Which is quicker,Disney transportation or driving?

[eeyoresmom]

Everything else aside,which is faster my own car or Disney transportation from park to park (off season)? All opinions please!

 

[crisi]

Everything else aside, it completely depends.

If you get lucky and a bus is right there, catching a bus is quicker. If you have to wait for a bus, its probably faster to drive.

If you are going from MGM to Epcot (or Epcot to MGM) the fastest option is walking - particularly if you are near the International Gateway to begin with.

AK buses also usually serve BB, so they will make an extra stop - making it faster to drive to AK.

If speed is an urgent need - a cab - while expensive - will be faster than a bus or your own car.

 

[Steve Hurley]

We have always driven because we enjoy the independance of coming and going when we want to. DW transportation can be good but it can aslo be very unreliable and unpredictable. Alot of routes aren't direct so that aslo adds time. Driving removes the unnecessary stress of waiting for busses.

 

[castlegazer]

I was going to start off saying that its obvious that driving is always faster until I read crisi's, my self-described genius from another thread, post. She is absolutely correct that it totally depends. AK - always faster to drive here. MK - given the issue of the TTC and parking lot trams, it may be neither here nor there on driving versus buses depending on your resort. Epcot - I have very little experience with this as we usually take the monorail over here due to the lengthier trip and how fun it is to go by monorail as a pilot so we will make a special effort to do this. MGM - I feel its faster to drive here (which would lead one to believe that it is faster to drive to Epcot due to their proximity).

 

[crisi]

oh, there is another depends.....

If you are like me and convinced there are three Tower of Terror signs between Epcot and the MK because you pass three of them every time you drive there (translation - I get lost in a brown paper bag and find Disney in particular confusing) it is almost always faster to take Disney transportation.

(Hint, when you are seeing signs for the Tallahassee exit, you've left Disney property and should have taken a bus!)

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

It should be noted that it is usually faster to drive to AK, Studios and Epcot mostly because a car is more likely to speed, and pass the bus that is most likely doing the speed limit. Most time spent waiting the 5-15 minutes for a bus can be taken up by waiting in line at the Toll Plaza, parking the car, and taking the tram, or schlepping to the gates. Bottom line, if all things are equal, both the car and bus take a simmilar amount of time, differing by only a few minutes. And in the grand scheme of things, this really is inconsequential. It's more a matter of which is more convenient for you -- having someone else do the work, or the freedom to deal with tourist traffic yourself.

I will also take this moment to remind everyone that the highest posted speed limit on property is 50mph. Not 55, not 60. Orange County Sherrif's Dept *DOES* patrol Disney property roads, and *WILL* pull you over. So please please, obey all speed limit laws.

 

[sue1013]

I'm one that always uses Disney Transportation. I see many posts regarding long wait times but in the many times I have vacation at WDW I've never had any wait longer than 15 minutes, usually more like 5-10. Crowded busses and having to stand many times. If you use public transportation you will find the busses great! I wish NJ Transit would pick up some Disney Tips. From your post it sounds like you are more concerned with quick. If that is your main concern you are probably better off driving since even if you wait 5 min you will think its much longer. I've stood next to people waiting for 5 min and they are getting angry thinking they've been at the stop for 20. I guess its all what you are used to.

 

[jcemom]

The Unofficial Guide has a chart listing the times both by Disney transportation and by car to/from all the resorts and parks. For the most part, there isn't much difference (maybe + or - 10 minutes) except for downtown disney and the water parks, where a car is usually faster.

 

[TreeOfLife]

Well, own driving does take you where you want to go sooner. However, consider lines for the trams!

Disney transportation drops you off closer, no need to play musical chairs in and out of trams, no need to race anyone to the lines or be paraded around the parking lot before you find your car. The aggravation alone is well worth skipping for me!

 

[Luv2Roam]

Agree it depends.
Getting to DTD and back by bus is very time consuming.
I would use a car if staying POR or going to/from DTD at any WDW resort.
After that, it is a matter of timing.
Other than POR and a few DTD busses, I have never had to wait long for any Disney transportation.
It also depending on where you are staying and where you are going -- a private car would be much faster.
In August we stayed at WL. Transferiing transportation here and there was also very time consuming. Not a big deal. But time consuming in the long run.
One trip in October we were with friends who drove us everywhere. I was amazed at much faster it was to get around. Plus it was nice knowing we didn't have to transfer and allow minimum 1.5 hours to get from one resort to another just to eat. (For what would be a 10 - Tops 15 - minute drive)

 

[Uncleromulus]

BY and large, the car is faster. But no so much faster that it really would make a whole lot of difference (if speed is your ONLY concern).
In all the times we've gone and driven our car, we never had to wait more than a minute or two for a tram, and have always been able to get on the first one that came by.
With a bus you usually have to wait unless your timing is perfect. And there is always the chance that you won't be able to sit down on the bus--having to stand the entire trip.
PLUs--should you suddenly decide you want to play some miniature golf, head to DD for a little shopping, etc, a car is much more convenient.

 

[jtbdas]

We I reached driving age and was able to go to Disney on my own wheels I drove everywhere and thought it to be the quickest, one wife and four kids later I leave the driving up to the makers of magic. It really is a matter of choice and preference, personally I take advantage of all the perks of staying on property and being driven around is a break for the mad max in me....

 

[seashoreCM]

I usually use Disney transportation on site but also rent a car since I go off property every now and then.

Disney transportation is more carefree.

When there is a need to "carry freight as opposed to passengers" I use a car more, at home as well as at WDW. At a waterpark I will sometimes get partly changed in the car, and do need to bring "stuff" like towels, extra clothes.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

>>> Which is quicker ...? (thead title)

If the trip by bus tends to be anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes and the trip by car tends to be between 15 and 20 minutes, which is quicker?

 

[sueg]

We always drive to AK & the water parks. We never drive to MK. We did it once, trying to enter at rope drop & it was bad enough that we would never try it again. We love to walk to Epcot & MGM if we are staying at a resort that allows it. But if we can't walk, we usually take the bus. We find a car MOST useful if you want to eat dinner at a different resort. Resort-to-resort travel is cumbersome & slow. Depending on which resorts & at what time, we've had to take 3 buses to get home.