Couple of questions

[maine_jennifer]

I am planning a trip for January 2004. It's a long way off and I know things can change, but I would like to hear your opinions.

My parents (both in their 60's) and I will be spending 9 nights at PO-R. During that time, one rest day and one day at SeaWorld will require us to rent a car.

How is the bus transportation between resorts? Will it be better for us to rent the car for the whole time we're there, use Disney transportation to and from the parks and then use our rental to get to the resorts for dinners, etc.? Or is the resort to resort transportation reliable?

Also, keep in mind that mom just had double knee replacement, and while she is doing great and has no trouble walking, we're trying to keep down the extra steps.

Thanks,

Jen H.
Maine, USA

 

[Eeyore1954]

Jen, welcome to the DIS! And it's never too early to plan a trip to WDW!

When my DW and I go, we always rent a car. For us it's the convenience of being able to come and go as we please. That said, we use the Disney buses to go to most of the parks, unless we want to participate in early entry -- sometimes we will drive.

We NEVER, ever drive to MK. That makes no sense -- park, catch a tram, then a ferry or monorail to the park. Buses drop you off closer and faster. Other parks we play by ear -- depending on what we want to do.

Resort to resort: We drive. Faster, easier. We also usually "splurge" for valet parking -- pay once a day and get valet parking at any other resort. It's a good thing (sorry, Martha!).

That's just my 2 cents...

 

[sgtdisney]

In most cases there is no direct resort to resort transportation. You will need to do a transfer at one location to get to the next.. I have heard people say to allow 1 hour to get between resorts. (Excepting between the monorail resorts or the ones located next to each other.) If you will be doing a lot of resort hopping it may be beneficial to rent the car for the entire trip. We have gone more times that I can remember and we have never been without a car. We even drive to the MK's parking lot, but based on what I have been hearing here on DIS about the ease of taking the bus to MK, we may have to try that on the next trip.