Pros and Cons of Renting a Car

[brown eyed girl]

We will be flying in to WDW for our first visit this summer (with 10 year old). DH wants to rent a car, but we will only be staying inside WDW. I have heard differing oppinions and really want to go with the one that will cause the least amount of stress (lol). I have heard that it is good to have a car for after parades when the park has that mass exist, good for going back to the hotel mid day for swims and a nap and sometimes it beats the bus schedule. However, a car has to pass the TTC (is it a big mess over there) and then there is the parking lot with the tram wait. Is it better to just stay in a hotel with a monorail so we are closer...and is driving around WDW easy when you don't know where you are going (and dh is not one to ask for directions)?

 

[honeymom]

Last trip we did a rental car. It is always a little bit of a hassle picking up the rental car as you have to shuttle bus over. If you take a towncar service it is waiting for you.

Then we were going to take our car to dinner (we were at pofq and dinner was at Chef Mickey's). Since we were driving we were only leaving about 20 minutes before our reservation.

THE CAR WOULDN'T START.

We ran to the bus stop. Caught a bus in just a few minutes to the MK. Ran from MK to the Contemporary and got to dinner just in time. We didn't drive again the rest of the trip. The only time we had transportation problems was one night after the fireworks at MK. The other time was taking a bus to Epcot.

We are using Tiffinary towncar service this trip and not renting a car.

If you can afford a monorail resort, I say go for it.

 

[Laurabearz]

We love having a car (minivan) while at WDW. It makes resort hopping a piece of cake. We love doing Chef Mickey's, Cape May Buffet at BC, Jiko or Boma at AKL, Hoop De Do at FW.... All are easily accessed with a car.

So are the parks... if we are arriving early, we often are within walking distance of the TTC.... making the beloved Monorail (or Ferry) the first ride of the day. Tradition. Plus we love the tram ride too... Much more fun than silly crowded buses.... and Disney has the whole park em and get them in thing down pat. Trams are fed one after another.... moving people along.. I love it.

Plus hopping offsite for a meal or two, discount shopping, grocrey stores for snacks/water... priceless...

Check out Mousesavers.com for great discounts...... apply to Dollar's Fastlane (free) Dollar is AT the airport, no need for a shuttle, just a hop across the street and your in your car.

Some people find navigating WDW a bit tricky... but if you follow the signs (no talking while drivng for me! ) and when it says next right... it means this right... Plus bring along a map and youll never be lost... just taking the long way around!

 

[ktglads]

I like to have the car to go places, especially DTD, since you can park semi-close and deposit bags instead of having to lug them onto the bus.

Normally, we will leave the car at the resort if we are going to MK. That always seems to be faster to go on the Disney transport there, especially coming home. I will gladly wait in line for 15 minutes for a bus than cram onto a crowded monorail to wait for a tram to wait in line to get out of the parking lot. I can sit on the ground to wait for the bus and rest instead of having to rush around.

You didn't say what resort you were staying at but if it is one of the monorail resorts, it may not be worth the extra expense since you are very close to 2 parks that you would not drive to.

Taking disney transport during the day is really easy, with no more than a 15 minute wait if you just miss one bus and have to wait for the next.

 

[mom_rules]

We never do without a rental-very convenient plus you can pickup a few groceries (bottled water etc.)

There are quite a few rental agencies on site at Orlando Airport so you don't necessarily have to shuttle to your car. If you plan on resort hopping for some meals, you can't beat a car. (Parking at the theme parks is free if you are a WDW resort guest).

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by honeymom
Last trip we did a rental car. It is always a little bit of a hassle picking up the rental car as you have to shuttle bus over.

There are a number of car rental agencies located right at the Orlando Airport so you do not have to take a shuttle bus. In fact, with National you can walk right out to their cars, right across from the terminal, pick the car you want and drive up to the checkout and they can check you out there. It is very quick.

