Driving to DW..should we really drive to all parks except MK?

[PurplePizza1]

An acquaintance told me that it's much faster to drive from our resort to all of the parks except for Magic Kingdom. She said we'll park in the north 40 and walk for 20 minutes if we drive to MK, while the bus drops you at the entrance. Is this really the case? That we're better off driving (since we're staying on property, parking is free, right?)? Should we take the bus on MK day? This is our first trip ever to DW. Leaving in 9 days!

 

[BiffyClyro]

I'd say if you're staying on site to just get the buses. They are quick and easy to get. IAlthough it's not a lot you still have petrol etc (It's not much, but it will add up i guess). Take the buses and leave your car at your hotel The buses drop you right near the entrance, yes, except for Magic Kingdom, it drops you off near the monorail/ boats.

 

[sbkline]

As far as I know, you can't drive and then walk into MK. Last I knew, you have to park at the Transportation and Ticket Center and then take the monorail over to MK, or take the Ferry.

Now as far as whether you should drive or take the bus, that's all a matter of personal preference. As a matter of simple fact, it is usually quicker to drive, unless the bus to your park happens to be the one that comes along first. But the problem with taking the bus is that, say you're going to Epcot, that you may see a bus parked at the bus stop as you walk over, but right before you get there, you see the bus pull off and you see that it has the name of the park on it that you are going to. You then sit down and wait for another bus. Along comes a Magic Kingdom bus. Then along comes a DTD bus. Then a DHS bus. Then an AK bus. And then there may even be another MK bus come along. Finally, another Epcot bus may pull up, but now it may have to stop at all the other stops at your resort before even leaving the resort. And depending on what time of year it is, you may even have to make a sidestop to another hotel or waterpark before finally getting underway to Epcot.

On the other hand, in my opinion, there is something to be said for the simple experience of taking the WDW transportation. Even though we always drive from Illinois to WDW, I generally prefer to allow enough time for everything I described so I can have the experience of taking the bus. For me, I am at Disney and taking the bus is just part of the "fun" of it, despite the frustations I just described.

But once again, your bus could be waiting there for you as you walk up and you get underway immediately, or you could watch 7 busses come and go before yours shows up. And I have personally had the frustration of seeing two or three busses for one park come (in addition to busses for the other parks as well) before the bus comes for the park that we are visiting.

Oh ya, one other thing....if there is a person there in an electric wheelchair, you may as well leave the bus stop and walk to the park. You'll probably beat the bus there by the time they lower the ramp and fasten everything in. LOL

 

[sbkline]

I'd say if you're staying on site to just get the buses. They are quick and easy to get and i may be wrong, but i think you still have to pay for parking even though you're a guest. I may be wrong about that. But even so, your petrol etc (It's not much, but it will add up i guess). Take the buses and leave your car at your hotel The buses drop you right near the entrance, yes, except for Magic Kingdom, it drops you off near the monorail/ boats.

If you are staying in a WDW resort, you get a piece of paper at check in which you can put in your windshield which identifies you as a resort guest for free parking.

 

[Poofiesdream]

We always use Disney Transportation. Once I drive there my car sits till I am ready to go home. I allow plenty of time for the buses. Sometimes I hit them just right other times I have a wait. Who cares? I will get there when I get there, I'm at Disney what's the rush? Sit back and enjoy. If you do drive the parking at the parks is free if your staying on property just show your resort parking pass, but remember you will be dealing with traffic on the roads and in the parking lot. At the end of the day I like just boarding the bus and letting them drive me back to my resort!

 

[PurplePizza1]

I heard that about Magic Kingdom, that's why I was saying drive all days EXCEPT Magic Kingdom day. Looks like you're all a little split on here. Some advantages, some disadvantages. We're driving 900 miles to get to Orlando, so obviously gas isn't our biggest fear. We're staying at Art of Animation. I imagine if we took the bus, we'd be stopping at just about everything I can imagine on the way. We're pretty far out from any park.

 

[Britt]

Driving to MK sucked!!!! You park, take their little parking lot tram over to the transportation center and THEN the monorail over to the parks!! If you take the bus, they drop you at the gate and you're good to go!

Personally, I hated driving around WDW property! Lots of lights, lots of busses and slllllllow drivers. LOL

 

[draybook]

Not us, we always drive. And you won't be able to put me into that slow driver category. I drive it like I stole it. Ain't nobody got time for slow rollin'!

We've only used a bus twice, and neither experience was a joy so we'll stick with with our rental.

 

[pluto13]

you should not drive at all the buses are more magical if you ride them to the parks, i always take the buses and the monorail.

 

[sbkline]

I heard that about Magic Kingdom, that's why I was saying drive all days EXCEPT Magic Kingdom day. Looks like you're all a little split on here. Some advantages, some disadvantages. We're driving 900 miles to get to Orlando, so obviously gas isn't our biggest fear. We're staying at Art of Animation. I imagine if we took the bus, we'd be stopping at just about everything I can imagine on the way. We're pretty far out from any park.

