Resort Bus or Drive self?

[avic77]

We are now staying onsite so i am trying to decide if we should use the resort buses or take our own car to the parks each day? Any opinions from experianced Disers who have tried both options?

 

[cindy_k]

I like to take my car to all the parks except MK.
At MK you don't park in front of the park, you park at the TTC and then have to take the Monorail or Ferry to get to MK.

When you take a resort bus to MK you are dropped off in front of MK. So you skip the TTC.

Have fun!

 

[DisneyDotty]

When we go to WDW, we like to be as stressfree as possible, which means we rely on WDW transportation. Only exception has been when we're traveling resort to resort, then we may drive ourselves.

 

[TxDsnyGrl74]

Personally I like having my own car. Just got back from a stay at CSR and decided I would take the bus to go to Epcot (in case I had a few too many drinks at the F&W festival!). At CSR, the bus makes 4 stops within the resort... then you go across the street to Blizard Beach for a pick up there. All the while with crying, tired children on the bus.

If you are staying on property, the parking is free at all the parks, so go ahead and drive. You will be happy you did.

 

[ccigliano]

We used to rent a car but now we rely on Disney transportation and l think when you compare it tit for tat - the travel time is the same. By the way - you do know that you can abandon the car idea completely if you are flying in to Orlando International as the Magical Express will pick you up and take you roundtrip to Disney free of charge- they'll even take care of all your luggage too. The money I save on not renting for the week - I put toward dining at some of the great restaurants in Epcot.

 

[lizanne]

I like to take my car to all the parks except MK.
At MK you don't park in front of the park, you park at the TTC and then have to take the Monorail or Ferry to get to MK.

When you take a resort bus to MK you are dropped off in front of MK. So you skip the TTC.

Have fun!

This works best for us, too.

 

[Luckymomoftwo]

Ok, I hate to post anything negative about Disney, but I refuse to rely in Disney transportation. We were staying at our DVC home resort and that particular vacation we needed to spare some expenses, so we decided to skip the rental car. One night, we wanted to go to BW to get a hot dog at the hot dog stand and just hang out for a little bit. It took us over an hour just to get from OKW to BW on the bus!!!!!! We could have walked there faster! We had to go from OKW all the way over to DTD switch busses and then go to BW. We swore that we would never again rely on Disney Transportation. The last thing I want to do after a long day a WDW is stand in another line for a bus and then stand on a crowded bus.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

We always have a rental but hardly ever use it on-sight. Maybe for a quick mid-day trip to the waterpark or another resort for an ADR but thats it. I don't mind spending an extra 5 mins or so (and thats all the difference most of the time)if that means I don't have to drive.

We have also met some of the nicest people on the the buses as well and it's a great place to talk about your day.

 

[Tara]

We've done it all -- rental car and towncar service or Mears (pre-Magical Express) where we were reliant on WDW transportation. When we were newbies, we spent most of our time in the parks, using WDW transportation wasn't so bad. But now that our trips are a bit more laid back and we spend time dining at other resorts, we use a rental car* for most of our trip. Like others, we don't drive to MK.

*We also use valet parking -- so much easier and faster when dining at other resorts.

 

[DizneyNutz]

Have done both. Parked our vehicle and never used it again, but now we prefer having our own vehicle and the freedom it provides us.

 

[3mickeys&me]

We prefer to use Disney Transportation. It just works better for our family.
We really have no need for a car.

 

[Shmily1]

We only use the WDW transportation after we get there. If we are at a park and some of us want to go back to the resort, they can hop on the bus and go without disturbing others' day. That works great for the ones that can't take a whole day in the parks. I have driven to DTD and to all the parks, but didn't like that at all because when it is 11 pm and I am exhausted from the day, I don't want to drive anywhere! Just lay back and let others do it for me. I LOVE WDW transportation!!!

 

[wink13]

I like to take my car to all the parks except MK.
At MK you don't park in front of the park, you park at the TTC and then have to take the Monorail or Ferry to get to MK.

When you take a resort bus to MK you are dropped off in front of MK. So you skip the TTC.

Have fun!

Us too. We walked to Epcot from BCV and boat to MGM. Car to Animal Kingdom and other resorts. We did take the car to MGM for Dinner to beat the Fantasmic crowd and it worked great.

 

[bwmmfan]

we rely completly on the transportation for going to the parks. If you want to go to another resort, you definatly want your own transportation!