I have gone to Orlando more times than I can count now and I have never gone without a car. I would never go and not have a car. I love the freedom to come and go as I please. I also enjoy having the option to go off property for groceries, disney souveniers at the outlets off property as well as alternate dining options. The Disney resort transportation is wonderful for getting you from your resort to the parks, but you must make transfers if you plan on going from resort to resort which can eat up some time. It really is a personal choice, but for me, I would rather not go if I didn't have my own transportation.

 

[crisi]

We've done both and we perfer not to have a car - but I really think its a personal choice.

Here is why we don't like a car:

We like having a towncar pick us up at the airport. We don't handle our own luggage at all anymore.

We don't like the hassle of renting a car. Takes too long at the airport. I once spent over an hour waiting for a car.

We don't enjoy driving.

My husband does enjoy driving if the car is a "performance car". I'm not renting BMWs at Disney World.

We are willing to augment our Disney transportation with taxi's. We tend to do this when we don't want to deal with crowded buses, when we travel from resort to resort, or when we are going somewhere buses don't run as regularly.

I'm a lousy navigator. We get lost regularly at Disney. Taxi's are cheaper than a divorce.

We find Disney transportation to be acceptible for most trips. We always catch the first bus out in the morning and are at the parks at opening. We seldom stay until close - and when we do we tend to be at Epcot or MGM - and stay at BW where we can walk back. Staying at BWVs also means that the only buses we really deal with are to the MK and AK - easy enough to taxi those if we aren't in a bus mood.

 

[TexasViper]

Sorry, new member. May need training wheels to navigate board.

I registered because I was interested in the car/no car discussion. I've been to WDW 4 times and plan to go again this summer. It looks like a lot of people recommend a car, but only if you are going from resort to resort a lot. I've been twice without a car and twice with, but the only time I really used the car was the one time I stayed off-property. We don't really go resort-to-resort, but just resort to parks, so I don't plan to rent a car this time. Is that a mistake?

Also mentioned in this thread was the "town car" option. Please explain.

 

[Laurabearz]

Texas Viper WELCOME TO THE DIS!

Car or no car... that is the question... a question with no right or wrong answer I might add....

For us, we love having it... we drive to most of the parks (parking is free while staying onsite) and find it less of a hassle than taking the bus.... others feel taking a bus is less of a hassle....

Our number one reason for renting a car... We have three small children... and after a morning at the parks.. when they hit their car seats... they are out like a light... it is the only way they will nap!

Other people swear a car is more hassle...

Have fun looking around THE DIS. Lots to learn here... a great place to swap ideas!

 

[TexasViper]

I suppose I should mention that when we travel to WDW, we will have 3 kids with us, but they are 17, 15, and 9. Hopefully, they should be able to negotiate the transportation system without too much whining. It is "us parents" that will probably be complaining.

My biggest concern about renting a car is the hassle at the airport. We had major waits at the Orlando airport when we've tried to rent in the past. I suppose you have to weigh that against the hassles of everyday transportation within WDW. I think that the previous post regarding young children is a definite factor. When our kids were really small, we solved that by staying at the Grand Floridian, which made MK easier, but trying to leave during the day for a nap from EPCOT was a lot of trouble.

 

[Laurabearz]

Originally posted by TexasViper

My biggest concern about renting a car is the hassle at the airport. We had major waits at the Orlando airport when we've tried to rent in the past.

We are Dollar Fastlane members so we skip the line at MCO and the cars are right across the street from the terminal... longest time from stepping in line to driving our van was 45 minutes... shortest and more close to average time is 20 minutes.....


But again, your kids are older... Cabbing it is a great option for the rare resort to resort trip......

The TownCar mentioned above, is a service that runs from MCO to WDW.. Tiffany, Luxuary Orlando Transportation (list above.. is a sponser of this site) and others offer towncars instead of shuttles (mears buses)

 

[crisi]

Towncars pick you up at the luggage carrosel at the airport and drop you off at your hotel. Then they pick you back up at the hotel and drop you back at the airport. Like a cab, but you book it in advance. Towncar drivers are those people you see holding up signs at the airport saying "Pedersen."
They are pretty cost effective over Mears transfers when you start talking about four people (with five people you'll need a van - a little pricier - but the towncar companies can all do a van).

