Would a car be worth it?

[Melissabo]

We went to WDW back on 2009. We stayed at an all star and took DME to and from airport and buses to parks. We left the park most days to return to the room for a nap. I found the buses to be good. People talked a lot about all stars sharing buses but this was not an issue for us.

We went to other resorts a few times and just did cabs since it was more direct. Overall we were happy with the bus service and liked not having to worry about directions, navigating etc.

This trip we now have another child our kids are 2 (almost 3) and 6. We are staying at POR. I was considering renting a car since a few people suggested it. I would like the option to return to the room in the afternoons. I'm fine with navigating my way to WDW or within the world now that I am somewhat familiar and with all of the GPS options now available. What I am unsure about though is if it is worth it?

We will prob go to MK at least 2-3 times on our trip and busses seem easier for this. I'm thinking we will be at HS 2 times, Epcot 2 times, AK once and DTD 2x.

Would a car be easier? Or is bus service fine at POR? Keep in mind we would need to lug a booster seat and car seat unless you can rent them with cars.

 

[iluveeyore]

Honestly, it's a personal choice and a budget choice....if you want to spend the money on a rental or can find a good deal, sure! Personally, if we do rent a car, we use it mainly to go to other resorts for meals or wandering, but I have never used a car for going to the parks. The buses drop you off as close as you can get to the front gates of each park - any of the parking lots I have seen, everyone has to either walk a long way or use a tram/ferry to get to the entrance. And then if you stay till park closing, I would prefer not to sit in a car lined up to get out and let the bus driver handle it.
We always go back to the resort at lunch time, and really during the midday buses are really not busy that I've seen.
So I guess it's a personal choice, and you can weigh everyone's opinion to help you decide! Happy planning and have a great trip!

 

[AmyLand98]

Our first four trips we did not get a rental car and relied on Disney transportation and it was great. When we went last month my husband really wanted to get a rental car so we did. We rented it from the Disney Car Center so we still took DME from and back to the airport. Alamo picked us up at AKL (and they will pick you up from anywhere on property) and then took us back to AKL when we dropped the car off. Having a car was awesome!! While we might have had a longer walk to get to the car instead of the bus stop, I didn't have to wait in line to get in the car and I was guaranteed a seat! We never had to wait in line to get out of the park but had to wait in a line a few times to get into the park. It cut the time of travel from the resort to the parks or DTD by a lot!! So completely worth it in my opinion!! We will probably always get a rental car now

On a side note, we brought out GPS with us and never needed it once. Disney is awesome with signs and had no problem getting anywhere!!

 

[wdwrich]

Count me in as "yes" for a rental car. Having done WDW trips both ways (with and without a rental car), we always get a rental now. With the exception of MK, we find it's faster to/from the theme parks, and as a PP mentioned, you always get a seat! The real benefit for us is having the car for travel between resorts/hotels in the evenings for dinner. Using Disney transportation to do this is a real pain and can take a looooong time.

 

[rwdavis2]

We always rent a car. It's quicker and more convenient. Given the cost of the vacation my time becomes pretty valuable. The only travel exception may be getting to MK. If you get to EPCOT and AK early enough you can park close enough to walk in. I've never been able to walk up to DHS regardless of what time I arrive.

 

[goodferry]

I agree with the previous post, we have done it both ways and have found it's so much more convenient to have a car. Things are so much closer than they appear to be when you are riding the buses! Downtown Disney had to be the biggest suprise for me, I have spent over an hour on a bus from the CR to DTD, by car (including walking to the car with four kids and finding a parking spot) it was 14 minutes.
Plus we have the option of running to Target or the drug store if we need/forget something!
As far as GPS on mousesavers.com she has a downloadable points of interest file that we installed on ours and it works like a charm, we drive everywhere except to Magic Kingdom with no problems. It frees us up to eat at any of the resorts we like without it taking an hour to get there.

 

[sam_gordon]

Personally, I don't like the car because I don't want to concern myself with driving if I can help it. Also, you don't need to worry about getting into a hot car in the middle of the day. To me, it's also an extra cost.

All that being said, it's really a personal decision. Some people swear by having a car, others don't.

 

[Ed J]

Cars take less time and I'll trade a hot car for physical contact with a sweaty stranger every time . IMO there is no correct answer, but we prefer a car.

And the rental car can be a ride itself, I'm still not mature enough to keep from beating the crap out of our rental .

 

[Melissabo]

Thanks for the replies I really like hearing all of the different opinions. What about car seats and booster seats? What is a considered a good weekly price for a compact car? I would think it is easiest to rent right at the airport?

 

[wdwrich]

What about car seats and booster seats?

You have two options here:
1. Bring your own (many airlines don't charge for checking child seats).
2. Rent one from the car rental agancy.

We've used option #1 several times to save a few $.