Renting a car at disney - good idea?

[daf]

Hi,

We're a young couple (no kids) and we're planning to go to Disney in October.
The last time we went to Disney world we stayed at the Pop century and really suffered from the transportation. We had to wait for the buses in the sun, sometimes the bus was too full and we had to wait for the next one (although it was at the end of September - which was off season, to my understanding).
So this time we plan to stay off property and rent a car.

Now we're concerned about a few things:

1. I read somewhere that people who park their cars in the parking lots at the parks also need to take trams or buses to get to the entrances. So does this mean that renting a car will not solve our problems?
Could it be that in October we may be able to park close enough to the entrances that we won't have to take more trams?

2. The parking fee. I read the fee is $14. My calculations indicate that staying at a good hotel off property+ paying the parking fee every day is still less expensive than staying at a Disney value resort and not paying for parking.
Do we have to pay $14 for a day for all the parks, or do we have to pay $14 for each park, even if we go to more than one park on the same day?

I'd be happy if anyone could shed some more light on this issue.
Thank you!
daf.

 

[Blonde Princess]

For the most part, each park has a tram that takes you from your spot in the lot to the entrance. If you are there very early when the parks open you might secure a parking spot that is very close to the entrance and might be able to walk all the way in. The trams run very regularly and I think the longest tram ride is 5 minutes with stops. You will not have to take any other buses like the one you took at the resort.

Also, I don't know the parking fee but that is the fee to park each day. You have to keep your receipt and show the next park's parking attendant at the gate when driving from park to park in order not to pay a second time in one day.

 

[kaligal]

You might get up close to the park, especially at Epcot and at AK kinda/sorta, but it is likely you'll be taking trams to the park entrances. The wait for the trams is better than the wait for the bus. The trams don't make stops on the way into the park, but they do on the way out. It's not bad at all, though. Not at all like a bus.

At the MK, even once you get off the tram, you still have to take either the monorail or the ferry over to the park. Monorail is faster, but there is something nice to be said for the ferry.

Entering the MK is almost anti-climactic. You walk to the tram stop. You board and wait for the tram to leave. You wait for the monorail. You wait to have your purse searched. You wait to go through the turnstile. It's a lot of lines and waiting. I allow an hour from my hotel to the actual entering the park part.

You pay one parking fee a day. Hang on to your receipt and show it at the second park and you don't pay. Lose the receipt and you pay for 2 parks a day.

If you have an AP, you don't pay to park.

I rent a car even when staying on the WDW property because I'm not fond of taking public transportation.

 

[WVParkfan]

A couple of items to mention...

#1 Unless you take a bus from a Disney Resort (or walk from the Contemporary), the only way to get to the Magic Kingdom is through the Ticket and Transportation Center. All guests parking in the parking lots must enter the TTC and choose either a boat or monorail ride to the park.

#2 At the other 3 parks, you park where they direct you. If you are very far from the park entrance, you can choose to walk or to hop on a tram to take you to the entrance.

#3 Disney Transportation is NOT reserved for on-site guests only. I don't know if it would help you or not, but if you parked in one parking lot and decided to visit another park, you don't have to drive. You can take Disney transportation, like you did at Pop Century.

As for your question, here's my opinion: We always stay on-site, and we always use Disney transportation. We like riding the busses, find them convenient, and much prefer them over driving our own car and sitting in traffic.

HOWEVER, in your first paragraph, you talked about how much you disliked the Disney transportation when you stayed at Pop Century. My suggestion would be to make yourself happy and drive to the parks. What works for one family doesn't necessarily work for another. You need to do what you feel will make your family happy.

 

[cbg1027]

You don't HAVE to take the tram to the front once you park. If you're parked close enough, sometimes it's just quicker to walk. If you get to the park for RD, you may be able to park close enough that you can walk to the entrance.

The tram situation is nothing like the buses. The trams come every 5 minutes or even less. It's nothing to worry about.

Yes, the parking fee per day is $14. That lets you park at any park, all day, so you can pay at one park and hop to another without paying a second time.

You need to figure in to you calculations the parking fee, the extra gas, and any hidden resort fees. Off property hotels sometimes charge for parking, a 'resort fee', a 'safe fee'...it can add up. Depending on where you stay, it might not be cheaper than a Disney value resort. Check in to it more and make sure you're saving enough money to make staying off-property worthwhile.

