To rent a car or not?

[mikemouse]

I am having 3 days in the pop century resort and not renting a car as I will use the public transport and then I am spending 4 nights in Quality Inn international to explore seaworld and universal

the question is do I need a car for universal and seaworld- I am going to go early and come back in the evening- is there a lot to see and do in the evening on i-drive that it is worth getting a car or should i use the hotel transport

if all the international drive attractions are walking distance from the quality inn do I need a car?

any advice appreciated

going in 2 weeks for first time- just me and the wife...

 

[Netty]

its worth having a car to go and explore even more .. like the 192 etc.
you'll obviously have much more freedom , and your 2 weeks won't just be confined to I drive.
Jeanette

 

[snookhams]

Hi, we have done Orlando with and without a car before and I certainly would always hire a car now, we get so much more done, we get back to the accomodation quicker we can come and go as we please. You should be OK with the hotel transport but does it pick up from other hotels on the way, you could be the first picked up and consequently the last dropped off and this can take an awfully long time believe me!!!

 

[sam_b]

Hi,

If you feel comfortable driving, I would definitely hire a car.

Especially if you are planning on doing any shopping!

As already stated, you will have more freedom and it will probably save you time.
It's especially useful on the last day of your holiday. You can store your luggage in it, check out early and have a full, fun day making your way to the airport when you are ready, and not when the airport pick up is at the hotel!

 

[Goofyish]

We did a similar split in 2001. A week at WDW and then a week at QIP on IDrive. We didn't have a car and managed fine.

We used WDW transport the first week and then got a taxi to IDrive. We used the I-Ride trolley to get to Seaworld and to get up and down IDrive. For Universal we used taxis - worked out about $11 each way to Universal - we made 3 trips there in total.

We did one trip to Florida Mall via taxis too.

In total we spent about $140 on taxis for the two weeks plus $90 for the Towncar transfer to.from the airport.

 

[AndRu]

Personally speaking, I wouldn't ever goto the States without a car. Everything is so spread out that you'd miss so much without one.

 

[ukfloridafan]

Another vote for hiring a car. Well worth the extra expense and will open a "whole new world".

 

[Hilary]

I have been a few times without hiring a car but have always stayed in WDW and used their transport for the WDW parks, and taxis / shuttles for USF / SeaWorld / KSC. I have nothing but praise for the WDW transport

I haven't stayed on IDrive without a car, but I get the impression that this could be more of a 'challenge'! However, depending on where you want to go, you may find it is cheaper / easier to rely on taxis and shuttles than go for the rental car if you plan to hire for just that part of the trip.

On one trip we split our stay between Orlando and the coast and hired a car for just the non-Orlando part. We decided to arrange the car hire out there, thinking it would be cheaper. Big mistake! We may have been 'unlucky', but now we hire in the UK for the whole trip, and just leave the car in the hotel parking lot when we're in WDW and use their transport

 

[jwhiting]

Personally I would always get a car as driving in Orlando is very easy.

I don't know about everybody else but I find the I Ride Trolley a complete nightmare. Extremely busy and hot. I avoid it like the plague.

Julian

 

[floridalol]

I'm with AndRu and Julian on this one - just seeing all those poor souls sweltering in the heat waiting for the trolley to turn up reinforces my opinion of no car no holiday!

 

[debkorb1]

I vote FOR the car. For me, you just cannot beat the flexbility of a car regardless of where you stay.

 

[RUSHBURY]

Another vote for hiring a car - you get to see and do so much more and at your own pace and not when public/Disney transport is available.