🚗Car, 🚌Bus or 🚐Minnie Van from AKL? ALSO: Thoughts on MK Resorts Transportation Jan. 2025?

[LivingTheFruit]

Greetings! I'm planning our littles' first trip to WDW (hubby's 1st since childhood and my 1st since I worked there ~20 years ago). Our kiddos will be 8, 6, 3 and 1. Likely using a double stroller. (recommendations on a good one with adequate storage, but not ginormous?). We may rent a car. If so, is taking our car to the parks (or some of them) from Animal Kingdom Lodge best? Or the bus? Or a Minnie Van? It's very possible we'd have some mornings in the parks, return to hotel for naps, then go back late afternoon.

Semi-related... We're thinking of a split stay with Poly, GF, or Contemporary. This would be shortly after the Tower is complete (late January 2025). Do you think the monorail would be so crowded that it wouldn't be worth it (I keep reading it's crowded as is)? Would driving/Minnie Van be better?

How's the walk from each of these to MK? Too much for 8/6 yo's at the end of a long day?

--OR--
Instead of a monorail resort, maybe Wilderness Lodge (or FW cabin, if we can score it). Is the ferry boat practical for regular transportation to/from MK? Or is one of the above options better---What would you recommend for our family with 4 littles... A monorail resort, or WL?

Apologies for all the questions! I didn't want to create a bunch of different threads. BUNCHES OF THANKS!

 

[Tripscarcare]

You have over a year out to sort out the smaller details. We took our kids for the first time at ages 3 and 4 they still remember it. And we have been a few times since, plus heading down for a week in 6 nights.

For us it’s a heck of a trip, we are willing to spend the money to immerse ourselves into the Disney Bubble. We use a private car service through Away we go. To get us to and from the airport.

Never once rented a car since we used Disney transport for everywhere. Yes probably a challenge with a couple kids but using a double stroller you can at least keep two wrangled up when waiting for Monorail and buses. Biggest thing is just go with the flow, if you have every minute planned out things never work and it becomes a challenge. We used to use the Jeep branded double umbrella stroller built like a tank but not a super big ankle breaker for the wayward walker on Main Street.

Challenge also is jumping from home to home ( hotels) if your kiddos get comfortable and then moved around again that could add another scenario.

Your hotel choices are great we have stayed at most either before kids and after. At least you have a rough idea of were you want to stay etc. Find a resort on the Monorail or Slyliner path to eliminate some bussing it’s another ride for the kids!

Good luck with the planning

 

[Marthasor]

Greetings! I'm planning our littles' first trip to WDW (hubby's 1st since childhood and my 1st since I worked there ~20 years ago). Our kiddos will be 8, 6, 3 and 1. Likely using a double stroller. (recommendations on a good one with adequate storage, but not ginormous?). We may rent a car. If so, is taking our car to the parks (or some of them) from Animal Kingdom Lodge best? Or the bus? Or a Minnie Van? It's very possible we'd have some mornings in the parks, return to hotel for naps, then go back late afternoon.

Semi-related... We're thinking of a split stay with Poly, GF, or Contemporary. This would be shortly after the Tower is complete (late January 2025). Do you think the monorail would be so crowded that it wouldn't be worth it (I keep reading it's crowded as is)? Would driving/Minnie Van be better?

How's the walk from each of these to MK? Too much for 8/6 yo's at the end of a long day?

--OR--
Instead of a monorail resort, maybe Wilderness Lodge (or FW cabin, if we can score it). Is the ferry boat practical for regular transportation to/from MK? Or is one of the above options better---What would you recommend for our family with 4 littles... A monorail resort, or WL?

Apologies for all the questions! I didn't want to create a bunch of different threads. BUNCHES OF THANKS!

I'm just curious what type of room configuration you are planning on at AKL or WL? Standard rooms at both of these resorts only hold 4 + a child under 3.

If you rent a car, driving to EP and DHS is fine. MK is a bit of a hassle as you will need to park at TTC and then monorail or ferry to MK. On an MK day, I would consider using the bus or Minnie Van as either would drop you closer to the park entrance.

The walk from CR to MK is wonderful. The walk to GF is longer and, personally, there is no way I would walk from MK to Poly (you have to walk through GF) after a long day. We used the monorail countless times on our last trip and never encountered any issues with crowds.