I recently stayed off property for the first time and hated it. Even though I was right near the entrance to DTD, it really added to the transportation times and I felt like I was a million miles away from the magic. Rush hour traffic was horrendous and it took me 45 minutes to drive from AK to my hotel one day in the rain at 5pm.

 

[daf]

Thank you for your answers!
Is there usually a lot of traffic around the parks (especially around mid-October)?
What about the resort parking? After paying for parking at a park, can I park at any resort for free?
(if so, what's stopping people from parking at the Contemporary resort and walking to MK?)

cbg1027, what you wrote worried me a little, since I planned to do exactly what you described. In what time of year did you suffer from the traffic, staying off property?

 

[harpinjean]

If you are staying at a Disney Resort you will not have to pay for parking while at the parks. You will get a parking voucher at the resort that you will put in your car. My DH likes to rent a car because he is not big on the buses either. So when I travel with him, we rent a car. If I go with friends or my DD we use the buses.

 

[shortchange1026]

We always stay on property and always rent a car, we do not like waiting for Disney transportation. We went 2 years ago around the end of October and had no problems getting around finding our way or traffic wise. A couple of days during the week, when we drove to EPCOT, we were in the first parking lot, in one of the first rows right at the front gate and could walk from our car to the entrance. Other parks were a bit more crowded, but we find the trams fun and it doesn't take long with stops. We also enjoy parking at the TTC at the MK and taking the boat across to the entrance. If you aren't staying at a resort on property, when you get to the resort security gate, the guard will ask you why you are there. If you aren't staying there and just have a dinner reservation or just want to visit, they will give you a parking pass for only 3 hours.

 

[daf]

If you are staying at a Disney Resort you will not have to pay for parking while at the parks. You will get a parking voucher at the resort that you will put in your car. My DH likes to rent a car because he is not big on the buses either. So when I travel with him, we rent a car. If I go with friends or my DD we use the buses.

What about if I'm staying off-property?

 

[dizneechic]

What about if I'm staying off-property?

If your staying off property and parking at a hotel you the guards at the resorts security gate will give you a paper to leave on your dash allowing you to park there for 3 hours (ie as if you were having dinner there). I'm not sure I would attempt to visit a park while parking at a resort trying to skip out on paying for parking, it would pretty much suck to have your car towed (especially if its a rental) while on vacation. You could however stay at a Disney resort, have a rental car, and then you can park at any resort OR Disney Theme Park for free for the duration of your stay. We are not bus people, so always rent a car when at the parks.

Another thing to price out depending on your length of stay is an Annual Pass. With that you get free parking, so if your at the parks for a long period of time and staying offsite it may be worth considering (more so if you'll be back again within a year). Only one person in your party (car) needs to have the AP when going through the park gates to get free parking, so not everyone needs to purchase it. Plus you get other little discounts which can be helpful. For us we like table service meals so picked up AP's and the Tables in Wonderland card ($75 for AP holders) which entitles you to 20% off TS meals and drinks. For our family of 5 factoring in the TiW meal discounts, and free parking (we stayed off site in feb), our break even point for buying 1 AP was 8 days, so depending on your vacationing style, it may be worth looking into.

 

[r&kmommy]

Like pp's have mentioned you park where they tell you in the lots, and you may or may not be close enough to walk to the gates of the park. But taking the tram is NOTHING compared to the busses! Good lord, they are like apples and oranges.

We always stay onsite, but for our upcoming trip we considered staying offsite and figured in the cost of parking daily and it was still worth it to us. I can honestly say that we will never, ever NOT rent a car. The $300 weekly rate (and estimated $200 for parking at the parks) will be money well spent towards keeping our sanity and being able to drive back to the hotel in peace, coolness and at our own pace.

Rent a car. You will not be disappointed

ETA - if you can read, you will have no problems getting around at WDW. Things are SO clearly marked, and even if you miss a turn there will be another sign to your destination/area in no time LOL! That was what helped us the first few times driving there (before the days of gps) -- knowing what "area" things are in. Like Pop Century is in Wide World of Sports area, All Stars are in the Animal Kingdom area etc...

 

[Blonde Princess]

In October, EPCOT's parking lot will be crowded to very very crowded due to the Food & Wine festival.

