Is driving to parks a good idea? [merged]

[DisneyRN]

As we will have our car and we are staying on property, is it a good idea to drive to parks? I am fearful of long lines for Pop Century buses.

So, good idea or bad idea?

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

You'll get a bunch of different answers on this, but for us, we drive to most of the parks, most of the time.

We do take Disney transport to MK, since it drops you off right at the front of the park, instead of the TTC.

We find that it is easier to come and go without waiting for a bus, and we always get a seat. I've found that we can get to the parks more quickly on our own, even with having to park and (sometimes) take the tram to the front gate. Plus, one of DD's favourite rides is the parking lot tram!

[Strmchsr]

I've found driving to Epcot and DAK is worth it for us, but we do better just taking the Disney transportation to MK and DHS. Also, if we're trying to hit park opening, we'll often drive as the buses' can be nuts first thing in the morning (at any resort), but we don't find it too bad once the parks are open.

[brownie]

We've found driving to and from the parks works out better for us. We may use Disney transportation to return to our resort and then return to the parks during the day, though.

[faline]

As noted, you'll find differing opinions on this topic. Overall, it's a matter of personal choice. Personally, I prefer to use Disney transportation even when we do have a car available to us.

[HoosierDisneyFan]

we always use Disney Transportation. One item to consider is if you feel comfortable driving in WDW? Do you know where you are going? Big place and it can be confusing. We generally take the buses and go early to avoid crowds and have no issues. There are be lines from time to time with disney transportation (but there can be lines at the toll booths and getting out of the parks as well). My rule of thumb is that if you are going to the parks with al the crowds (or leveing when everyone else is leaving) there will be lines regardless if you are driving or taking the bus.

[Reedy Creek Buccaneer]

If going to the Magic Kingdom, ride the bus. The rest, I would drive to. I think it really depends on if you are in a hurry or not.

[wdwfan]

We never use Disney transportation anymore. Used to, but after renting car the first time, that's the way for us. It's very easy to drive around WDW, signs everywhere. Even driving offsite it not that difficult.

[Melanie]

You'll get a bunch of different answers on this, but for us, we drive to most of the parks, most of the time.

We do take Disney transport to MK, since it drops you off right at the front of the park, instead of the TTC.

We find that it is easier to come and go without waiting for a bus, and we always get a seat. I've found that we can get to the parks more quickly on our own, even with having to park and (sometimes) take the tram to the front gate. Plus, one of DD's favourite rides is the parking lot tram!

to everything Heather said.

I can't stress enough though to take the bus to MK. Makes a world of difference, unless you are just set on riding the monorail or the ferry.

[jillluvsdisney]

There are times when driving is a good idea.

1. You have an early ADR for breakfast and want to make sure you get there on time.

2. You like to park hop and need to leave one park for another for an ADR.

3. You like to break up your day and go back to the resort. (Assuming your resort is not on ther monorail.

4. You would like to make it to the rope drop at any park on time.

Time is money at WDW. Waiting for a bus can take a lot longer than people anticipate. I seem to read a lot of people being late to ADRs because they underestimated their time needed to get there.

[TheHD]

If there's room in the budget, we will get and use a rental car. It almost always seemed faster then taking WDW transportation. Waiting for the buses seems hit-or-miss on whether it will be a short wait or a long wait. If you have your own car, you decide on how long you are waiting.

[DisneyRN]

Well, we are driving to Orlando, so the car will be there anyways. My brother insisted that we drive everywhere last December, which was great because we were at CB and would've been the last stop.

Though I don't feel as "Disneyworld-ish" if we don't use Disney transportation, it is REALLY nice to get to the parks before opening and park really close.

My only "qualm" about taking the buses to MK on this trip, is we plan on staying all day with MNSSHP that night. I am afraid that, by the time we leave, we will be exhausted and not in the mood for an overly crowded bus.

Totally agree with the comments about using buses for a mid-day break.

[sixshot19]

I'm on holidays....Bus driver, move that bus....right back to my resort please.

[Melanie]

My only "qualm" about taking the buses to MK on this trip, is we plan on staying all day with MNSSHP that night. I am afraid that, by the time we leave, we will be exhausted and not in the mood for an overly crowded bus.

