Difference between disney buses and driving

[magicofdisney]

Jim we were there from Dec. 26th-31st and every day we did MK we took a bus from the TTC to MK. Instead of turning left for the ferry or going straight for the monorail we hooked a right and there were busses taking people to MK. The CMs acted as if it were a regular thing.

If you're ultimately going to end up at MK via bus, you might as well take it from your resort, assuming you're staying on property (which it sounds like the OP is doing.)

[Cass&KenziesMom]

If you're ultimately going to end up at MK via bus, you might as well take it from your resort, assuming you're staying on property (which it sounds like the OP is doing.)

Well if you want to stand in line and wait for a bus versus just jumping in your car while everyone is still waiting on a bus then that's fine. To each their own. It's just a suggestion like everyone else is making.

[AgentC]

Jim we were there from Dec. 26th-31st and every day we did MK we took a bus from the TTC to MK. Instead of turning left for the ferry or going straight for the monorail we hooked a right and there were busses taking people to MK. The CMs acted as if it were a regular thing.

Unless it is something new, they don' t always run buses from the TTC to MK. They tend to do it when it is a high volume time of year or when there are monorail issues. It's probably worth checking with cast members to see if it is available the day you are visting.

I do agree with everyone who said they prefer to take their car with MK being the only exception. Almost every time it has been easier for us with the car especially when our children were still in strollers.

[hope2survive]

I've tried all combinations of driving and using only Disney transportation. I've driven to WDW in my own car (from PA), taken the Auto Train with my own care, and rented a car. And I've done trips in which no car and only rely on Disney transportation.

I have to say - I prefer having a car at WDW and driving to taking the Disney transportation. Number of factors play into that. One, I take a bus to work every day and so, for me, taking a bus on vacation does not feel like vacation. Two, I'm with you, I almost always have to wait on buses and almost always have to stand. Which gets annoying after a while, even if it is free. It is worse with young kids who are exhausted. Driving may still take a while sometimes but it feels more under your control and once you get kids in car, they can fall asleep in car.

You can have to wait for a tram, but I've never waiting for a parking lot tram as long as I've waited for a bus. And if you show up at a park late in the day after a nap at home, you can often get a parking space in walking distance of the entrance.

Little tip - i have purchased tickets from AAA just to get the AAA Diamond Parking pass which allows you to park closer to entrance. IMHO, not worth it. The tram is less walking anyway and more convenient.

Also - hate taking strollers and diaper bags and all that on and off the bus. Much easier to get it to your car.

Also can run to grocery store off site, easy to get to DD, can do other things off site like Univeral or Medevil Times.

Now, Ive been by myself and just me and my 20 year old son, and we'll definatley save the money on car rental for adults.

[magicofdisney]

Well if you want to stand in line and wait for a bus versus just jumping in your car while everyone is still waiting on a bus then that's fine. To each their own. It's just a suggestion like everyone else is making.

I agree we're all making suggestions. I'm just not sure how much time you save driving to MK parking lot, tramming to TTC and then jumping on a bus (which may or may not be ready) that must drive over to where the resort bus ends up anyway. That just my way of looking at it.

Being off site, I'd definitely consider this option if the bus were there waiting.

[azcavalier]

So, obviously most people agree that driving to the parks is the quickest and best way to go, and I agree. MK is just a hassle, period (unless you're staying at the Contemporary, which is fantastic). Either you take the bus, and wait for long lines at the end of the day, or you park at the TTC and wait in long lines for the monorail or ferry. We usually do the latter....it's still fun to ride some form of Disney transportation. But still, if you're staying on property so many plusses to just driving yourself:

1. Parking is free
2. Timing is better....it's all YOUR schedule
3. No lines!
4. It's just faster - we were converted the time we stayed for Illuminations: Reflections of Earth and we walked to our car, drove back to POR, and put our kids to bed....and only 20 minutes had passed since we got out of the park. We would still have been waiting for a bus had we relied on Disney transportation.

One more thing i'll throw out there that we love about driving that you can't do if you rely on Disney transportation....we keep a cooler in the car filled with ice and drinks. After a hot day in the parks, we *love* walking back to the car and popping open a few cold sodas (or waters, whatever) for the drive back to the hotel. It's a great way to start to unwind. It has become part of our tradition on our WDW vacations.

[Maddie]

We love having a car because you can also drive to other resorts for dinner etc. We find that you are on your own schedule more with a car, no waiting for buses. Biggest con to driving: at MK you have to park far and then take the ferry or monorail.

[buzznwoodysmom]

Well I am definitely in the minority here. We always have our car since we always drive to WDW from home. However, once we arrive the car pretty much stays parked for the entire trip. We just like letting Disney do the driving. We are never in such a hurry that the time saved driving is worth it to us. On occasion we have called a cab to get us from our resort to another resort for dinner, even tho our car is in the parking lot. I guess we just don't like to drive on vacation. LOL.

We do enjoy when we stay at resorts with other modes of transportation other than bus only. We love taking the boat to MK or to Contemporary for dinner around the monorail when we stay at WL. We love walking or boating to Epcot and DHS when we stay in the Epcot area. However, even when we stay at a moderate, we bus to all the parks.

The only exception is Downtown Disney. We always drive there. But to be honest there is no quick and easy way to get there. Driving gets you there quick, but parking can be a nightmare. However, every time we took a bus to DTD we said "never again". It always seems to take a really long time for some reason.

[Main Street Jim]

Jim we were there from Dec. 26th-31st and every day we did MK we took a bus from the TTC to MK. Instead of turning left for the ferry or going straight for the monorail we hooked a right and there were buses taking people to MK. The CMs acted as if it were a regular thing.

