Tree house without a car: Yea or Nay?

[Disney Dad Canada]

My parents are coming along for our trip next March, and with the extra points from my recent add-on to BLT I worked out I can afford a tree house at SSR.

Since we wouldn't have a car, and would rely on Disney's bus transportation, would the tree houses be a good idea? Is it a major walk to SSRs pools, dining, bus stops etc., or would be be okay?

Thanks in advance for your opinions/advice.

 

[CMOORE185]

You are going to get mixed reviews on this subject, but in my personal experience the bus transportation was awesome. We went spring break when it was busy too. There is a bus to SSR from the THV, but we usually walked to the Grandstand bus stop and caught a bus to the parks from there, it is only a 5 minute walk. The Grandstand is nice because it is the 1st stop so the bus is empty. We usually had no more than a 5 minute wait for any bus there. To go to Downtown Disney you can take the boat from THV. The boat also stops at SSR. It is a 5 minute walk to the Grandstand pool, and about a 10 min walk to main pool or front desk. If you do not like walking there seemed to be a THV bus quite frequently.

 

[Mickey527]

On my last trip I went on the BLT tour and the guide was talking about the Treetops. He said that Disney suggests anyone staying there have their own car because of the bus situation. You have to walk from the Trees to SSR and it could get pretty nasty in the FL rain or humidity.
Also, it is darker there and if you grt off the bus at SSR and walk through the woods at night who knows what type of creature you might run into. I am thinking snakes, I hate snakes. Anything else would probably run away from humans, but snakes....yuck.
We had a snake come into our room at OKW once, he snuck under the door in our first floor unit. It didn't have one of those rubber stoppers on the bottom and there was a 1" gap between the door and the floor. YUCK

 

[utahkennedys]

I think it depends on your vacation style and personality. Personally I feel totally stranded at WDW without a car. Sometimes we take ME and then rent a car for part of our trip from a DTD hotel or something. I need to know I have a car if we want to go offsite to outlets, Publix, Walgreens, or just hop in the car and drive to a resort for a meal. Relying on buses to get between resorts is a nightmare.

It saves quite a bit of $ to rent from a DTD hotel because you are not paying airport taxes and fees which really add up. This is the best of both worlds for my frugal self!

 

[CMOORE185]

On my last trip I went on the BLT tour and the guide was talking about the Treetops. He said that Disney suggests anyone staying there have their own car because of the bus situation. You have to walk from the Trees to SSR and it could get pretty nasty in the FL rain or humidity. Also, it is darker there and if you grt off the bus at SSR and walk through the woods at night who knows what type of creature you might run into. I am thinking snakes, I hate snakes. Anything else would probably run away from humans, but snakes....yuck.
We had a snake come into our room at OKW once, he snuck under the door in our first floor unit. It didn't have one of those rubber stoppers on the bottom and there was a 1" gap between the door and the floor. YUCK

It is not true that you have to walk to SSR from the THV, there is a THV bus that takes you to SSR.

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

For us it's not a matter of getting a car or not, as I do not have a lisence. We go everywhere via public transit at home. My questions refers to whether to book a treehouse or another 2 bedroom elsewhere, since we will not have a car and will be relying on the Disney bus transportation.

 

[Brian Noble]

With a three-generation trip, the three bedrooms might make up for the need to transfer via bus to get anywhere. I think it comes down to how tolerant you are of the transportation onsite. It would drive me nuts, but others are more sanguine.

 

[mickey&minniealways]

We stayed OKW, our favorite resort, in2005. It was myself, DH, DS19,DS17 DD10, MIL, FIL, DHs Nephew 17. Inlaws loved the place. The landscaping is beautiful. There was plenty of space for all eight of us, the boys took turns sleeping on air mattress in living room so DD could have bed to herself. No ever felt crowded. My parents stayed in the Treehouses with my sister and brother in the early eighties. They liked it enough and enjoyed the peacocks outside early in the morning but didn't really like being out in the woods. My mother said it was to dark. Now ALOT has changed in the treetops since then, but I would still opt for a different villa.

 

[Cee]

We've only stayed at THV once and had a car. Usually we don't and use the WDW transportation. My observation was that the buses were efficient going from the THV and they came with great regularity. The walk from THV to SSR is a very nice one and only took about 5 min. and we were strolling.

 

[Pakey]

We are laid back and rarely get a car while at WDW because we just aren't in any hurry.

Last month we stayed at THV without a car. Never again would I consider it. There's long and then there's just too long.

 

[BeccaG]

Although I have a license I get enough of traffic here in So Cal and do not feel the need to be in control driving at WDW (its a kind of therapy for this control freak but I digress).

To get to your answer, for me, it would depend on the length of trip. We staid last November for 5 days in the treehouses. We loved having the space and privacy for everyone as we had 2 single individuals, another couple, my in laws, my 2 kids and my husband and I. We had two treehouses and that way everyone had their own bedroom and that was great. We are not bothered taking and spending time on the buses, its part of the package for us when we go to WDW just like waiting in line. However, post trip, my husband and I decided that for short trips, those under 7 days, we would probably think long and hard about the treehouses unless the group dynamics really demanded the third bedroom.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

We stayed at THV in January with 9+1. We did have one car, but only used it one night for grown-ups to go to dinner at EPCOT.

We asked for a THV near the Grandstand, and we would usually just walk over there to pick up a bus (less than 5 minute walk), since we had a stroller, etc. to deal with.

However, we were right outside the internal THV bus stop, so if a bus was coming, we could jump right on. This bus also took the kids over to the Community Hall, which was great.

If your parents don't have any mobility issues, I think it would work great, and provide a lot more private space than a 2BR would.

We have booked one for March, 2011 when my mother will be joining us as my DS16's school bad plays for Spring Break! I am sure she will be thrilled to get her own BR.