Taxi rides or car rental

[mardi_gras]

We'll be 6 in the group including one 3yo child. It's most definitely sure it'll save us a lot if we're to stay off site with bigger rooms, at least 2 baths and even a full kitchen.

If we're to go and stay at the park the whole day and leave only at night, is it still best to rent a car?

Are all 6 of us going to fit in one cab?

Are we still required to put my 3yo nephew in a child seat in the cab?

If renting a car, is it hard to navigate thru the streets of Orlando/Kissimmee? We're totally not familiar with it. I'd been there only once and stayed onsite.

I'm leaning towards car rental but my sister doesn't want to, she'll most probably be the one doing the driving as she (maybe) doesn't trust my driving skill, can't blame her for that though, as a lot of them say, from where i am, traffic rules are mere suggestions.

Help. TIA.

 

[mardi_gras]

Sorry, wrong board. Need to close this, make a new one on transportation boards.

 

[happymommy]

First of all, I do think that this message is relevant to this board as well as transportation!

I'd start by looking at your total budget for the trip, then research your options for onsite (yes, more expensive by far, but with a 3 year old also more convenient and easier to split up the group at different times) versus offsite (less expensive, and you can get a condo for about what one value room would be, plus kitchen for snacks or even meals, and washer/dryer).

Also, the Downtown Disney hotels offer good shuttle service - and although to me it would be super tight and I wouldn't like it, the Doubletree is all suites and can sleep 6 (with two on a sofa sleeper).

Some other places offer shuttles - my sister just returned from the Waldorf Astoria and used theirs. The Bonnet Creek timeshares offer free shuttles. Still, I think most folks staying offsite like to have a rental car.

 

[alc571]

I would rent a car, but then we rent a car to stay onsite. We prefer getting into a nice quiet, uncrowded car after a day at the parks than getting into a stuffy bus making a bunch of stops before we are back to our hotel. We find the roads around Kissimmee to be very easy to navigate - to the point we don't even use a map anymore.

 

[Alesia]

If we're to go and stay at the park the whole day and leave only at night, is it still best to rent a car?

Almost certainly. Cabs are very expensive in Orlando. It depends on where you're staying, but cab fare is going to run you at least $60 per day, probably more. Maybe a lot more.

Are all 6 of us going to fit in one cab?

Yes.

Are we still required to put my 3yo nephew in a child seat in the cab?

Yes. And then you'll need to figure out what to do with it while you're at the parks.

If renting a car, is it hard to navigate thru the streets of Orlando/Kissimmee? We're totally not familiar with it. I'd been there only once and stayed onsite.

No. It's really easy.

I'm leaning towards car rental but my sister doesn't want to, she'll most probably be the one doing the driving as she (maybe) doesn't trust my driving skill, can't blame her for that though, as a lot of them say, from where i am, traffic rules are mere suggestions.

Help. TIA.

I would never consider staying off-site without a rental car.

 

[Badamon]

We typically stay off site and always rent a car. Everyone's budgets are different and you do have to take into consideration that it will be $15/day to drive and park at WDW, plus the cost of the rental car. My DH and I don't like to rely on shuttle schedules, so we've always rented. We find navigation around the general Disney area to be easy and well marked, having a GPS can be helpful but after a trip or two back and forth from parks to resort/condo we don't even need it. A regular cab would be cramped with 6 if you can even fit. A typical car seats 5, including a driver (3 in back, 2 in front). You would have to sit 3 in front (including driver), 3 in back and the child on someone's lap (yikes! don't do it!). I'm a bit of a safety freak when it comes to my kids and when they were small I would never have consider putting them in a vehicle without a car seat. Cabs can get in an accident as easily as a personal vehicle and the outcome could be devastating. Here's what I found about Florida laws regarding car seats:

http://www.dmvflorida.org/seat-belt-laws.shtml

Florida Child Restraint Requirements

Children 3 and younger must be secured in a federally approved child-restraint seat.

Children 4 through 5 must be secured by either a federally approved child restraint seat or safety belt.

The Driver is responsible for buckling up the child.

If I were you, I would try to rent a car and bring my own car seat for the plane and rental vehicle.

