Control Freak

[Colorado Belle]

This may not be a popular feeling, and yes, maybe I AM a control freak, and yes, I do know that parking is a prob at HOME, but I just like having a car when I 'm in the World. I walk or take the boats from anywhere that uses either, and I also make good use of the monorail, but I just can't do the bus thing. Sorry.

And I like the Freedom and think a car can save time for quick or multiple trips, storing stuff, going 'off campus' every now and again.

I found a budget link to get a National card and last time I had a car waiting to be picked from the members Emerald Aisle row...and that was just FUN.

Now I am really spoiled.
and I am loving it!

[lllovell]

We are lucky enough to live close enough to drive, so the whole car thing has never been an issue for us.

That said, we take the bus to some places and not others - but having your own car CANNOT be beat for getting to and from other resorts for pool hopping, dinners or just visiting.

If we didn't take the buses some, my little ones would be terribly disappointed and honestly we have never waited long for a bus :)

Laura

[PoohsPal]

We've never had a car in WDW. Our next trip will be a first. We're flying in to SFB and hubby needs to get to mass on Saturday, so we're renting. We drive tons durign the week, so tyipcally, we like riding and it's more magical to me to not know all the deatils of how it fits together. After runnign themarathon, though, that magic will likely go away anyway. I'm really curious to see if we use the car a lot or not. Time will tell....

[cruise-o-matic]

We like having a car b/c on the last day we can leave directly from the park instead of having to go back to the resort and wait....gives us about 2 extra hours with the Mouse. :)

[Leftcoaster]

I generally rent a car because I too can be a control freak. I do a lot of resort and park hopping. I find that i can usually get to places faster than the busses. I won't drink to MK though. That definately takes too long.

[PoohsPal]

I won't drink to MK though. That definately takes too long.
Been hitting the yeunglings (sp?) with Rash? :D

[kathleena]

I can go either way - it depends on what resort we are at and how much we plan to eat in other resorts.

It's easy to plan to go to Boma on an AK day and then take the bus to a park for the evening or go to DTD. We just work it into the plan and then it's not an annoyance.

Last trip we used ME and got wegoshop food - it worked out great!

DH and I have just found if we have a car - we rarely use it, so the ME deal for us is going to be well used and appreciated!

He likes to have a car for golfing, but is going to try the free internal transportation this time to see how he likes it.

But - if we are going to SW or IOA, then a car is a must.

[Leftcoaster]

Been hitting the yeunglings (sp?) with Rash? :D


Gotta love thoe Freudian slips. Time to get a drink.

[cruise-o-matic]

Been hitting the yeunglings (sp?) with Rash? :D

Mmmmm....Yeungling.... :)

[ripleysmom]

I usually rent a car but because they have ME currently running I am going to put my $100 to better use.

Can you say drink around the world? :cool:

[Leftcoaster]

I usually rent a car but because they have ME currently running I am going to put my $100 to better use.

Can you say drink around the world? :cool:

We have two different car rentals for the October trip. One for the whole trip and a one day rental to go visit family in Gainesville We've signed up for ME so we're debating on what to do. Right now, I think we're leaning towards ME and the 1 day rental.

[kathleena]

I usually get two or three and keep checking for better rates. I have often found the best rates 1-2 months prior to the trip.

[cruise-o-matic]

I usually get two or three and keep checking for better rates. I have often found the best rates 1-2 months prior to the trip.

I'll probably check again in October to see what Dollar is offering, since they are in terminal.

You need to check daily and sometimes more than once a day. I had a rate I was about to book and when I went to book, it went up almost 50%. I had to wait a few more days for it to drop again.

[jnrrt]

We had a car last week, and we thought it was worth every penny since our little guy is still so little. We used it all the time to run him home, and then one of us would stay with one or two of the girls and come back on the bus. We did think the bus service was very spotty at OKW, and while we absolutely loved (loved, loved!) the resort, I don't think we'd stay there without a car.

When our kids are older, we might rethink it, but for now, I love the convenience, and I'm with CB, emerald aisle is just cool.

