There are serveral other ways to get around WDW including:

• Drive Yourself
• Tram
• Walk
• Other/In Park

The Geek's Opinion/comments:
Driving a car around WDW is not really that bad. Disney's roads are for the most part very well marked and fairly easy to navigate. There are several problems associated to driving around Disney though. Number one is the congestion. At certain times of day the roads are worse than rush hour in Los Angeles. Another problem you will run into is busses everywhere, and they all own the road. The third problem is once you reach your destination you usually have to park far away, so the time you saved in driving yourself over taking a Disney transportation method is lost.

One advantage of not having a car is not having to go back to it at the end of the day. If you start off at the Magic Kingdom then decide to go to EPCOT, then to the Studios you do not have to go find your car in the MK parking lot at the end of the day if you did not drive… its much less worry to just get on a bus back to your resort and be done for the day.

I used to be under the impression that you needed a car to get around WDW. We usually rented one and it came in handy a dozen or so times during the trip, but recently its been closer to 4-5 times a trip. Then you factor in the extra costs and it just does not ad up for us anymore.

The extra time spent on the bus is sometimes a "blessing in disguise". You have time to sit with your group and discuss what you are going to do once you get to your destination. Also it takes the stress off the driver. I am sure your family is like ours and the designated driver is always getting "yelled" at about where they should be going and how they should be driving. This makes it a true vacation for all people in the group.

The Geek's Suggestions: A car is really up to your circumstances. Some people say you really need one, others don't. I know people who drive to WDW and once on property their car sits in the resort lot for the week and does not move, while others fly in from California rent a car and put several hundred miles on in their week. Its really up to you. Your vacation can be successful either way.

If you are staying offsite though, you might want to lean towards a car because their transportation options probably are not as robust as Disney's onsite resources.

Quick Facts:
125 miles of paved roads
300 lane miles
Busiest 8:00am-10:30am and park closing

The Geek's Opinion/comments: Trams are pretty much limited to parking lots at WDW. If you are in a lot and parked "in the middle of no where" you will definitely want to take advantage of the tram to save yourself some walking. Especially in the enormous Magic Kingdom parking lot.

The Geek's Suggestions: If you can see where the trams drop you off, it is usually faster to walk, but your destination is "over the horizon" take the tram and save your poor feet some extra miles.

The Geek's Opinion/comments: Well after a WDW vacation you will definitely have walked a lot. You will be on your feet for long stretches of time exploring the parks and resort area. Tack on some recreation such as golfing or tennis and your feet will be begging for you to give them a rest. With this said you must think I am crazy to suggest walking places. Well there are a few routes that walking is faster than other means.

EPCOT area resorts -> EPCOT If your feet can take it this will save you some time in most cases. The Friendship launches move so slow it seems you are not moving a lot of the time. You can usually walk as fast as the boat travels, so add on the docking and undocking, as well as other stops, and your wait time for the boat and you can usually beat the boat by walking.

EPCOT area resorts -> Studios There is a new trail opening between the Studios and the resorts by EPCOT (you can actually walk from EPCOT to the studios, but its going to be a rather long walk). The trail was designed as a jogging trail, but if the Friendship line is long, this may be a good alternative for you if your up to the hike…

Contemporary -> MK This is really a short walk and the hardest part is avoiding the WDW busses along the way. This is usually the quickest way to get from one to the other because it means no lines and if you are heading from the Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom you have to go all the way around on the monorail which takes alot of time, so this definitely saves you a lot of time.

Polynesian -> TTC This is a short walk also and it avoids a trip all the way around the monorail line. Its also somewhat scenic to walk through the lush landscaping and gardens of the Polynesian.

The Geek's Suggestions: Walking is sometimes the most efficient method, but sometimes your feet just won't carry you any further. Do not push yourself. Know your limits and plan accordingly in order to have a successful vacation.

The Geek's Opinion/comments: The purpose of this page is to give you some brief insight into other modes of transportation that are available in WDW parks. The

Geek's Suggestions: When in the parks the various transportation methods all add to the "show", but they are also a nice way to get around. Most of the time though you can get to your destination faster by walking, but there is something to be said about taking a few moments to just sit back, relax, and take in the sites.

Friendship Launches - World Showcase Lagoon - EPCOT There are two routes these boats take. One to move people from near Mexico to Germany. The other to goes from near Canada to Morocco.. My overall impression of these boats is that they are a nice ride and give great picture opportunities of the World Showcase countries, but as a transportation option they are very slow. It is a nice ride to rest your legs though.

Train - Magic Kingdom: The Magic Kingdom railway is a great way to save yourself a lot of walking and it gives you a chance to see the park and get an idea of what you are getting into. It there is a parade going on or if there are a lot of people and you can't walk down Main Street freely the train is a nice way to get away from the crowd and take you to the back of the park, and hopefully away from the congestion.

Train - Animal Kingdom: At the Animal Kingdom you have to take the train to get out to conservation station. So it is a must ride if you want to experience this area of the park. The train ride itself is not that eventful. You do get a few glimpses of the backstage animal houses though.

Main Street - Transportation Going up and down Main Street there are several different modes to choose from. Everything from Horse Drawn trolleys to double-decker buses. These vehicles offer a great chance to sit down for a while and relax. It is also fun to just sit and watch the people walking along side of you. With a little luck, they may save you a little bit of time, but nothing to write home about.

• Monorail Transportation
• Disney Skyliner
• Bus Transportation
• Watercraft Transportation
• Other Transportation
  
  

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