Transportation Dilemma

[papagoph]

SORRY....I POSTED THIS TWICE!!!

Feel Free to delete it!!!

Hello All, just wanted to first say how helpful this site and these discussions have been. This is our first trip to disney, we are feeling a bit overwhelmed but quite excited.

Let me give you some information: Me, my husband, two childern ages 11(girl) and 8 (boy) and their Godmother will be in our party. We are arriving on August 9th for 6 nights at CSR.

My question is about transportation at disney. We are flying in and have the ME transportation to CSR. We are considering renting a car to have on the disney grounds for several reasons:

1) Grocery Store: We need to get some goodies for the room, including lots of water. We considered ordering on Amazon and having it sent to the resort but they do not sell cases of bottled water, just individual bottles of the expensive stuff. We know there is a Winn Dixie not too far from DTD and would like to get much stuff there so we don't have to pack it. There doesn't seem to be a reasonable (time and $$) way to get there and back without your own vehicle.

2) Internal Transportation System: We have several DRAs at other resorts, many not near the particular park we may be at that day. And we are also traveling with people who have some feet/ankle problems. The waiting for the buses, etc...to and from these places may be a little much, not to mention the time you will have to allow for this travel. Would having a rental car to get to these other resorts and theme parks be a lot less waiting and time saving?

Also, what kind of traffic could we expect inside the resort if we deceide to rent? Is it pretty quick moving or could we get stuck in traffic?

Any advice or better information would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[jobie61]

Rent the car.... its not that expensive.

After all people spend on their vacation, whats another 200.00 for the comfort and convenience of a rental car.

If you search the thread on this topic... you'll find many that discuss the pros and cons of a rental car.

For me, its mandatory even though we don't use it that much.

 

[papagoph]

Rent the car.... its not that expensive.

After all people spend on their vacation, whats another 200.00 for the comfort and convenience of a rental car.

If you search the thread on this topic... you'll find many that discuss the pros and cons of a rental car.

For me, its mandatory even though we don't use it that much.

please explain what you use it for.....

Would it be usefule for the situations I posted about?

 

[DonnaL]

I agree......rent the car........Disney property is very well marked as to directions. While many, many people do choose to use Disney transportation our family always rents a car. If you do use Disney transport keep in mind you will be at MINIMUM tripling your travel time.....most likely quadrupling it. By driving you can get from Point A to Point B anywhere within Disney property in under 15 minutes......by using buses, boats, etc. (particularly buses) it will take minimum 45 minutes most likely more. If you change location more than once a day that's a lot of time spent to just get somewhere and IMO a huge waste of time. That said, many people would disagree with me on the convenience of having transport provided and I do agree, if everyone chose to drive on property it would create a traffic nightmare........but, for us anyway, it's the way to go.

 

[JanB]

Hi, pappgoph -- welcome to DIS. I know you are all excited about your first trip to WDW!

Concerning whether to rent a car --- I am probably in the minority on the boards, but my family prefers to have a car when at WDW. We do typically drive (from Atlanta). Even so, once we are there, we do drive ourselves most places (except Magic Kingdom). Maybe it's because we are self-confessed control freaks. Part of it is that we are not stressed at all by the traffic in the WDW Resort area. With a car, we can typically get from most any Point A on the property to most any Point B on the property within 15 minutes.

I believe that you do have some compelling reasons to consider having a car with you -- for the comfort of your family with feet/ankle problems. A car can mean less time waiting for a bus (that's the unpredictable part that we don't care for). However, unless you have a handicap sticker or hang-tag, you will not be able to park nearly as close as a bus would drop you off. That can mean a fairly long walk from your car just to the park entrance. And I don't believe that you will be allowed to drop your party off at the entrance before you go park. If the feet/ankle problems are bad enough so that you will be using an ECV or a wheelchair, then get the handicap designation so that you can park close.

