The bus or drive to the parks?

[kcmyluv]

Ok Disney pros, what do you think would be easier? Taking the bus to the parks MK, and AK or driving our van? We will be staying at BWV so I know we can walk to Epcot and MGM. We will have a double stoller so I am just wondering how much of a pain it will be to get on and off the bus. I think you park free in the lot if you stay at a Disney hotel. Let know know what you all think. Thanks!

Melissa
Daniel 3/10/04
Charlie 3/10/04

 

[CarolMN]

When we stay at BWV (and have a car) we always take the bus to the MK. The bus delivers you to the entrance. If you drive, you have to park at the TTC (and yes, it will be free). Then you have to take a tram (fold up the stroller) and then either the monorail (if it's busy, you have to fold up the stroller again) or the ferry (you can almost always just push the stroller on). To me, it would be easier to just take the bus to the MK and not deal with tram and then either monorail or ferry.

We almost always drive to the AK, DD/PI and any other resort (for dinner, usually). As you say, parking is free. The buses to AK and DD/PI seem to take forever to come - especially for the return to the resort.

Best wishes -

 

[dbond]

If we have our own car, we almost always drive to every park, even the MK, the monorail ride in is a great day starter. The only exception is when we are there for a super crowded holiday weekend when the parking lots get so full you have to park miles away.

 

[DVC Owner in MA]

We do the same as CarolMN. We always take the bus to MK to avoid having to go through the TTC. Then, unless we're at BCV and walk to Epcot, we'll drive to all the other parks, DTD, or other resorts.

 

[rbuzzotta]

We always drive to the parks unless we stay at BVW and go to Epcot or MGM (we either walk or take the water taxi) or VWL we take the boat to MK. WE very seldom (havent' in years) take the bus. It was always a pain when we had a stroller having to fold it up and especially late at night when the buses are crowded.

good luck..........

 

[JimMIA]

We drive, for several reasons. One, we have a 3 y/o and a stroller.

Second, we go pretty early in the AM, so we usually just breeze in and park within easy walking distance of whichever entrance we're going to. No trammin'.

Third, we often do early theme park, back to the resort for lunch/nap/pool/whatever, and then back to a theme park in the late afternoon. Making two round trips is MUCH quicker with a car than by bus.

Additional factors are that we know when the car leaves the resort, and we know when the car leaves the theme park, so there is no waiting or uncertainty. We are also assured of comfortable seats and no obnoxious people other than ourselves.

Especially with a tired 3 year old, it is good to just walk out of the park and drive home without any additional drama in your life. Of all the benefits of driving, I think the easy-out is the biggest plus for us.

On the other hand, I have a lot of friends who bus everywhere and wouldn't do it any other way. Although you'll hear an occasional anecdote about the bus trip from Hell, I think most people would agree the system works pretty well.

 

[dvc guy]

Another vote for CAROLMN We take the bus to MK and drive elsewhere.
Car, bus, boat, train, there is no bad way to go

 

[RWinNOLA]

Interesting thread.

I visited Disney with my 2 year old DS in October 2002, staying at the POFR and, even though we had a car, took the bus to all the parks and rented a stroller when we got there.

I am in the process of closing my first DVC contract at BWV and plan to visit again in December with DW, DS (who will be 5) and DD who will be almost three at the time of our trip.

l really like the idea of being able to use our own stroller and walking to Epcot and MGM from the resort. As for MK or AK, I just assumed we would take the buses to these parks because that's what we've always done. But this thread reminded me that it was kind of a hassle back in '02 having to rent a stroller all the time. There were also a few occasions when my DS was very tired (or already sleeping) when leaving the parks at night and we had a long wait / crowded bus. I'll probably use our car a lot more this trip, especially for the evening visits to the parks (after naptime) and perhaps still use the buses for morning visits to AK and MK.

 

[kathleena]

We always take the bus to the MK. Going to the TTC is just too much of a pain.

We drive to the AK if we go in the AM and want to go to AKL after for walking around and dinner. We find it easier to take the car there anyway. This time we went on EE day and the gate didn't open until 7:45 to let us in to park. There were lots of bus guests in there before us, but we ended up catching up to them at the Tree of Life during opening ceremony.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We always take the bus too!

 

[disworldnum1]

we used to take the buses to the AK and MK but found that taking our car is more convienent.(especially at the end of the day and you have to wait for a bus.)If we go to Mk early we might take a bus and return through epcot useing the monorail.

 

[DebbieB]

The only time we take the bus is if we go to MK at night. It just seems easier to get out when everyone is leaving the same time after the fireworks or Spectro. If we go in the morning, we drive. We take the boat across the water on the way back to the TTC in the afternoon, that's a nice ride.

 

[teo403]

I would absolutely drive to the AK and would see how crowded the buses look to see about getting to the MK. I find the double strollers to be a handful, and if the buses are crowded, then I tend to get pretty stressed out, pretty fast!

 

[jnrrt]

We love the BW because you can avoid so many busses. We do what CarolMN does, bus to MK, drive elsewhere, but at BW it's great because that means we only drive to AK.

One thing, we usually bus to MK inn the morning, but we've often taken the monorail back to Epcot and then walked back from there. Our kids prefer the monorail, it's easier with a stroller (but a lot more walking!) and in the off-season Epcot's open later, and who doesn't want to see Illuminations again?

 

[DrTomorrow]

Always take the bus to MK. We usually take the bus elsewhere - to us, it's like another ride - unless there's a good reason not to. If we're planning on stopping somewhere off-site for lunch, going to a waterpark, or we're planning on resort stops, then we would probably drive.

 

[Pa@okw95]

Don't worry about large strollers,, the new buses down there have only seats that are against the wall, the middle isle you can drive a small car down, well almost. The back of the new buses do have regular seats, but there is plenty of room down the center for any size stroller.

 

[megrod74]

I don't have a stroller to deal with but I like to drive to all the parks because 1) we always go early and park close, and 2) we always take an afternoon break and it seems the buses don't run as often that time of day. Or maybe it just feels that way.

 

[CharlesTD]

We use the bus system it seems to be very good and we can live with a short wait time our kids also love to ride the busses we always seem to get great drivers full of little bits of info about the area we are staying. They will usually point out to the kids where they see alligators etc during the day and give little ints about things to see at the resorts it is greatly appreciated and as a family of 5 we love the attention to detail like that.