Not hiring a car - don't know how people like this?

[paulfoel]

Not so much on this forum but on a certain facebook group it seems pretty much most people don't hire a car choosing instead to use Uber, hotel shuttles, i-trolley, lynx buses.

Reasons seem to vary from:
1. Don't want to pay for car hire
2. Don't want to pay $25 to park
3. Want to have a drink
4. Too hard to drive in Florida.

Only ever stayed onsite once and even then hated the Disney buses, and would rather take my rental car to the parks.

For me, hiring a car means:-
1. Flexibility to go to different places and when I want.
2. Not having to take ages to get anywhere (I've heard some people getting the lynx bus from I-Drive and it takes 90 mins).
3. Not waiting for buses in 95F heat.

I do often wonder whether a lot of these people who decide not to hire a car are fist timers and don't realise things like:-

1. Disney/Orlando area is a big place. Its not like Spain/Greece where you can get a cab a mile or two. Nothing is close and walking somewhere is generally not done.

Best post I ever saw was someone who was staying on I-Drive and had an idea in their head that the I-Trolley would take them to Disney, it ran every 15 minutes, and took 10 minutes to get there - think they were in for a shock!

2. In my mind, its not really a drinking holiday. I never understand why people come if they want to drink a lot. If it was me it'd be all-inclusive in Jamaica instead surely? I often fancy a pint walking past UK in Epcot then wince at the price of a British pint!

3. Its flipping hot in Florida. Waiting on bus stops is not great. How many people do it once and think not doing that again?

4. Hard to drive. As we all know its not hard to drive in Florida at all. Its easy. Why on earth people panic about this I'll never know. (although I suspect that some families, the driver says this because they don't want to "not drink").

Also I don't understand why people pay £1000s to get to Florida then want to scrimp on $25 for parking. Its not cool I admit but hey ho. When you work out how much per day its cost you to get to Florida then $25 is not much.

So someone convince me its worth doing? (Although I always stay in a villa which means its less easy to go without a car)

[MariaLynda]

I see where you are coming from. But I for one am dropping a car for half our trip next year. Always been off site and always had a car. The parking fee annoys me, its way too high and it really should alter depending on what time of day you enter.

Staying onsite for a week with no car.. so no parking costs, no hire car costs, no petrol costs and yea... for us being two adults with only DH being a driver, he for once can actually have a drink.

A lot of ppl are doing split stays, more than ever from what I can see, and more and more ppl opting to have a car for only part of it.

I'm potentially saving approx £300 for not having a car for a week. maybe a bit wrong there would need to fully work it out. But its a lot!

[trampslikeus]

For me, If staying onsite with DDP, there is no need for a car for full duration, as MDE will take you from airport to resort and back, and transportation will do the rest.
I do tend to hire a car for a two or three days for offsite activities e.g. shopping, beach, baseball.
If staying offsite, or requiring airport transfer, I would have a car for the full duration.

There is no right or wrong answer, it is just what suits your plans and budget

[cartoonp]

Originally Posted by paulfoel

Not so much on this forum but on a certain facebook group it seems pretty much most people don't hire a car choosing instead to use Uber, hotel shuttles, i-trolley, lynx buses.

Reasons seem to vary from:
1. Don't want to pay for car hire
2. Don't want to pay $25 to park
3. Want to have a drink
4. Too hard to drive in Florida.

Only ever stayed onsite once and even then hated the Disney buses, and would rather take my rental car to the parks.

For me, hiring a car means:-
1. Flexibility to go to different places and when I want.
2. Not having to take ages to get anywhere (I've heard some people getting the lynx bus from I-Drive and it takes 90 mins).
3. Not waiting for buses in 95F heat.

I do often wonder whether a lot of these people who decide not to hire a car are fist timers and don't realise things like:-

1. Disney/Orlando area is a big place. Its not like Spain/Greece where you can get a cab a mile or two. Nothing is close and walking somewhere is generally not done.

Best post I ever saw was someone who was staying on I-Drive and had an idea in their head that the I-Trolley would take them to Disney, it ran every 15 minutes, and took 10 minutes to get there - think they were in for a shock!

2. In my mind, its not really a drinking holiday. I never understand why people come if they want to drink a lot. If it was me it'd be all-inclusive in Jamaica instead surely? I often fancy a pint walking past UK in Epcot then wince at the price of a British pint!

3. Its flipping hot in Florida. Waiting on bus stops is not great. How many people do it once and think not doing that again?

4. Hard to drive. As we all know its not hard to drive in Florida at all. Its easy. Why on earth people panic about this I'll never know. (although I suspect that some families, the driver says this because they don't want to "not drink").

Also I don't understand why people pay £1000s to get to Florida then want to scrimp on $25 for parking. Its not cool I admit but hey ho. When you work out how much per day its cost you to get to Florida then $25 is not much.

So someone convince me its worth doing? (Although I always stay in a villa which means its less easy to go without a car)

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personally I don’t drive I can if I wanted two but just choose not two . The money no object as I put that in any budget that I do same as parking ect . I don’t drink . I just prefer not to I don’t tell people to drive or not to it’s up to who ever to decided for the money selfs . I don’t drive becurse I prefer not to I just plan where ever I go and use the buses I don’t usre Uber as I only had bad experiences of taxis but I do not tell people dont use them as it not up 2 me it’s up to the them every one different everyone has the right to decided what they want to do. Same as Star Wars odont interest me in the slightest but that just me I never tell people oh it’s spoilt Disney don’t bother as it not up 2 me.

[dpmcalister]

The only time I've holidayed in the US and not hired a car was on our San Francisco/Los Angeles and Washington DC trips. In both cases it was because we we staying relatively local to the cities we were visiting (aside from a couple of bus tours to the Napa Valley and George Washington's house respectively). For the rest of the time Shank's Pony combined with buses was perfect.

I agree regarding Orlando (we've never stayed on-site (twice on the 192 south of AK and this time just off I Drive around the corner from the old Wet 'n' Wild)) a car is invaluable. In fact, we've progressively gone for a bigger car each time (Economy first time, standard SUV last time, full-size SUV next time)

[itsmeGAV]

We wouldn't go without a car just to the ease of flexibility as we don't stay onsite.. (might be completely different if we chose to stay on Disney property.. who knows!)

Yeah the $25 to park is annoying, but an Lyft/Uber each way from iDrive to disney is about the same price to park and fuel is cheap as anything so it doesn't bother us!

It's the whole idea of just being able to leave when you want an not have to wait around in the baking sun for a potentially crowded bus etc..

We stayed on 192 for our March trip and having a car was possibly the best option as we did try the whole parking at Springs and then using the Disney buses on our first day, it wasn't a great experience and just wasted time more than anything.

Plus I don't drink and my partner doesn't drive so it's easier for us!

[Cairnsy]

You wince at the price of a pint at Epcot but are not bothered about paying $25 dollars to park?

[Rik666]

It's certainly not a 'lets get hammered' holiday, but it's lovely having a few beers when out and about in the sunshine, then when out in the evening too. I don't eat dessert, I'd much rather have a beer while the kids are munching their ice creams.
It's your holidays, are we bad to want a beer or a cocktail or 3?
Each to their own tho.
And an Uber is same price, if not less than parking when going from idrive to universal or SeaWorld.

[itsmeGAV]

Originally Posted by Rik666

And an Uber is same price, if not less than parking when going from idrive to universal or SeaWorld.

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It's roughly the same price, but each way...

[Rik666]

Originally Posted by itsmeGAV

It's roughly the same price, but each way...

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The original poster mentioned $25, I've no idea what it is. Uber was $8 dollars each way last year.