For your ADRs at the resorts, a car definitely gives you more flexibility. Travelling from CSR to another hotel, you can get there very quickly with a car. But you can't go directly from one hotel to another via bus, so you would need to allow quite a bit of extra time.

The traffic is typically very busy, and sometimes heavy -- but I can't say that you should expect to actually get stuck in traffic. If you are accustomed to driving in a large city, and if you can read directional signs, then you should be OK.

This is just my opinion --- There are many others who want nothing to do with a car while at WDW.

 

[JanB]

RE: Grocery Store

I can't picture where the Winn Dixie is. But there is a Goodings in Crossroads Shopping Center, across the road from the end of Hotel Plaza Blvd. And there is a Publix not too far off the resort property. Some people think that Goodings is more expensive than others -- but it is probably the closest.

Yes, a car definitely helps with grocery shopping. Although, I do believe that there are some delivery services that some people have used.

Get the car.

 

[huskies90]

We've done it both ways with the car and without and I'll say you really can do it either way and be happy. Like Jobie said, with everything you are spending, the cost for the car is not alot and it is nice to have. Meanwhile, the Disney transportation is efficient and if you like to not have to worry about driving and finding your way around, it works well.

So, with that being said, this this trip and going forward, we will always get the car. Why?

First off, there is something about taking a "bus" that for me spoils the Disney experience. If everthing was a boat or monorail that'll be fine but cramming into a bus is really not all that magical.

Second, coming back from a crowded park I find it easier to go your car then wait for bus even at MK. The busses sometimes took a half hour to 45 minutes. Other times 3 of them pulled up and we were out in 5 minutes but almost always standing. We had no problems with traffic getting out when we drove.

Third going to a resort is a pain. I posted my nightmare trying to get from AKL to CR for a California Grill ADR. It took an hour and a half. Yes an hour and a half. I can send or re-post the gory details if you'd like.

Also, putting a change of clothes or a sweatshirt or other things you may need but don't want to carry in the car came in handy. We didn't do a water park on the last two trips but we will be this time and I imagine a car would be easier to bring stuff to the WP. And finally, if you are going offsite for anything or God forbid to USO or Sea World or Kennedy Space Center it is nice having a car.

Why go without? If you don't need to go offsite for anything and don't mind relaxing and taking your time to get around which A TON of people prefer (hey, you're on vacation , right?), not having a car is no problem. I liked not even having the option to go offsite. It made being at Disney REALLY being at Disney. Also, driving around WDW is NOT easy. We made so many wrong turns and got lost a few times. You'd think they could afford a few street signs!! LOL. It's nice having someone drive you around. Also, it is easy getting a cab. On that dreaded night at the Califonia Grill, we took a cab home. It was very easy and cost about $25. And finally, I think the grocery stop is overrated. Again with everything you are spending, yeah, you'll save a dollar or two but it is a drop in the bucket. The type of things you get for your hotel room at a grocery store are available at each resort and don't cost THAT much more. Just 'cause you don't go to grocery store doesn't mean you need to eat an expensive character breakfast ever day!!

So, in summary, you'll be fine either way. I like the car there because I have the option to do both and I will take a bus on a day that I don't have alot planned or if we are going to/from parks at off hours. But most of the time, our family is more an "on the go" type than a "lay around the pool" type so we like having some more control of our schedule so for what it costs, it is nice to have a car.

 

[papagoph]

This is some great information.....thanks to everyone.

We will have a Handicap parking sticker, my husband has a reconstructed ankle and my friend has plantar fasitis, so standing to them seems a bit harder than walking about.

Also, our return flight isn't until later in the afternoon and with what I have read about transportation back to the airport, we would be leaving so many hours early to ensure the 3 hour ahead of departure.

Now, if we do rent not sure if some of us will take the ME and leave my husband to drive to CSR from the airport or if it would be easier for all of us to ride with him?

 

[huskies90]

some of us will take the ME and leave my husband to drive to CSR from the airport or if it would be easier for all of us to ride with him?

