First trip with a car

[zweltar]

My wife and I booked a rental car for our June trip. This will be the first time we have a rental car and will drive ourselves around property. Previously we had relied on Disney transportation to get around.

I was wondering what advice/pointers/help everyone out there might have? How much different will our trip be with a car?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ShookieJones]

I don't know how much dough you put down for the car but if it was under 200 bucks That's the best money you've spent.

You're going to get about 2-3 hours of your day back..depending on how much park hopping and what kind of dining your doing.

We spent half our very first WDW vacation (as a family) without a car..
got completely frustrated on a packed bus--holding our sleeping kids in our arms - coming from DTD one night. Woke up the next morning rented a car and never looked back.

 

[flynnibus]

I assume you are stating on property? So you don't have to pay for parking at the parks...

The main tips are you don't HAVE to drive or take the tram all the time. Sometimes a bus may be better then driving to the mk. And don't be afraid to skip a parking tram if your parking spot is good.

Try to avoid parking at the far end of a row

 

[PRNCSAurora]

Growing up we almost always rented a car and when my DH and I went last summer, we rented one as well. It definitely frees up a good portion of your day. We felt that it made it a lot easier to park hop.

 

[wolf359]

Driving yourself around and skipping the buses can be a huge time saver, especially if you're going to a water park or Downtown Disney. The Magic Kingdom is the only park (because of the required ferry/monorail ride) where taking the bus might be quicker but I found it to be much more relaxing and easy to just drive everywhere on our last trip.

 

[zweltar]

I don't know how much dough you put down for the car but if it was under 200 bucks That's the best money you've spent.

It was more than $200, but not too much more. And considering that we're going for 10 days, I consider that pretty good. We used Priceline name your own price and got a car for $18/day plus taxes and fees.

Excited to hear that we'll save so much time. While we've always enjoyed the experience of not having to worry about driving ourselves around, we have been frustrated, at times, with how long it can take to get from one place to another.

How simple is it to drive around Disney property? Confusing at all?

 

[ThankstoMOM]

Zweltar good move!! We always stay on property and always rent a car! The freedom you have is awesome. Important to have a hopper too!!!! This is where you can really experience park hopping! Driving around is super easy, just stay alert,everything is well marked with signs and if you miss a exit there is always an alternative route. Best to get familiar with the layout of the World before heading down, It'll help with you're sense of direction if you get lost. Have a blast!!!!

 

[drp4video]

i have always stayed on property and rented a car. Much faster and I can go off disney property easy as well. Like was said, Signs are pretty good, but if you miss one, there is usually another sign to follow to get where you want to go. Park hopping is great with a car if u want to hop. I just love the convenience of not waiting for a bus (we did that one time, and once was enough).

 

[The_CEO]

How much different will our trip be with a car?

Thanks in advance!

Well hopefully you have an AP and you can park for free! Otherwise just park at a resort and walk to the parks. * But that's a different thread*.... Anywho...

Having a car is awesome! TOTAL freedom and reign over your time. No dependency on WDW Transport.. Especially Buses!!

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Well hopefully you have an AP and you can park for free! Otherwise just park at a resort and walk to the parks. * But that's a different thread*.... Anywho...

Having a car is awesome! TOTAL freedom and reign over your time. No dependency on WDW Transport.. Especially Buses!!

You also park for free for staying on-property, and the OP's sig says they are staying at POFQ. Besides, I think the "park for free at DtD, water park, or resort and then go to the park" would take just as long as the Disney bus right from your resort in almost every instance. It's really only a question for people staying off-site and how cheap they want to be versus saving time.

 

[riess424]

My wife and I booked a rental car for our June trip. This will be the first time we have a rental car and will drive ourselves around property. Previously we had relied on Disney transportation to get around.

I was wondering what advice/pointers/help everyone out there might have? How much different will our trip be with a car?

Thanks in advance!

We always get a car because it saves several hours per day and for the ability to go eat off property.

We take the car to animal kingdom, downtown disney and epcot in the morning. Occasionally we will drive to MGM if we have someone who is handicapped. Even though we are DVC members at the Boardwalk and its easy to walk or take the boat to Epcot, but you are on the other side of the park and if Soarin is your first stop then taking the car is the best bet in that regard.

We also try to do early entry and if you drive yourself you will be able to park right up front.

Driving to downtown disney is nice but parking is tough around the marketplace so typically parking in the west end is better.

