Should we take bus service or drive to parks?

[Geoff_M]

Does WDW offer free parking at the parks if you are staying onsite?

Yes, upon check-in you'll be given a parking "pass" that you'll place on your dashboard. That'll get you in and out of the parks gratis.

 

[kristenrice]

Since you will have your own vehicle, you can both drive and try the DTS. In my experience (which is admittedly limited compared to most) there has been no problems with the busses. I prefer to let someone else do the driving and navigating the roadways. It is true that it is more time-saving to drive yourself to all destinations except the Magic Kingdom, but it is only faster to drive your own car if you know how to get where you are going. You might try the busses first and see the routes and road signage before you try driving yourself. But, as previous posters have noted, it is ALWAYS in your best interest to use the DTS when going to the MK.
Try the busses. You might like it, you might hate it. You will have your car as a back up if you need it. We drove our van down in 2001, parked it in front of our room at OKW and it never moved for 7 days. Nobody says that you have to drive your car just because it is there. Have a great trip!

 

[mericletwins]

I think it depends on your lifestyle and personality. Since we live in a very rural area, public transportation of any kind is a novelty to us. We have to drive everywhere, so it is relaxing for DH and I to park the car once and let someone else drive. Our kids are older so we don't have to worry with strollers and it's no problem for us to stand if the bus is crowded.

We have also stayed offsite before and didn't have any problems driving to the parks. I don't like driving to MK...would much rather take the bus/boat/monorail...anything that avoids the parking lot and TTC!!!

I agree here. My kids love the "Mickey buses" and I find it relaxing to be driven around. It is a good enforced rest when you have kids.

 

[disnan52]

We drive from Ohio, will be on the road again on March 3rd. When we get to Disney we park the SUV and never touch it again until the day we leave. The buses are part of Disney.

 

[ransom]

I'd go with WDW transportation. I drive enough when I'm not on vacation!

 

[WillCAD]

I am driving from MO and taking 7 people in May. I think I have decided to drive to the parks instead of using Disney Transportation because of the crowd levels and we have an infant and a stroller. Can anyone tell me if it is possible to drop them all off at the entrance somewhere rather than just parking and everyone taking the tram to the entrance. Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Nope, the parks do not have drop and go areas.

When you enter the lot of one of the theme parks, you will be directed into a parking space by lot attendants. Everybody goes to the same place in an orderly line.

If you are lucky enough to park close to the gates (which is easier the earlier you arrive at the park), then you won't have to take the tram at all, you just walk to the gates.

Don't stress about taking the trams; they are quick and easy. If it's the walk that bothers you, think hard - you will walk many more miles inside the park, and those few hundred feet max that you have to walk from a car to the tram is nothing. WDW is not a place to go if walking bothers you.

 

[Hawk]

Nope, the parks do not have drop and go areas.

When you enter the lot of one of the theme parks, you will be directed into a parking space by lot attendants. Everybody goes to the same place in an orderly line.

If you are lucky enough to park close to the gates (which is easier the earlier you arrive at the park), then you won't have to take the tram at all, you just walk to the gates.

Don't stress about taking the trams; they are quick and easy. If it's the walk that bothers you, think hard - you will walk many more miles inside the park, and those few hundred feet max that you have to walk from a car to the tram is nothing. WDW is not a place to go if walking bothers you.

Maybe! I have found that even though dropping off at Epcot, Animal Kingdom and MGM may mean dropping off at a parking space it is still faster than bus service. Additionally, you can get to MK in a snap by pulling up at the Contemporary driveway entrance and dropping your party off; then have the driver either park at the TTC or back at the resort and hop on the bus. Many times I have parked at Epcot and loaded everbody on the monorail to MK. Our children are pretty spread out in age and we always have one in a stroller - even this time going, so bus service is out of the question as we don't want the hassle.

Where there is a will - there is a way!

Tim/Hawk

 

[FamilyGuy]

We drove our minivan down the last 2 trips and drove back and forth from the room to the parks for the most part (MK is the exception for sure).

On our trip last week we drove for the first 2 days (AK & MGM). The third day we took the bus from SSR to MK. The van sat untouched for 4 days after that! There was something simple and 'resortish' and mysteriously satisfying about using Disney transport.

