Renting a car if staying at OKW?

[M2DD's]

Thanks for all the advice.I still haven't made up my mind but I'll update you if I do. For my family 200$ is not the problems (how do I put this) My DH would say I'm frugel but I would use the word conservative when it comes to money. I don't mind spending the money if we use the car . I just hate to spend the money and not use the car.We have used disney transportation since they introduced the ME but we use to rent a car before that. Last yr we never had a seat on the bus and we always had to stand with 2 girls and 2 strollers and it was a hassel. We do have several nights of ADR at other resorts and thought we could take a cab if we needed.I'm leaning to renting a car and my DH doesn't care either way.I just think he wants me to make up my mind.

 

[MiaSRN62]

BroganMc says :It's really no different than staying at other Disney resorts, except it has more internal bus stops.

I totally agree with BroganMc's entire post. Even resorts like CBR (6 internal stops), POR (4 internal stops), CSR (5 internal stops) are similar is setup to OKW. And resorts like BWV, would share with Swan and Dolphin and sometimes Y&B. Seriously, one of the better bus routes I've seen is from a value resort and that's POP. No sharing and one central bus stop for the entire resort.

DTD has the same problem due to a horrid parking lot.

Here's where I really like the boat service at OKW to DD. Took us 40 min of circling the parking at DD last summer to find a spot so we could go to the AMC movie theater. We missed the show time we were planning to go to.

Good luck with your decision M2DD's.

 

[flyerron]

We are going the day after Thanksgiving & are doing the ME. With all this good advice, it seems as though we should rent a car once settled. Thanks for the insights.

 

[flyerron]

I asked this before & would like additional explanation, Is it easy to rent a car from SSR or do we have to go off site?

 

[BroganMc]

My DH would say I'm frugel but I would use the word conservative when it comes to money. I don't mind spending the money if we use the car . I just hate to spend the money and not use the car.

SNIP

We do have several nights of ADR at other resorts and thought we could take a cab if we needed.I'm leaning to renting a car and my DH doesn't care either way.I just think he wants me to make up my mind.

If having a car won't hurt you financially, then it may be a good investment in your peace of mind. Even if you end up only using it for your evening ADRs, it'll be worth it.

Like we've all said, for the parks car vs. bus = tie at best, mostly bus wins. For resort hopping, car vs. bus = the car always wins.

 

[las3888]

We ALWAYS rent a car at OKW or any other Disney resort and we have NEVER been sorry. I think the opposite would be true. If we did not rent a car, we would be sorry. It probably wouldn't be horrible, but I think we would have regrets. Again, ZERO regrets when renting.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I asked this before & would like additional explanation, Is it easy to rent a car from SSR or do we have to go off site?

I normally just pick up and drop off at the Orlando airport.

But there are sites that cater to WDW guests :
National has a sattelite office in the Dolphin hotel.
Alamo can be rented at the Car Care Center as well as the Dolphin Hotel.
Budget has a desk at the Doubletree hotel in DD.
Dollar has a desk at the Grosvenor hotel in DD area.

You'll have to inquire if any of these satellite offices offer shuttle service there and back to pick up and drop off your car. I believe some do ? Alamo comes to mind. I rented from Dollar at the Grosvenor in Dec and just took a taxi there to pick it up ($7 from CBR), then I dropped it off at the airport.
Hope this helps.

 

[flyerron]

I guess my question is whether any car rental company will deliver the car ro WDW or if they require you to go thier site to pick up the car.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I guess my question is whether any car rental company will deliver the car ro WDW or if they require you to go thier site to pick up the car.

Ron,
I did mention in my post, that Alamo does offer a shuttle to pick you up and drop you off from the Car Care Center site.

For the others, I am not sure.

If you're staying at SSR you are very close to the DD hotel locations and could probably just walk there.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Ron...
Found this too :
http://www.swandolphin.com/aboutus/transportation.html

Looks like National will pick you up at the Dolphin location too.

 

[Snookies]

Ron...
Found this too :
http://www.swandolphin.com/aboutus/transportation.html

Looks like National will pick you up at the Dolphin location too.

You're correct. Alamo / National are different subsidiaries of the same firm (they're both owned by Enterprise now) but run a joint shuttle at many locations. At WDW, they'll pick you up & bring you to their locations. Others will do this too if you call and ask.