Rental car or not

[Edie42]

Staying at AK for 6 nights. Plan to go to SeaWorld one of our days. What do you think? Should we rent a car or use the bus transportation?

 

[Nennie]

What time of year are you going???

If it's not the busy season, then you can get rental cars really cheap!! AK is great, but you have to bus to get anywhere, so I would totally get a rental car for the entire week.

We get the smallest, cheapest car that we can, and then use ME to transport our luggage.

Not sure if you are doing the dining plan or not, but another great thing about having a rental car is being able to eat off site for 1/3 of the price! Not saying you have to eat off-site every day, but it's definitely a nice option, and the $$ you save will cover the cost of the rental car.

 

[skelooch]

Rent a car, you will not be sorry, the number of hours you will save not having to rely on Disney transportation make it worthwhile by itself.

 

[sam_gordon]

What time of year are you going???

If it's not the busy season, then you can get rental cars really cheap!! AK is great, but you have to bus to get anywhere, so I would totally get a rental car for the entire week.

We get the smallest, cheapest car that we can, and then use ME to transport our luggage.

Not sure if you are doing the dining plan or not, but another great thing about having a rental car is being able to eat off site for 1/3 of the price! Not saying you have to eat off-site every day, but it's definitely a nice option, and the $$ you save will cover the cost of the rental car.

Just want to note the bolded is "against the rules" and can cause other issues unless at least one member of the party rides ME from the airport. There is a sticky discussing this.

OP: Personally, we don't rent a car. I have no problem with driving or directions (and the signage on WDW property is second to none IMO), but I like "immersion" and having to drive a car breaks that feeling. That being said, we don't go off property, so that could affect the decision. I would at least consider renting a car for 1-2 days and not the entire stay.

 

[DebbieB]

I've stayed at Kidani before and am planning again in November. I had a rental car and will again. Last time I was at DHS or Epcot in about 10 or 15 minutes in the car. It was better than waiting for the bus, loading up, going to Jambo, loading up, then go to the park. Parking is so convenient at Kidani.

I personally don't like the busses. Having to wait, maybe having to stand, packed full. I don't need that on vacation.

 

[goofy4tink]

What time of year are you going???

If it's not the busy season, then you can get rental cars really cheap!! AK is great, but you have to bus to get anywhere, so I would totally get a rental car for the entire week.

We get the smallest, cheapest car that we can, and then use ME to transport our luggage.

Not sure if you are doing the dining plan or not, but another great thing about having a rental car is being able to eat off site for 1/3 of the price! Not saying you have to eat off-site every day, but it's definitely a nice option, and the $$ you save will cover the cost of the rental car.

Just so it's clear......Disney will tell a guest that they are not allowed to tag their bags and allow DME to transport those bags, while the guest arranges alternative transport to WDW.
Will something horrible happen if a guest chooses this route? No way to know for sure. There have been some reports that the airline misdirected a bag but no one realized for hours. The guest got to WDW, a d headed to a park. When they returned to their room much later in the evening, they found their bags in the room...but there was one bag missing. Well, the resort said they delivered what they had been given, DME said they delivered what showed up at the airport, and the airline said they had no record of a missing bag. Evidently it was a huge mess...no one wanted to take responsibility. That guest had not taken the bus, but had rented a car.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

What time of year are you going???

If it's not the busy season, then you can get rental cars really cheap!! AK is great, but you have to bus to get anywhere, so I would totally get a rental car for the entire week.

We get the smallest, cheapest car that we can, and then use ME to transport our luggage.

Not sure if you are doing the dining plan or not, but another great thing about having a rental car is being able to eat off site for 1/3 of the price! Not saying you have to eat off-site every day, but it's definitely a nice option, and the $$ you save will cover the cost of the rental car.

If I am traveling with all the family, I let the dh and ds go get a rental as drivers, while the kids and I take ME. That way we can rent a smaller car. Going back one returns the car the other helps get through security. They make a stop or water, milk and anything we may have forgotten.

 

[JessM]

I would rent the car if its in your budget. The ride to seaworld alone would be worth it. Plus I'd drive to all the parks except MK and drive to DTD. Disney is super easy to drive around and very well signed!

 

[SandyinMonterey]

My husband always insists on a rental car. He wants to go where he wants, when he wants to. The WDW transportation systems is very good but it just takes forever to get where you're going. If you have a specific place you have to be at a specific time (ex: dining reservations) it's best to have a rental car. I got married @ WDW in 2001 and took a taxi to get our marriage license. I don't remember the exact cost, but it was expensive.

 

[momof2minnies]

I would never have said this before this last trip 2 weeks ago but rent a car. The transportation has become horrible and massively time consuming!!!!!!!

If your going to Sea World you have to or take a cab anyway.

Linda