We're doing the same thing. We have an early flight so, the fam will all take ME to get the resort (CSR also btw) and start swimming right away while I deal with the getting the car...

 

[SueM in MN]

We will have a Handicap parking sticker, my husband has a reconstructed ankle and my friend has plantar fasitis, so standing to them seems a bit harder than walking about.

Just so you are aware, the regular parking areas have a tram that picks up people at the end of the rows. The CMs save parking spots at then ends of the rows for people with mobility challenges.

The handicapped parking areas don't have tram service and some of the handicapped parking areas are rather large. If you have to walk from the end of the handicapped parking area to the park entrance, you will usually end up walking a lot farther than you would if you parked in the regular lot and took the tram.

It's best to take the bus to MK because the bus lets you off very close to the turnstiles. If you drive, you will need to get from the parking area to the Ticket and Transportation Center (walk from Handicapped parking or tram from regular). Then you take the monorail (up a long steep ramp to the station) or take the boat (a longer walk, but no ramp) to get to the MK turnstiles.

It's much easier to get from resort to resort with a car.

 

[gigi1313]

i'll admit, i did not read thru the whole thread... but if it's a case or two of bottled water that you want, you can easily order it thru staples.com and if you have a staples reward card you can get reduced or free shipping...

we're no-car-at-disney people...

 

[papagoph]

We're doing the same thing. We have an early flight so, the fam will all take ME to get the resort (CSR also btw) and start swimming right away while I deal with the getting the car...

we rented the car!....and this is what we are gonna do too. Also, I posted another question to you in another thread about renting a car...

So...would it be easier to drive the rental car to the resort..such as Poly then take the monorail from there to MK and then reverse to leave. Is the monorail quicker/not as long a wait as the buses? Are there other resorts in MK that are easier/closer etc... for catching the monorail?

Looks you and I are on the same wavelenght

 

[huskies90]

So...would it be easier to drive the rental car to the resort..such as Poly then take the monorail from there to MK and then reverse to leave. Is the monorail quicker/not as long a wait as the buses? Are there other resorts in MK that are easier/closer etc... for catching the monorail?

Well, if you are going to park your car at a resort, you might as well park it at the Contemporary and walk from there to the MK. However, you are not allowed to park at the MK resorts to go to the park (Same with the Epcot resorts). If you had a ADR at say, Chef Mickey's you could get a 3 hour pass and if you time it right, that may work.

Since you are staying onsite, parking is free. In my case, I always get to the park early so, I can walk from my car to the TTC (monorail station) and from the TTC to my car no problem. Yes, there is always a mad rush getting out of MK after Wishes so you'll wait for a monorail or a boat probabably the same amount of waiting as you will for a bus. But a good trick, though to avoid waiting, is to take the resort monorail instead of the express monorail. Everyone takes the express thinking it is the only way to get to the TTC. But the resort monorail will stop there too after stopping at the Contemporary. Now as I type this, that is probably what you were thinking too and why you suggested parking at the poly. See, you didn't know the resort monorail took ya to the parking lot. Aren't you glad you joined this board???

 

[papagoph]

This board does rock

I didn't know you couldn't park at the other resorts and go to the parks.....

but great tip about the monorail express vs. resort lines then on to TTC.

 

[gigi1313]

you may have misread the previous post... you CANNOT park at a monorail resort (or any other resort that you are not staying at) for more than three hours for a meal reservation or to take a look-see at that resort... so unless you plan to tour the park and be back at your car in less than 3 hours from when you park it, you will need to park at the park!

 

[papagoph]

you may have misread the previous post... you CANNOT park at a monorail resort (or any other resort that you are not staying at) for more than three hours for a meal reservation or to take a look-see at that resort... so unless you plan to tour the park and be back at your car in less than 3 hours from when you park it, you will need to park at the park!

I understood that, but you can take the resort monorail from the MK to get to the TTC, where you would park, if the express monorail line is way long. It may have a few stops but might be quicker. This was my understanding.