[DrTomorrow]

I don't think we've ever done WDW (either pre- or post-DVC) without a car. It's a bit of a luxury, I'll admit, but the freedom & convenience add a lot of value to our trips - even more when we need to stock up a villa with food & beverages.

And (I never thought I'd be saying this) we've grown disenchanted with taking Disney busses over the past few years. We'll still take them if we're going to the MK, or if we're not in a hurry and want a ride (sort of like an attraction). But particularly when we stay at SSR, the ease of hopping into the car and heading where-ever AND WHENEVER we want is a real nicety.

Be well.

[cobbler]

We always drive down but it is rare we get in our car once it is parked. It will sit there the entire time! I like not having to get back in that thing after a 19 hour drive :)

We have used our car when at All stars though, to long to wait for busses and to packed.

[mamaprincess]

My DH wouldn't be without a car for 5 seconds I don't care what other transportation options are available. I'm affraid the only Disney transportation we'll ever get to try is the monorail.

[DSNY FN]

We drive down every trip and never take the car anyplace other than to get groceries or go shopping at BELZ and Florida Premium Outlets. We love the bus system and the boats etc are great so once we are done our off site excursions we park the car and it stays there for teh duration.

[dianeschlicht]

We drive down every trip and never take the car anyplace other than to get groceries or go shopping at BELZ and Florida Premium Outlets. We love the bus system and the boats etc are great so once we are done our off site excursions we park the car and it stays there for teh duration.
We don't drive down, but that is just about the kind of usage our car gets too. We use for back and forth to the airport, groceries, and an occational dinner at one of the other resorts, since buses are hard to do for that. .

[bavaria]

I rent pretty much 100% of the time. I don't mind playing chaffeur and it's definitely easier to get to the resort restaurants.

Besides, it's a good way to use those free rental credits I build up through work....

I will admit to occaissionally using the resort busses, usually to MK, but the car is still the way to go for me!

[UsedtobeSmith]

We prefering driving to the parks.... unless we are within walking distance. The kids (and I) enjoy the tram ride... the first and last ride of the day!!!

[DSNY FN]

We don't drive down, but that is just about the kind of usage our car gets too. We use for back and forth to the airport, groceries, and an occational dinner at one of the other resorts, since buses are hard to do for that. .

All we do is take a bus/boat to DTD and hop the resort bus from there if we are going to a resort for dinner. Plus after an 18-22 hour drive from London to Disney I really don't want to drive my car anywhere. I do all but about 4 hours of the drive on each leg.

[crisi]

We've had the worst luck with rental cars. I used the Hertz Gold Club for work (like Emerald Isle service) and love it....but every time I've used either Hertz or National's service for personal use, we discover a car that isn't ready to go, that needs to be checked, that has someone else's stuff in it, or that isn't there! We got overcharged in Orlando and told "tough - all the rental car agencies are out of cars, you can take it or leave it."

So we have decided to make use of other transportation options. We stay at the Boardwalk, so that often means our feet. We use the bus when its convienient and when it isn't, we take cabs. We probably take six or eight cabs over the course of a week. The downside to cabs is the expense (but it isn't more expensive than renting a car), the upside - you don't need to deal with parking, they are right at the front of the resort and usually drop you darn close to the front of the park, they are everywhere. Because we don't walk to and from the parking lot, its generally quicker than any other option. And we don't get lost!

[TW1]

8 trips and this last one was the first time we had a car.

And we loved it!

We drove to WDW from Philly, (part of a larger plan to do VB and HHI as well,) for the first time in August. We usually fly and have never even thought of renting a car.

But I must admit, it was nice having the car there. We didn't use it everyday, we still like to take the bus to the park. But we did make two runs to the grocery store and we did drive to Blizzard Beach since we've found those busses are realy busy at closing time.

We will probably drive again someday and enjoy having the car. But if we fly I probably wouldn't spend the money on having the car out there, though I will hire a limo to and from the airport versus Mears. Now that is certailyl worth it in my opinion.