Why do people choose to rely on Disney transportation?

[arielsleepingbeauty]

I use both a rental car and Disney Transportation. I rent a car, but never leave Disney Property except coming and going. On the way we make a quick stop to the local Walmart to pick up a cooler and some snacks, but that's it. We only use the car to drive to the park when it opens and when we are doen for the day. We will use Disney Transportation to go back to Pop Century during the day or the the Marketplace. I hate to drive while I am on vacation, but waiting in a long line after the park closes would really put me over the edge. I admit that I am impatient and when my kids are tired after a long day, I just want to go.
I think it's great that Disney offers transportation to it's guests. I don't want to pay a rental car fee, but I split it with my mother so it works out to about the same to get transportation from the airport to the resort and back.

 

[AngelEyes]

When you leave Epcot, and follow the signs for Downtown Disney, as you approach a certain intersection there's a sign that says "Downtown Disney Next Left". I tried three nights in a row to 'interpret' that sign - I got lost three nights in a row (differently each night). I found out later, the "next left" that I was taking literally? It's a Cast Member road and Disney doesn't count it when it comes to that signage!

Well... if you say so... but I figure, that someone else drives in and around that area at least several days a week. I'm there twice, maybe three times a year. I mean, do YOU want to drive around Boston traffic, or would you rather have me drive - keeping in mind, I've been doing it almost every weekday for the last three years.


Now, my take. If I'm going to spend the entire trip at Walt Disney World, I won't rent a car. I'm on vacation, I'm relaxing (yeah, even at WDW), so if it takes fifteen or twenty minutes for a bus to show up, I'll live. If I needed to be somewhere at a specific time, I should have started early enough to get there.
On the other hand, if I'm visiting two or three of the Orlando-area parks, yeah, I'll rent a car. I started a trip offsite a couple (has it been that long?) of years ago, and moved over to OKW on Sunday. I also had an ECV. Once I got to the resort, I didn't touch the car again until Thursday, and then only because I felt guilty about having it and not using it!

Yes, if I'm ever in Boston, you can drive me, no doubt! I was a little nervous the first time I did it, but I feel like I know Orlando really well, the parts that I go to, and I know the roads in Disney extremely well. I've never driven in a huge city like Boston or New York. I would definetely want to be a passenger for a while before I attemtped to drive in that mess.

 

[AngelEyes]

I've never rented a car at WDW, and I never want to. When I go to WDW, I have absolutely no interest in leaving Disney property. No offense to Central Floridians, but I just don't need to go out among you in your native habitat. I'm sure we're very much alike, except that I own more sweaters, and you have a better knowledge of really big bugs.

I enjoy being in what I call the "Disney cocoon." I LOVE the fact that my car is at my home airport, and that my car key is in my room safe for an entire week. I've gotta drive every day of my life, so I truly relish a week when I don't have to drive.

That's just me. I love it that after a long hot day at the parks I can get onto an air conditioned bus that hasn't been baking in the sun all day, and get off my feet and turn off my brain for a few minutes.

The only time I don't like the buses is after Wishes or some other event like that when the equivalent of the population of Kansas City leaves the park all at the same time and tries to squeeze into 15 buses. However, I'd STILL rather do that than rent a car.

The money-saving aspect is nice, too. But for me the main thing is voluntarily GIVING UP control and, literally and figuratively, letting someone else drive for a few days. I have to be so tightly in-control during the rest of my life, but at WDW I can let go and r-e-l-a-x.

I definately see your point! As far as the control thing that you mentioned in your other post, I actually know what all the other drivers are thinking and getting ready to do, so it really is safer for me to drive.

 

[AngelEyes]

Just wanted to say that this has been a great thread with a lot of great posts. You guys and gals have answered my question dozens of times over. Thanks!!

