Planning a Disney trip comes with a lot of big decisions, and one of them has become increasingly complicated lately.
With no Magical Express to get you to Disney World from the airport, you might have been more tempted than ever to rent a car. On the other hand, car rentals are expensive right now and there is kind of a shortage. So we take a look at the pros and cons of renting a car for your Disney trip!
Benefits!
First, let’s talk about the good side of using Disney World car rentals.
Driving is faster than using Disney transportation.
While Disney transportation is comprehensive and you can get around the parks and hotels fairly easily, the ride tends to be a lot quicker. There are no loading and unloading times, no stops that don’t concern you and no transfers. You have just arrived where you are going!
The only exception to this rule is when you go to the Magic Kingdom. In this case, you’ll save time by parking at the Transportation and Ticket Center and taking transportation to the park.
It is easier to leave the site for food, basic necessities or fun.
Not having a car at Disney World limits you to getting around via Disney transportation or carpooling. So if you need to take a trip off the property, you’ll have to pay for an Uber or a Lyft.
Plus, it can be a lot easier to take a bigger trip to Orlando than just Disney with a car. Cheap Uber to get to Universal Orlando!
You can stay somewhere offsite much easier.
Staying offsite doesn’t always come with an easy way to get to and from the park, so if you’re staying at an Airbnb or an offsite hotel, you might want a rental car.
Check first if your accommodation offers transportation! Many resorts offer shuttle service to the parks – some free, some chargeable.
There are new rental options!
Another plus is that Orlando Airport now offers the new Turo service which is basically an Airbnb for cars.
With this, you work directly with your Turo host to use their car and avoid the hassle at the rental car desk. It is definitely an option!
You can move at your own pace.
Say goodbye to waiting for buses or queues for the Skyliner when you have your own rental car. And you don’t have to worry about moving before or after the transport is executed.
This can be especially useful if you need a break from the crowds and can just walk back to your car instead of going through more people in transport.
The inconvenients !
Now for the cons – here are some reasons why you might not want to rent a car for your trip to Disney World.
Rentals aren’t the easiest to come by – and they’re expensive.
According to the wall street journal, the shortage of rental cars is not yet over and could continue until the summer. And rental prices are at their highest.
With many travel costs so much higher than normal, affording an expensive rental car and going through the trouble of finding one may not be worth it.
Getting a car can be a huge waste of time.
Getting your rental car at the airport can be a time consuming experience and can be a complete pain at times. If you don’t have enough reason for a car, the process might not be worth it.
One of our writers recently made his family wait almost three hours for a rental car at the Orlando airport!
You have to pay for parking at Disney World.
If you are a resort guest, you must pay between $15 and $25 to park at your resort each night, but you can park for free at theme parks.
If you are not a resort guest, you will need to pay $25 to park at the theme parks each day.
Gas is expensive.
Gas over the past two months has reached an all-time high and remains quite expensive.
This is a whole extra expense that you would need to budget for and not have to incur using Disney transportation.
Carpooling is an option.
And, you’re not trapped on Disney World property. Although sometimes expensive, you can use ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft.
If you only plan to leave the Disney World property once or twice, skipping the rental car might be a good decision.
Overall, whether or not you should rent a car depends on your trip. If you’re planning on staying at Walt Disney World for your entire vacation, it’s probably not worth it. But, if you’re planning on going to Universal, exploring more of Central Florida, or just doing a lot of off-property errands, car rental might be the right choice for you.
Click here to learn more about renting a car for your trip!
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Do you usually rent a car? Tell us in the comments!
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