Question re: driving to parks while staying onsite

[amber_cntrygrl]

We drive everywhere. We usually get to MK early enough to be able to park close enough that we don't need to catch a tram, and we enjoy the monorail and ferry rides.

 

[ruthies12]

Our last three trips have been to Pop and we flew, so we always used Disney transportation. Our next trip we are staying at the campground and plan on using the boat to MK, but driving to all the other parks.

The busses aren't horrible IMO but they aren't great. And with 2 small children I will be quite happy to be able to put them in their carseats with their blankies and a snack and start driving, rather than having tired kids trying to endure a bus ride. One time it was standing room only and my poor dd was literally falling asleep on her feet during the ride back at the end of the night. I think using our car will be easier on our kids next trip.

 

[Ress76]

I will take the minority opinion here and say you may want to consider driving to MK as well. If you plan to leave at a peak time (post-parade or post-fireworks), it may be worth your piece of mind to ferry to the TTC and walk to your car (you can skip the trams, though obviously, that means a longer walk). Being jammed into a crowded bus and having to stand while holding and controling 2 kids, a stroller, diaper bag and cooler while it goes to AoA is just more than I think I could comfortably handle after a full day in the park. You could opt to wait foe the next bus, just don't anticipate that someone will vacate a seat or two so you will be able to sit. You may get lucky, you may not. If you plan to travel at off peak times, you should be fine to bus it.

And as another PP said, bus it to DTD. The nightmare of parking is not worth it at this time, unless you plan to get there when shops open one day.

 

[lauradis]

Doesn't mk still have the aaa diamond member parking area?

 

[Magpie]

Just a note, since you're staying at the Art of Animation:

If you do take the bus, then when you head home from the parks, you can take either the Pop bus OR the AofA bus, whichever comes first. If you take the Pop bus, it's just a short walk through the shop and over the bridge back to AofA. The two resorts surround a single lake.

As for bussing versus driving... that's really a matter of personal taste and preference. We always use the busses, and we find them very quick and convenient. Your mileage may vary. But, that said, there has been the occasional crowded post-fireworks exit at the Magic Kingdom that I've felt a bit smug about taking the bus. Sure, I might have to wait in an orderly queue for as long as twenty minutes, but the busses are arriving constantly at that time of night, whereas the boat is SO slow loading and unloading, and the monorail ramp gets stuffed to the gills with people. The crowd for the monorail and boat sometimes looks like it's backed all the way up to the bag checks at the Magic Kingdom entrance. And no one's happy.

Whereas, once you're on the bus, they dim the lights and everyone kind of just dozes all the way home. Twice, in my experience, people have even started singing to their kids, which is incredibly sweet.

Plus, the one time I did shuffle slowly all the way up to the monorail and got on, a kid vomited in our hot crowded car, and then they stopped us on the tracks for 10 minutes to allow another car to clear the tracks. It was awful. I've had pleasant rides other, less crowded times, but I never want to get on the monorail again when it's busy like that!

 

[Quellman]

We have done both. Driving yourself is nice, but we always push the stroller from the parking lot to the entrance. Just easier.
If you are going during hot summer months - do yourself a favor and use the buses. Your car will be 115+ degrees in the sun. And then you'll be trying to shove a worn out toddler in a hot car seat? No thanks. The buses are easy enough, though you must remember that you have to fold all strollers before you get on.

 

[momimouse27]

We take our car on all trips. Yes, parking is free! We do both, we drive some and ride buses some. It just depends on our plans for that particular day. We also have an adult and a teen daughter who ride buses since they do their own thing.

I would agree with riding at MK for the reasons stated....BUT a big question is when are you going? If its a slow time like September then bus waits should be fairly low. But if it's the middle of summer, i would not want to wait for three buses to come and go before I could get on and then it's packed. I'd rather ride back over to the parking lot and drive my own car.

My mom goes with us and she gets motion sickness, so she doesn't do well on buses. Keep in mind that bus drivers all drive differently. We've had great ones, and then we've had ones who apparently thought they were NASCAR drivers....

 

[amber_cntrygrl]

Doesn't mk still have the aaa diamond member parking area?

Nope, not anymore. Disney and AAA cut ties.

 

[Cyrano]

We always have a hire car. Apart from using the bus transportation to go to the dinner shows e.g. Spirt of Aloha etc we much prefer to be masters of our own timetable and therefore drive to all the parks

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The MOST TERRIFYING experiences I have ever had at Disney both involved Tram drivers who were INSANE! In both cases they drove way too fast and took turns way too sharp and whipped the cars about. The seats were slippery and when trying to keep seated while holding a squirming toddler, a stroller, and the effluvia of motherhood I found my self unequal to the task.

