The Rental Car Debate

[amery]

As we are visiting US/IOA during our upcoming stay, we have no choice but to rent a car.

The quandry is if we should do so strictly for those days (3 consecutive) and rely on DME & DT or get one from MCO and bypass DME?

We are not travelling with kids nor are we visiting a park on arrival day (flight comes in at 2). We will be in AK on the last day and would just assume not cut our park day short where at all possible.

The other consideration is the approximate cost for what would amount to a 4day rental (pick up Friday night, return Tuesday morning) through the Car Care Center? I am already ruling out shlepping to DTD to then wait for a shuttle.

My other questions are more DME related:

Can our luggage come onboard with us?
Is there a bus that goes directly to our resort or does it make several resort stops?
Once we land, how long might we have to wait for a bus?

All input appreciated!!

 

[skelooch]

Depending on your arrival and departure dates, you should check the rental car companies to see what the difference in costs for a 4 day rental and your full length of stay. If it's not that much it might be worth the extra cost to give you the convenience and flexibility of having your own transportation, especially if you have ADRs at different resorts.
There have been a couple of threads recently that have discussed the issue of renting vs. Disney Transportation, you should check them out for various opinions.
Rental pickups at on-site locations (there are many) are generally more expensive than at the airport. Something to consider.

Yes you can collect your own bags and bring them to the DME bus, just don't put the DME tags on your bags.

Most DME buses stop at multiple resorts unless you are lucky enough to have a full load going to AK. Possible but not likely.

Most say the time from arrival to being at the resort as being from an hour to hour and a half, but if you claim your own bags allow an additional 20min.

Good Luck with your plans, and have a good trip.

 

[DCTooTall]

As the PP recommended, I'd check the cost difference between the 3 (4) day rental and the rental for your entire stay. Then you can base your decision off the cost difference a bit easier.


I personally am a fan of having a car available onsite. You get free parking at your onsite hotel, and the resort parking pass also gets you into the park's lots without paying for parking. Having a car makes it easier to set your own schedule for park hopping or a mid-day break. (No waiting on the bus, or dealing with Rope Drop or park closing crowded busses).

It also makes it much easier to resort hop for ADRs or exploration.

Plus, you'll open up the possibility of going off site for food or snacks. (such as picking up a case of water for your park trips vs. paying per bottle at the parks).

 

[amery]

As the PP recommended, I'd check the cost difference between the 3 (4) day rental and the rental for your entire stay. Then you can base your decision off the cost difference a bit easier.


I personally am a fan of having a car available onsite. You get free parking at your onsite hotel, and the resort parking pass also gets you into the park's lots without paying for parking. Having a car makes it easier to set your own schedule for park hopping or a mid-day break. (No waiting on the bus, or dealing with Rope Drop or park closing crowded busses).

It also makes it much easier to resort hop for ADRs or exploration.

Plus, you'll open up the possibility of going off site for food or snacks. (such as picking up a case of water for your park trips vs. paying per bottle at the parks).

The only ADR is HDDR on the 9th after being in MK most of that day. We are also doing MVMCP on the 5th after coming from an afternoon visit to US/IOA which would be one of our car days.

To me, this is really a no brainer. It's more cost-effective to have the car for a week + versus only a few days. That aside, the logistics of acquiring said vehicle from within the world are far more involved and potentially inconvenient as opposed to getting it at MCO.

The concept of DME is great and if we had kids, it would definately be the way to. I'm sure that the Mouses (masses) would agree that wanting to get to our destination as fast as possible is far more desirable than waiting in lines and then waiting to get to the resort and hope that our luggage is there when we arrive.

 

[Alexander]

I am firmly on the right or left, which ever end of the spectrum has rent a car! We absolutely will not be without one.

 

[Brian Noble]

If it's the whole family, we *always* get a car. The marginal extra cost over those three days isn't going to be a bank-breaker.

 

[TheWog]

As we are visiting US/IOA during our upcoming stay, we have no choice but to rent a car.

The quandry is if we should do so strictly for those days (3 consecutive) and rely on DME & DT or get one from MCO and bypass DME?

We are not travelling with kids nor are we visiting a park on arrival day (flight comes in at 2). We will be in AK on the last day and would just assume not cut our park day short where at all possible.

The other consideration is the approximate cost for what would amount to a 4day rental (pick up Friday night, return Tuesday morning) through the Car Care Center? I am already ruling out shlepping to DTD to then wait for a shuttle.

My other questions are more DME related:

Can our luggage come onboard with us?
Is there a bus that goes directly to our resort or does it make several resort stops?
Once we land, how long might we have to wait for a bus?

All input appreciated!!

Some of the rental companies will pick you up at your resort and bring you to their rental desk and then return you when you drop it back off. Hertz is one, I think there are a couple more. As others have mentioned the cost difference may be worth renting for the entire week instead of 4 days. Good luck.