One of the most frequent questions that I see on the DIS message boards is “Do I need to rent a car for our vacation?”  My personal opinion is that you will absolutely want to rent a car for Walt Disney World.  Although the WDW public transportation system is pretty good, I still think there are many benefits to having your own car while on your vacation.

The biggest factor for most people in their decision is the cost of the car.  These days there are many ways to save money on renting a car.

  • Use an online “name your price” site like Priceline.com.  Many times you can get a car for a fraction of the retail value.  It doesn’t hurt to low-ball the price you’re willing to pay.  I’ve been able to get a car at time for $13/day!
  • Don’t rent a car without a coupon code.  There are hundreds of coupon codes for car rentals online.  A simple Google search of “car rental coupon codes” should reveal many of those to you.
  • Don’t pre-pay your gasoline.  This is scam #1 that rental companies are now using.  You will pay for a full tank of gas regardless if you use it or not.
  • Check with your insurance company to make sure that you are covered on your rental cars.  This is scam #2 that the rental companies use.  In most states, including Florida, this is optional.  Your current car insurance coverage will likely cover renting a car.  It never ceases to amaze me when I see people taking this insurance that costs almost the same per day as the cost of the car.  Don’t Bite!

Just imagine, you’ve finally arrived at Walt Disney World with your family and you are all ready to go to the Magic Kingdom on your first day.  You’ve been planning your attack for months and you definitely don’t want to miss the rope drop when the park opens.  You are aware of the added benefits of being there early.  You get out to the bus stop at your resort only to see a long line of people waiting for the Magic Kingdom bus.  Not only are there lines, but you see every other bus for each of the other parks go by as you begin to panic.  If you had a car you would not be in this situation.

Pros of Renting a Car at Walt Disney World

  • You’ll never have to wait in line for public transportation (other than the monorail from the parking lot to the front gate at Magic Kingdom).  Your entire vacation will be spent waiting in line for the attractions, why add more lines to your trip?
  • Flexibility to do what you want at any time of the day.  What if someone gets sick and you need to go to the store?  What if you want to go to Universal Studios?  Sea World? Dinner reservations at another resort?
  • If you are staying on property you will not have to pay the parking lot fee each day to park your car at the theme parks.
  • Heading back to the airport from WDW is easier with a car of your own.  You can leave when you want to.
  • You still have the option to use WDW transportation any time you want.  There are many times where riding the bus or monorail may be the best option.  Having a choice is definitely a benefit.

Cons

  • Cost of the car.
  • There may be a valet or overnight charge at your hotel to keep a car at the hotel.  You should contact your resort to find out in advance what those fees may be.

In my opinion the benefits of renting a car at WDW far outweigh the cons.  Our family would never consider going without one.