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Own Car vs. Disney Transportation??
- Thread starter Aurora79
- Start date
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
But the parking lots for Swan and Dolphin are pay lots. Even if you are staying at one of the hotels, there is a charge for parking. So going there just to grab a coffee in the morning could really add up!
Or you could park in the Boardwalk or Yacht/Beach Club lots and walk over. Not sure how much time that would save someone versus driving to an actual Starbucks, though. OR, if the OP's room has a coffee maker (or they bring their own, since they're driving), brewing their own, if they can buy Starbucks roast and bring it with them.
As far as driving versus Disney transportation, can't add much. Your mileage may vary (heh). If you have little kids, and plan on getting to parks early in the morning before rope drop, you might get a decent parking spot, can walk to the park, all is rosy. But having to bring strollers on the trams can be a major PitA...of course, same holds true for buses.
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Scoutn, last time we flew down, did not rent a car and we did fine with Disney transportation as well, we shall see how it goes once we are down there crowd wise, how long to wait for a bus and what not....oh and next month Starbuck's is launching a new roasting method...much lighter and will be called "Blonde" roast, you might like
Interesting, I might have to try that. Like Scout, I find the regular blend to be burnt-tasting and much too strong (although my brother is totally addicted to it).
We always rent a car at the airport, and will usually use it to travel around within WDW, except that we always take Disney transportation to get to MK. It's so much easier to let the bus drop you right at the gate.
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captainkidd
Well-Known Member
You'll get about 2-3 hours of your day back
Oh come on. 2-3 hours???? First off, depending on which resort you're staying at it may make no difference at all (monorail resort.)
Secondly, if you're staying at any other resort, if you're leaving first thing in the morning and there's a bus waiting, you'll get there faster on the bus than your own car. Leaving the park can be the same thing. So to say you will save 2-3 hours each day is actually kind of silly.
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heartodisney
Active Member
We just got back...our car did not move for 8 days, it was wonderful that we did not have to drive around..the 4 y.o. enjoyed every form of transport we used..I felt great not having to worry...only one morning the monorails were having problems and it was quite a hassle traveling from the Poly for b-fast to Hollywood Studios.
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The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
This, yes.I'm a huge proponent of renting cars for WDW.
If you're already bringing your own it's a no brainer.
Are you staying onsite..?
If so...You won't have to pay for parking at the parks and i would suggest using your vehicle the entire time you're at the world.
You'll get about 2-3 hours of your day back
Last September, I spend two and a half hours just getting from Typhoon Lagoon to the Studio's by bus. :dazzle:
I love to parkhop, to visit water parks for a few hours. It is hardly doable when having to rely on Disney transport.
A car wins you 2 or 3 hours a day indeed.
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PhilharMagician
Well-Known Member
Rates can vary greatly depending on the time of year your are traveling. They could be anywhere from $99.99 per week to $300+ per week for a full size. You need to shop around and contineuosly check the rates. The rates can change daily.
There are multiple locations on WDW property to rent a car. The WDW Car Care Center located by the TTC offers Alamo and National cars rentals and they will come to your resort and pick you up if needed at no charge. Also the WDW Dolphin had Alamo and National and you can just take a bus from any Themepark to the resort to pick up you vehicle at the Valet/Bell services. Enterprise and I believe budget and maybe another company are available at the DTD resorts. You will have to do some research on those, but they are all easy to walk to from DTD.
No, it is extremely silly!
I have had my WDW transportation issues over the years and I can say that I have never had a day where I have used 2 - 3 hours of my day on WDW transportation. I have had 2 monorail issues in the past which wasted about 1 1/2 hours, but never a bus. I think the longest I have waited for a bus was maybe 1/2 hour possible 35 minutes.
Anyone going to MK in there own car is wasting time. With the transfer from the TTC can take an extra 1/2 hour while the bus takes you almost to the gate. The only good thing about having a car is that you can definately get a seat on the way back to your resort at the end of the night.
I do like having a car to go from resort to resort and also when staying at any of the MK resorts since I have not had the best of luck with transportation there, but we still have not lost 2 - 3 hours a day traveling. On average with one park hopper mid day I would say 1 hour. It is going to take almost that in a car.:shrug:
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dsdmbU2
Member
We drive from NC every visit. The first few times we didn't touch our vehicle once on WDW property. That has changed over the years. Most importantly when going from our resort to another resort for dinner, resort to mini-golf, DD, etc. I hate leaving property once we're there so all this going to Walmart & Starbuck's talk......ugh!! I can do that at home!! We did have to wait almost a hour in May for an a.m. trip from the Beach Club to AK. Not cool, especially with breakfast reservations!!
