driving to park.

[JayCricket]

Map really??? Isn't there these new fangled electronic device that tell you exactly where to go?

Yes there is, and how I wish that everyone had one, but unfortunately there are still a lot of map dependent people driving around WDW.

and I know in all my years going to WDW, I have seen at least one or two nice purple signs providing direction to any location in WDW.

Yes they are very nice and they're in the process of a sign refurbishment project to boot, but if you can't read a map, can you follow the nifty purple and red signs?

As far as hearing speils in different languages... it is just a warm up for the rest of you day anyway!

Hey, a lot of the CMs speak English.

And to answer your last question.... YES!

How about we compromise and say maybe?

 

[lilclerk]

If I have a car, I drive to all the parks. Yes, taking the bus to MK will be faster as you get dropped off right at the gate, but I love the monorail and ferry. It's a compromise I'm willing to make.

The signage around WDW is fantastic. I've never gotten lost, and I am notorious for missing exits and getting lost. Granted, they don't always lead you in the fastest route, but they get you there.

 

[vjgraham]

One of the 'perks' (for me) is to park the car in the parking lot (at the resort for the duration) and leave the driving to Disney.

Totally agree , we park our vehicle on day one, and do not move it until the day we drive home. It's too much of a hassle to deal with driving around yourself. With the price of gas now it definitely pays to use Disney's transportation.

 

[Minnie1976]

One of the 'perks' (for me) is to park the car in the parking lot (at the resort for the duration) and leave the driving to Disney.

I have to agree with you. We let Disney do the driving. Once the car is parked we don't use it til our Disney stay is over.

 

[Mikester71]

We have stayed at Pop for all four of our trips and absolutely LOVE it!!! We always drive down from Canada, so tend to let Disney do the driving for us when it comes to hitting up the parks. We always go off property a few times each trip for groceries and things and also usually spend a day at one of Florida's many other tourist spots each trip (beach, Kennedy Space Centre, etc), so still end up using the van quite a bit while down there. That is why we usually trust the driving to the Disney bus drivers for all of our Disney needs, not to mention gas prices have been skyrocketing the last couple of years and who REALLY wants to spend more money on gas then they need to. :wave:

 

[Annielkd]

We have always driven our car to the resort. We've tried all the public transportation. The only park we use their transportation is to Magic Kingdom because you can't really drive up to the park, just the transportation center. HOWEVER, I do have a handicapped plate and might have a different perspective. You should try it to one of the parks and see how it works for it.

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

We will be staying at Pop for 2 weeks in May and we were thinking about driving to some of the parks. We usually use the resort transportation but were thinking about doing it different this year. Which parks would you drive to or would u just stick to the resort transportation?????

Like many of the others, we always take the car except for Magic Kingdom. The excitement of riding the ferry or monorail has long gone. Waiting for that rope to drop to get off the ferry starting getting longer and longer.
As to someones suggestion to keep you from forgetting where you parked, on one of our long visits last year, we had been in all parks multiple times and had forgotten to put the lot in our phone, so we simply could not remember where we parked. To our joy and surprise, the tram worker called someone and could tell us exactly which row we parked in by us knowing the time we arrived that morning.
Depending on your resort, the bus can be a great alternative though.
However, please look before you sit. We saw a couple who's child wet his pants in the seat, leaving a hugh puddle, just get off the bus and not tell the driver.

 

[bow0303]

On our last visit, early in the week we took only WDW transportation. Toward the middle of the week we would take the buses in the morning, then take the car back in the evening after a break at the resort. Downfall of taking the buses is when the park closes, you may have stand on the bus ride back to the resort. That is not easy if you have young ones that are too tired to stand. Also, you might want to consider driving to MK just so you can ride the monorail which I think is part of the fun of visiting that park.

 

[yellowb]

We just bought AP's for this year, so parking is free regardless of where we stay. Having the car gives you a level of flexibility that you don't enjoy with the buses, so if you know you have to leave the resort at a certain time in order to make rope drop, dining, etc, you don't have to depend on the bus running on your schedule.

 

[Tori]

Always drive. Don't have to stand in line, always have a seat, can drive off property.

 

[loveofamouse]

We mainly drive cause of kids, equipment and wheelchairs. Last time, though, we did use buses and probably won't again. Standing around at the end of the day waiting for a bus wasn't ideal for us. We don't have to worry about trams, though, cause handicap parking is closer to the gates. We have to walk it.

Honestly, the only thing that annoys me about driving is at the hotels. I hate that people who plan to ride the whole week park their cars at the best spots at the hotels. We need room to load and unlad a chair but the handicap spots at the hotels will be full with the same cars in the same spots for the entire week :/ Just seems inconsiderate but that's just me.