 

[daf]

I'm not sure I would attempt to visit a park while parking at a resort trying to skip out on paying for parking, it would pretty much suck to have your car towed (especially if its a rental) while on vacation.

oh I never thought about parking without paying, I just figured that maybe if I had already paid for parking for the day at a park, it would also be valid at the resorts.
But I guess it wouldn't.

 

[rastahomie]

Mrs. Homie and I ALWAYS rent a car.

Those buses are brutal. They serve their purpose, but if it's convenience you want a car is the way to go, no questions asked. I've never taken a bus trip from any park to any resort, or vice-versa, that didn't take over an hour. Driving has never taken more than half an hour.

And the trams really shouldn't even be in the equation. They add maybe a minute and a half to the journey.

 

[daf]

The first time we took ds to Disney (he was 4 mos old) we rented a car because we had some visiting to do off property. That was by far the most relaxed trip dh and I ever had (we went yearly for 10 years prior to ds)!!!

Like pp's have mentioned you park where they tell you in the lots, and you may or may not be close enough to walk to the gates of the park. But taking the tram is NOTHING compared to the busses! Good lord, they are like apples and oranges.

We always stay onsite, but for our upcoming trip we considered staying offsite and figured in the cost of parking daily and it was still worth it to us. I can honestly say that we will never, ever NOT rent a car. The $300 weekly rate (and estimated $200 for parking at the parks) will be money well spent towards keeping our sanity and being able to drive back to the hotel in peace, coolness and at our own pace.

Rent a car. You will not be disappointed

ETA - if you can read, you will have no problems getting around at WDW. Things are SO clearly marked, and even if you miss a turn there will be another sign to your destination/area in no time LOL! That was what helped us the first few times driving there (before the days of gps) -- knowing what "area" things are in. Like Pop Century is in Wide World of Sports area, All Stars are in the Animal Kingdom area etc...

Thank you!
And thanks everyone. If the trams aren't so bad I think we will rent a car.
I'm still a little concerned about the traffic from the off-property hotel to the parks, but I guess we'll try to avoid traveling in rush hours.

I would have definitely bought the AP if I lived in the US. Unfortunately we're only willing to take the cross Atlantic trip once every three years :c).

 

[Glencora]

Traffic problems really depend on where you're staying. Personally, I would not recommend staying in the DTD area, because I would think traffic there would be constant, day and night, since DTD is open so late. I always stay in the Maingate West area, and use the Sherbeth (sp?) Rd. back entrance. The entrance onto Osceola Parkway is right next to the entrance for Animal Kingdom, and the directions to all of the parks and resorts are clearly marked. It rarely takes me more than half an hour from my hotel to the gates of any park (excpet MK, because of the TTC. But even that's not so bad. This year I got six nights in a three star hotel (2 dbl beds) AND a one week car rental for $300 total (gotta love Expedia). So yeah, even if I pay for parking, I usually save a few hundred bucks staying off site.

 

[dansyr2514]

We stayed at Bonnet Creek in the downtown disney area last yr during spring break and we had no trouble driving or parking. We brought our GPS with us but on disney property we didn't really need it because everything is clearly marked. Parking costs do add up if you plan on going every day....but depending on the cost of an offsite hotel room it may equal out. However if EMH are important to you, I would stay on property and still rent a car. DBF won't do Disney without one. He really hated the busses the first time we went. I also enjoy having a car because it gives you freedom to go where you want. I got most of my souvenirs at the disney outlet and saved a ton!
Also, you can always head to the grocery store and pick up some snacks and drinks...much less expensive!

 

[daf]

This year I got six nights in a three star hotel (2 dbl beds) AND a one week car rental for $300 total (gotta love Expedia).

how do they do that?

 

[rie'smom]

Thank you!
And thanks everyone. If the trams aren't so bad I think we will rent a car.
I'm still a little concerned about the traffic from the off-property hotel to the parks, but I guess we'll try to avoid traveling in rush hours.

I would have definitely bought the AP if I lived in the US. Unfortunately we're only willing to take the cross Atlantic trip once every three years :c).

Traffic also depends upon the time of year you visit WDW. Mid October should not be bad for traffic.

We either rent a car or take a taxi.

 

[TLinden16]

I'm going to move this over to our transportation board.