I will happily avoid tramming again.

It is very possible that I experienced highly unusual and freak occurrences, but it left enough emotional scars to prompt my advice.

We almost always walk the MK lot. All the lots actually.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

We always have a hire car. Apart from using the bus transportation to go to the dinner shows e.g. Spirt of Aloha etc we much prefer to be masters of our own timetable and therefore drive to all the parks

We have kids who love the busses. So for us, it depends. I did miss my car the one time we flew in and took the ME. While that was convenient, not having a car was just so weird for us.

 

[bumbershoot]

Thank you! Can you let me know why it would be better to take the bus to MK? Is it just due to size of park, amount of people, etc.?

Because most people feel the slightly uphill, always longer than I want it to be (b/c I'm always on a bus that drops off/picks up second to last bay in the bus area), bus area at MK is better than parking in the lot and taking boat/monorail to get to the park. I disagree.

if you drive to the MK you need to take at least 2 additional forms of transportation

You *need* to take one method of transportation. The tram is optional. I have yet to park far away enough at the MK lot to require a ride to TTC.

Twice, in my experience, people have even started singing to their kids, which is incredibly sweet.

Or to someone else, could be incredibly annoying. The LAST thing I want to deal with after a long day at the parks is people singing on a bus. No matter the reason.


I'm a car person. I took the buses early on, I took the buses on my last proper WDW stay with my buddy who is a city planner and totally geeked-out on the infrastructure. After a day and a half she was over the buses and was glad I had rented a car.

 

[lauradis]

Part of the attraction for us to stay on site is to have others do the driving, but then I refuse to go when it's crazy busy.

 

[lauradis]

Cars closed up and parked all day in Florida, get crazy hot. Like melt your face off.

 

[bookgirl]

I love Disney transportation. But I'm a people watcher and I hate having to drive on vacation. I also have no kids or the stuff that accompanies them. I find the novelty of buses and boats and monorails to be part of the vacation experience.

I will say AoA was the worst bus service I've ever had. But it was just that it's a large, very busy, very crowded resort and everyone is at one bus stop.

I was in Orlando for a sporting even last year and the team stayed offsite. I found parking annoying. So even when I have a car I rarely drive to WDW locations.

 

[capegirl]

The MOST TERRIFYING experiences I have ever had at Disney both involved Tram drivers who were INSANE! In both cases they drove way too fast and took turns way too sharp and whipped the cars about. The seats were slippery and when trying to keep seated while holding a squirming toddler, a stroller, and the effluvia of motherhood I found my self unequal to the task.

I will happily avoid tramming again.

It is very possible that I experienced highly unusual and freak occurrences, but it left enough emotional scars to prompt my advice.

I thought we were the only ones to have a bad tram expierience after leaving MK. Not sure what was worse, the driving, or the rude people who were pushing and shoving their way onto the tram. All I can say is we shall never drive to the MK again.

 

[Robo]

Our last three trips have been to Pop and we flew, so we always used Disney transportation. Our next trip we are staying at the campground and plan on using the boat to MK, but driving to all the other parks.

The busses aren't horrible IMO but they aren't great. And with 2 small children I will be quite happy to be able to put them in their carseats with their blankies and a snack and start driving, rather than having tired kids trying to endure a bus ride. One time it was standing room only and my poor dd was literally falling asleep on her feet during the ride back at the end of the night. I think using our car will be easier on our kids next trip.

But, if you are staying at the campgrounds, won't you be taking Ft. Wilderness buses to and from your overnight accommodations to get to and from your car and to and from the Settlement boat dock?

 

[ruthies12]

But, if you are staying at the campgrounds, won't you be taking Ft. Wilderness buses to and from your overnight accommodations to get to and from your car and to and from the Settlement boat dock?

We are staying in our RV on a campsite. We will walk to the boat dock, I requested 700 loop and am hoping to be near the marina. If we end up far away from the dock then we may have to take the internal busses but I'm hoping not, I'm hoping it will be walking distance.

For the rest of the parks we will have our car, that we tow behind our RV, parked on our site and will drive straight out of the campground and to the park, then straight back to our campsite. My understanding is that we are allowed one vehicle per site so it shouldn't be a problem to keep our car at our site.

 

[pktbMouse]

total car drivers now...had too many bad experiences with the bus from MK back to resort..even after waiting till wayyy after the park was closed we still stood over an hour to get on a bus and with tired kids thats not fun. The buses were always packed full standing room only..complete nightmare. Last year we took the car and met people on the ferry who had given up waiting to get on a bus and were heading back to the terminal to try catch a taxi...by luck they were staying at our resort so naturally we offered them a ride which they gladly accepted.

 

[Robo]

Have a great trip!