RENT A CAR VS RELY ON POP BUSSES...please help!!

[Mickey99332]

Hi,

Please give me your advise. I will be staying at POP from Dec 3-10 w/ my boyfriend (we are both 27).

Should we rent a car? It seems pretty reasonable to do so (about $150 a week), but do we really need it?

Here are some points:

-We want to get to the parks first thing in the morning
-We will be going to the Boardwalk, Ohanas, and Typhoon Lagoon...I heard these are tough to get to from a bus.
-I've heard mixed reviews about POP busses, some love them, some say they are a huge hassle?
-We would be willing to use taxis (but are they readily available early morning, and late at night?)

Please let me know what you experts think, it is our first time at WDW!!

Thanks,

Mary

 

[DW mouser]

I was wondering about this also as I just read that you can rent a car from disnery resorts!! I did not know that and was wondering if it is expensive for a van (7 people) and if you have to pay for parking if you are staying at a resort? The new 2006 Birnbaum's says you need to allow 100 minutes to get from one resort to another for dinner ressie"s!!!

 

[Snoozan]

We have always rented a car and never regretted it. We drive to all the parks EXCEPT MK. It's great to be on our own timetable and not have to wait for a bus after a long day. We are always to the parks about 45 minutes before opening so we usually end up parking at least as close as walking to the bus stop.

It's also much easier to get to Downtown Disney and the water parks with your own car, especially DTD. We also like to go to other hotels on site to check them out and without a rental car, would be very difficult. If you're a resort guest, there's never a fee to park at the parks or hotels(unless you valet park at a hotel).

 

[AllyBri]

It is so great to have your own car, you can come and go as you please. Say you are at one of the Parks and you want to check the different decorations at some of the resorts, just hop in your car and go.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We like to have a car even though we use Disney transportaton as often as possible. There are coupons that give good discounts in BJs, Entertainment Books and elsewhere, and if there are only two of you you could go with a smaller car which is cheaper. Good luck.

 

[Ms. Belle]

I always rent a car and like the flexibility it gives me. I used to use the WDW buses but don't anymore due to crowding and lack of timeliness.

 

[jonestavern]

as far as I know, there is no parking fee at WDW if you are staying on site. At least there wasn't in March, when we went & haven't heard to the contrary.

We rent a car as we like to get out early & enjoy going off site.
We also utilize the buses & ferries & monrail. We've always been happy with the bus service.

Jean

 

[Brygida]

Hi,

Please give me your advise. I will be staying at POP from Dec 3-10 w/ my boyfriend (we are both 27).

Should we rent a car? It seems pretty reasonable to do so (about $150 a week), but do we really need it?

Here are some points:

-We want to get to the parks first thing in the morning
-We will be going to the Boardwalk, Ohanas, and Typhoon Lagoon...I heard these are tough to get to from a bus.
-I've heard mixed reviews about POP busses, some love them, some say they are a huge hassle?
-We would be willing to use taxis (but are they readily available early morning, and late at night?)

Please let me know what you experts think, it is our first time at WDW!!

Thanks,

Mary

Have you tried Travelocity, Orbitz, etc to get the best rate. We got L&M car rental (on-site at airport, just walk out the door for your car) for $101 /week.

I would get the car and use Disney Transport when better (like to get to MK). Certainly use the car to eat/visit at a resort. Use the car to get to a park, if the bus will NOT be going directly to the park, but making additional stops. Use Disney Transport when you want to party at Downtown Disney (that's worth the extra wait).

Did you book through AAA? If so, use their diamond parking pass, which lets you skip the parking lot trams.

 

[thelionqueen]

The bus service was great @ POP when we were there (used it for MK and AK) but the freedom of having a car is priceless....did I just sound like a commercial??
For the extra $$ you spend, if it saves you even a couple of hours, it's worth it.
IMHO, I would say rent a car. Whatever you choose, have a great time!!

 

[gigi1313]

i guess i'm in the minority... there's no reason to rent a car... disney does a great job of getting its guests from point a to point b... all the time! we have not rented a car for our length of stay since our first onsite trip when it sat in the parking lot... we have rented for a day here and there to visit family that lives "nearby" and to go to universal... and even then, disney makes it very easy to get a car for a day (just call the car care center and they send a shuttle for you right to your resort to bring you to the car rental site on property)

we also took cabs a few times to get to the more remote destinations or to avoid being out in the rain (wimps that we are LOL)...

for the places the op wants to get to, a car is really not necessary and imo a waste of good souvenier money!

