transport

[gus6]

Just wanted to know ,im staying in the sports resort in August there are 4 of us going what would be the cost (roughly) to get to Busch Gardens also when ordering a taxi do you pay for each person thanks

 

[tizzo]

Just wanted to know ,im staying in the sports resort in August there are 4 of us going what would be the cost (roughly) to get to Busch Gardens also when ordering a taxi do you pay for each person thanks

In case you didn't know, Busch Gardens is near Tampa, and probably a little over an hour's drive from WDW. This would likely make it a very expensive cab ride.

Google gave me a few shuttle services. Here are links to the top results:

http://www.orlandoescape.com/buschgardens/shuttletransportation.htm

https://secure.mearstransportation.com/MearsExpress/BuschGardens.asp

Both cite a price of just $10, which sounds pretty cheap for such a ride. But you have to get yourself to and from the pickup location - neither one of them appears to come on property - and they say that you could arrive at Busch Gardens as late as 11:30AM. You also have to make reservations in advance. Presumably it's a bus and they have to run as close to full capacity as possible in order to offer that price.

 

[gus6]

thanks for your help:wave:

 

[lilclerk]

For Busch Gardens, I think you'd be better off renting a car for the day. There's rental companies on property at the Car Care Center near the MK, and also at the Dolphin and a couple of DTD hotels.

 

[tizzo]

For Busch Gardens, I think you'd be better off renting a car for the day. There's rental companies on property at the Car Care Center near the MK, and also at the Dolphin and a couple of DTD hotels.

That was my initial reaction too. But I didn't expect to find a shuttle for ten bucks a head. Still it's hard to beat the flexibility a car gives you, even if it is more expensive (which it may or may not be depending on the size of your group).

 

[gus6]

Sadly none of us want to drive so a taxi or bus is the only option i still cant find a price for a group of 4 how much it would cost:veryconfu

 

[Rob562]

Mears is probably your cheapest option, at $10 per person, roundtrip. (You pay Busch Gardens when you get there, so my guess is that the trip is subsidized by Busch itself)

https://secure.mearstransportation.com/MearsExpress/BuschGardens.asp

The hitch is that you have to get yourself to one of the pickup locations. The closest one to the All-Stars is the Best Western Lakeside in Kissimmee, which is on Route 192 just west of Disney property. Taxi fare (which covers everyone in the cab, not per-person) for that shouldn't be more than $10-$15 each way, plus tip.

A suggestion: Tell the taxi driver to go toward Animal Kingdom Lodge and take Sherberth Road. It's *much* faster and avoids all the traffic and signal lights you get going via World Drive and 192. Barely a 5-minute drive.

Oh, and if you read the additional info on the Mears page, the bus fare is included in some park ticket options.

EDIT: And another hitch is that 9:40am seems to be the only available pickup option there (other locations are 9-9:30, but are farther away from Tampa). Drive time is prob a little more than an hour, so you're arriving at 11am (traffic willing).
So if you want to get to the park at opening, the bus is not for you. Your options include a private towncar or taxi, both of which are VERY expensive, or renting a car for the day.


-Rob

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Apart from "specific named rides" there's nothing that Busch Gardens has, that WDW, IOA or SeaWorld haven't. They all have roller coasters etc etc - avoid the hassle (especially as you won't be driving) and stay local

 

[fabroman]

I think Busch Gardens is pretty cool.

Not AS cool as disney, but still worth spending a day.

 

[slappy magoo]

Sadly none of us want to drive so a taxi or bus is the only option i still cant find a price for a group of 4 how much it would cost:veryconfu

For a drive that far, seriously, suck it up. I mean that with WDWMAGIC forum love. I'm not being snarky. Suck it up and somebody drive.

I just went to Alamo.com (Alamo and National are the official rental car companies of Walt Disney World). I popped in the need to rent a car from August 15th, pick up at 6am, and dropping it off exactly 24 hours later. If you can do that, and prepay (reserve the car now) a compact will cost you 50 dollars, plus gas.

Considering the shuttles are 10 bucks a head, PLUS the taxi you'll need to get to and from the pickup/dropoff location, AND you'll be arriving nearly two hours after the park opens...unless none of you is over 25 (which will make renting a car difficult), renting a car seems to me to be the best option. Alamo will even arrange to get you to and from WDW's car care center when it comes to getting the car and dropping it off (it's near the Magic Kingdom, there's also a facility at the Dolphin hotel).

I will also point out that the cost of renting a car will increase quite a bit after 24 hours, but if you can keep yourself to 24 hours, it's 50 bucks.