 

[The_CEO]

You also park for free for staying on-property, and the OP's sig says they are staying at POFQ.

Shoot I hate it when I don't read people's signatures.

Either way, have fun!

 

[zweltar]

Glad to hear that I made a good decision.

Another question - If you go to a resort to eat a meal, do they make you leave the parking lot to go to a park? Or could you walk and leave your car at the resort? Say I eat at Yacht Club and want to go to Epcot afterwards. Would I be allowed to park at Yacht Club and then walk to the park?

 

[SMS55]

Driving has its perks. I always drive to Disney because I live in Florida. You do have more mobility if you want to go off site like other have said. There are some places I like to go offsite to eat. It is also beneficial if you have kids and need to make a run to Target or Wal-Mart. MK is probably best if you take the bus. You can always hop on over to EPCOT from there if you want. Honestly I always take the bus even though I drive. We get up early and the buses come pretty frequently in the morning. We may have to wait a few minutes for a bus in the middle of the day but it's ok. It's a little break from the crowds before we head to the next park. Also if I do evening extra magic hours I really don't want to drive back at 2:00am.

 

[Castle Dreamer]

We just came back from a 10 day trip with a car. DH and I both remarked how much we loved having the car. We did use Disney transportation to go to the parks but we used the car to Downtown Disney and other resorts since we had several meals at other resorts. It was so much quicker and easier than taking a bus to a park or DTD and then to the resort we were going to. We also found it extremely easy to drive at Disney. They have many signs and they are all very clearly marked.

Have a great trip! :wave:

 

[riess424]

Glad to hear that I made a good decision.

Another question - If you go to a resort to eat a meal, do they make you leave the parking lot to go to a park? Or could you walk and leave your car at the resort? Say I eat at Yacht Club and want to go to Epcot afterwards. Would I be allowed to park at Yacht Club and then walk to the park?

You can pretty much stay parked as long as you would like so if you wanted to go to Beaches N Cream, ESPN, or whatever then go to Epcot/MGM you can.

 

[ShookieJones]

It was more than $200, but not too much more. And considering that we're going for 10 days, I consider that pretty good. We used Priceline name your own price and got a car for $18/day plus taxes and fees.

Excited to hear that we'll save so much time. While we've always enjoyed the experience of not having to worry about driving ourselves around, we have been frustrated, at times, with how long it can take to get from one place to another.

How simple is it to drive around Disney property? Confusing at all?

For 10 days that's a good price.
We usually keep it under 150 for 8 days using Priceline or Hotwire

The first couple of years I had to do a couple of turn arounds here and there - but I'm pretty comfortable now.
everything - is pretty cleared marked and the hotels offer good basic driving maps of the entire WDW area. I think they're in the welcome packets at the resorts.
With that being said --Do a little research before you leave -- familiarize yourself with your hotel and the routes to the parks.

Oh and don't forget to fill up before you get back to the car rental drop off. You don't want to get stuck paying their prices.

 

[ShookieJones]

You can pretty much stay parked as long as you would like so if you wanted to go to Beaches N Cream, ESPN, or whatever then go to Epcot/MGM you can.

We do this often. Eat at the Ohana' hop on the monorail and hit the MK
Eat at Cape May take the boat or walk to Epcot\DHS.

 

[slappy magoo]

Glad to hear that I made a good decision.

Another question - If you go to a resort to eat a meal, do they make you leave the parking lot to go to a park? Or could you walk and leave your car at the resort? Say I eat at Yacht Club and want to go to Epcot afterwards. Would I be allowed to park at Yacht Club and then walk to the park?

Technically, people who aren't staying at a resort, aren't supposed to park at that resort to then go to a park. I think, if they're strict about this policy at all, it's for people who are staying offsite, trying to get around paying to park in a theme park's lot. Since you're staying onsite, it's not like they're losing money letting you park in a resort's lot for an extended period of time, but that's not to say you won't be The One Guy Who Gets Busted. However, odds are, as long as it's not so busy that people who are staying at that resort can't find a place to park, so they have to start towing cars that aren't meant to be there, you'll probably be fine.

 

[BrerKev]

The only resort I was given a time limit placard was at the Contemporary. It was for 3 hours, and you just had to put it in the windshield. Other than that, we parked at the Poly in the morning, as we were ending our day at Ohana... took the monorail over to MK, and did not have any problems.

I know that many enjoy not driving on vacation. I for one prefer to not to have my time held hostage on a bus.