Total newbie question: Drive or bus to each park?

[Drcbelle]

Hi everyone. I’m sure this has been asked before but I couldn’t find what I was looking for, plus I wanted some more recent experiences.
We are a family of 4, 2 kids almost 6 and 7. Going to WDW in June for the first time. We will have a car and are staying at Pop. We are doing one park each day. Here is our morning schedule:

Day 1: Epcot, I have a PPO for Akershus

Day 2: Hollywood Studios, Toy Story Early Morning Magic

Day 3: Magic Kingdom, PPO at BOG

Day 4: Animal Kingdom, Rope Drop

What are your thoughts? Will it be better/easier to drive or take the buses for each day? Are some parks better to drive to than others? Do the buses drop you off closer than if you park? And how much closer? Anything else you can think of regarding this would be really helpful! Thank you!

 

[pixiedustedme]

Hi everyone. I’m sure this has been asked before but I couldn’t find what I was looking for, plus I wanted some more recent experiences.
We are a family of 4, 2 kids almost 6 and 7. Going to WDW in June for the first time. We will have a car and are staying at Pop. We are doing one park each day. Here is our morning schedule:

Day 1: Epcot, I have a PPO for Akershus

Day 2: Hollywood Studios, Toy Story Early Morning Magic

Day 3: Magic Kingdom, PPO at BOG

Day 4: Animal Kingdom, Rope Drop

What are your thoughts? Will it be better/easier to drive or take the buses for each day? Are some parks better to drive to than others? Do the buses drop you off closer than if you park? And how much closer? Anything else you can think of regarding this would be really helpful! Thank you!

For Magic Kingdom, it will be faster to take the bus from Pop. For the others, driving might be faster if you know your way around.

The buses at Pop are quite efficient. Personally I would just take the bus (I have to drive around a lot in my daily life), but to each his own.

 

[Alesia]

I much prefer taking the bus.

 

[Moliphino]

I would take the buses, but I hate driving.

 

[Pmlocke]

I am on vacation. I take the bus. I don't want to try to park my car and walk to the gates orto the tram to get you to the gates. I get on an air conditioned bus, sit down and start conversing with the nice English couple we met at breakfast. 10-15 minutes later we are at the park. I know at night the bus lines can be long. I always wait for the crowd to thin out and my wife and I slowly walk to the bus line. I can't remember the last time I had to wait more than 10 minutes for a bus. Maybe we are blessed. Maybe it's because we go in February when crowds are lighter. I vote for the bus.

 

[Day-Day]

Magic Kingdom is about 50/50 with us; the rest of the parks, we drive. Since you will be going early morning for all, the additional walk from the parking lot to EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom compared to where the buses drop you off should be minimal. This takes away the unknown of waiting for the bus (or multiple buses).

POP has a queue for buses out in the open but it shouldn't be uncomfortable early in the morning.

MK requires parking at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) and walking or riding the tram to board the Ferry or the monorail. Arriving very early usually puts you in short walking distance to the boarding area and you can avoid the tram.

The buses can be crowded and fill up before you get on. I prefer sitting in my car with a drink to standing on a bus.

 

[Corwin]

We've been to WDW nine times in the last 12 years and have always taken buses (or other transportation) instead of driving to the parks.

Back in the early '90s I drove to the parks for my first two visits, as I was living in Orlando at the time. I have no desire to repeat that experience.

I far prefer staying in WDW resort hotels and using the WDW transportation. Good luck!

 

[JimMIA]

You'll get all sorts of answers to this -- but MY answer is DRIVE.

And there are two reasons why I say this -- one is almost 6 and the other is 7.

You will be there in June. It will be hot, and there is little shade or breeze. You are going to walk your legs off -- and the kids (and probably Mom and Dad) will be very ready for a quick trip back to the resort for a little pool/nap time. Those pool times will be some of your best memories.

Go early. Mid-day, come back to the resort and swim or nap (or both), and then go back to the park later.

MK is the exception where a lot of people like to take the bus because it takes you almost to the entrance. Nice.

BUT...you miss the monorail or ferry. For your first trip, I would certainly sacrifice a few minutes to take the monorail. It's an essential part of the MK experience.

As an onsite guest, you get free theme park parking. You are paying for resort parking anyway -- USE the car.

In addition to the above, use the car to go OFFSITE ( ) to EAT. You will find the food better, less expensive, and much more varied than you'll have onsite. Get out of the bubble, save a few bucks, and eat better.

 

[arminnie]

I drove for years and years. But once I needed a mobility device and had a DH who did not want to go to the parks as much as I did I used the buses more. The buses were not as bad as I had expected.

We now have a van with a lift, but my DH is still not as into the parks as I am. We always stay on site (DVC). So not sure what we will do on our next trip. I never minded driving - but my DH does like not having to drive.

 

[DisLiss]

We take the buses (or the gondolas once they open). But that's because we just want to drive as little as possible as part of our vacation. That's part of what makes it a vacation for us---not having to always be driving someplace.

 

[KidaniZen]

Bus.

 

[Drcbelle]

Thank you all for taking the time
to answer! I had always thought we’d just take the buses but I was reading the Toy Story Early Morning Magic thread and people were talking about taking Lyft/Uber and avoiding the buses so I was wondering if driving would be better, and in which cases. You all made really good points and I’m still going to think about it. I’ll probably do a mixture of both! Thank you!

 

[goofy4tink]

I've started getting a rental car. But, when I'm staying on-site, I tend to use the buses. If you choose to drive, MK is the park to take the bus to. For this park you have to drive there, park, usually take the tram to the TTC, then take either the monorail or ferry. Using the bus you go directly to the park..much faster.
The other thing to keep in mind is drivers in this area. I've gotten pretty familiar with the area while driving. Others, not so much. I have never seen such horrendous driving in one area. Put the CMs rushing to and from work together with guests who have little idea where they're going...oh man, it's crazy. I feel badly for the bus drivers who have to deal with this every day.

 

[shocker]

Ask 15 people, get 15 different answers. But, I would drive to all parks EXCEPT MK. I feel MK is a traffic engineering nightmare for those arriving by car. Parking plaza, get to stall, walk to tram pickup, ride tram to TTC, go thru security, pick either monorail or boat, ride again to entrance, whew! This can take close to an hour. From resort, wait for bus, ride to MK entrance, then thru security... much simpler. Others feel they LOVE adding a monorail/boat ride to the beginning & ending of their day & it's charming, I find it time consuming. I avoid it when possible.

 

[keishashadow]

I would take the buses, but I hate driving.

I hate waiting for, standing on & taking the bus in general. To each their own, nice to have the option

For us, even though we’ve done it many times, it’s not official until we take a lap on othe monorail or ferry, easily achieved via parking @ MK. We do allow extra time for the process though.