staying at WDW without renting a car opinions please

[diskids2]

We have never rented a car on any of our trips. Family make up of these trips include: two swinging singles (ok in my dreams), then a married two-some - no kids, married couple one 3 year old, married couple with one 18 month old and one 5 year old, and married couple kids 4 and 8 and two grandparents.

Anyway, never once did I wish that I had a car. I found the transportation system to be great. We stayed at CBR all of the trips described above.

I will tell you that friends of ours went to WDW without a car once. They vow never to do that again. Their reasons are mostly due to no patience (their words, not mine). They wanted to be able to go and come when they choose and did not want to wait for a bus, monorail, water taxi, etc. (Typical New Yorkers!

The moral of my post is (like so many other replys have said) that this is an individual preference. I would discuss the pros and cons with anyone who is in on the secret and try to come up with what you think is best.

IMHO, if you are trying to save some money or watch the cash (aren't we all!) I would not spend it on a rental car.

Have fun planning!

 

[Katiebug]

We always rent a car.

Otherwise we are stuck at Disney all week and spend twice as much on food and stuff!

If you have kids - sometimes it is easier for us to just hop in the car and drive to another resort, or park than have to deal with the buses, if they are running slow.

Plus, it's nice to be able to drive around Orlando. There's lots of stuff to do on International Drive (Mercado) or Old Town on 192. Both are free to get into and have cheap food and souvenirs.

Jennifer

 

[Disneylovers]

Until our last trip, we always rented a car, and except for our one trip when we stayed off site and needed it to get to the parks, it sat in the parking lot. One of the perks of staying on sight is the bus system. You can't beat getting dropped off right at the front gate to all the parks!! This trip, we'll rent the car the last day of our stay at WDW, so we have wheels to go visit family who live by the Gulf. But, save yourself the money, rely on the bus system (and treat yourself to a limo ride from the airport, we're using FL Tours, I'll report on everything when we get back).

 

[jann1033]

we always have driven to wdw so have a car but have never ever used it from the time we check in til the time we check out!. this past time( in Jan. ) we found the transportation to be great as always *except* imo it is bad getting from resort to resort for dinners. unless you are ready to go home by 8( which we never were as we ate after the parks closed since most close by 7), you have a long, long trip( an hr or more) back via DTD which usually entails passing your resort once or twice on the way..so near and yet so far!

Disney imo really needs to change this stupid way of doing it since we will not visit other resorts to eat dinner like we used to...at least it will save us money since no more Ohana's, Artist Point or any other expensive places unless I am staying in that resort.! it is a pain imo to drive to the parks just so I can drive to dinner at a resort...forget it, I'll either only go where I am staying or do counter in the park just before we leave.... rant over...

you do not need a car !

 

[luvmk]

We never rent a car. Part of what makes it vacation is that we don't have to hassle with where we are going and how to get there. It is so nice to walk out, get on the bus, and think about what we're going to do first in the parks. I like that "mindless" aspect of the trip! Once we enter WDW, we don't want to leave. For us, that's part of the magic of the vacation. I don't mind waiting a few minutes for a bus. I would rather do that than have a map out trying to figure out where we need to go.

Have fun with whatever you choose to do!



Rachel

 

[keith-atl]

We drive our car to WDW and it sits in the parking lot the whole time we are there. We never use the car when we are there, so unless you are planning to do something that is not disney related no need to rent.

 

[powellrj]

We always rent a car because I feel you more than make-up the cost of the car with what you save by not eating all of your meals at Disney. We also get our tickets at AAA so we get the Diamond Parking Pass so we always park right by the gate. With the codes available we usually pay about $15 a day to rent a car.