Wishing you a safe and great trip!

 

[mardi_gras]

Oh wow! Thanks for all the replies. Helped me plan on how to better convince my sister to rent a car.

Wish we could stay on site, but onsite villas with kitchen are priced way beyond my budget.

 

[mardi_gras]

First of all, I do think that this message is relevant to this board as well as transportation!

I'd start by looking at your total budget for the trip, then research your options for onsite (yes, more expensive by far, but with a 3 year old also more convenient and easier to split up the group at different times) versus offsite (less expensive, and you can get a condo for about what one value room would be, plus kitchen for snacks or even meals, and washer/dryer).

Also, the Downtown Disney hotels offer good shuttle service - and although to me it would be super tight and I wouldn't like it, the Doubletree is all suites and can sleep 6 (with two on a sofa sleeper).

Some other places offer shuttles - my sister just returned from the Waldorf Astoria and used theirs. The Bonnet Creek timeshares offer free shuttles. Still, I think most folks staying offsite like to have a rental car.

Thanks, I'll be looking at Downtown Disney hotels too.

 

[6loversofdisney]

We were staying at All Star Movies and wanted to go to Sea World. We told the front desk and they got us a cab. It was a van so the six of us fit into it no problem. But the cost was very high. It was around $35.00 one way. I thought this was crazy as it isn't anywhere near that to ride in NYC. Either way, since it was a one time trip for us, we still made out better to use the taxi but if you plan to use the taxi more than once, go with a car renal

 

[Badamon]

Wish we could stay on site, but onsite villas with kitchen are priced way beyond my budget.

Same here, Mardi Gras. I always run the numbers and can just never justify the cost of staying on site. We get so much more bang for our buck off site (as far as accommodations). Not quite as much "magic" all of the time, but the trade off is worth it to us.

Where ever you decide to stay and how you get there (car, shuttle, taxi, etc.) I'm sure you'll have a great time. It's Disney, after all!

 

[happymommy]

As far as car seats go, you will need one for a 3 year old in a rental car. You can bring a booster from home, or rent one from the car rental. Or buy a super cheap one, leaving it in the box, and just use it for the trip (I know our nice ones were expensive, so don't think we ever brought them much on plane trips).

In a taxi, you don't need them. But many (especially in Orlando) have them in the trunk.

 

[Alesia]

As far as car seats go, you will need one for a 3 year old in a rental car. You can bring a booster from home, or rent one from the car rental. Or buy a super cheap one, leaving it in the box, and just use it for the trip (I know our nice ones were expensive, so don't think we ever brought them much on plane trips).

In a taxi, you don't need them. But many (especially in Orlando) have them in the trunk.

This is incorrect. Florida law requires children 3 and under to be in a car seat, even in a taxi.

 

[mardi_gras]

We were staying at All Star Movies and wanted to go to Sea World. We told the front desk and they got us a cab. It was a van so the six of us fit into it no problem. But the cost was very high. It was around $35.00 one way. I thought this was crazy as it isn't anywhere near that to ride in NYC. Either way, since it was a one time trip for us, we still made out better to use the taxi but if you plan to use the taxi more than once, go with a car renal

I'm looking at windsor hills for condo rentals, a return taxi trip will cost us maybe $50 daily?

Same here, Mardi Gras. I always run the numbers and can just never justify the cost of staying on site. We get so much more bang for our buck off site (as far as accommodations). Not quite as much "magic" all of the time, but the trade off is worth it to us.

Where ever you decide to stay and how you get there (car, shuttle, taxi, etc.) I'm sure you'll have a great time. It's Disney, after all!

Frugal minds think alike!

As far as car seats go, you will need one for a 3 year old in a rental car. You can bring a booster from home, or rent one from the car rental. Or buy a super cheap one, leaving it in the box, and just use it for the trip (I know our nice ones were expensive, so don't think we ever brought them much on plane trips).

In a taxi, you don't need them. But many (especially in Orlando) have them in the trunk.

This is incorrect. Florida law requires children 3 and under to be in a car seat, even in a taxi.

It's ok. We'll just play it safe and have my sister take care of her child's seat. Thanks.