Rent a Car just to drive from your resort to park? I say yes

[emily nicole]

I notice a lot of people talk about bad traffic getting to the parks. Where exactly is the traffic? When ever we stay on site or at WBC we have never had an issue driving to or from the parks...

I have seen a lot of traffic on 192. Not enough to bother us enough to stop staying offsite though.

 

[Meglen]

I notice a lot of people talk about bad traffic getting to the parks. Where exactly is the traffic? When ever we stay on site or at WBC we have never had an issue driving to or from the parks...

I live where backroads are everything we drive everywhere and even all the damn lights just annoy me . So I personally see any cars at a stop light going to the parks as "traffic" not stop and go but its one more thing I need to worry about and I dont want any of it.

 

[YawningDodo]

I live where backroads are everything we drive everywhere and even all the damn lights just annoy me . So I personally see any cars at a stop light going to the parks as "traffic" not stop and go but its one more thing I need to worry about and I dont want any of it.

I think this is a big factor. I live in a small city; you can drive from one end of it to the other in about twenty minutes--and in Montana the cities aren't clumped up on top of each other to form metropolitan areas like you see in a lot of other places in America. So even "bad traffic" here is really barely anything in the larger context. I've lived in Denver, Austin, and Oklahoma City, and when I was in those areas I adapted and got used to driving on busier roads (Austin is particularly gnarly). Now that I've lived in Montana for seven years, I've lost my tolerance for city traffic entirely and just want absolutely nothing to do with it. I didn't think it was too bad on Disney property when I drove on my 2018 trip, but outside of the World I found Florida traffic well beyond what I can drive in and not be anxious/angry/unhappy in general.

 

[jo-jo]

We usually take the buses. Last trip (before the price hike), we did use Minnie van to get to water park.
This trip, with 4 adults and 4 kids with a double stroller and a wheelchair, we might not even get on the same bus. We are renting a 8 person van. Not happy about the money, but we need car seats (so no uber) or 2 minnie vans to get anywhere at an even higher cost.

 

[ZellyB]

We also love having a rental car even staying on property. We don't mind driving at all though and I understand for some that makes the vacation less relaxing. I've never been a fan of the bus system though. So that is part of it for me as well.

 

[emily nicole]

I live where backroads are everything we drive everywhere and even all the damn lights just annoy me . So I personally see any cars at a stop light going to the parks as "traffic" not stop and go but its one more thing I need to worry about and I dont want any of it.

The buses and Ubers still have to stop for traffic lights.

 

[quandrea]

We used to rent a car until the Canadian dollar got bad. One of the happy surprises of being forced on to the buses is we found our time on the bus provide some of the best family times of the trip. We chat. The kids snuggle with us. It’s really quite wonderful. I don’t miss the rental car at all.

We just make sure to be strategic in where we eat. We eat where it’s convenient. I don’t trek across property just for a meal.

 

[AngiTN]

I notice a lot of people talk about bad traffic getting to the parks. Where exactly is the traffic? When ever we stay on site or at WBC we have never had an issue driving to or from the parks...

Guess you've never been around a big holiday or a race?

 

[Meglen]

The buses and Ubers still have to stop for traffic lights.

yes but I'm not driving.

 

[ClapYourHands]

Just want to say that I love how many different ways there are to have a Disney vacation!

And I love that everyone on this thread is sharing their opposite opinions and experiences in a nice way, and no one is getting offended because someone disagrees.

 

[Tink_83]

I have seen a lot of traffic on 192. Not enough to bother us enough to stop staying offsite though.

Sure traffic to get to Orlando is bad (I drive to Florida so I have my car regardless) but traffic from resort to the parks or other resorts is to me nonexistent. That said my point of reference is DC traffic - gotta love a commute that without traffic is 30 min but with traffic is anywhere from 60 to 90 min.

 

[emily nicole]

Sure traffic to get to Orlando is bad (I drive to Florida so I have my car regardless) but traffic from resort to the parks or other resorts is to me nonexistent. That said my point of reference is DC traffic - gotta love a commute that without traffic is 30 min but with traffic is anywhere from 60 to 90 min.

Not sure why you quoted my post. I was referencing getting to/from the parks from motels along 192, not the resorts. Most recently we stayed at the Red Lion Maingate and could definitely get into some heavy traffic coming back from the parks at night. Luckily that motel is in a great location and you only have to deal with the traffic for a relatively short distance.

 

[Tink_83]

Not sure why you quoted my post. I was referencing getting to/from the parks from motels along 192, not the resorts. Most recently we stayed at the Red Lion Maingate and could definitely get into some heavy traffic coming back from the parks at night. Luckily that motel is in a great location and you only have to deal with the traffic for a relatively short distance.

I quoted your post simply because you were pointing out about traffic on 192 - I didn’t mean anything by it other than that I agree off of Disney property traffic can be bad in Orlando but on-site resort to the parks I don’t really think the traffic is that bad. I apologize if I offended you in any way, that was not my intention.

 

[emily nicole]

I quoted your post simply because you were pointing out about traffic on 192 - I didn’t mean anything by it other than that I agree off of Disney property traffic can be bad in Orlando but on-site resort to the parks I don’t really think the traffic is that bad. I apologize if I offended you in any way, that was not my intention.

No, you didn’t offend me. I just didn’t understand how your post had anything to do with what I said. I get what you’re saying now though.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

Do Ubers/Lyft in WDW have carseats? We are staying off property this trip so Minnie-vans are not in play

 

[AngiTN]

Do Ubers/Lyft in WDW have carseats? We are staying off property this trip so Minnie-vans are not in play

Some Ubers have 1 only, it's a separate class of service with an added fee
No Lyfts do

 

[JulesMD]

I don't think I would rent strictly for this purpose, but we have rented in the past and we sort of enjoy driving to the Parks. It's not better or worse, just a different kind of flexibility/freedom.

 

[Christine]

I'm a personal fan of having a car. I have always rented a car because (way in the past) they were pretty inexpensive. Last summer, we drove down for the first time so we had our car. Stayed at the Contemporary and I thought I'd make more use of the bus. Tried it a few times and was NOT a fan at all. I feel like it just took so much more time.

 

[Tys Nanny]

On our first DW trip we stayed on site and used the buses. It was a looonnnggg walk to the bus stop every morning and another looonnngg walk to the bus at night, and then a looonnnggg ride to the park. If we stayed for the fireworks, the buses were packed and we often didn’t get a seat. Add the charm of crying babies and whining, tired kids, and DH remarked that if there had been a crate of chickens on top of the bus, he would have sworn we were in a third-world country.

Then Disney served DGS food containing one of his allergens, and he had his first anaphylactic reaction. We Epi-penned him and the restaurant called an ambulance. DSIL was the only one who could accompany him to the hospital because it would not have been safe to transport his baby brother. The restaurant staff graciously escorted us to a lovely spot outside the restaurant, close to the garbage bins, in August heat. And there we stood for over an hour, not knowing if DGS was alive or not while Disney scrambled to find a car with an infant seat for DD and DGS2. When we were picked up, we were told they would arrange transport back to our resort. Several hours later, when the hospital released DGS, no one had any knowledge of this transport. The hospital was very helpful and also found a pharmacy that would delivery the necessary drugs to our resort.

So, no, there is NO way we will ever not have a car at DW.

 

[yrdlyprincess]

Started renting a car after on of our kids got sick down there and needed to go to urgent care. My DD is going on school trip in a few weeks and she is DREADING not having a car. LOVE HAVING A CAR AND THE TIME IT SAVES (not to mention you can go to the outlets!!!!!!!!!