If you get a cabin at Ft. W, be prepared to use the internal buses or rent a golf cart to get to where you need to be to access park transportation. If you rent a car, that wouldn't be an issue (however, you can't drive your car to the Ft. W boat dock) WL is fantastic, but it typically uses smaller boats to get to MK and you will have to fold a stroller. You can also take a bus from WL to MK.

Honestly, if it's in the budget, I would pick Poly, CR or GF and just stay there the entire time. CR is great for walking to MK and monorail to EP (transfer at TTC). Poly is great to access monorail to MK and a short walk to TTC for the EP monorail.

 

[LivingTheFruit]

You have over a year out to sort out the smaller details. We took our kids for the first time at ages 3 and 4 they still remember it. And we have been a few times since, plus heading down for a week in 6 nights.

For us it’s a heck of a trip, we are willing to spend the money to immerse ourselves into the Disney Bubble. We use a private car service through Away we go. To get us to and from the airport.

Never once rented a car since we used Disney transport for everywhere. Yes probably a challenge with a couple kids but using a double stroller you can at least keep two wrangled up when waiting for Monorail and buses. Biggest thing is just go with the flow, if you have every minute planned out things never work and it becomes a challenge. We used to use the Jeep branded double umbrella stroller built like a tank but not a super big ankle breaker for the wayward walker on Main Street.

Challenge also is jumping from home to home ( hotels) if your kiddos get comfortable and then moved around again that could add another scenario.

Your hotel choices are great we have stayed at most either before kids and after. At least you have a rough idea of were you want to stay etc. Find a resort on the Monorail or Slyliner path to eliminate some bussing it’s another ride for the kids!

Good luck with the planning

Thank you SO kindly for your quick and thoughtful response. It seems far away, yet at 9 months out, I already feel behind.

We've always rented a car on vacations, but I guess you're right. There's no reason we *have* to have a car. I guess it's the "just in case" we venture out. We do have family near Orlando that we're hoping to see at some point. But we could theoretically get a car service with car seats to go meet up with them. Also like having it for the option to explore old stomping grounds, from my CM days.

Lol, I didn't even think of that in terms of a stroller, but good points!

I know, it would definitely be easier to stay at one resort. I just don't know when we'll be able to return, and we want to try two totally different resort experiences. (My hubby and I went to 9 different resorts on our 2-week honeymoon, to see all various areas of the country.)

Yes! Even if we don't end up at a monorail or skyliner resort, we'll still have to ride on them, for the fun of it! One of my fave random memories is hearing "¡Por favor manténgase alejado de las puertas."

Thanks again for your input-so helpful!

 

[LivingTheFruit]

I'm just curious what type of room configuration you are planning on at AKL or WL? Standard rooms at both of these resorts only hold 4 + a child under 3.

If you rent a car, driving to EP and DHS is fine. MK is a bit of a hassle as you will need to park at TTC and then monorail or ferry to MK. On an MK day, I would consider using the bus or Minnie Van as either would drop you closer to the park entrance.

The walk from CR to MK is wonderful. The walk to GF is longer and, personally, there is no way I would walk from MK to Poly (you have to walk through GF) after a long day. We used the monorail countless times on our last trip and never encountered any issues with crowds.

If you get a cabin at Ft. W, be prepared to use the internal buses or rent a golf cart to get to where you need to be to access park transportation. If you rent a car, that wouldn't be an issue (however, you can't drive your car to the Ft. W boat dock) WL is fantastic, but it typically uses smaller boats to get to MK and you will have to fold a stroller. You can also take a bus from WL to MK.

Honestly, if it's in the budget, I would pick Poly, CR or GF and just stay there the entire time. CR is great for walking to MK and monorail to EP (transfer at TTC). Poly is great to access monorail to MK and a short walk to TTC for the EP monorail.

Hi! Bunches of thanks for all your help! Great question... We actually have a few kid-less family members coming with us, so we're looking into a 2-bedroom (or 2 studios at Poly/2 cabins at Ft. W).

Your comments are super helpful! I'm thinking if we do the split stay, we'll try not to do an MK day from AKL. Good to know about the monorail--I was seeing many people complain about the waits & crowds (and anticipated higher volume due to the new tower). Perhaps they just went at super busy times.

Good point about not being able to drive to the Ft. W boat dock. Didn't think about it potentially being a long walk to the dock. My family member is the one who is pushing for this one, for nostalgic reasons.
Oooo, good to know about WL and there being smaller boats. I didn't realize we'd have to fold the stroller. Trying to avoid that.

