Driving and parking questions

Aflyingbuttress

Mouseketeer
Joined
May 31, 2016
I’m thinking of swapping from a Disney hotel to an off site hotel to save money. Can anyone give me an idea of what it’s like to drive around the Disney area, find parking, and what the walk from the parking lot into the parks is like? What’s it like driving into the park? Is it a struggle to find spots? How long is the walk from the parking lot into the park? I’m wondering how it compares to where the busses from Disney park.

ETA: We are only going to MK and Epcot.
 
MK is much more of a hassle. Park your car and then take a shuttle to the Ticket Center and then wait for the monorail or ferry to get you to the entrance.

At Epcot, you park and walk if you are close enough (but shuttles are available if you don't want to walk to the entrance.)

There is no struggle to find spots as you will be directed exactly where to go.

I like staying onsite with the theming and perks, but don't mind staying off site due to the savings and extra space. Using a navigation app on your phone is helpful but following the signs around the property isn't so bad.

(Parking at the theme parks is currently $20 BTW.)
 
VERY easy, do it all the time.
chalee94 gave you the logisitcs.
Now you can pay extra to be closer, which means avoiding the tram.
MK is nice to avoid, Epcot, you may get to park closer anyway.
Epcot our walk is usually closer than the Disney bus depot anyway.
Really depends on arrival time, earlier you are the closer you are.
Today DS went to MK, arrived at 10 am (slow day)
and is parked where he can walk to TTC.
We prefer ferry to avoid any monorail "delays" and they hold plenty.
Agree, look at maps for most direct route in ...
... because Disney signs are not direct, they work in favor of traffic control.
 
Thank you. That’s helpful. That does sound like a total pain to go to MK. You have to do both the shuttle and the monorail/ferry? That might be enough of a deterrent to keep me from doing it.
 


VERY easy, do it all the time.
chalee94 gave you the logisitcs.
Now you can pay extra to be closer, which means avoiding the tram.
MK is nice to avoid, Epcot, you may get to park closer anyway.
Epcot our walk is usually closer than the Disney bus depot anyway.
Really depends on arrival time, earlier you are the closer you are.
Today DS went to MK, arrived at 10 am (slow day)
and is parked where he can walk to TTC.
We prefer ferry to avoid any monorail "delays" and they hold plenty.
Agree, look at maps for most direct route in ...
... because Disney signs are not direct, they work in favor of traffic control.

How does paying extra to be closer work? Do you just pay at the gate? How much more is it?

We are planning to go pretty early most days and will definitely use a GPS app.
 
I wouldn't hesitate to drive to the parks, even when we stay onsite. Its easy peasy! MK can be a pain because of the monorail but if you get there early enough, even that is easy!
 
Thank you. That’s helpful. That does sound like a total pain to go to MK. You have to do both the shuttle and the monorail/ferry? That might be enough of a deterrent to keep me from doing it.
I actually always liked this part of theming. Walt had a very specific approach to how the monorail and ferry set the stage for arriving at the park, and it is magical if you consider it. My kids always liked it too, we have always treated the ride from the TTC like the first ride of the day. After all, they are more fun than the TTA PeopleMover...

I think skipping these items lessens some of the magic.
 


I actually always liked this part of theming. Walt had a very specific approach to how the monorail and ferry set the stage for arriving at the park, and it is magical if you consider it. My kids always liked it too, we have always treated the ride from the TTC like the first ride of the day. After all, they are more fun than the TTA PeopleMover...

I think skipping these items lessens some of the magic.

I hadn’t thought of it that way. That’s a great way to look at it. I also happen to live people mover so I’d probably love this too.
 
I actually always liked this part of theming. Walt had a very specific approach to how the monorail and ferry set the stage for arriving at the park, and it is magical if you consider it. My kids always liked it too, we have always treated the ride from the TTC like the first ride of the day. After all, they are more fun than the TTA PeopleMover...

I think skipping these items lessens some of the magic.

This exactly! There is something really special for me about taking the ferry across the Seven Seas Lagoon and seeing the train station and castle getting closer and closer as the real world is left further and further behind us.
 
Thank you. That’s helpful. That does sound like a total pain to go to MK. You have to do both the shuttle and the monorail/ferry? That might be enough of a deterrent to keep me from doing it.
How does paying extra to be closer work? Do you just pay at the gate? How much more is it?

We are planning to go pretty early most days and will definitely use a GPS app.

We do it all the time, always stay offsite, would never stay on. I don't consider it a pain to get to MK, it's part of the journey. As noted, you'll be told exactly where to park. You take a tram to the TTC, unless you want to walk (it can be a long walk). Then you take either the ferry or the monorail to MK...I think both of those are fun, we really enjoy them. It does take time, so just budget for it.

Personally, I don't understand why people pay for preferred parking. It costs $40 and I don't think it really saves you much of anything. Trams run very frequently, so even if you park in the very back of the lot, it's not a big deal.
 
Ok. This is has been super helpful. A couple more questions.

We are thinking of going to the Sheraton Vistana Resort, which is a 16 min drive to MK according to google maps. How long is that drive realistically?