 

[WillCAD]

I prefer to rent a car and drive everywhere on WDW property. Yes, it does take longer to self-drive to MK because of the extra travel time across the Seven Seas Lagoon, but I don't count that, because the monorail and ferryboats are my first attractions of the day! No WDW trip is complete without at least one ride each on the monorail and the MK ferryboats.

When we go to WDW, we like to be as stressfree as possible, which means we rely on WDW transportation. Only exception has been when we're traveling resort to resort, then we may drive ourselves.

Funny, I've always found it more stressful to take 5 times longer to get anywhere, to be completely tied to someone elses set schedule and fixed destinations, and to know that there is less than a 50% chance that I'll get a seat.

We used to rent a car but now we rely on Disney transportation and l think when you compare it tit for tat - the travel time is the same.

Yipe, that's certainly not my experience at all!

WDW transportation always takes me at least twice as long as self-driving, and as much as 5 times.

Last December I took a bus from Pop Century to Pleasure Island; 20mins wait for bus, 10mins load time, 10mins drive time, 10mins for a stop at the Marketplace. I got to the Pop bus stop at 8:30pm and didn't step off the bus at PI until 9:20pm. And there were no unusual circumstances - no traffic, no unusual delays, not even anyone in a wheelchair or ECV getting on or off the bus at any of the stops (which would have added another 5 minutes at either end).

I have driven to DTD and to all the parks, but didn't like that at all because when it is 11 pm and I am exhausted from the day, I don't want to drive anywhere! Just lay back and let others do it for me. I LOVE WDW transportation!!!

When it's 11pm and I'm exhausted from the day, I prefer to jump in my car and be back to my resort in 10 minutes rather than standing up at a bus stop for up to 20 minutes (or 40 minutes if you have to wait for a second bus!), then standing up on an SRO bus full of equally tired, cranky, sometimes sweaty (and smelly) other people, with crying children, strollers poking me, and cheerleaders chanting at max volume (happens during the Pop Warner competitions in December).

But that's just me. Your Milage May Vary.

 

[DisneyDotty]

Wow, what a variety of responses!
I will admit I've never stayed at POP or the AS resorts--so that may be why I have few complaints with WDW transportation. And maybe that's also why I prefer staying on a monorail resort--getting to the parks (well, at least 2 of 'em!) is half the fun! And I can count the times I've had to stand on a bus on one hand.
We did experience some longer travel times when we stayed at POR, but sometimes I chalk that up to just being "lucky" enough to have arrived at the bus stop just as the bus was pulling away.
Ah well, when I'm at WDW, I try not to let anything get me down. Call me kooky, but I actually like to ride the bus after a day at the parks. Kinda zone out, listen to the hum of the bus, enjoy the A/C, gather my kids close to me, and AHHH, all is well, I'm at WDW...

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

For most trips we drive to WDW, so we have our car with us. However, we then only use the car if we are going resort to resort, and sometimes to DTD. For direct resort to park, we use WDW transportation. The tram to the steaming hot car is not magical.

 

[Jchance]

We never had any problems with the Disney buses. We never waited very long and the trips for us were short.

 

[tinabheart]

I love, love, love leaving my SUV at the airport and never seeing it again until I get off the plane to drive home.

I've done Disney twice in the past few years and can't imagine ever wanting a car. If you have ADR's - sure, you need to plan ahead or read up on how the whole transportation thing works, what you need to take where to get to where you want to go. Often times, we've just hopped on the monorail to take us 'somewhere'.

Obviously we aren't the 'commando' style dis'ers and enjoy the stress free relaxing way to vacation. The boats, the monorails, the buses, they are all great...

 

[pepe of ohio]

No matter how we arrive in WDW, we always use Disney transportation. We've driven and left our car in the lot the whole time. We have never rented a car while at WDW, just one added unnecessary expense for us. Transportation is free, use it. I can imagine Disney without free transportation, then everyone would complain that Disney should have a transportation system to haul them around in the huge property, they would gladly stand on a bus if one would be provided. Seems like a no win situation on this subject but adding an extra expense of a rental car, some won't be without and some have no need. For us, never, the bus ride is fun, part of the Disney experience, we see the sights and leave the driving to the professionals. We also never go during summer or regular season if we can help it and things are alot slower then but if a packed bus comes, we just wait for another, which when we go is hardly never. To each their own.