My initial inclination was to stay at a monorail resort. AKL is really for the kids. Maybe we can get away with just visiting during a non-park day...
Thank you again for all of your assistance. I really appreciate it!

 

[_19disnA]

We stayed @ the Contemporary a couple of years ago with relatives and one of the families had small children. We found the monorail VERY convenient. We would walk that short pathway TO MK in the morning which also had a separate area for security so you didn't have to stand in any long lines. After doing all that walking @ MK with the children, we found what worked best was to take the monorail BACK to Contemporary since it is the next stop and was very easy to do. We typically took a break mid-day so the little ones could take a nap. We aren't the go-go-go types and never were in a race to get to MK in the morning. Works for some but not how we choose to do Disney.

I agree that being flexible with small children is the best plan. One of them might be fussy/sleepy/etc for any number of reasons so to think you are going to plan every minute of the day and do the parks all day long is not realistic.

We never had any issues with the monorails being crowded. The monorail to/from TTC & MK is an express that doesn't stop at any of the resorts. The one that stops at each resort & MK is a separate track. Perhaps if you are exiting MK when it closes after the fireworks have ended there will be LOTS of people, but during the day it was never an issue for us.

We also liked to watch the fireworks from that patio on the 4th floor of the Contemporary. Great way to avoid those large crowds and we were already at our resort.

I believe with the construction going on @ Polynesian, that walkway is now closed. Personally, even if it was open, I think it is way too far to walk with small children considering the MILES of walking your will do @ MK. If you stay at GF, then MK is next monorail stop, so I don't see any benefit to walking. When returning TO GF, if you don't want to do the monorail loop, then perhaps walking is an option.

Where to stay is largely a matter of budget and personal preference. Our idea of a vacation is to unpack upon arrival and then only repack the last day of our trip when departing to the airport. Some apparently like staying at different hotels, but that isn't our preference.

We liked having a rental car since it gave us more flexibility if we decided to go shopping or wanted to eat someplace other then a Disney restaurant. Disney property is HUGE, so even if you want to go to Disney Springs, having your own car makes it very convenient. Using one of those on-line taxi services gets expensive and I have seen many threads about issues realting to car seats or how many people they can hold.

 

[kylenne]

Semi-related... We're thinking of a split stay with Poly, GF, or Contemporary. This would be shortly after the Tower is complete (late January 2025). Do you think the monorail would be so crowded that it wouldn't be worth it (I keep reading it's crowded as is)? Would driving/Minnie Van be better?

It is still way too early to speculate about operational impacts of the Poly tower on the monorail tbh. I would imagine that Disney will run trains more frequently during busier times, but even so, I think it's overblown. As frequent Poly guests we've never had issues with packed monorails. At worst, possibly at the end of the night after MK fireworks they are more crowded, but it's no worse than the buses, and your ride is going to be much shorter than on the bus. Besides, if you are staying at Poly or GF, those post-fireworks monorails tend to empty out at the TTC because people who drive to the parks love to take the "tip" of packing the resort lines rather than waiting for the much longer express line.

One really great benefit of staying on the loop though is that all three resorts have alternatives to the monorail. CR and GF you can always walk back (Poly is frankly too far a walk when tired at the end of the night imo), and there is also the GF-Poly-MK resort launch. I barely took the monorail staying at the GF because I walked to the park and usually took the boat back at night.

 

[kylenne]

If you stay at GF, then MK is next monorail stop, so I don't see any benefit to walking. When returning TO GF, if you don't want to do the monorail loop, then perhaps walking is an option.

The benefit is being able to go on your own schedule rather than waiting on transportation to start. It's an invaluable advantage for Early Entry strategies, because walkers will always get there before people taking any kind of transportation. Also it's just a gorgeous walk--much more scenic and pleasant than the walk from CR imo, even though it's slightly longer. I barely took the monorail from GF when I stayed there, if I'm honest. Only when it was raining.

I never walk back at the end of the night though, because I'm usually tired even with the long midday breaks we take, and the resort launch is a much better alternative to the monorail. You don't have the mass of non-resort guests in the boat line because it doesn't stop at the TTC, just GF->Poly->MK. You also have to be mindful of the time because that walkway does close for a bit at a certain hour because the drawbridge has to lift to let the EWP barges come out.

