We are family that doesn't like to wait on busses, so we have always rented a van. We just returned a few hours ago and have a new plan that we love! We were a party of 6: 2 adults, 1 teen, 2 adolescents, and 1 11-month old.
The cost of a minivan (with a great DIS discount) would have been $400 for 10 days, plus the rental cost of a car seat. Fl Tours sent a 10 passenger van for a DIS, round-trip cost of $95. Whenever we didn't want to wait for a bus, we call for a yellow van taxi and approx. $8-10 per ride. That was virtually anywhere in the World and included a tip.
On some days, we didn't use them but to the water parks, Downtown Disney, etc.... they were a lifesaver! We averaged 1 cab ride per day and they always had a car seat, too. They dropped us right at the gate area and we didn't not have to get into a boiling hot parked van.
A couple of warnings, though. Don't use a white van! They are renegades that are not sanctioned by WDW. They don't have meters or set prices. You are at their whims, even if they charge you $40 to go from Boardwalk to Downtown Disney. Also, take a cell phone with you to call a cab yourself when you are away from your hotel. The Boardwalk valets had a quicker response than our personal phone calls. We rarely waited at the hotel but had a couple of 15-20 minute waits when we called ourselves. Also, if you are a family of 6 or more, always specify a van taxi.
The bottom line for us was this: A total transportation cost of under $300 for 10 days; no valet parking tips; no cost for renting a car seat; no risks of accidents; no getting in and out of a hot vehicle; saved money with faster transportation than the WDW system.
Hope this helps somebody!
The cost of a minivan (with a great DIS discount) would have been $400 for 10 days, plus the rental cost of a car seat. Fl Tours sent a 10 passenger van for a DIS, round-trip cost of $95. Whenever we didn't want to wait for a bus, we call for a yellow van taxi and approx. $8-10 per ride. That was virtually anywhere in the World and included a tip.
On some days, we didn't use them but to the water parks, Downtown Disney, etc.... they were a lifesaver! We averaged 1 cab ride per day and they always had a car seat, too. They dropped us right at the gate area and we didn't not have to get into a boiling hot parked van.
A couple of warnings, though. Don't use a white van! They are renegades that are not sanctioned by WDW. They don't have meters or set prices. You are at their whims, even if they charge you $40 to go from Boardwalk to Downtown Disney. Also, take a cell phone with you to call a cab yourself when you are away from your hotel. The Boardwalk valets had a quicker response than our personal phone calls. We rarely waited at the hotel but had a couple of 15-20 minute waits when we called ourselves. Also, if you are a family of 6 or more, always specify a van taxi.
The bottom line for us was this: A total transportation cost of under $300 for 10 days; no valet parking tips; no cost for renting a car seat; no risks of accidents; no getting in and out of a hot vehicle; saved money with faster transportation than the WDW system.
Hope this helps somebody!
