rental car or Disney trasnsportation

[bettyboop2002]

we'll be staying at the Poly, visiting all four parks, maybe doing one day at Universal or Islands of Adventure.

suggestions?

 

[Luv2Roam]

Staying on property and the parks with no additional transportation on your own is very easy.
It's when you leave WDW it becomes more complicated and pricey. It just depends on what your budget will handle.
I have found that sometimes a towncar is cheaper than a taxi. And neither are cheap.
You can take buses and even trolleys, depending on where you are going.
So your options are rental cars, taxis, buses, or don't leave WDW.

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad Says....................................................... How you getting to the Poly?? If you are takeing a towncar, then skip USF/IOA, it will cost a ton to get up there and back. If you rent a car, then use it to go to USF/IOA. Disney transportation is wonderful, we used it 13 times on our last trip and the longest wait was 11 minutes!! I know we were lucky, on our previous trips there were two times we waited the full 20 minutes. We rented cars on two of our three trips, and it worked out great.

 

[DebbieB]

Check the rental car rates and compare to the cost of airport transportation. I can usually get a car from National for about $120 for a week (Emerald Aisle, Disney Club discount, 1 free day coupon). Tiffany Town Car from the airport is about $90 with tips, so it's not much more. That way you would have the car for Universal, grocery shopping, outlets. I would also drive to AK, the bus is a long ride that usually stops at Blizzard Beach. Also drive to Downtown Disney & Pleasure Island, bus waits can be long there.

 

[WedWay72]

We've become big fans of the rental car. It really has allowed us to do the following:

1. Resort hopping is MUCH simpler
2. After a long day at a park, sometimes sitting on a bus, with 20 people standing, isn't the most magical way to end your Disney day.
3. Getting to the mini-putt courses is easy
4. A drive off site is a piece of cake
5. Your last day is more structured and "up to you" if you are not depending on Mears, etc.
6. Downtown Disney bus trips can be in excess of 30 minutes. Too long for our tastes.

Just our opinion but after around 10 trips in the last few years, it's worked well for us.

We typically can get a small car at Dollar for about $125/week.

 

[baileybrad]

The flexibility that comes with a rental car is too good to pass up. We go all over the Orlando area when we are at Disney...the price of a few off-site meals alone would make up the difference between a rental car and some type of shuttle to and from the airport. Also, you have your Universal trip to consider. I would rent a vehicle.

 

[nluvwithdisney]

Originally posted by baileybrad
The flexibility that comes with a rental car is too good to pass up. We go all over the Orlando area when we are at Disney...the price of a few off-site meals alone would make up the difference between a rental car and some type of shuttle to and from the airport. Also, you have your Universal trip to consider. I would rent a vehicle.

I agree with baileybrad 100%. We ate offsite quite often. It saved us a substantial amount of money having it. We could also come and go as we pleased with regards shopping and trips to US, IOA, SW, and BG.

 

[Chuck S]

If your only destination is Disney property a rental car isn't necessary. But, it certainly is convenient...and ever since 9-11 I get a rental car whenever I travel, just in case we have to drive home. We were in CA on the day of the attack and had a car, otherwise it would have been next to impossible to get one. I usually use National, but be sure to use a rental comapny that has a drop off station near you home or airport where your family car is parked. Not that I think I'll HAVE to drive home, it is just for my personal peace of mind.

 

[Lewisc]

it's usually not much more expensive than towncar airport transfers and gives you much more flexibility. The only exceptions, if you're under age 25 or not from the United States the insurnace surcharges may be prohibitive.

 

[hellokitty]

when are you going??

we are paying $73 for 5 day rental w/ National Car in December. using a coupon out of entertainment book.