People who drive to WDW, how do you choose to get to the parks?

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

The only place that I don't drive to is Magic Kingdom because it's quicker to use the bus to get there. Everywhere else I use my own vehicle if I have one.

 

[Goofyque']

We park the car when we get there, and often it sits until we leave. The exception may be AK, we usually stay at the FW cabins, and that is the one park we find can be quicker to drive to. For the most part, we like the transportation. Gives us a rest from figuring out which way to go, parking, getting into a hot vehicle, etc.

 

[danyoung56]

As for the closing stampede, we prefer to hang back, shopping, snacking, or enjoying the uncrowded park, and let the bulk of the crowd fight it out first before heading out. Got caught up in the rush for both the boat and monorail at MK once, and that was enough!

That's what I need to do.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

In the past when my family used to drive, we always used our own vehicle.

 

[Goofyernmost]

As for the closing stampede, we prefer to hang back, shopping, snacking, or enjoying the uncrowded park, and let the bulk of the crowd fight it out first before heading out. Got caught up in the rush for both the boat and monorail at MK once, and that was enough!

I have stated before that I am not a huge fan of fireworks, but, the few times that I have stayed for them in MK, they were usually the happening just before closing. When the fireworks was over, the park was closing. I can remember sitting on the cement benches in the hub (remember those) and just wait for almost everyone to leave. Then I would follow the street cleaners with their huge walk behind street vacuums up main street and out of the park.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I typically take my car to the parks. I have more control, no waiting for a bus whether coming or going. Fewer crowds.

I rarely park at the TTC because that is the most difficult exit, especially if you stay until park close.

Exception if we are staying at a Boardwalk or monorail hotel and going to a nearby park, or if we intend to drink.

 

[note2001]

The upside to driving isn't so much the speed of the transportation, but rather, once you're in your vehicle you can relax. At the end of the day, while others are waiting in long lines for monorails, boats or buses, you are in a very comfy seat, listening to your music waiting to get out of the parking lot. That is a huge plus in my book. I love having a car.

Then again, I love Disney boats. If I have to choose to take the boat or my car, I'll take the boat (unless the weather is nasty cold, then I'll drive.)

 

[correcaminos]

It totally depends. I never drive to MK if I can help it. If my car is under a nice shady tree I'm more likely to leave it. I am more likely to take Disney transport first thing in the morning too. Uber/Lyft if I want to be quick.

 

[Paper straw fan]

I drive to Epcot and AK, parking isn’t really far from the gates so we can usually walk it unless a tram is right there and departing soon.

HS is 50/50,right now w the construction you are walking a long way regardless. At MK the buses are (barely) the lesser of 2 evils and the Minnie Van’s price has been jacked up ($35-40) when we were leaving. Even the monorail now is an ordeal with security (which I understand considering the frequency of shootings and lack of gun control) and stopping along the way. The boats are nice at the very few places they run from, but 90% of the time we aren’t at a resort w that access.

It’s a big reason why that’s been our least visited park lately. I think we go 3x to the other parks for every 1 visit to MK.

 

[note2001]

Buses are slow as anything. You lose maybe 30-45 minutes by taking the bus.
The only exception is MK. If you are park hopping and going to MK then take the bus from AK, Epcot, HS. That is faster.

There's too many variables to say that the MK is the only exception. It depends on the time of day/crowd level, as well as the bus origination and destination and number of ECVs to be loaded/and the driver's experience with this.

For example, AKL to AK, assuming mid-day, no ecvs, the bus will always win when Blizzard beach has not been added to the trip.
Likewise, AKV to EPCOT under similar circumstances, the bus will be faster than driving.

Most of the spread out resorts, however, it will be faster to drive than to get through that internal loop mess first.

 

[draybook]

With us having two littles in strollers, we won't even think about using the buses. Unless we're going to AK, we park at the TTC and use the monorail to Epcot and walk to DHS if we go there.

 

[Paper straw fan]

Main reason I’d prefer bus than driving and parking at TTC is in my mind the monorail station line when leaving and the bus tran center are a wash, and I’ll probably get back a tiny bit quicker w the bus, and not have to deal with driving as well as the miles on the car. If I was in a group bigger than 4 then I’d consider

 

[KikoKea]

I have stated before that I am not a huge fan of fireworks, but, the few times that I have stayed for them in MK, they were usually the happening just before closing. When the fireworks was over, the park was closing. I can remember sitting on the cement benches in the hub (remember those) and just wait for almost everyone to leave. Then I would follow the street cleaners with their huge walk behind street vacuums up main street and out of the park.

I remember those loud vacuums. I think they brought then out to encourage everyone to leave.

 

[KikoKea]

That's what I need to do.

Give it a try- it doesn't make that huge a difference in when you get back tot he room, unless you rush out before the fireworks are done. We figured we can either stand in an uncomfortable crowd for 30 min (or more) waiting for the monorail or boat, or we can watch the castle, have our picture taken by several of the photographers, or get a snack and chill on the new 'grassy' areas instead. If we watch the fireworks from elsewhere in the park, we grab a soda/snack before the fireworks and enjoy the empty park as we mosey our way back to the hub, enjoying the music and taking some pictures of areas normally crowded with people.

 

[LAKid53]

I use Disney transportation - bus or boat (from WL to MK). If I want to go from a park directly to DS, I'll take a Minnie Van. I leave my car parked at my resort, unless I have an ADR at another resort - exception is if I'm staying at a monorail resort and eating at another monorail resort, then I take the monorail.

 

[sfbntpc]

Our first trip with our son in 2012, we used the buses. Sometimes we would wait 20-30 minutes for a bus. We were at OKW and waited over 30 minutes one morning while seeing other buses for other parks come by twice. Ever since we drive to all the park unless we are at a monorail resort. We have also splurged on the Minnie Van going to the and from MK so we don’t have to deal with the TTC. I’m not sure where UBER is allowed to drop people off at when heading to MK.

 

[sfbntpc]

Reading this thread and posting my reply made me realize I don’t know where Uber is allowed to drop off people at each park. Does anyone know the specific locations for each park?

 

[LAKid53]

Reading this thread and posting my reply made me realize I don’t know where Uber is allowed to drop off people at each park. Does anyone know the specific locations for each park?

MK - TTC (my advice, take Uber to Contemporary and walk from there to MK)
AK - taxi drop off/pick up (to the right of the entrance)
Epcot - taxi drop off/pick up area (center of bus depot). There's a marker with dots, but it's hard to find.
HS - no clue now that the bus depot has moved.

 

[JIMINYCR]

As soon as I step out of my van and check in it gets parked and stays in the parking spot until check out day. (unless we decide to do some off property sites). Sure sometimes the buses are slower than we want and the arrival times get extended but I'm on vacation and would rather relax...use the Dis transportation the entire time. Some of the drivers are very entertaining and add to the ride. I'm not one to stress out because a bus doesnt arrive in 5 minutes or think arriving a few minutes later to a park is going to ruin my day. So the keys go into the room safe and they are on vacation too.

 

[Raineman]

If we drive to WDW, we are in the car for a total of about 21 hours between home and WDW, so we take the buses/boats everywhere on property, as we do now want to see the inside of that car again until we have to leave.