Feel it out for yourself, I think the Disney Buses are cool especially if you allow for a little extra time, or do not mind a little more leisurely pace...

 

[FamilyGuy]

Our children are pretty spread out in age and we always have one in a stroller - even this time going, so bus service is out of the question as we don't want the hassle.

The stroller was my concern also. I found that after travelling to MK on the bus, that the stroller was not an issue at all - just master folding and unfolding it. I got to folding and unfolding with one hand in a matter of seconds. As a matter of fact one of the drivers even said to me, "WOW, your pretty good with that thing."

 

[Hawk]

The stroller was my concern also. I found that after travelling to MK on the bus, that the stroller was not an issue at all - just master folding and unfolding it. I got to folding and unfolding with one hand in a matter of seconds. As a matter of fact one of the drivers even said to me, "WOW, your pretty good with that thing."

Me too FamilyGuy. I can get that sucker down and folded in a blink of an eye. However, if you get one of the older buses the aisles are not very wide and if the bus is crowded - well you know the feeling. The newer buses are very wide and give plenty of room to carry the folded stoller down the aisle. We don't have a really large stroller, but its not an umbrella either. We treat the bus trip to MK like the plague if we have to use it, so we try other methods. I couple of more years and our four year old will be without one hopefully.

Tim/Hawk

 

[NCRedding]

I have previously used the buses, and enjoyed them until a trip in January of 2006 staying at SSR. We were trying to pack alot into a short trip, and the buses weren't cooperating. I rented a car and drove everywhere for the rest of the trip.

Last week, I drove. I timed my trip from Epcot--leaving at about 10:45 on a extra evening night--it took me less than 9 minutes from the entrance gate of the park to the parking place in front of our OKW villa. It helped that I didn't have to take the tram.

I think I will continue to drive everywhere but to MK.

 

[elkeb]

What's so bad about driving to MK?

 

[ransom]

What's so bad about driving to MK?

There's nothing terrible about it, but once you park in the (huge) parking lot, you take a tram to the Transportation and Ticketing Center (TTC). From there, you can either take a ferry or the monorail to MK.

If you're using Disney's bus service, you are taken directly to MK, bypassing the TTC.

 

[son3disfan]

There's nothing terrible about it, but once you park in the (huge) parking lot, you take a tram to the Transportation and Ticketing Center (TTC). From there, you can either take a ferry or the monorail to MK.

If you're using Disney's bus service, you are taken directly to MK, bypassing the TTC.

?????
I thought the only way to get to MK was the monorail or boat ( at the TTC)?
Everyone has to go through the TTC??? NO??
Are you saying that taking the buses you can be dropped off right at the gate?
I knew this was the way for the other parks but for MK????

 

[NCRedding]

The buses from the resorts drop right off at the front gate to the MK. You just then walk to the entrance--no ferry or monorail required.

 

[son3disfan]

The buses from the resorts drop right off at the front gate to the MK. You just then walk to the entrance--no ferry or monorail required.

Are you kidding me....
No joking!
Well , in my 8 trips to disney, I never knew...
We always take the car.I have never seen a bus...
Guess what I'm going to do next time... BUS it!!
( I feel so silly that I didn't know this)
So , where the boat launch is , is that where the buses go too ?

 

[WillCAD]

Are you kidding me....
No joking!
Well , in my 8 trips to disney, I never knew...
We always take the car.I have never seen a bus...
Guess what I'm going to do next time... BUS it!!
( I feel so silly that I didn't know this)
So , where the boat launch is , is that where the buses go too ?

When you exit MK, you turn left and walk under the monorail track to get to the bus depot. Bus stops for all the WDW resorts are located here, while the park-to-park busses, and stops for off-site hotels and the Lynx public bus system, are located at the TTC bus depot.

This is the MK bus depot:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&z=18&ll=28.415951,-81.579419&spn=0.003251,0.007135&t=k&om=1

And this is the TTC bus depot:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&z=19&ll=28.405172,-81.578789&spn=0.001626,0.003567

 

[son3disfan]

OK,
Thanks WILLCAD.
Now I know why I was confused....
I have seen buses at the TTC . I just assumed they were for the resorts too.
Thanks for clearing that up !