I'm sure this questions has been asked before, but I'd love to get current perspectives. I'm flying into Orlando w/ my six-year-old the morning of Jan. 10, staying at Pop Century and leaving about 9 p.m. on Jan 13. We have four day park hopper tickets. We plan to spend basically the entire time visiting the different parks. Maybe try to get over to Disney Springs and/or Fort Wilderness for evening activities. Would it be more convenient to rent a car or rely on Disney transportation?
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Rent a Car of Use Disney Transportation
- Thread starter Katie2980
- Start date
MinnieM123
Premium Member
@Katie2980 , Whether driving or using Disney transportation, each option has its pros and cons. A few thoughts below, and I'm sure that other forum members may also have some good points to share with you.
Some guests enjoy driving their own car, because they enjoy the freedom. It may also be faster in certain respects, but keep in mind that the WDW parking lots are huge, and you'll have to wait for a tram to take you to the park entrance. (The trams do run often; although, if you wait until park closing time when the crowds all depart en masse, you'll be waiting in queues to get on a tram, to return to your car in the lot.)
Other guests (myself included) prefer to use WDW buses, monorail, and boats. I like to totally relax on vacation and am comfortable letting those CMs in transportation handle everything. Overall, I think they do a great job, and the wait times between the modes of transportation (buses, monorail and boats) are reasonable. Also, Disney transportation takes you directly to the front entrance of each park, (so no additional tram ride from a parking lot is needed).
Lastly, some guests elect to do a combination of their own car some days, and Disney transportation on other days, depending upon the specifics of their schedule.
Some guests enjoy driving their own car, because they enjoy the freedom. It may also be faster in certain respects, but keep in mind that the WDW parking lots are huge, and you'll have to wait for a tram to take you to the park entrance. (The trams do run often; although, if you wait until park closing time when the crowds all depart en masse, you'll be waiting in queues to get on a tram, to return to your car in the lot.)
Other guests (myself included) prefer to use WDW buses, monorail, and boats. I like to totally relax on vacation and am comfortable letting those CMs in transportation handle everything. Overall, I think they do a great job, and the wait times between the modes of transportation (buses, monorail and boats) are reasonable. Also, Disney transportation takes you directly to the front entrance of each park, (so no additional tram ride from a parking lot is needed).
Lastly, some guests elect to do a combination of their own car some days, and Disney transportation on other days, depending upon the specifics of their schedule.
KikoKea
Well-Known Member
MinnieM summed it up well, and I'll only add that your visit should be during a less crowded time, relatively speaking, so getting around by park transportation should not be a problem. We always use the bus or monorail, and have found it relaxing and convenient. The only time it gets crowded is when the parks close, but if you linger a while and take your time leaving (meanwhile enjoying the park with less people) you'll miss the crowds. Have fun!
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
The hardest thing you will find when using Disney transportation is getting from resort to resort. So if you try to get to Fort Wilderness, while you can get there from whatever theme park you are at that day, getting back to POP will require a transfer through a theme park or Disney Springs. Likewise, getting to Disney Springs from a theme park isn't typically possible (occasionally they have had evening buses from AK) so you would need to transfer through a resort.
Outside of those two stops you mentioned, using a car will usually save you mostly the time waiting for the bus. So possibly next to no time, to 20-30 minutes, depending on how much you miss the last bus by. Depending on where your room is in relation to the bus stop, you may need to spend another 5 minutes or so walking to the bus stop from your room, while your car may be right outside door. At AK, DHS and MK the bus will drop your off much closer to the park entrance saving you time there while Epcot may be a wash.
It's all a matter of personal preference. Some people don't like having to wait for, and then possibly stand up in a bus, while other people hate having to drive while on vacation.