Unless it is something new, they don' t always run buses from the TTC to MK. They tend to do it when it is a high volume time of year or when there are monorail issues. It's probably worth checking with cast members to see if it is available the day you are visiting.

This.

It's only gotta be during high-volume periods like Christmas/New Year's week and 4th of July weekend.

This was never a "regular" thing...

[VWL Mom]

I'm surprised at how many people drive, I just never realized. We primarily rely on Disney transportation with an occasional cab thrown in the mix and don't usually have an issue. Granted we normally just go to the parks for a few hours a day and don't stay to closing. While on vacation we enjoy having a nice bottle or wine with dinner or stopping at one of the lounges for a cocktail and don't want to have to worry about driving.

[tjstrike]

I'm in the minority too because I would 100% take the bus over driving any day. When we get to Disney we don't get in our car again unless it's to make a grocery run. It might be a different story when staying at the value resorts (I've seen those ridiculous lines at the end of the day), but staying at a DVC resort the buses are the way to go.

[TheVBs]

Jumping in with the minority here too. We always have our car, because we drive to WDW. But, a large part of the appeal to stay on site is that those keys get put away and we don't have to think about driving, directions, parking, etc. until we are on our way home again.

[joonyer]

We always drive to WDW (just 5 hours from home) and so we always have a car there. We find we use the car sometimes (real early breakfast ADR's in a park, etc.) but we find that riding the bus is usually just more convenient. If every minute of your day is critical to you at WDW, you can probably shave a few minutes of extra time out of driving, but I think hopping on the bus is just more convenient for us, especially going to from MK. There, the bus stop is so much closer to the gate than the parking lot. But is also depends on which resort you are staying at. The wait for value resorts buses at park closing can be long. We stayed at POFQ this past Christmas week though, and never had to wait more than 5 minutes to catch a bus when leaving the park. It takes mush longer than that to get from the MK gate all the way out to the parking lot. But if you have little kids and strollers, etc. it may be convenient for you to drive.

[Speedy1998]

Pros: As others have said, if you drive your car (with the possible exception of MK) it is much faster than taking the Bus.

Cons: Getting from the TTC to MK can be fustrating slow at certain times of day, or in certain weather. On my last trip we had a horribly long wait for the monorail because it was foggy and the ferries could not operate in heavy fog. I was told that for safety reasons they do not operate when they can not see the dock on the other side of the lake.

[Speedy1998]

This.

It's only gotta be during high-volume periods like Christmas/New Year's week and 4th of July weekend.

This was never a "regular" thing...

I have seen it twice. The first time the monorail was temporarily closed (the train broke at the TTC station, it is the only time I have seen the tow vehicle in person), the second time the ferries were not operating because of fog.

[Eric87]

From 03-12, we always used Disney transportation. It had its ups and downs, but as you mentioned carrying the child on the bus can get pretty intense especially on the long trips. Our last two trips down we rented a car and drove down, so we had a vehicle the entire time. It was nice to leave the Disney bubble to do some grocery shopping. As others have mentioned folding strollers for the bus/trams is a real pain. My wife and daughter would usually take the trams and I would just keep my son in the stroller and walk to the parks/car to prevent multiple foldings. I have no complaints about the bus system, and I have waited through crowded nights and mornings, but it's a perk that comes with your package. With that being said, until my kids are 8-10 range, I will probably keep driving to and from the parks. It's just easier at the end of the night. Even to MK. Why would you want to skip the monorail/ferry anyways? It just adds to the experience.

[Main Street Jim]

Cons: Getting from the TTC to MK can be fustrating slow at certain times of day, or in certain weather. On my last trip we had a horribly long wait for the monorail because it was foggy and the ferries could not operate in heavy fog. I was told that for safety reasons they do not operate when they can not see the dock on the other side of the lake.

Well, like I said, you can always take the *Resort* side monorail, and get off at TTC (second stop), or, walk over - 5 minutes, *maybe* - to the Contemporary, catch the 'Rail, and get off at the next stop (TTC)...

[magicofdisney]

Well, like I said, you can always take the *Resort* side monorail, and get off at TTC (second stop), or, walk over - 5 minutes, *maybe* - to the Contemporary, catch the 'Rail, and get off at the next stop (TTC)...

Except that poster is trying to travel to MK, not away.

[Main Street Jim]

Except that poster is trying to travel to MK, not away.

I was thinking at the end of the day/night.

Original post:

At the end of the night is it faster to wait on the bus with everyone leaving or waiting on the tram to go to find your car? Last one, what is the furthest they drop you from your car in the parking lot?

In the mornings, it's not *that* big a deal, if you arrive early enough. We liked to take the ferry over first thing in the morning, and then monorail back.

If you do get into the TTC parking early enough, you won't even have to take the tram - you should be parking close enough (old "Minnie" section - not sure what it is now...LOL) to walk to the Monorail/Ferry. If you get there later, you will need the trams....then Monorail/Ferry...

To answer the second question about "furthest from your car" - well, the trams use the center lanes of the parking areas, so, if you're parked at the end of one of the rows...hard to say *exactly* how far it is...trams stop in each and every parking area at least once...load/unload two areas at a time (one on each side of the tram)...

[phillydan]

I'm surprised at how many people drive, I just never realized. We primarily rely on Disney transportation with an occasional cab thrown in the mix and don't usually have an issue.

I definitely agree with this statement. If things are really bad, we just grab a cab. Our first trip, we rented a car and it sat unused for almost the entire week. Big waste in my opinion.