 

[Brygida]

we have not rented a car for our length of stay since our first onsite trip when it sat in the parking lot... we have rented for a day here and there to visit family that lives "nearby" and to go to universal... and even then, disney makes it very easy to get a car for a day (just call the car care center and they send a shuttle for you right to your resort to bring you to the car rental site on property)

we also took cabs a few times to get to the more remote destinations or to avoid being out in the rain (wimps that we are LOL)...

for the places the op wants to get to, a car is really not necessary and imo a waste of good souvenier money!

Unfortunately, or fortunately , it costs the same (when I've booked a rental car in advance) to rent for a week, or to rent for a couple of individual days and pay for taxis. Last time we went I spent $101 for a whole week, intermediate rental car, on-site at MCO. Booking these special deals ahead of time is really cost-effective.

... and time is money. Spending 3 hours to get to a meal at another resort from your resort (roundtrip), is a waste of precious WDW touring time, when you can hop in your car and be there in 15 minutes door-to-door.

 

[sue1013]

It all depends on your vacation style. Is it a vacation or will you be in a rush and waiting will make you crazy? We always use Disney transportation but we are not commando where 15 minutes is going to bother us. Brygida we have been vacationing at WDW since 1982 and have never, ever had an hour and a half trip to any resort from our resort. I spend enough time in my car at home on vacation I'm more than happy to let someone else drive me around. Enjoy your trip!

 

[pugdog]

ug:

It all depends on your vacation style. Is it a vacation or will you be in a rush and waiting will make you crazy? We always use Disney transportation but we are not commando where 15 minutes is going to bother us. Brygida we have been vacationing at WDW since 1982 and have never, ever had an hour and a half trip to any resort from our resort. I spend enough time in my car at home on vacation I'm more than happy to let someone else drive me around. Enjoy your trip!

I'm with you Sue, we used to rent a car and all it did was sit in the parking lot wasting our money. For the few times we go off property we either rent for a couple of days or use a taxi.
If using WDW transportation "wastes" your time then is it really a vacation?
If your schedule is so tight and anal that taking 45 minutes to get from one resort to another is a bad thing then maybe staying home and saving money would be a better vacation.
Vacations are meant to relax and enjoy your time and for most of us that means no driving if we can help it.
Not to even talk about the much higher rate of accidents in the area because of all the people from out of state and country that don't know where they are going and will cut accross lanes to get to the exit. ug: ug:

 

[dudedisney]

We just got back from our first trip to WDW ever and stayed at Pop. We had no problems whatsoever getting whereever we wanted to go including going putt putt golfing. We rode the Monorail, the buses, the ferry, everything and managed to do whatever we wanted. And I'm one of those who doesn't like being without transportation!

If you can get your butt out of bed early enough (we had kids so it was tough!) then you won't have a problem getting a bus. Also we rented a car for one day to go to Universal and they brought it to us! We delivered it back that evening and they brought us back to Pop, it was that easy! Otherwise, we didn't need a car.

If you want to save money, then don't bother with renting. Parking fees and tolls are going to suck your money fast.

If and when we go back, I doubt we'll rent a car. It just wasn't necessary if you're staying on property.

 

[beattyfamily]

I'm for renting. I've gone to WDW 8 times and only didn't rent once, our first trip.

I started renting because on our second trip we were going to spend a couple of days at Universal, but now that we've rented and enjoyed the convenience of having the car, I can't go back. It always just part of the budget.

I like having a car for resort to resort, for resort to DTD, sometimes to Epcot, AK and MGM depending on our resort stay. We also like having the car for a grocery store stop for our stays at DVC. For a medicine run if necessary. For getting to Universal and back. For eating offsite if we want.

I like renting a car for getting from MCO to my resort and back again.

This past Sept/Oct we went to WDW for a long weekend and I was tempted to do Magical Express since its free and DH wasn't coming but when I realized I would have to miss a princess lunch at 1:25p because of ME picking people up 3 hours before your flight (my flight was at 5:25p), my DH convinced me to rent a car yet again. I got a car for 4 1/2 days for $70. Well worth it for the convenience.

Yes, sometimes the car sits in the parking lot for days but I still wouldn't live without it. I always get it for a great rate and I have to get from the airport to Disney anyway, so I might as well keep it for the week.