Outside of those two stops you mentioned, using a car will usually save you mostly the time waiting for the bus. So possibly next to no time, to 20-30 minutes, depending on how much you miss the last bus by. Depending on where your room is in relation to the bus stop, you may need to spend another 5 minutes or so walking to the bus stop from your room, while your car may be right outside door. At AK, DHS and MK the bus will drop your off much closer to the park entrance saving you time there while Epcot may be a wash.
It's all a matter of personal preference. Some people don't like having to wait for, and then possibly stand up in a bus, while other people hate having to drive while on vacation.
DarthVader
Sith Lord
Yes, but also don't forget park to park. There's a few exceptions but its generally difficult to park hop using the Disney Transportation.
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
? Every park has pretty direct connections to the others. They should all have buses to each other (can't recall if MK<-> Epcot has bus or Monorail only) I think the longest connection is the MK to Epcot monorail transfer at TTC.
I find it to be trivial to get to all 4 parks in a day, MK monorail to Epcot, Epcot walk/boat to DHS, DHS bus to AK BAM!
DarthVader
Sith Lord
Do they?
All I've seen are the buses going to the resorts and asking the CMs, they told us to go to DownTown disney (or a resort) and then switch over to a different bus. The exceptions are the busses that go to the water parks, but that's part of the resort circuit.
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
Ayup, there is park to park transportation available at every park. One of the reasons why they built the extra bus depots at MK. You used to need to go to TTC to get a bus to another theme park, but when they added the depot space the buses were moved to the same loading area as the resorts.
BoarderPhreak
Well-Known Member
Rely on Disney transportation! Save the hassle and money (rental cost and parking fees) of a rental car.
Use Disney's Magic Express to pick up/drop off at the airport - and the buses/monorail/boats the while on property. All of which is free.
Use Disney's Magic Express to pick up/drop off at the airport - and the buses/monorail/boats the while on property. All of which is free.
Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
Great comments, all.
Personally, I enjoy the ease of using Disney transportation when on vacation, as I drive a long way to/from work each day and look forward to having someone else do the driving for a change.
I do, however, try to schedule our days so that we're not having to skip between resorts. So if we're doing the Hoop-de-Doo or somewhere at Disney Springs for dinner (not that I'd recommend the latter on anything less than a week-long visit -- there is too much in the parks to waste time on Disney Springs otherwise unless shopping is a big priority), we bookend it with visits to the nearest park.
Personally, I enjoy the ease of using Disney transportation when on vacation, as I drive a long way to/from work each day and look forward to having someone else do the driving for a change.
I do, however, try to schedule our days so that we're not having to skip between resorts. So if we're doing the Hoop-de-Doo or somewhere at Disney Springs for dinner (not that I'd recommend the latter on anything less than a week-long visit -- there is too much in the parks to waste time on Disney Springs otherwise unless shopping is a big priority), we bookend it with visits to the nearest park.
SAV
Well-Known Member
I always rent a car when we fly down. I prefer to have control over my transportation around property. Also, if you stay on-site, you park for "free" at the parks, so there is no extra cost. I like having my own space to climb in to at the end of a long day where I can control the temperature & volume and I don't have to sit by sweaty strangers.
criddopher
New Member
I drove last time so we had our car. We used it often, but I think I like disney transportation better. Jumping in the car and driving kinda ruins my immersion.. Although, if you do get a car. I suggest parking at resorts closer to the park you're visiting rather than parking at the transportation center or park itself. Most resorts just let us right in, one time at grand floridian I think the gate said we had to get valet parking since we have no reservation, then the parking guy told us to just go park.
Pghdrumr
Active Member
I agree. parking at the resorts was easy, if you are a guest. We were staying at WL, but had not problem using the GF parking lot when we visited.
5Adults
Member
I'm staying off site week of Feb 18 - 25, 2017. We're renting a car. Haven't yet decided how many days we're spending at the theme parks. With regards to driving from the condo to the theme parks, are things marked clearly to find parking lots and to find the trams that take us to the park?
Figgy1
Premium Member
Once on property things are well marked