Basically I’m wondering how long is the process from getting into my car to walking in the park? How often do the teams come? Do you have to walk a long distance to them? How often does the ferry run? I know going from a Disney Resort we will have to walk from the room to the bus, wait for the bus, then ride to the park and walk from the lot. So how does it compare?

Also curious about whether leaving the park is easier? That part was hard for me last trip because I have fibromyalgia and the waiting period for the bus at the end of the day was difficult because I was in so much pain and there were not seating options. So I’m trying to decide which might be better.

I appreciate all the feedback.
 
Ok. This is has been super helpful. A couple more questions.

We are thinking of going to the Sheraton Vistana Resort, which is a 16 min drive to MK according to google maps. How long is that drive realistically?

Basically I’m wondering how long is the process from getting into my car to walking in the park? How often do the teams come? Do you have to walk a long distance to them? How often does the ferry run? I know going from a Disney Resort we will have to walk from the room to the bus, wait for the bus, then ride to the park and walk from the lot. So how does it compare?

Also curious about whether leaving the park is easier? That part was hard for me last trip because I have fibromyalgia and the waiting period for the bus at the end of the day was difficult because I was in so much pain and there were not seating options. So I’m trying to decide which might be better.

I appreciate all the feedback.

At Vistana, we have always been able to park right at our unit, which saves walking to a distant parking lot or bus stop. It takes about 15 minutes to drive to MK. The traffic hasn't been bad in my experience. When you arrive at the MK lot, you may have a very short walk to the tram or it could be 100 yards, depending on where you land in the parking lot. The trams run continuously. You may have to wait 10 minutes. When you unload at the TTC you will go through security and have two options, the ferry or the monorail. It's probably 50 yards from where you walk in. Both options run continuously. Depending on your luck, you may 15 minutes or zero. Both have seating if you don't want to stand. I find the ferry less crowded.

In the grand scheme of things, there is a lot of luck involved on how long you wait and how far you walk no matter if you are using Disney transport or your car. With your car you will eliminate a potential long wait at a bus stop and long wait standing in a crowded bus that make make multiple stops depending on your resort. At Vistana, you also eliminate a potential long walk to your room that you can have at some Disney reports.

One thing you have to consider is when you leave the park. If you leave right after the fireworks, you will suffer massive crowds and have to wait much longer than if you left earlier in the evening. Instead of heading out with the masses, find a place to sit and rest for a while as the crowds head to the exits.
 
That is correct for actual drive time. From your villa door to the main road is only a 2-5 minutes. 16 minutes to the park, there is very little traffic between the resort and MK (use World Center/Epcot Center drive), there are only a couple of traffic lights. Depending on arrival time, you will be anywhere from 2-10 minutes getting through the parking booths (10 minutes is rare). Another 10 minutes to get parked and to the trams. The trams generally stop within a few feet of the end of the rows being actively filled. There is often one loading when you get there, but wait for the next is probably 5 minutes at volume times, and no more than 10 minutes at quiet times. Ride to the TTC is probably another 5. As you approach the dock/monorail area look to see if there is a ferry loading. We judge which to take based on what we see. Ferry ride might be 15 minutes, monorail more like 10. So let's add all that up; pretty close to an hour from villa to tapstiles. It does sound like a lot, but having done it many times, it doesn't feel like that much. Psychologically we feel we have arrived when we pass through the arch on the approach, so time spent after that is greatly discounted to us.

Reversing the process is pretty easy as well. The worst part is probably getting across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the TTC if you leave right at closing time. There is often a crowd waiting for the monorails (but there is also usually a crowd waiting for the resort buses too). Any other time of day it is pretty quick. The parking trams at closing time are leaving one after the other, maybe 10 minutes apart at slow times. They make one drop per section, so your walk at most is half the section length (about 20 rows) and the length of the row if you are near the end of the row. The ride back to resort is the same 15 minutes. I do strongly suggest a GPS or Google Maps for the return trip. It is very easy to get to the parks in the mornings with the great signage, but there is no signage pointing the way back to the resort after a long tiring day at the resort. I prefer to let "bossy" find the quickest route and tell us where to turn.

As for your FM, do you have a handicap pass? Handicap parking is quite close to the TTC and will reduce those times. For the return trip there is a bit of standing until you board the monorail, but a 50-50 chance of a seat (and if you are in pain I would be surprised that someone didn't offer a seat). It is a short walk to the tram station, no seats there but most people perch on the queuing chains. Everyone has to sit on the trams (no standing) and of course you are in the comfort of your own vehicle once you reach the lot. Vistana is great too as most villas have you parked right at or near the door of your villa. If you request it, Sheraton will provide you with a first floor room so there will be no stairs to your villa to deal with at the end of a busy day.
 
Wow. Thank you both for taking the time to write all of that information for me. That was exactly what I was wondering. It actually sounds easier than dealing with Disney transportation. I have the hardest time just standing in one spot and not moving for a long period of time and even more difficulty with being able to stand on a moving bus and holding myself up. It’s completely exhausting to me so I risk running out of energy before we even get to the park if I get stuck on a bus with no seats, which happened a lot during our last trip.