 

[goofy4tink]

The only time we have rented a car while at WDW was when we had to drive over to Tampa. We live in the suburbs, about 30 miles west of Boston, so we never ride public transit. All driving is in our cars, everywhere!!! But, when in WDW, we prefer to use the buses. I've found that the worst bus transportation is to, and from, DTD. So, I plan on an extra 30-40 commuting time to get to and from there. In fact, that's one of the big reasons I just don't go over to DTD all that much anymore....way too time consuming. But, for the most part, the buses to the parks are pretty frequent. Yes, I realize that when you're standing, or sitting, there..waiting, it seems much longer. When I was at the Dolphin last week, I checked my watch frequently, just to see what the waits were like. What seemed like 30 mins was in all actuality more like 10 mins of wait time. I never waited more than 20 mins for a bus, and that one time was when I got to the bus stop just as the MK bus was pulling away.
I really don't want the hassle of driving around on WDW property. Yes, there is pretty decent signage, but it can still be confusing. There are plenty of 'unknowledgable' drivers out there, on the roads. You don't need me added to the mix!!!!
I use DME as often as possible. Then, I try to stay at Epcot resorts so I can walk to Epcot and the Studios, or take the boats. I'm on vacation and don't really mind waiting for the bus. Even my type A, control freak dh doesn't mind the buses!!! He says that's when he realizes he is actually in WDW!!!! He's on vacation and wants to 'leave the driving' to them!!

 

[Disneyfan63]

Hi,

Want another answer? I use Disney Transit because, lacking a driver's license, I have no other viable choice. After retinal detachment surgery in 1980, the summer before I was to take driver ed. in high school, my surgeon forbid me to take the course. I never have taken driving lessons.

Jim

 

[AngelEyes]

Hi,

Want another answer? I use Disney Transit because, lacking a driver's license, I have no other viable choice. After retinal detachment surgery in 1980, the summer before I was to take driver ed. in high school, my surgeon forbid me to take the course. I never have taken driving lessons.

Jim

Probably the best reason so far. My wife is the clinic supervisor for an eye doctor here in Greensboro, and she has MANY retinal detachment stories. I know when I hear her say those 2 words it's a serious situation. Did you fully recover?

 

[crisi]

1. Don't enjoy driving - particularly strange roads. Neither does my husband.
2. Husband is a car snob - if he is going to drive, better make it worth his while - no such thing as a $200 week rental for us.
3. Like to suppliment with cabs - so the waiting thing isn't a deal - in a rush, grab a cab.
4. Directionally challenged - did you know there are three Tower of Terror signs between MK and Epcot? - at least there are when we drive.
5. Stay at Boardwalk - our need for buses/cabs is limited to AK and MK and the occational resort or DTD trip - and even people who rent will take a bus to MK to avoid the MK parking situation.
6. Agree on the central Florida thing. Disneyworld is a nice place to visit. Central Florida I pass through on my way back and forth to the airport - and feel I've spent way to much time there just doing that.
7. Have had two horrible car rental experiences at MCO - one where we got overcharged, one where we waited two hours for a car with small kids.

 

[KirstenB]

When we are there this coming July we will have our car since we will be driving down or taking the autotrain. It will be DW, DS (6 weeks old now; will be 8 months on trip) and myself. Though we will have our car, I plan at leaving it at SSR and not move it once unless we need something for the baby. As many have said previous, the busses are part of the magic. One poster hit the nail on the head about your car baking in the sun all day. I want to avid my car sitting in the July heat and will like the AC'd bus.

-Matt

You're smart to have your car with you with a baby. I've never appreciated our car more than when I was holding a sweaty, over-tired 7 mth old in the OKW bus line. Although your baby is probably more easy-natured than ours were.

 

[DonnaL]

We do use monorail transportation at times and also boat transportation when we're staying at BWV (MGM and Epcot) and VWL (MK). However, on one of our trips last year DH and I decided to take the bus for whatever reason and after spending 20 minutes waiting for a bus, then making umpteen stops and finally arriving at our destination almost an hour later he said "NOW I remember why we don't use the buses" Also, it really becomes a pain when you want to go from one resort to another.......the transfer at DTD or a park makes for a really long trip.

