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

[geekza]

I'm getting ready to drive down to WDW next weekend and am staying on-property. I'm trying to decide the quickest and most-efficient method of getting to the parks. I've read conflicting information about what that method might be. If you have access to a car while staying on-property, what is your transportation method of choice if you want to get to the parks? What are the benefits/downsides of your preferred method?

Just for my own benefit, would your preferred method change if you wanted to get to a park for Rope Drop?

 

[Mizzourah]

It depends on where you're staying -- if I'm not trying to rope drop, I try to park my rental at the park where I finish for the day.

If I were staying on property, I'd probably use the bus system from the resorts to the parks.

 

[TurboCaroline]

I always use Disney transportation though on our last trip a year ago the bus service was very slow. Standing in line we second guessed ourselves numerous times. Would it have been faster to actually drive to the park, get on the tram..etc. I really don't know.

 

[DisneyGigi]

In 20 years worth of trips, I have been on a Disney bus once on the first trip. Even when we fly we rent a car and drive to the parks. We park hop via monorail from MK to Epcot and back to TTC at night. We are crazy park hoppers and it just seems to be faster for us to drive ourselves. We stay on property.

 

[EricTheRed]

Disney transportation so far, but I'm thinking on seeing how driving my vehicle to the parks a couple days works out on our next visit, especially if we end up at one of the notorious bus service resorts (Pop Century).

 

[cmb5002]

Part of my vacation is not having to drive. Many here bemoan how slow the buses are and how long the waits can be, but even though I've been frustrated once or twice, I'm way less frustrated than I would be driving myself around. I don't stress about congestion, construction, other drivers texting while driving, lost drivers, etc. They drive me nuts when we have stayed off-site. The only thing I do stress about is when my dining reservation is, and when we leave. Don't care if I miss a FP or ten either.

 

[geekza]

We're staying at Port Orleans: French Quarter. Probably not park-hopping much, but there will be a couple of days when we leave a park mid-day and come back later on. This is the first time I will have driven down there. I never had a problem with buses in the past, but the huge crowds have me wondering if driving to the parks would be more reliable, especially in the mornings.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

When we fly, we rent a car, but ALWAYS use the bus service while on property...the only time we have driven was to go to another resort for a meal or to play mini-golf. Now that we will be driving down for all future trips, we will still adhere to that policy. I happen to enjoy talking with people on the bus and other than at closing, have never had a problem with the transportation.

 

[Brickrancher]

It all depends on where (which park) and when (opening, mid day, evening) you are going. We use bus, boat, and our own car. Usually we map out the day and decide what to do based on that. Also, we are flexible. If the bus service seems to be poor, we just adjust our plans. If you have the luxury of a car, I would play it by ear and adjust based on what conditions you find.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I think, even though I am biased because I always, with one exception, have stayed offsite in all my 35 years of visiting the place. However, from my one experience it really does depend on where you are staying. If your resort has many, many rooms then you can count on the buses to be running late or lines to be forming both coming and going. If it is a smaller resort then the bus or boat is fine. As far as MK is concerned, I have, all but that same once, entered MK via TTA. I feel like I missed out on a huge part of my enjoyment of MK if I don't get my tram ride and Ferry or Monorail to the entrance. Getting off a bus at the entrance is anti-climatic to me. Yes, it does take more time, but, I'm on vacation and I love the anticipation of the last part of the trip to the gate.

 

[zeedan]

We went one time without a rental and took Disney transportation from the Boardwalk . The walks were fine to Epcot and boat to DHS was fine, although slower. The busses from Boardwalk to MK and elsewhere were not so great. Now we always get a rental whether we stay on site (3x) or off site (4x). The ease of getting to the parks at rope drop and not waiting in line for the busses are the main benefits. Also, sometimes we leave a park and drive to Disney Springs to eat, shop, etc.; we then will go back to park or to hotel. It just makes it more easy and convenient. Of course we pay for that but we have found that you can get a rental fairly cheap most times (it doesn't hurt that we have an "insider" at one of the major rental agencies.

 

[larryz]

I'll use the bus/boat to get to MK, and usually drive everywhere else. My experience in September going from DHS to AK on the bus reconfirmed the utility of that strategy.

 

[Dave B]

I'll use the bus/boat to get to MK, and usually drive everywhere else. My experience in September going from DHS to AK on the bus reconfirmed the utility of that strategy.

Just asking a question here, Larry, but is there any other way to get to MK? unless you are staying at Contemporary, I believe Everyone has to use the boat/ferry. I guess you can use the monorail, the more I think, but you have to drive your vehicle to get to the TTC, correct?

 

[Nemo14]

Just asking a question here, Larry, but is there any other way to get to MK? unless you are staying at Contemporary, I believe Everyone has to use the boat/ferry. I guess you can use the monorail, the more I think, but you have to drive your vehicle to get to the TTC, correct?

The bus drops you off right at the MK, but if you drive, you park at the TTC and take either the ferry or monorail to get there.

 

[danyoung56]

So here's my routine. I rent a car at the airport, and almost always use it to get to the parks. The only time I'll use a bus is when heading back to my room for a nap, and I have a killer spot up front at the park that I'm going to end the day with. The only drawback is when closing the day at the MK, where you have to wait in line for a monorail or a ferry, then wait it line again for a tram. It can take quite a while to get to your car on a MK night.

But overall, I don't like having to wait for a bus. I just jump in my car and I'm THERE!

 

[Dave B]

The bus drops you off right at the MK, but if you drive, you park at the TTC and take either the ferry or monorail to get there.

Thank you, we have never taken the busses, I appreciate it

 

[winstongator]

I'm getting ready to drive down to WDW next weekend and am staying on-property. I'm trying to decide the quickest and most-efficient method of getting to the parks. I've read conflicting information about what that method might be. If you have access to a car while staying on-property, what is your transportation method of choice if you want to get to the parks? What are the benefits/downsides of your preferred method?

Just for my own benefit, would your preferred method change if you wanted to get to a park for Rope Drop?

I was there 2 weekends ago and was happier when I used wdw transportation than when I drove my car. I have used a mix n the past. With the app showing bus arrival times I would use them more. I caught a MK bus at 7 from all-star sports for an 8am rope drop and was there in good time.

 

[KikoKea]

We use WDW transportation exclusively when there. We stay at Shades of Green and their bus system is very good and, for the most part, uncrowded. We've stayed at both FQ resorts and the buses were crowded and arrived irregularly. Seems that Disney can't keep their buses on any schedule, from what we experienced, and I hope they are working to correct that.

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!

 

[Alice a]

Uber - $7-$10 per ride from onsite hotel to park, and the price is worth the speed and convienence. Best part is that, if you feel like Epcot after MK, you can uber to the Contemporary, then monorail to Epcot. We used to drive our own car to the parks we didn't have walking or boating transport to, and uber is way more convenient.

 

[AndyS2992]

Once we’ve driven down and parked in the resort, we just use the WDW buses. The only time we drive is to visit Universal.