 

[LivingTheFruit]

We stayed @ the Contemporary a couple of years ago with relatives and one of the families had small children. We found the monorail VERY convenient. We would walk that short pathway TO MK in the morning which also had a separate area for security so you didn't have to stand in any long lines. After doing all that walking @ MK with the children, we found what worked best was to take the monorail BACK to Contemporary since it is the next stop and was very easy to do. We typically took a break mid-day so the little ones could take a nap. We aren't the go-go-go types and never were in a race to get to MK in the morning. Works for some but not how we choose to do Disney.

I agree that being flexible with small children is the best plan. One of them might be fussy/sleepy/etc for any number of reasons so to think you are going to plan every minute of the day and do the parks all day long is not realistic.

We never had any issues with the monorails being crowded. The monorail to/from TTC & MK is an express that doesn't stop at any of the resorts. The one that stops at each resort & MK is a separate track. Perhaps if you are exiting MK when it closes after the fireworks have ended there will be LOTS of people, but during the day it was never an issue for us.

We also liked to watch the fireworks from that patio on the 4th floor of the Contemporary. Great way to avoid those large crowds and we were already at our resort.

I believe with the construction going on @ Polynesian, that walkway is now closed. Personally, even if it was open, I think it is way too far to walk with small children considering the MILES of walking your will do @ MK. If you stay at GF, then MK is next monorail stop, so I don't see any benefit to walking. When returning TO GF, if you don't want to do the monorail loop, then perhaps walking is an option.

Where to stay is largely a matter of budget and personal preference. Our idea of a vacation is to unpack upon arrival and then only repack the last day of our trip when departing to the airport. Some apparently like staying at different hotels, but that isn't our preference.

We liked having a rental car since it gave us more flexibility if we decided to go shopping or wanted to eat someplace other then a Disney restaurant. Disney property is HUGE, so even if you want to go to Disney Springs, having your own car makes it very convenient. Using one of those on-line taxi services gets expensive and I have seen many threads about issues realting to car seats or how many people they can hold.

This is all really awesome info! I'm so grateful you took the time to help me out. I totally get all your points, especially when it comes to having multiple little children. Flexibility is definitely key!

I honestly hadn't thought of Contemporary a lot, because it doesn't come off as having much theming and the immersive Disney experience (one of the reasons we were leaning toward Poly/AKL/WL/etc.)--other than the monorail coming through it. However, you make a lot of great points about the convenience factor. I'll have to take a closer look. We may need to do BLT, due to # of people, and I'm a bit hesitant about the refurbishments & what impact that might have in early 2025.

Yeah, we had the same thought about car seats (and visiting other places), which is why we're likely renting a car. We typically use Turo, which usually results in a smooth experience.

Thanks again! I know these are all finer details, and no matter what happens, we'll have a magical time!

 

[gottalovepluto]

As far as Minnie Vans go, do remember they only come with 2 car seats which while fine under FL law with those ages may or may not be ok for your personal feelings. They also cost around $40/ea so they do not come cheap.

 

[Anthony1971]

I would have to think with 4 kids you will not be in a rush… well maybe to a chair or couch… At those ages pools are important however January may not be a time for that? CR is an easy walk Grand I never did it’s one stop on the monorail . CR pool is last on my list Poly has a great splash area and zero entry Grand is a mirror image of the Poly pool but not a great splash area and just because of the placement the Poly pool is nicer and the slide is a lot more fun. So WL the pools are great for little kids the lobby both main and DVC are by far nicest to spend time, the DVC side has a few games and both sides have a lot of inviting seating. Yes the Grand does as well but a completely different vibe. The boat to MK is fine as is the bus. The mono rail is busy around opening and park closing but not packed although I am sure some times of the year it is worse. I would look at which resorts will entertain… for me that would be AKL and WL as I think you will spend a good amount of time there. Lastly and sorry to break it to you the famous monorail voice is no longer yes I fondly remember those days…. It is a shell of what it was when it works correctly. With that the poly wins for monorail because you can walk from TTC from EPCOT….. with teens just walking down the ramp and back up to go the Grand last year made me greatly miss the POLY. Yes a longer ride from MK but the boat is a great option at close as well…. But I really do not think you guys will be closing parks maybe one of you with the 8 YO. Cannot remember for how many years 8 was a late night.

 

[LivingTheFruit]

As far as Minnie Vans go, do remember they only come with 2 car seats which while fine under FL law with those ages may or may not be ok for your personal feelings. They also cost around $40/ea so they do not come cheap.

Ahhh, good to know! Thanks so much for the intel. Very important.

