Recurring nightmare:bus never comes!!!

[laurietg]

I am so confused. We will be staying at ASMo at the beginning of September. Do we rent a car or use Disney transportation? We will be going back to the hotel every afternoon for a nap for DD. I don't want to feel like I'm on a bus or waiting for a bus all day long, but when I did a search, I read that others think taking a rental car takes just as much time.

Thanks in advance!

 

[DiscussDisney]

Rent a car!! Rent a car!! IMHO. We enjoy the freedom of having a car and it is generally much faster than the bus.

 

[CleveRocks]

Your decision will depend on whether you need to feel always in control or not. I personally love sinking into what I call the "Disney cocoon" and letting them take care of me. I leave the driving to them. No hot car baking in the hot sun. No car to find in a hot parking lot. No traffic to be annoyed with. No directions to figure out. I don't mond waiting in a line (if there even is a line) in the shade; it gives a chance to meet other people, and some of the most interesting conversations I've had at WDW were at t he bus stops and on the buses.

The buses to/from each resort/theme park run about every 10-20 minutes or so. There's no exact schedule, and there's no such thing as a bus never coming. Since September tends not to be a very crowded time, you shouldn't have to contend with crowded buses.

Keep in mind that the Magic Kingdom does not have a parking lot at its entrance. In order to get to and from the MK you have to take a tram to the Ticket and Transportation Center and from there you take either a monorail or a ferry boat the the MK entrance, and the same in reverse.

-- Eric

 

[Maddle]

You can do both, if you don't like the rental expense. Lots of people like that Disney Cocoon, other people like the driving "have my own space" of their own car.

Depending on which park you are going to, and if you are hopping, and what time you want to get there, and how patient you are waiting for the next ride, and when you want a naptime, you can decide each day which works best for you.

Personally - most of the time I prefer to drive, but that's just me. I like the flexibility.

Maddle

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

If you are going to spend most of your time at the Magic Kingdom a rental car is a complete waste. You have to park at the TTC and either walk or tram to the monorail or boat over to the MK. This takes a lot of time along with the crowds you will have to endure since the TTC is where everybody parks for the MK. The Disney buses drop you off right at the entrance to the MK. I agree with another poster that when I am in WDW I let Disney take care of all my transportation needs. It's enough of a hassle driving to work everyday. Sure don't want to use any vacation time driving a car.

 

[disneymom1]

If you are going to spend most of your time at the Magic Kingdom a rental car is a complete waste. You have to park at the TTC and either walk or tram to the monorail or boat over to the MK. This takes a lot of time along with the crowds you will have to endure since the TTC is where everybody parks for the MK. The Disney buses drop you off right at the entrance to the MK. I agree with another poster that when I am in WDW I let Disney take care of all my transportation needs. It's enough of a hassle driving to work everyday. Sure don't want to use any vacation time driving a car.

I couldn't agree more. Disney transportation is the only way to go to MK!

That being said, we always rent a car and use it for the other parks. We have had some bad experiences with the Disney busses over the years. One time we waited almost 40 minutes for a bus from MK to CBR!! Another time, it took us almost an hour to get from DD to ASMo!!

If you just miss a bus, (which it seems we always do), you stand around for 15 to 20 minutes. In that circumstance, with a car you are back at the hotel before the bus arrives at the park to pick you up. Except for MK - always take the bus to MK.

Of course, there is the additional cost. But another think to consider is the flexibility the car gives you to do other things as well. We don't just go to the parks every day. It is easier to go to other hotels to eat, especially character breakfasts. We play minigolf and rent a boat on the lake at one of the MK hotels. Much easier to get from hotel to hotel with a car.

Also, while we like some of the WDW restaurants and eat most of our meals there, we also like to go to offsite restaurants at least 2 or 3 times a week (Outback, Fridays, Chevys, etc). The money we save vs a sit down WDW restaurant almost pays for the cost of the car.

One last thing I would like to add, eventhough I would definately rent a car, I can say that in our experience, the bus service from ASMo was the best of all the hotels we have stayed at.

 

[Uncleromulus]

We always use a car everywhere we go at WDW. Adds so much flexability.
Should add that Disney bus service is good and if all you want to do is get from your resort to the parks and back, you should be OK. BUt I suspect ASMo will be crowded even in Sept., so be prepared for crowded busses and maybe even having to stand the entire trip. That happed to us in the "old days" when we rode the bus, and it was one of the things that converted us to driving a car...
And be prepared for the clods who can't resist using their cell phones on the bus, yapping away about this, that and the other thing. Can't even wait to make a routine call, but have to do it on a bus!!