 

[crazyforgoofy]

We have driven to WDW with our own SUV and never moved it from the parking lot once we're there. We've rented a car once and used it for groceries on the way to the resort. The last few times we've flown we've used FL TOURS, the above mentioned sponsor of the board. We've had a free grocery stop and we've been happy. But we're the people who don't go offsite for meals, etc.

This time we're also using FL TOURS to take us to Hard Rock Hotel at Universal for a couple of days and then picking us up for a transfer to Shades of Green for the majority of our stay with a grocery stop on the way. The rental van would cost us about $500 for the two weeks we're there. FL TOURS will be about $160 for the pickup, transfer and return. We're even going to SeaWorld but we'll use the Lynx bus for $1.25 each way.

For me the whole rental car thing is a hassle, I don't want to have to navigate and worry about parking. I love having the FL TOUR driver pick us up, handle our luggage and drop us off at the door of the resort. BUT that's just how I feel. I suggest you consider your circumstances and decide what works for your budget and your vacation style.

 

[airhead]

A car will be great. If you want to go to SeaWorld,Universal Studios,shopping or just exploring you gotta have a car!!! I think too if you're only going for a week,you could probably do fine without one.

 

[antmaril]

We ALWAYS rent a car in Orlando. I cannot imagine being there without a car. I like the flexibility it gives us. We can come and go as we please and eat in restaurants that are off property (more affordable). I find Orlando and the Disney World area very easy to navigate. Actually, the last two times I've been to Orlando my husband couldn't come with us, so I my son and I went alone. We usually rent from Avis. No line at the counter (compared to Alamo/National) and the cars are right there (no shuttle). Returning the car was simple and took no time at all.

Just my two cents.

 

[hercamore]

antmaril tooks the words outta my mouth!

Rent a car onsite and join their fast lane program (or the equivlanet).

We always have had a car in Orlando.

herc.

 

[RumpleMom]

DH considers not driving for a week an essential part of a vacation. We have used Florida Town Car, they have a website with a coupon, several times and have been pleased. We like the included 30 minute grocery store stop to stock up on water and breakfast foods. We used them to go to Universal for the day and would do so again.

 

[Kaybee]

We would never go without renting a car. If I feel like driving somewhere I have the car to go! Too many times I have seen long lines for the bus and many tired waiting people. We just got in the car and took off! It is not a hassle to rent or park at the parks at all. Usually the trams are right there to take you to your car. Especially nice to have a car when it is pouring rain and everyone decides to go back to the hotels at once!! Another good thing too, is parking is free if you are staying at disneyworld.

 

[crisi]

It is not a hassle to rent

Really? Sometimes it is. We spent over an hour in the Orlando airport waiting for an appropriate car (we required a minivan) after having spent 40 minutes in line to get the car paid for. Carseats that had been reserved weren't available. We ended up paying more than our quote, and were told "good luck, this is it in Orlando this week" when we complained. Maybe you don't think thats a hassle.

We rented in New Jersey and used my Hertz Gold Club. Which means we should have walked right out to our car. Except it wasn't there and getting that problem solved took 40 minutes.

Now, I've had easy rentals as well. When Gold Club works (I travel occationally on business) it is the coolest thing going - no hassle at all and they already have all my info (and I don't need car seats on a business trip). But hassle free rentals are not a sure thing, and I've had less luck in Orlando than anyplace else in getting hassle free rentals.

And I've had a hassle of a towncar rental - but its easy to cut your losses on a towncar and grab a cab.

 

[ripleysmom]

To me, if it is going to be a big savings then don't rent a car and use WDW transportation. We usually rent a car though because I like having the freedom to move around without worrying about when the bus will come.