 

[LivingTheFruit]

I would have to think with 4 kids you will not be in a rush… well maybe to a chair or couch… At those ages pools are important however January may not be a time for that? CR is an easy walk Grand I never did it’s one stop on the monorail . CR pool is last on my list Poly has a great splash area and zero entry Grand is a mirror image of the Poly pool but not a great splash area and just because of the placement the Poly pool is nicer and the slide is a lot more fun. So WL the pools are great for little kids the lobby both main and DVC are by far nicest to spend time, the DVC side has a few games and both sides have a lot of inviting seating. Yes the Grand does as well but a completely different vibe. The boat to MK is fine as is the bus. The mono rail is busy around opening and park closing but not packed although I am sure some times of the year it is worse. I would look at which resorts will entertain… for me that would be AKL and WL as I think you will spend a good amount of time there. Lastly and sorry to break it to you the famous monorail voice is no longer yes I fondly remember those days…. It is a shell of what it was when it works correctly. With that the poly wins for monorail because you can walk from TTC from EPCOT….. with teens just walking down the ramp and back up to go the Grand last year made me greatly miss the POLY. Yes a longer ride from MK but the boat is a great option at close as well…. But I really do not think you guys will be closing parks maybe one of you with the 8 YO. Cannot remember for how many years 8 was a late night.

Haha, yes, at least us adults will be rushing to rest in a chair/couch.
I really appreciate your detailed explanation of the differences between all the resorts! I'm definitely leaning toward a resort (or at least one, if we do a split stay) that will be most entertaining for the kiddos during non-park times. But I want to factor in convenience, too.

Oh, bummer, no more famous monorail voice? Sadness.

We definitely try to keep kiddos on routine as much as possible, but on vacation we're not quite as strict. But yeah, I don't see all the kiddos closing the park. Maybe the 6yo, as he can sometimes get a good nap in during the day.

We have so much to consider. Thank you again for your guidance!!

 

[DVCkidz]

I have done both taken the buses and rented a car, and I would definitely say the latter is the way to go. On property parking is free for DVC members and it’s also free to park at the parks if you’re staying at any of the resorts. Hope this helps.

 

[LivingTheFruit]

I have done both taken the buses and rented a car, and I would definitely say the latter is the way to go. On property parking is free for DVC members and it’s also free to park at the parks if you’re staying at any of the resorts. Hope this helps.

A million thanks, that does help! The one thing I've read is that the parking lots (and the lines getting in/out) can get really congested. Has that been your experience? Is that during peak times of day (if so, what would those be)?

 

[DVCkidz]

A million thanks, that does help! The one thing I've read is that the parking lots (and the lines getting in/out) can get really congested. Has that been your experience? Is that during peak times of day (if so, what would those be)?

Yeah, if you leave near the parks closing, it can get congested for sure. But, have you ever tried to get on a bus at the same time??. That can be challenging as well. Always remember, you’re in your happy place!!

 

[ThisIsMyName]

If you are going to do a split stay I'd recommend one of the skyliner resorts and then one of the MK resorts. We were just at the AoA and the family suites and resort theme is great for families with small kids and so easy and relaxing to get to HS and Epcot via skyliner.

We had a rental car so drove to AK one morning but you still have to take the parking tram unless you are there early and get a good parking spot. We also drove to MK since we hopped right from AK. Overall not horrible but not great since you have to take the parking tram and then either the ferry boat or monorail to MK.

Last year we did a split stay at POP (skyliner) and then Wildness Lodge Boulder Creek villas and we thought that was great. When at POP we visited HS and Epcot and enjoyed the lively vibe and cheaper food court options.

We then moved over to Wildness Lodge which is way more upscale and relaxing. We enjoyed the additional food options with sit down choices. The direct boat to the MK was great and we got to take advantage of the Extra Evening hours at MK since it was a Deluxe.

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

Greetings! I'm planning our littles' first trip to WDW (hubby's 1st since childhood and my 1st since I worked there ~20 years ago). Our kiddos will be 8, 6, 3 and 1. Likely using a double stroller. (recommendations on a good one with adequate storage, but not ginormous?). We may rent a car. If so, is taking our car to the parks (or some of them) from Animal Kingdom Lodge best? Or the bus? Or a Minnie Van? It's very possible we'd have some mornings in the parks, return to hotel for naps, then go back late afternoon.