 

[Annielkd]

We mainly drive cause of kids, equipment and wheelchairs. Last time, though, we did use buses and probably won't again. Standing around at the end of the day waiting for a bus wasn't ideal for us. We don't have to worry about trams, though, cause handicap parking is closer to the gates. We have to walk it.

Honestly, the only thing that annoys me about driving is at the hotels. I hate that people who plan to ride the whole week park their cars at the best spots at the hotels. We need room to load and unlad a chair but the handicap spots at the hotels will be full with the same cars in the same spots for the entire week :/ Just seems inconsiderate but that's just me.

That handicapped car might leave and return and you didn't even notice. I always come back to the hotel by 12 or 1... but, I have to spend time in my room. What time are you leaving that you see the cars in the same spot. By the way... I almost ALWAYS have the same spot from when I left.

 

[loveofamouse]

That handicapped car might leave and return and you didn't even notice. I always come back to the hotel by 12 or 1... but, I have to spend time in my room. What time are you leaving that you see the cars in the same spot. By the way... I almost ALWAYS have the same spot from when I left.

All thoughout the day, all thoughout the week and I highly doubt every person manages to snag the same spot several times a day all week. I leave the hotel, typically, by about 9-10 which is when most people have headed to the parks. Same cars, same spots. We come back at different times of day, depending on temperments or schedules. same cars, same spots. We return from parks around closing. Same cars haven't moved. One year, there was a RV parked across several of the spots in the second row. Stayed there all week and I'm sure they were not driving back and forth to parks and managing to snag the same six spots. Some people don't stay in one spot all week but many do. :brick:

When we did the buses last time, we parked towards the back except the days we were leaving to go off property. It's not a huge deal, just something I roll my eyes at. We end up having to do a curb drop off and unload and DH goes and finds a parking spot over in Egypt or Russia

 

[Annielkd]

In that case, I feel bad for you. I leave by 8:30 the latest, and then return around 12ish. I do almost always get the same spot. Last week I stayed at Boardwalk and couldn't BELIEVE how far away the regular parking lot was. They had a huge parking lot for valet service, but that cost 12.00. So, I totally feel your pain. If someone isn't going to use their car daily they should use valet parking. Especially since handicapped do not have to pay the 12.00.

 

[loveofamouse]

In that case, I feel bad for you. I leave by 8:30 the latest, and then return around 12ish. I do almost always get the same spot. Last week I stayed at Boardwalk and couldn't BELIEVE how far away the regular parking lot was. They had a huge parking lot for valet service, but that cost 12.00. So, I totally feel your pain. If someone isn't going to use their car daily they should use valet parking. Especially since handicapped do not have to pay the 12.00.

Valet? Us, poor people don't get valet at the value resorts :animwink: :ROFLOL: lol

The Value resorts seem to always lack in parking spots in relation to the amount of rooms in the buildings in that area. Add to that that many park and don't move for the whole week. They should use parking garages or a special parking lot just for those planning to park-n-ride for the week.

 

[Annielkd]

oops. I've never stayed there. I've just gotten better deals at the other resorts. Actually, I only know that Beach Club and Boardwalk have vallet... I really don't know any other resorts. Sorry.
By the way... I don't think people who stay there are "poor" just smart

 

[loveofamouse]

oops. I've never stayed there. I've just gotten better deals at the other resorts. Actually, I only know that Beach Club and Boardwalk have vallet... I really don't know any other resorts. Sorry.
By the way... I don't think people who stay there are "poor" just smart

I know :drevil: It's just my joke

 

[Annielkd]

good one!

 

[AEfx]

Drive to every single park. I know many say Disney transportation is convenient..but I disagree.

Being able to come and go as you please is the greatest convenience of all.
Not waiting for a bus and then having to possibly standing on a bus packed in like sardines stop after stop- pure joy.

The only thing better is using the monorail if you're staying at a monorail resort and your at MK or Epcot. Otherwise take your car - you'll never go back.

Ditto.

I'll take a short walk to my own vehicle, where I can set the climate, sounds, and schedule, any time anywhere.

You will almost always get where you want more quickly, as well.

So glad to see others talk about this...often you hear people say, "I'm not driving on vacation!" and I'm like, "I'm not taking buses on my vacation" LOL. When I first started going to WDW as an adult, an awful lot of my memories are of sitting on benches or waiting in lines to ride a bus. That's so not magical, LOL.

 

[wdwmomof3]

We used to take the Disney bus everywhere until a bad night loading after Fantasmic, when we waited almost 45 minutes for a bus. Since then I have been driving ever since, and it is won~der~ful!!:king:

I can pretty much be out of the room and parked at any park within 10-15 minutes. We normally do take the bus to MK only because of the pain in the neck it is to park there.

We always get to the parks before they open so finding a spot close to the front has never been a problem. Also, if you drive to the parks at night you can normally find a spot close to the front too because of the people who have already left for the day.