How far your resort is from the park really has nothing to do with how many other stops it makes. Some resorts are simply "lumped" together into one bus route. For example, we stayed at the Grand Floridian on our last trip and when we would take the bus, the bus would stop at all three MK area hotels, with GF being the last on the loop. So we had to pull into the Contemporary and the Polynesian First before getting into the Grand Floridian. Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge, I believe, are also on one bus. I think the All Star Resorts are all on one bus as well. I'm not sure if Art of Animation shares with any other resort or not.

I may be wrong, but I think there are also sometimes "unexpected" stops at other places beyond what I just described. For example, when we were at Animal Kingdom on our last trip, and we boarded the bus back to the Grand Floridian, for some reason, we had to swing by Blizzard Beach. I don't believe the Grand Floridan generally shares bus service with a water park, but for some reason on that particular day, we had to stop by there on our way.

 

[PurplePizza1]

What would you say was the longest bus ride you've had to take?

 

[Patrick_Ears]

Hey you paying for the Disney transportaion some where in your plan, might as well use it. Now unless you just want to take the monorail then use your car. But remember when you leave at night your tram might not drop you off where you was picked up that morning.

Me, i would use Disney transporation.

 

[PurplePizza1]

Thanks for all of the advice. It helps a lot!

 

[nepalostparks]

Art of Animation does not share bus service with any other resorts. It should be a direct trip to Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot. I believe it is two stops on the Animal Kingdom route (with the second stop being to Blizzard Beach), the and Downtown Disney route also makes a stop at Typhoon Lagoon.

On average, it is generally quicker to drive yourself to the parks than taking the bus, with the exception of Magic Kingdom for the aforementioned reasons. If you don't drive to the Magic Kingdom, be sure to take the monorail around the lagoon at least once - I know for us, the monorail is part of the Disney World experience.

 

[lilclerk]

If I rent a car (which is just about all the time now) I drive to every park. Yes, it's faster to take the bus to the MK, but I like driving so I have an excuse to ride the monorail. The other parks, it's definitely faster to drive yourself.
The Disney buses aren't bad at all, but there can be some long waits. I prefer driving now, especially if I have to be somewhere at a certain time. I've even gotten to the point where I like the parking lot trams, but the music on the buses is fun.

What would you say was the longest bus ride you've had to take?

It's not the bus rides that are long, it's the wait for the buses. Especially at park opening and closing when the lines are long, you can wait quite a while to get on a bus.

 

[allgiggles]

We always use Disney Transportation. Once I drive there my car sits till I am ready to go home. I allow plenty of time for the buses. Sometimes I hit them just right other times I have a wait. Who cares? I will get there when I get there, I'm at Disney what's the rush? Sit back and enjoy. If you do drive the parking at the parks is free if your staying on property just show your resort parking pass, but remember you will be dealing with traffic on the roads and in the parking lot. At the end of the day I like just boarding the bus and letting them drive me back to my resort!

+1. This is exactly how my family looks at it.

 

[RandomPrincess]

We drive ourselves even to MK. My DH likes to stay out of the crowds as much as possible and even during down times of the year the buses can be packed. We like parking and taking the Ferry or monorail over to MK. My favorite is the Ferry I love standing int he front and watching the castle get closer and closer.

 

[draybook]

What would you say was the longest bus ride you've had to take?

Our first ride on a bus was from the TTC to Epcot due to the monorail being down. That took about 30 minutes.
The second time was from DtD to POFQ because the boats were down due to rain and lightning. That trip took about 30-40 minutes because it made a stop at PORS.

Neither trip was enjoyable and while they might not have been the norm, they encouraged us to always use our own car.

 

[lilclerk]

We drive ourselves even to MK. My DH likes to stay out of the crowds as much as possible and even during down times of the year the buses can be packed. We like parking and taking the Ferry or monorail over to MK. My favorite is the Ferry I love standing int he front and watching the castle get closer and closer.

The view from the ferry is amazing!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/siriusthinking/5707037460/in/set-72157626681703228

 

[PurplePizza1]

Art of Animation does not share bus service with any other resorts. It should be a direct trip to Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot. I believe it is two stops on the Animal Kingdom route (with the second stop being to Blizzard Beach), the and Downtown Disney route also makes a stop at Typhoon Lagoon.

On average, it is generally quicker to drive yourself to the parks than taking the bus, with the exception of Magic Kingdom for the aforementioned reasons. If you don't drive to the Magic Kingdom, be sure to take the monorail around the lagoon at least once - I know for us, the monorail is part of the Disney World experience.

Thanks! We were actually considering the Monorail one of the 'rides' we wanted to do. HA!