Hiring a car and staying on-site at Disney World: Is It Worth it

Hiring a car and staying on-site at Disney World resort hotels offers flexibility and convenience, as well as cost savings if you plan on hiring a car anyway. If you don’t plan on hiring a car to explore the area, and are wondering whether you need one to get around Disney World, the answer is no, you don’t need one. Plus if you plan on only doing Disney World during your trip, with the odd trip off-site a hire car probably isn’t worth it from a cost perspective.

This guide is specifically for people who plan to stay on-site at Disney World and are considering hiring a car for their Disney World trip from the UK. We’re diving into all the details, including hiring a car if you are considering a split stay between Disney and Universal. If you are considering staying off-site we have put together a guide to car hire in Florida which covers non-Disney specific advantages and disadvantages to hiring a car:

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Having a hire car at a Disney World Resort

Hiring a car at the airport and heading to Walt Disney World is an incredible feeling. Hitting the i-4 and then heading under that sign is a feeling you just can’t beat, the excitement combined with the sense of coming home or heading into the magic for the first time. Driving your hire car under that sign is just as magical, but having a hire car at Disney World has it’s own logistics to consider.

We have hired a car and stayed on-site at Disney at All Stars Resorts many times. Driving onto site is an easy experience but there are a few things you need to know.

1. The first time you enter your resort in a hire car, you need to stop and speak to security and then go to reception, they do take a note of your registration. However, after this first stop parking and using your car around Disney World is easy.

2. It is free to park at your resort, and there is a security barrier manned by security that adds an extra layer of safety and peace of mind at resorts.

3. Driving around Disney resorts is the same as driving anywhere else in Florida and the same rules apply.

4. You can park at the theme parks for free if you stay on site which offers a saving of $35 (£25.74) a day.

5. Turnings are easy to miss, if you do go round. Lots of people will try and cut you up, going across lanes to get to turnings, so avoid doing this.

What do you use your hire car for in Disney World

Disney World has free transportation so a hire car is not necessary, you can get around for free using buses, boats, and skyliners. However, a hire car is useful for the following:

• Getting to mini golf which is an experience you can enjoy for free with your 7- and 14- day magic ticket. Disney transport does not go directly to these 2 locations

• Going to Mc Donalds. There is a McDonalds at Disney World and Disney transport does not take you directly to it.

• Experiencing Disney golf courses

• Heading to the parks, water parks, and Disney Springs.

• Getting around on your own time frame, without waiting for Disney transport.

Who finds hiring a car for Disney World useful

A hire car at Disney World is useful for people who:

• Want convenience and flexibility to explore beyond the Disney Parks

• Who don’t have a dining plan and want to head off-site to try other dining options regularly for most nights of their stay.

• People who struggle with noise and congestion on transport. Free Disney transport is often quiet during off-peak times, but when the parks open and close, the queues can be long for any option. Buses feel cramped; Skyliners are full, and boats are packed.

• Anyone who wants to stay in the Disney bubble but spend 50% or more of their vacation visiting other theme parks and attractions, even if you plan on popping into the parks daily. If you’re doing a simple split between Universal and Disney, this may not be the case and we look at that further down.

• If you want to be able to head to the shops regularly to pick up snacks for the parks, rather than planning in one trip to Walmart and one to Target. Car hire gives you the freedom to go to Walmart, Target, and Publix as many times as you like.

When to consider NOT hiring a car for Disney World

Disney World is purposely designed so you don’t need a car, which means when you stay on-site you can get to all the attractions by using free Disney transport. Here are the instances where UK visitors can comfortably skip hiring a car and save some money to use elsewhere:

• You plan to spend most of your holiday visiting Disney attractions and only plan to have a couple of days off-site.

• You don’t need a hire car to get to your Disney resort. Although the days of the free magical express are now long gone, Mears offer an affordable coach transfer from MCO direct to all Disney resorts. There are other options too, which will likely provide similar or better value, including private transfers.

• You have a strict budget. If you are doing Disney for the smallest possible amount, you can skip car hire if you are mainly planning on a Disney or Disney and Universal split stay.

Take a look at our guide to free Disney transport to explore just how easy it is to get around the resort.

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Split Stays: Car Hire for 7 days at Disney and 7 days at Universal

Hiring a car for a split stay between Disney and Universal is a numbers game when you’re asking if it is worth it. For many UK visitors, it’s best to have your hire car while you stay at Disney and to enjoy the flexibility a car offers at this destination, while returning it for your stay at Universal. This table will show you the difference between what car parking perks hotel guests at Disney and Universal get.

Hiring a car for Disney World: is it worth it?

We have always found hiring a car to be convenient when staying on-site at Disney World, but we frequently explore beyond the parks on our Florida holidays. Car hire offers convenience to do your own thing when you stay at Disney but it really isn’t necessary and it is definitely an expense you can skip. Getting to and from your hotel for breaks, and to park hop is easy using the free transport system. Using Disney transport and ordering Ubers and Lyfts is easy and will save you money if you don’t plan on regular days out to the coasts or other attractions.