Semi-related... We're thinking of a split stay with Poly, GF, or Contemporary. This would be shortly after the Tower is complete (late January 2025). Do you think the monorail would be so crowded that it wouldn't be worth it (I keep reading it's crowded as is)? Would driving/Minnie Van be better?

How's the walk from each of these to MK? Too much for 8/6 yo's at the end of a long day?

--OR--
Instead of a monorail resort, maybe Wilderness Lodge (or FW cabin, if we can score it). Is the ferry boat practical for regular transportation to/from MK? Or is one of the above options better---What would you recommend for our family with 4 littles... A monorail resort, or WL?

Apologies for all the questions! I didn't want to create a bunch of different threads. BUNCHES OF THANKS!

For visiting MK, I have found WL and Poly great for trips with a young child, because you can use Dis transportation to get you right to front of MK. Having stayed at both, I would say the monorail is more convenient than WL options (boat or bus) to get into MK, but they’re both great and the theming at both is amazing. WL is more chill than Poly, I think partly because it is smaller and also because it is not as popular to visit by people who are not staying there.

Given you have two kids in car seats, I would be tempted to rent a car for doing other things/visiting other spots/parks Orlando rather than using ride shares or busses. Having the car also makes it easy to have extra supplies (snacks, diapers, change of clothes) wherever you go.

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

Greetings! I'm planning our littles' first trip to WDW (hubby's 1st since childhood and my 1st since I worked there ~20 years ago). Our kiddos will be 8, 6, 3 and 1. Likely using a double stroller. (recommendations on a good one with adequate storage, but not ginormous?). We may rent a car. If so, is taking our car to the parks (or some of them) from Animal Kingdom Lodge best? Or the bus? Or a Minnie Van? It's very possible we'd have some mornings in the parks, return to hotel for naps, then go back late afternoon.

Semi-related... We're thinking of a split stay with Poly, GF, or Contemporary. This would be shortly after the Tower is complete (late January 2025). Do you think the monorail would be so crowded that it wouldn't be worth it (I keep reading it's crowded as is)? Would driving/Minnie Van be better?

How's the walk from each of these to MK? Too much for 8/6 yo's at the end of a long day?

--OR--
Instead of a monorail resort, maybe Wilderness Lodge (or FW cabin, if we can score it). Is the ferry boat practical for regular transportation to/from MK? Or is one of the above options better---What would you recommend for our family with 4 littles... A monorail resort, or WL?

Apologies for all the questions! I didn't want to create a bunch of different threads. BUNCHES OF THANKS!

For visiting MK, I have found WL and Poly great for trips with a young child, because you can use Dis transportation to get you right to front of MK. Having stayed at both, I would say the monorail is more convenient that WL options (boat or bus) to get into MK, but they’re both great and the theming at both is amazing. WL is more chill than Poly, I think partly because it is smaller and also because it is not as popular to visit by people who are not staying there.

Given you have two kids in car seats, I would be tempted to rent a car for doing other things/visiting other spots/parks Orlando rather than using ride shares or busses. Having the car also makes it easy to have extra supplies (snacks, diapers, change of clothes) wherever you go.

 

[leebee]

Rent The Vehicle. Don't forget that if you are using the Disney buses you will have to fold the strollers and actual seats on the buses are few. Also, we consider riding the parking lot trams and monorail to be part of the fun: When else are you EVER gonna get to ride a monorail? (One trip we were staying at ASMusic, using the bus to the parks. DD asked one day if we could ride the monorail just to ride it- the bus drops you AT MK, so no monorail for us- but of course we rode it, it's part of the fun!).

If you are staying at a Disney resort hotel, your parking at the hotel AND at the theme parks is free.

We've never had much trouble with the traffic leaving the theme parks. I mean... yes there IS traffic and sometimes a line to merge from the parking lot onto the street, but if you think that's a pain, think about standing in line after a long, hot day of standing in lines in the parks, waiting for your bus, but maybe you don't get on the first bus and have to wait for another. I DETEST standing in line for a bus at the end of the day, and then to be packed in shoulder to shoulder with a whole bunch of sweaty, tired, cranky strangers!

You can find good (relatively good) deals online using carrentalsavers.com or autoslash.com, and once you have a reservation number autoslash will stalk it for you, sending a message if they find a better deal on the same vehicle class/size. Stick to the major rental agencies, though. The smaller ones (the ones that are NOT at the airport) are cheaper but the horror stories about renting from them are legend... and NOT in a good way!