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RyGuy74
New Member
We just got back and swear we'll never use resort buses again. Maybe we just stayed at a bad resort (Riverside) or maybe we were there at a bad time (week AFTER Thanksgiving), or maybe it's because we are a three ring circus (we have 3 kids ages 3 and under), but the wait for a bus was usually at least 20 minutes, and then you often couldn't even get on the bus. When you did get on the bus, by the time everyone piled on, the bus would then stop at 3 more stops only to have irate folks pile onto the already over-crowded buses, complaining about how full the bus was and how long they had to wait to get on the bus, etc.
In any event, I'm thinking a happy medium might be having your own car and then at least you have the option of using it if you want to (and not using it if you don't). One morning after being unable to get on the third completely full bus to the MK, we gave up and took a cab.
In any event, enjoy your trip!! In spite of the bus situation (which was the only unpleasant part of our trip) I can't wait to go back
In any event, I'm thinking a happy medium might be having your own car and then at least you have the option of using it if you want to (and not using it if you don't). One morning after being unable to get on the third completely full bus to the MK, we gave up and took a cab.
In any event, enjoy your trip!! In spite of the bus situation (which was the only unpleasant part of our trip) I can't wait to go back
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In any event, I'm thinking a happy medium might be having your own car and then at least you have the option of using it if you want to (and not using it if you don't). One morning after being unable to get on the third completely full bus to the MK, we gave up and took a cab.
In any event, enjoy your trip!! In spite of the bus situation (which was the only unpleasant part of our trip) I can't wait to go back
Yes I think I agree with the happy medium idea....will definitely be using the car for a few ADR's, we are staying at All-star movies and have breakfast reservations at Kona Cafe, Olivia's, and Grand Floridian Cafe. Thank you everyone for your feedback. I really appreciate it
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dsnyfreak
Member
if you dont have 1000 bags and 500 strollers and would like a quick escape.. and the resorts are busy..by all means take ur car but be prepared for a tight fit...the new trams are alot less leg room and if you are a little larger in girth or trying to take a stroller and bags..forget it...they added the doors which is a good idea but the seats are extremly small now...tiny space..makes you feel cramped and causes cramps...dont know why they made the seats smaller, understand the doors, but not the reasoning for the smaller seats???:veryconfu more capacity? run more trams if thats the problem..
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DABIGCHEEZ
Well-Known Member
You have your own car so... why downgrade to using WDW Buses? :shrug:
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heartodisney
Active Member
We just got back and swear we'll never use resort buses again. Maybe we just stayed at a bad resort (Riverside) or maybe we were there at a bad time (week AFTER Thanksgiving), or maybe it's because we are a three ring circus (we have 3 kids ages 3 and under), but the wait for a bus was usually at least 20 minutes, and then you often couldn't even get on the bus. When you did get on the bus, by the time everyone piled on, the bus would then stop at 3 more stops only to have irate folks pile onto the already over-crowded buses, complaining about how full the bus was and how long they had to wait to get on the bus, etc.
In any event, I'm thinking a happy medium might be having your own car and then at least you have the option of using it if you want to (and not using it if you don't). One morning after being unable to get on the third completely full bus to the MK, we gave up and took a cab.
In any event, enjoy your trip!! In spite of the bus situation (which was the only unpleasant part of our trip) I can't wait to go back
We just got back also, and stayed at the WL, no problems with the bus routes or waits from there..we als had use of the boats..which were longer waits at times, but not much. The only day we had issues with the bus was on Dec. 2nd, a friday...the monorails were down, so the buses were packed trying to get from the Poly to the Studios..we had to wait on a second bus and 45 minutes, but it was worth it! We might have passed each other! :lol:
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Jeff456
Well-Known Member
I was always massively opposed to the idea of us renting a car, I thought I would loose a bit of the Disney experience I get from riding the buses, which I enjoy except obviously at the end of the day when they are packed! However on our last trip we rented a car and it was fantastic! So much faster getting to the parks and not having to cram yourself into a packed standing room only bus at the end of the night is a huge bonus. None of us are big drinkers so the driving doesn't bother us. Next trip we are staying at OKW and I think the car will be even better as we can park right outside.
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disneydiva72
New Member
With all the codes on the internet, we always get a van for about $150.00 for the week. I have found that DOLLAR rent a car is the absolute cheapest.
I hate the busses...driving ourselves is so much easier, quicker, less stress and you ALWAYS get to sit down.
I hate the busses...driving ourselves is so much easier, quicker, less stress and you ALWAYS get to sit down.
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HM GhostHostess
Well-Known Member
Driving is a better option. It's more convenient if you have your own vehicle and, not to mention, we tend to get to the parks a lot faster that way.
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righttrack
Well-Known Member
We don't typically rent cars anymore, but when we did, it was most convinient for resort-to-resort transporation. So you have an ADR at a resort, well you don't have to traverse a park first to get there, you can just drive there. For example, Staying at Pop Century, and Dinner at Ohana at the Poly:
With Transportation Only: Get on the bus to MK, and take the resort monorail to the Poly
With Car: Drive to Poly
With Transportation Only: Get on the bus to MK, and take the resort monorail to the Poly
With Car: Drive to Poly
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