Managing without a car

[wifey]

Never had a car and never missed one, we make full us of the resort buses and / or taxis or shuttle buses for the longer journeys. Always been reliable but sometimes the resort buses can be very busy and very crowded. It pays to catch the first available bus to the theme parks to get you there for park opening or ring and book a taxi the night before which is our favourite way of doing it. We have not used the Lynx bus system since they seem to take a while to get to places.

[blusteryday]

If standing at a bus stop with the rest of the Great Unwashed at the end of a long hot day in the parks works, then go for it. Not my bag, but you've probably guessed that.

[ERICSMUM]

I always have a car and wouldn't dream of not doing so. But I imagine you could manage if you plan to spend most of your holiday within the confines of WDW and don't plan on going further afield or want to go somewhere on the spur of the moment such as shopping or eating off-site.

[Laura_<3]

If we stay in a villa we have a car, if we stay on site we don't. When we stay on site we don't miss the car, the buses were fine for us.

[Morty]

We almost never have a hire car. We use the Disney buses without major issues and the Lynx buses if we want to go offsite. However, there are only two of us and we go in September when it's a bit quieter.

[suesmum]

I think this is a case of those that have had a car, love it, those that have not, never miss it

We used to have a car until one year spent so much time stuck in traffic. If we didn't get to park early was a pain getting parking way a way even though you have the little transport thing (mind gone blank re name). But for us it was the cost of the car. By the time proper insurance, parking fees, petrol, hire costs etc, we decided the following year to try without.

We now never get a car. We don't stay onsite but at Best Western near DTD so it does have the free Disney shuttles on regular basis. Return was up to 1.5 hours after park closing.

For Universal or other non Disney parks we would either ring Mears and use their shuttle (only cheaper than taxi if 2 of you) or we would get a taxi. Overall it was much cheaper than hiring a car and less hassle.

But if you want to go further afield than the parks then having your own car is the best option, as without it, you are really limited to the Orlando area. Although you can get tours to places like Kennedy, St. Augustine, Miami (1 - 3 day trips), and Busch Gardens, the latter being free.

One year we styed on I-drive but found the transport a real pain especially coming back to hotel as last shuttle was way too early. Often disney transport took over an hour to get back to hotel. Since then we stayed within Disney property, although not in Disney Resort. If we stayed on idrive again we would probably get our own car. Or do what a friend does, spends some time at idrive hotel and does Unversal, seaworld etc, then move to hotel near DTD for the Disney parks and free, regular transport.

One year we stayed at Hilton, DTD and not only the free regular Disney shuttle but early entry as well.

So for us, we don't have a car any more and really don't miss it. One day of our holiday we spend going from Disney hotel to hotel using the free shuttle and having a good look around the resorts, great fun.

[Guest]

Arrghhhh we more than manage thank you very much and I take offence again at being classed as the great unwashed!

[olgaandcoda]

We love the freedom of having a car, we can go wherever we want in our own time and don't waste time waiting for cabs or buses. Trips to the beach or just a shopping centre further out is possible in a car.

We also have the temperature control in the car, can stop if we see something interesting, we once found a Japanese market near The Loop and stopped off, which we would never have seen from a bus.

[Helenr]

I know people will say it'll be fine without a car, but I wouldn't want to rely on buses

[Disneyhm]

These threads really stress me out. We are staying onsite and not getting a car because we would rather spend the money elsewhere but reading the threads about the buses etc is making me panic that it is going to be unbearable and a massive waste of time with my 2 kids.

I really hope it's not as bad as people make out.