Ah, but let me caution you. Monorail is NOT running for MNSSHP, so your only option is the ferry boat. We waited FOREVER last week, and it was one of those uncomfortable, mobbed waits where we were all jammed onto the platform there at the ferry dock.

I'd really recommend the bus that night.

[DisneyRN]

Ah, but let me caution you. Monorail is NOT running for MNSSHP, so your only option is the ferry boat. We waited FOREVER last week, and it was one of those uncomfortable, mobbed waits where we were all jammed onto the platform there at the ferry dock.

I'd really recommend the bus that night.

Ooohhhhh! Why isn't the monorail running? Does it run part of the night?

[Melanie]

Ooohhhhh! Why isn't the monorail running? Does it run part of the night?

It's part of this new shutting down the monorail 1 hour after regular park closing. This is regardless of EMH nights or party nights. It really makes things hairy for parking lot users and monorail resort guests.

[Disney Hungarian]

Ah, but let me caution you. Monorail is NOT running for MNSSHP, so your only option is the ferry boat. We waited FOREVER last week, and it was one of those uncomfortable, mobbed waits where we were all jammed onto the platform there at the ferry dock.

I'd really recommend the bus that night.

Mel, the monorail for the resorts was running until midnight on Sept. 27th. I was at the Poly having dinner during the MNSSHP and was able to take the monorail back to MK to catch a bus back to the AS-sports around 11pm. I don't know if this is a permanent thing or not.

[Melanie]

Mel, the monorail for the resorts was running until midnight on Sept. 27th. I was at the Poly having dinner during the MNSSHP and was able to take the monorail back to MK to catch a bus back to the AS-sports around 11pm. I don't know if this is a permanent thing or not.

Hmmm, weird. It definitely wasn't running the 20th, and I know I've read since then about other party nights when it wasn't running.

I have no idea!

[Goofy4TheWorld]

Though I don't feel as "Disneyworld-ish" if we don't use Disney transportation, it is REALLY nice to get to the parks before opening and park really close.

My only "qualm" about taking the buses to MK on this trip, is we plan on staying all day with MNSSHP that night. I am afraid that, by the time we leave, we will be exhausted and not in the mood for an overly crowded bus.

I remember the bus rides more than any other thing from my first trip that I can remember, and not taking them does fill like I am skipping a beloved attraction. However DS2's behavior forced me to drive occasionally on my last trip and it wasn't bad at all, but I never drove to MK.

My single worst bus experience in 7 years was a midnight departure from the MK following MVMCP. We got to the Pop Century line and it was unimaginably long. I could not get over how the worst line I had ever seen was at the end of a limited-attendance party at Midnight.

We loaded (and stood) on the FIFTH bus to load, but I will give props to Transporation because buses 2 & 3 and buses 4 & 5 both loaded "side-by-side" and moved things along as quickly as they could so the wait wasn't too bad (but the standing was). Despite how bad it was to stand in such a long line with a sleepy 2 year old who claimed he had a poop diaper (he was lying) while being held by a sleepy & pregnant wife, I would choose Pop Century again in a heartbeat. We weren't the only resort with bad lines but we were the only one that had an attendant working to move things along***.

***The attendant that was "working the line" that night was amazing, so much so that I emailed Disney to give him props. Every time we came back around the que on his side he would interact with my obviously-tired son and he kept DS laughing every time we passed by. This same guy was waving down idle buses to pull in and while he was loading two buses' worth of wheelchairs at once he threw wood blocks under the tires of each bus to keep them from pulling out and running over each other or one of us. I was just so amazed at his work ethic and was so glad he was assigned to the Pop line that night. Then we got the best bus driver we had in all of 2010 (William from Rhode Island) so even my worst bus experience exposed me to the best two CMs I had ever come across.

Am I rambling? It's becasue I love Pop so much!

[Goofy4TheWorld]

My only "qualm" about taking the buses to MK on this trip, is we plan on staying all day with MNSSHP that night. I am afraid that, by the time we leave, we will be exhausted and not in the mood for an overly crowded bus.

Oh yea, an idea I had thought about after I got home (but not sure if one would be available) is to walk to the Contemporary then take a cab from there to Pop. The Pop Century bus line is half-way to the CR anyway so the walk wouldn't be too much worse. I always remember seeing cabs everywhere when I stayed at the CR but not sure if the MK closing rush might make them hard to get.