 

[ztbz]

Let me try to explain some of the mindset of what goes on at Downtown Disney at least in the minds of the WDW Bus management. You see Disney does not want to spend a lot of money on transportation going to or from Downtown Disney, Why you may ask, because Disney feels it does not make enough revenue at the Downtown Disney complex to justify the amount of buses needed to run the routes smoothly. Disney will normally have more buses running to the parks (usually about 50 to 60 buses are allocated to run on the park routes compared to about 30 to 35 buses allocated for Downtown Disney). Also for those guests, who stay at Pop Century resort, guess which area is in-charge of ALL Bus Transportation routes that are leaving the Pop before 11 am. That’s right Downtown Disney is the area in charge of bus service at the Pop Century and it gets worst because Downtown Disney work area has to spilt the buses up between those routes going from other resorts to Downtown Disney and routes that leave the Pop before 11 am going to the parks. In the morning most times there are 30 to 35 buses for Downtown Disney and Pop Century routes, then about 8 to 10 buses are shut down for the afternoon starting at 11 am and they don’t go back up until around 5 or 6 pm at night when about 45 buses are running. The worst time to try to get to Downtown Disney is around 5 to 8 pm, during this time period, is when the parks are closing and its also dinner time at Downtown Disney, I would try to avoid this time frame if its all possible during your travels to Walt Disney World.

One note beginning at around 10:30 in the morning through night time, a Dispatcher is usually in place at the Marketplace bus stop (They will normally try to hide, as they are the ones responsible along with the Computer for the wait times at Downtown Disney work location). Just look for a white van nearby the bus stops. So if you feel the wait time is long when your there, it can’t hurt to go up and ask when the next dispatch is for the route you are looking for when going back to your resort. (The have been many times when guest would come up to me at the Marketplace asking when their bus would be coming and I will simply point the guest over to the white van and tell them to ask the Dispatcher).

 

[mwehttam]

You're smart to have your car with you with a baby. I've never appreciated our car more than when I was holding a sweaty, over-tired 7 mth old in the OKW bus line. Although your baby is probably more easy-natured than ours were.

I don't know. He is only 7 weeks old this Monday so his personality is still a slight mystery. He is very attentive, looking around and likes to sleep in the car. If we decide to drive down in July I hope he is still the same way.

-Matt

 

[Disneyfan63]

Hi AngelEyes,

Yes, I have fully recovered from the surgery. The cryotherapy (freezing) of my eyes (an operation to repair 20 tears and detachment of my right eye on August 8, 1980, and a "minor" operation to repair two tears but no detachment in my left eye on August 13, 1980) created scar tissue on my retinas that make my eyes even stronger--better able to withstand stress--than before the operation. Full recovery--removal of all medical restrictions--took nearly two years.

For those that don't know, the retina is an extension of the optic nerve consisting of rod- and cone-shaped cells that allow you to see shapes and colors. When a retina is detached, things look distorted and often colorless. I often saw "floaters" (which are a byproduct of the corrective surgery as well) and part of my visual field with eyes closed was white. That's called a curtain, and left untreated would have covered my entire visual field and blinded me within four days. A detached retina must be treated ASAP. I was in the hospital two days after the August 5, 1980 diving incident and in surgery a day later.

My uncorrected eyesight in each eye is now 20/2000 (anything 20 feet away looks to me like it's almost half a mile distant) but glasses correct it to 20/30 left eye and 20/40 right. I wouldn't try to drive because I wouldn't be able to see things in time, but the Lord preserved my eyesight through the wonderful health professionals at Wills Eye Hospital in Philly.

Sorry about this rant, but I thought I'd let you know.

Jim

 

[wishes_do_cometrue]

Hey if anyone has Q's about the tranpartation
juat ask becase i parctecly know anything about CBR transpertation
Just in my word just call the front desk and they will give you a wake up call

p.s. please reply