WL - need a rent car?

[HPHILBIN]

We're taking our two boys (4 & 2) so I think we'll spend most of our time at MK so we can do the boats, but when we want to go to the other parks or to dinner will it be worth it to have a rent car? I don't know that I'm up for waiting an hour for a bus!

 

[lovin_disney]

I always rent a car. It makes life so much easier. This time it is just me and my DS and we are staying at WL for 7 nights in August. I got a great rate $89 for the week (plus taxes and fees). So I am paying more than the roundtrip shuttle from the airport but you can't beat the flexibility, especially if you want to eat at the other resorts, which we do.

 

[JodyTG]

I've been to WDW 6 times and never found the need to rent a car. I do take a towncar from the airport to the resort and back and this cuts down the amount of time and hassle that way. I've never had to wait long at all for the WDW buses to take me where I want to go.

 

[ShaneV]

Its up to you, but Im on the other end of the spectrum, we never rent a car. Even when we drive I park and never drive again.
For the record you should never have to wait an hour for a bus. They usually come every 5-10 minutes depending on where you are going. If you plan to eat offsite this is a different story. I would try this on the transportation board.

 

[jwfla422]

We drive to WDW so we've always had a car. There are many times we park the first day and don't use the car till we leave, however WL is probably one of the resorts that I actually valet at now because it is so much easier to drive to another resort or to DTD.

I would still use the buses for the parks (MK of course you can take a boat). You also can take a boat to the CR if you visit Chef Mickey's.

Sometimes we've been lucky with the buses and other times we've had to wait and wait.

If you go to the restaurants at the MK resorts you can take the boat to MK and then transfer to the monorail but sometimes that can take a while if you have to wait on the boat.

The one benefit to valet parking (especially with kids) at the resort you're staying at is that when you go to dinner at another resort you can valet there for free since you pay daily. And, I may get flamed for this but there is no time limit (if you valet) so you can have dinner at say, O'Hana's and then hop on the monorail and go to MK to watch the parade, etc. Or go to Cape May Cafe and then walk to EPCOT and watch Illuminations.

If I was traveling by air I would rent the least expensive car I could and splurge for the valet. We go to WDW at least 4x a year and have stayed at WL several times and from our experiences that's what I would recommend (especially with young children).

 

[Geoff_M]

The buses are adequate, but there are times when a car is definitely quicker. I'll also say that the buses may have an edge during peak season. The one time we had a real problem with a bus at WL was after E-night. The boats stopped running at their normal time after the park closed. We had to ride the monorail to the TTC and then we waited, and waited, and waited for a bus to WL. Finally one showed up. The elapsed time from leaving MK to arriving back at WL was well over an hour. Our small kids were literally falling asleep while leaning against is in the bus queue.

 

[ktulu]

When my wife and I went in April of 2000 we used the buses and never had a problem at POR. We had to wait at a couple parks after close, we were not happy, but we also just left a park and our feet were TIRED! Looking back on it, it wasn't that bad. We're staying at WL this year, and we do not plan on renting a car. Trust the folks in the purple pants!

darren

 

[sardan]

No need for a car. Disney transportation is great.

 

[uncle al]

I am with the "you don't need a car" crowd. We always drive to WDW - so we always have our car - we always park it & never get back in until the day we leave. If we want to go to another resort for dinner, or to DTD / West Side we take a cab. No fuss - no hassle - cost a little, but to me it is worth not having to deal with traffic, finding a place to park, etc, etc...... Save the cash - take a cab when you want to go places and don't feel like waiting on a bus.