You can certainly live without a car, but we choose not to. To each their own!

 

[DW mouser]

I thought parking was free if you were staying on site and what tolls are in the parks?

 

[beattyfamily]

I thought parking was free if you were staying on site and what tolls are in the parks?

Yes, parking is free if you are staying onsite. Tolls are only if you drive from the airport to Disney...I'll bet there's a way to avoid them but I don't know how!!

 

[Brygida]

It all depends on your vacation style. Is it a vacation or will you be in a rush and waiting will make you crazy? We always use Disney transportation but we are not commando where 15 minutes is going to bother us. Brygida we have been vacationing at WDW since 1982 and have never, ever had an hour and a half trip to any resort from our resort

I don't rush on vacation, but my DH *hates the waiting*. That's why I plan our rides where we can usually walk-on.

He put his foot down when we tried to get to GF Citricos from the WL. Well, the boat launch went to Fort Wilderness first (in the opposite direction of our destination), then to MK. We then got on the resort monorail (going in the opposite direction again). The monorail stopped mid-track before *each* stop (Contemporary, TTC, Polynesian). It really did take us almost 1 1/2 hours.

I managed to convince him to try taking the bus to EPCOT the next day. We waited about 30 min for the EPCOT bus. Again, it then went to Fort Wilderness, then EPCOT. When we arrived at EPCOT, I realized I had left my park-hopping ticket in our room, so there was nothing to do but go back. After no busses coming for almost 1 hour! I complained to other bus drivers who called their dispatcher and had a bus come for us. All in all it took almost 1 1/2 hours to get from EPCOT to WL via bus, including all the waiting.

(We were told by our bus driver that buses are dispatched in the morning based on the needs at the resorts, not the parks... we were not important I guess! and they broke their own every 20minute rule.)

DH insisted we take the rental car back to EPCOT, which took only a few minutes. The whole adventure took about 3 hours. Making the same mistake but having our car, the whole thing could have been remedied in about 1/2 hour.

 

[DrTomorrow]

First of all, to the OP: rent a car. You're going to be there for a week, and there's a good chance that you'll want to ::gasp:: leave Disney property for a meal, cheaper snacks/beverages and other non-Disney attractions. Plus, even if you never leave the Disney bubble, you'll be glad that you're in control of your schedule, not WDW Transportation.

ug:
[...]If using WDW transportation "wastes" your time then is it really a vacation?
If your schedule is so tight and anal that taking 45 minutes to get from one resort to another is a bad thing then maybe staying home and saving money would be a better vacation.
Vacations are meant to relax and enjoy your time and for most of us that means no driving if we can help it.
[...]

Um, wow - kind of bitter here, huh?

First, no one said that their schedule was tight. Still, a 45 minute bus ride with a transfer isn't my idea of fun. And neither is waiting for a bus again and again and again. If you've ever seen another family running to catch a bus, missing it, then sitting down dejectedly for a 20-minute wait, you'll see why I wonder how this adds to a vacation's relaxation. I'm not one of those "time is money" folks - quite the opposite, I'll spend some money (car rental) to get some extra time at Disney.

Second, I absolutely LOVE driving at WDW! The roads are great, we've been there enough so I know my way around, the scenery is magnificent and, to me, there's something about pulling into the entry gateway of a park, then driving up, parking, walking to the tram and riding to the entrance that's almost a Disney Attraction itself!

I always find posts that say "If you don't like XYZ at WDW, then don't go" very offensive - there's simply no need for that level of anger. However, Pug makes one good point, though - if driving stresses you out, take the buses at WDW. But if you like to be in control of when and where you go, spend the $$$ on a car.

IMHO - YMMV

 

[Brygida]

Usually, (there are a few exceptions... like getting to MK) where using WDW transportation does feel to my family like a waste of time. I would rather spend 3-4 hours walking around a resort, relaxing.... or walking around Main Street for 3-4 hours.... or playing with the baby in our room for 3-4 hours. I would *not* rather spend 3-4 hours on buses. They are not *that* much fun.

It comes down to a choice of where you would rather spend your time. We are *not* commando at the parks, we actually spent about 3-6 hours at the parks in any one day. We went out to meals at the resorts or at EPCOT. We went back to our resort a lot. We went swimming every day almost. We just chose not to spend our time on buses, but in the pool, at a restaurant, or touring. That's just us.