I’ve also been worried about having enough stamina to even do 8 days in the park and I’ve been really worried about it because I don’t want to waste our vacation. It’s hard to do other things from the Disney resorts with no car. This sounds like it would solve that problem.

Only think I’m still a bit stuck on is leaving that Disney bubble and the logistics of actually switching reservations, since I have some ADRs and my fast passes already scheduled.
 
Only think I’m still a bit stuck on is leaving that Disney bubble and the logistics of actually switching reservations, since I have some ADRs and my fast passes already scheduled.

Don't think of it that way. Think of it as expanding the Disney bubble. Sheraton Vistana Village is awesome, by the way, we stayed there before. There is so much to do nearby. A lot of days, we'll do the parks from 9:30am until 4:30pm and we're done. We'll come back to our off site house/condo and have dinner. Then we'll get back in the car and head to Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robins for dessert...or Menchies. Or we'll go to a gift shop. Actually, not far at all from Vistna is a small shopping strip that has all of that, which my kids insist we go to every trip. We go into the Dunkin/Baskin for dessert and coffee, then the gift shop (called Bargain World) is literally connected to it. The kids love scouring through their WDW pins, which are about 1/2 the price they are in the parks. Rt. 192 is chock full of restaurants, shops, etc...
 
I actually always liked this part of theming. Walt had a very specific approach to how the monorail and ferry set the stage for arriving at the park, and it is magical if you consider it. My kids always liked it too, we have always treated the ride from the TTC like the first ride of the day. After all, they are more fun than the TTA PeopleMover...

I think skipping these items lessens some of the magic.

Thank You! We always drive to MK. I absolutely love the trams! I always say it is my favorite ride, lol. I have been known to get upset when we get a really close parking spot and can't use the tram....once we left MK at 3am and we were the last people on the tram. The driver asked us where we were parked and stopped at the end of our row which wasn't the regular stopping point.
 
Don't think of it that way. Think of it as expanding the Disney bubble. Sheraton Vistana Village is awesome, by the way, we stayed there before. There is so much to do nearby. A lot of days, we'll do the parks from 9:30am until 4:30pm and we're done. We'll come back to our off site house/condo and have dinner. Then we'll get back in the car and head to Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robins for dessert...or Menchies. Or we'll go to a gift shop. Actually, not far at all from Vistna is a small shopping strip that has all of that, which my kids insist we go to every trip. We go into the Dunkin/Baskin for dessert and coffee, then the gift shop (called Bargain World) is literally connected to it. The kids love scouring through their WDW pins, which are about 1/2 the price they are in the parks. Rt. 192 is chock full of restaurants, shops, etc...

You are right! Thats a much better way to look at it. I’m pretty convinced to change resorts at this point. Even with a rental car we save $700 by staying off site. I’ve always been a little hesitant to do it but I’m pretty sure we’re going to give it a try.

I appreciate the insights into Sheraton Vistana. It sounds great. It looks like it has a great pool. We’re between that hotel and the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista near Disney Springs. I’m having a tough time deciding between them. I like that the Wyndham is right by Disney Springs and has some Disney theming with character breakfasts. It seems like it might be a good compromise to try being off site. There is also a bundle deal right now that includes a car for free. But Vistana looks a nicer and more spacious.

Thank You! We always drive to MK. I absolutely love the trams! I always say it is my favorite ride, lol. I have been known to get upset when we get a really close parking spot and can't use the tram....once we left MK at 3am and we were the last people on the tram. The driver asked us where we were parked and stopped at the end of our row which wasn't the regular stopping point.

Haha I love it. I watched a video of it and it did look like fun!
 
You are right! Thats a much better way to look at it. I’m pretty convinced to change resorts at this point. Even with a rental car we save $700 by staying off site. I’ve always been a little hesitant to do it but I’m pretty sure we’re going to give it a try.

I appreciate the insights into Sheraton Vistana. It sounds great. It looks like it has a great pool. We’re between that hotel and the near Disney Springs. I’m having a tough time deciding between them. I like that the Wyndham is right by Disney Springs and has some Disney theming with character breakfasts. It seems like it might be a good compromise to try being off site. There is also a bundle deal right now that includes a car for free. But Vistana looks a nicer and more spacious.



Haha I love it. I watched a video of it and it did look like fun!

There is really no comparison. Wyndham Lake Buena Vista is a hotel with regular, small hotel rooms. At Vistana you get much larger accomodations with a full kitchen, washer and dryer and a much larger resort with more amenities.

The LBV advantages are the ability to walk to Disney Springs and the free bus service to the parks.

Do you want a large, more comfortable room where you have to drive, or do you want a smaller, less confortable room where you can walk and take the bus?
 
Thank you. That’s helpful. That does sound like a total pain to go to MK. You have to do both the shuttle and the monorail/ferry? That might be enough of a deterrent to keep me from doing it.

It is not a pain at all. If you arrive early, you may be in walking distance anyways. If you arrive later, you just walk a short distance to the tram and hop on. Really, I would never call parking at Disney a pain, they make it so easy. It might just take extra minutes waiting for the tram is all.
 

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