Question about busses vs. driving yourself

[gregokdisney]

The thread about the decline in bus service has me worried. When we went 3 years ago we had a car but never used it because the bus service was really amazing. We're going again in August and will have a car with us, but prefer to use the bus service as long as it doesn't stink.

If we do decide to use the car to get to the parks, how much is parking for a day? Also, if we are eating at a resort we are not staying at, how does parking work there?

TIA!

 

[Robo]

1-If we do decide to use the car to get to the parks, how much is parking for a day? Also,

2-if we are eating at a resort we are not staying at, how does parking work there?

1- If you are staying at a WDW resort, park parking is free.
2- Tell the parking guard that you are dining there,
and you'll likely get a parking pass, usually good for about 3 hours parking.

 

[RMulieri]

If you are a Disney resort guest, parking is free. If not I think it is $12 per day.Dining at a resort ..they allow you up to a 3 hr parking pass for that .You tell the guard at the guardhouse at the resort entrance you are there to dine

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

We always take the car and rarely the buses - our family preference.

Parking is free if you are staying on property. Just show your resort parking pass at the kiosk.

If you are dining at another resort, tell them you are dining when you arrive, they may ask for your reservation but usually they don't, and they will give you a 3 hour parking pass.

No worries!

 

[summermac]

I think having a car would be nice in the mornings but it would SUCK in the evenings. Personally on the way home, I'm done and done and it's so nice to sit back, relax and let the bus driver worry about the traffic and how to get me home.

 

[DisneyWisher]

If you are staying at a WDW resort there is no extra charge to park your car at the parks. We prefer driving. Sorry but I hate waiting 30 mins for a bus and then not being able to sit down. I've seen too many moms that allow their young kids to lay down on a row of seats and never offer a seat to a pregnant woman and an elderly couple. Just annoyed the heck out of me. So I will drive. One time we did a test on how long it takes to get back to the resort from the park. DD took the bus and I drove. The bus was just arriving as she got to the bus stop. I walked to my car and drove to ASsports (we were at Epcot) and when I got to the room she wasn't there yet. I left my car keys on the TV and walked to the bus area. I saw a bus for Epcot stop, I didn't see her get off. So I walked into the lobby and called the room from the house phone. She answered and said I beat you. I told her to look on top of the TV. Oh man was what I heard. It just convinced us to take the car.

If you are dining at a resort just tell the guard and they will allow you through.

 

[goofy's_gurl]

I think having a car would be nice in the mornings but it would SUCK in the evenings. Personally on the way home, I'm done and done and it's so nice to sit back, relax and let the bus driver worry about the traffic and how to get me home.

i agree.. after you did a day at the parks who would want to drive back?? i know not me. but then having your own car gots it pluses too.

 

[starstruck93]

We're staying at the Poly so most of the travel for us is rather simple due to the Boat and the monorail. However, one night we're eating at Fort Wilderness and I've heard that getting there takes a while if you use Disney trasportation. We're taking a cab that night (but using DT to get back) just to insure that we are'nt late. That's the only night that I'm concerned about so we'll be using the boats, buses and monorail for the rest of the trip. Have fun! April

 

[JMD]

I prefer to have a car in WDW. In my experience it's almost always quicker to drive yourself than use the buses.

 

[Stephanie VanMeter]

We were just there a week and a half ago and we thought the bus service was really good. There was only one time that I felt that we waited longer than 20 minutes and it was when we had to leave AK and go to another resort to get to DD. I like the fact that someone else deals with the traffic and I can sit back and relax. I remember one night leaving HS and our resort (Pop) was lined so long it was taking up 2 bus stops. I decided to time it to see how long it took. We were on the bus in 9 minutes. They were bringing 2 at a time. Also, I noticed for the first time that there were security guys working at the bus stops and there was also a gentleman each day at Pop working at the bus stop. He had his hand held computer and I assume was logging bus times. IMO the bus system was great!

 

[Kayka]

This thread just goes to show that everybody is different...

At the end of a long day is exactly when I will most appreciate having a car. I don't want to stand in line waiting for a bus. I don't want to stand shoulder to shoulder while riding a crowded bus. I want to get into my car, crank the air conditioning and go.

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I've moved this thread to the Transportation board.

 

[buzz2400]

We have tried both and we hate the busses. We always at at pop or one of the allstars. All the times that we have used the bus for MK, we had to wait a very very long time for the bus to come. then we there was always someone in a wheelchair so you had to wait even longer (please no flames on this, I am not saying anything bad about the people in wheelchairs). Plus the fact that the bus location at the parks for these hotels are the farthest away. We just prefer our car because we have control over the situation (even at night when we are exhausted but we know we will have a seat in our car).

 

[DebbieB]

i agree.. after you did a day at the parks who would want to drive back?? i know not me. but then having your own car gots it pluses too.

Nothing worse than having to wait for bus and then have to stand, hanging onto a pole, smashed together, when you are dead tired.

I always rent a car but occasionally use the busses/boats. Last week I had a dinner at Trails End (Fort Wilderness), I was staying at AKV. We were talking about going to MK afterwards so I decided to take the bus & boat so that I wouldn't have to go back to FW to get the car. Took me 1 hour, 20 minutes.

 

[Jestocost]

I hate driving and a high percentage of the fights I have with my spouse involve driving or parking. Given that and the fact that we almost always have had a good experience with Disney transport, we always take the bus, boat or monorail to get around. During our June stay at AKL, we never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus at the resort or at a park.

 

[Jestocost]

Nothing worse than having to wait for bus and then have to stand, hanging onto a pole, smashed together, when you are dead tired.

And this describes to a T the crowds I have seen lined up at the TTC waiting for a parking tram, FWIW.

 

[shafke]

I will drive to all of the parks except the MK since a the MK you still need to take a tram and then boat/monorail to the park.

When we park at Epcot and DHS if we just miss the tram when get to the end of the lane we are parked in we will walk to the entrance.

 

[TheWog]

We were there in April/May and had great bus service.

 

[redrosesix]

We do a little of each. We always have a car because DD attends a competition at WWoS -- not good by bus.

We stay at ASMusic and have never had less than excellent bus service -- never so crowded we couldn't get a seat and always a short wait -- even in Feb over Pres. week. That being said, we often take the car to the parks (especially when we're planning to do water parks or something else in the afternoon), but always regret it at the end of the day if we take it to MK -- the monorail/boat then tram thing gets old really fast. So much better to take the bus from the park gates.

 

[clkelley]

We're staying at the Poly so most of the travel for us is rather simple due to the Boat and the monorail. However, one night we're eating at Fort Wilderness and I've heard that getting there takes a while if you use Disney trasportation. We're taking a cab that night (but using DT to get back) just to insure that we are'nt late. That's the only night that I'm concerned about so we'll be using the boats, buses and monorail for the rest of the trip. Have fun! April

Actually, it's quite simple to get to Fort Wilderness from the Poly.

Just take the monorail from the Poly to Magic Kingdom.

Get off at the Magic Kingdom and take the direct boat to Ft. Wilderness. From there it is a short walk to the restaurants.

If you take a cab to Ft. Wilderness, then the cab will leave the Poly, have to pass the Grand Floridian and drive all the way around the Magic Kingdom parking lot, then come back up World Drive and back through the Magic Kingdom toll booth then turn down the road to Ft. Wilderness. You will be dropped at the front desk of Ft. Wilderness. From there you will then need to walk over to the bus stop and take a Yellow, Orange, or Purple bus to get to the Settlement area. (Yellow is the quickest, then Purple, then Orange). From the Settlement bus stop is a slightly longer walk to the restaurants than from the Marina.