a night.unless you have a handicap tag then it is free parking at the park is free to on site hotel guest and AP holder

If staying off site and not an AP holder it is I think $20 for parking. Might have gone up

 

[Smittolis]

As someone else pointed out, the fact that buses can only take 2 ECV's / Wheelchair users at a time means there could be a couple of bus waits depending on when you go etc... From my experience, the Handicap parking is good in a morning if you are going to the parks early. They have overflow parking for when the actual designated handicap parking is full, but this is often a little further away and smaller parking bays. Remember, the handicap parking for the MK is still at the TTC and you will have to then make your way to the monorail to get to the park where as the bus will take you right to the park.

I found it rather frustrating at times waiting for buses, so we always stay on the monorail line! haha.... Makes life easy! Apart from the fact the Poly only has 2 elevators and they are the smallest ever! ;o)

Good luck with whichever way you decide to go.

 

[Christine]

If staying on site you will pay to park at the hotel value is $13 a night.unless you have a handicap tag then it is free parking at the park is free to on site hotel guest and AP holder

If staying off site and not an AP holder it is I think $20 for parking. Might have gone up

Yep, handicap parks for free everywhere. They use your magic bands when you go through the gates to know you are staying onsite.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Yep, handicap parks for free everywhere. They use your magic bands when you go through the gates to know you are staying onsite.

Handicapped doesn’t park for free at the parks unless you’re staying on-site. If the OP stays offsite, she will have to pay to park at the parks.

 

[Christine]

Handicapped doesn’t park for free at the parks unless you’re staying on-site. If the OP stays offsite, she will have to pay to park at the parks.

Yes, you're correct. I was answering the poster that said you will pay $13 to park at an onsite value resort. If you have a placard and you stay onsite, you will park free everywhere. Didn't mean to confuse anyone. I thought the use of the magic bands denoted an onsite guest.

 

[Bete]

We have done it both ways. It's really a toss up. There's good and bad both ways. I think for MK it's easier to do Disney Transportation.

Do you want the advantage of making FP reservations at the 60 day mark? Then, on site and Disney Downtown resorts are the way to go with an emphasis on Disney onsite. The Downtown Disney resorts you would need your car.

If you want to save a few bucks then offsite is the way to go. Even if price is close you will get a much nicer place offsite including a breakfast. You will have it easier to dine offsite if you don't stay on property.

As far as transportation that can go either way. At times I was very happy to have our car going back and forth to the parks. Even if it didn't save time I liked being seated and comfortable in my own car and not with the crowds on the bus. Other times, it's just nice to be hands free and not drive. We avoid the main highway (I-4) and that helps with staying offsite.

I really believe at off times like for afternoon breaks it does take longer with the Disney transportation. Also, if you want to leave after fireworks it can get very backed up and you usually wait longer at that time, too.

 

[DisneyOma]

Yes, you're correct. I was answering the poster that said you will pay $13 to park at an onsite value resort. If you have a placard and you stay onsite, you will park free everywhere. Didn't mean to confuse anyone. I thought the use of the magic bands denoted an onsite guest.

Anyone can buy a magic band and link it to a ticket. They are even sold online, as well as in the parks.

 

[Christine]

Anyone can buy a magic band and link it to a ticket. They are even sold online, as well as in the parks.

Had no idea.

 

[Mrsjvb]

I'm in the very early planning stages, so these are very vague but a couple things I'm hoping y'all can help with.
1) I can't walk far, so will be using my wheelchair, is there plenty of handicap spots available? How about mid-day?
2) I don't deal well with heat and expect to have to go back to the hotel during afternoon to cool off. Will I spend more time driving to a close off-site hotel or taking the transportation to one of the value resorts? Thinking pop if we stay on site.

Yes, this was copied and pasted from another forum I posted to before hearing about this one. Seeing that this site has as a "disABILITIES!" sub forum I thought this might be a better place.

on site is ALWAYS better. the HA spots are not necessarily closer to the park entrance. while Mouse Town does have a decent percentage of HA spots, theres no guarantee you will get one mid day. plus the fee for daily parking can add up.

while on site they say to average 60-90 minutes between points A and B( whatever they may be). mitigating this can be accomplished by choosing a resort closest to the park you will be spending the bulk of your time in, or that has multiple transportation options or using one that does not share the bus with anyone else. HA spots on buses can be hot or miss. I have been the only person waiting for s spot, to having to wait for 3-4 buses in a row before there is room for my chair.

 

[JustGo]

Thanx everyone. We're only going to do a day at each park, even that was a compromise. Wife said to skip MK saying it's not going to have anything that interests our little man.
I'm leaning more toward on-site, seems to give the most flexibility for transportation, and get the full experience since this will probably be our only trip. If they do the free dining plan, that might seal the deal.
My wife is still saying off to save a little money, especially if we end up parking at the individual parks anyway. We're big breakfast people, so she's also using the idea of free breakfast to sway me that way. We may not be able to do scheduled FP's due to a temperamental/stubborn (will be) 7 year old.

 

[supergirl04]

Thanx everyone. We're only going to do a day at each park, even that was a compromise. Wife said to skip MK saying it's not going to have anything that interests our little man.
I'm leaning more toward on-site, seems to give the most flexibility for transportation, and get the full experience since this will probably be our only trip. If they do the free dining plan, that might seal the deal.
My wife is still saying off to save a little money, especially if we end up parking at the individual parks anyway. We're big breakfast people, so she's also using the idea of free breakfast to sway me that way. We may not be able to do scheduled FP's due to a temperamental/stubborn (will be) 7 year old.

I think you'll find a lot for 7 year olds to do at Magic Kingdom.