Disney Swan/Dolphin & Transportation / Airport / Car Rental

Trying to decide if we should book a rental car or book shuttles/taxis.

Staying at the Swan so will have access to the Disney Transportation between the parks but will have to get something for airport.

Have a few dinner reservations at other resorts and I've heard this could take a while if using Disney transportation so considering taxis for this.

Car rental prices are pretty inexpensive and can actually be cheaper depending on if we used town cars/taxis a lot. Car service is more relaxing and they drop you off at the door so a tiny bit more convenient.

Anyone have any other thoughts about why one might be better than the other? Any recommendations are appreciated

ETA - we have 5 & 2yo if that matters

Message edited 3/3/2016 3:04:41 PM.

Re: Disney Swan/Dolphin & Transportation / Airport / Car Rental

The only reason I would go for the rental car is because of car seats. But I guess it also depends on how many dinner reservations you're talking about...

Re: Disney Swan/Dolphin & Transportation / Airport / Car Rental

I have never stayed at the Swan but I have stayed at the Boardwalk.

I would price it out based on the various savings and costs of having a car.

You will definitely want a taxi to go from one resort to the other because using Disney transportation you would have to change at a park first. Unless of course you are going to another BW area resort in which case you could walk or take the boats.

For each dinner, figure on $20-$25 each way for the 4 of you.

Then add in airport transit. Mears is very popular. You can do a shuttle or a private car.

Swan will also charge you parking.

One thing I cannot remember is if Swan/Dolphin give you free parking at the parks. Someone else on here might know and if not, just google it.

As discussed in another thread, the rental car can also be a hassle at Magic Kingdom. I personally don't think it's that big of a deal, but it's certainly not fun. The bus, while annoying for different reasons, will at least drop you off at the front.

HTH

Disney Swan/Dolphin & Transportation / Airport / Car Rental

You couldn't pay me to drive to the Magic Kingdom. No way! Such a hassle!! If you can rent the car and just leave it at the hotel for your MK days, you should be good. I would not rely on car service because that's a lot of $$$ and planning if you need airport, and dinner transportation. Just get in the rental and go.

Disney Swan/Dolphin & Transportation / Airport / Car Rental

The first time we went to Florida, we didn't rent a car. We paid more for taxis and shuttles than we would have to rent a car. Besides that, I don't like waiting for buses and shuttles. I want to go on my own time. We usually stay off site, but we're staying at Disney next trip and are still renting a car. We have driven to MK and while it's less convenient than driving to other parks, it really wasn't bad.

Re: Disney Swan/Dolphin & Transportation / Airport / Car Rental

Thanks for all the replies!

so it turns out Swan does charge for parking - looks like the rental car will be much more expensive then (forgot to add what they charge for the car seats)

Since we are only doing 2 dinners at other resorts and we don't mind using the Disney buses to the parks I guess it makes sense to just book shuttles/taxis.

Do the taxis have car seat options? or did you just buckle the kids in a regular seat belt? I know the shuttles don't use them and it looks the if we do a town car from the airport we can request them.

Re: Disney Swan/Dolphin & Transportation / Airport / Car Rental

Taxis don't have carseats. You would have to bring your own, but I'm not sure what you would do with it once you get in the restaurant.

Re: Disney Swan/Dolphin & Transportation / Airport / Car Rental

Was not planning on bringing car seats for the trip. Cant imagine others have done this for taxis - so do people just buckle kids in the seats?

I was just going to put them in the seats on the airplane too? There's no need for car seats on that is there?

Ugghh this is so confusing

Re: Disney Swan/Dolphin & Transportation / Airport / Car Rental

We stayed at Dolphin with no car and I found it to be very inconvenient to get anywhere besides Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

The bus took forever. We had to pick up from Boardwalk, Beach Club and Yacht Club. That was the first and last time we went to Orlando with no car. Also, Dolphin doesn't qualify you for Magical Express so you'll have to pay for transportation to/from airport.

We just got back from Disney yesterday. We took boosters and made the kids carry them onto the plane. When kids were younger, we used to check in their car seats. DH would push a cart with luggage and car seats to rental car place. Orlando rental cars are right outside the airport. You don't need to take a shuttle.

DH had a dinner to go to straight from the airport so the boys and I took the Magical Express to Polynesian. It took forever. It took about 20 minutes to fill up the bus, then we stopped at 3 resorts before getting to the Polynesian. It took like 2 hours from getting off the plane to getting to our resort.

Message edited 3/7/2016 9:20:14 AM.

Re: Disney Swan/Dolphin & Transportation / Airport / Car Rental

Posted by Cindyrella

Was not planning on bringing car seats for the trip. Cant imagine others have done this for taxis - so do people just buckle kids in the seats?

I was just going to put them in the seats on the airplane too? There's no need for car seats on that is there?

Ugghh this is so confusing

Re: Disney Swan/Dolphin & Transportation / Airport / Car Rental

Posted by Bridex100

Posted by Cindyrella

Was not planning on bringing car seats for the trip. Cant imagine others have done this for taxis - so do people just buckle kids in the seats?

I was just going to put them in the seats on the airplane too? There's no need for car seats on that is there?

Ugghh this is so confusing

The last time we flew, the kids and I flew earlier while DH flew in the next morning. We did not have car seats and the taxis would not let us on. I was so pissed because I could swear that we had gone on taxis previously with no car seats in Orlando.

Most taxis have 1 car seat but not 2 and we have 2 kids.

I think the taxi dispatcher was just being difficult with us. We had to wait about 20 min to finally get a taxi with 2 car seats. He had 1 infant and 1 booster so one of my kids did not sit in a car seat.

Re: Disney Swan/Dolphin & Transportation / Airport / Car Rental

Posted by Cindyrella

Was not planning on bringing car seats for the trip. Cant imagine others have done this for taxis - so do people just buckle kids in the seats?

I was just going to put them in the seats on the airplane too? There's no need for car seats on that is there?

Ugghh this is so confusing

Message edited 3/7/2016 9:58:05 AM.

Re: Disney Swan/Dolphin & Transportation / Airport / Car Rental

Posted by BargainMama

Posted by Cindyrella

Was not planning on bringing car seats for the trip. Cant imagine others have done this for taxis - so do people just buckle kids in the seats?

I was just going to put them in the seats on the airplane too? There's no need for car seats on that is there?

Ugghh this is so confusing

Yes, it's like NYC, most people don't lug around a carseat and put it in a cab. and no, you don't need a carseat on the plane. You just buckle them in.

I would just rent a car and be done with it to be honest, if you don't want to take Disney transportation. Myself personally, I would probably just take a bus from the resort to downtown Disney and transfer to the resort I needed to get to. But in reality, I just wouldn't make dinner reservations at another resort to be honest. Seems like too much work unless it's something you can easily access from a park you will already be in.

Re: Disney Swan/Dolphin & Transportation / Airport / Car Rental

Posted by BargainMama

Posted by Bridex100

Posted by Cindyrella

Was not planning on bringing car seats for the trip. Cant imagine others have done this for taxis - so do people just buckle kids in the seats?

I was just going to put them in the seats on the airplane too? There's no need for car seats on that is there?

Ugghh this is so confusing

The last time we flew, the kids and I flew earlier while DH flew in the next morning. We did not have car seats and the taxis would not let us on. I was so pissed because I could swear that we had gone on taxis previously with no car seats in Orlando.

Most taxis have 1 car seat but not 2 and we have 2 kids.

I think the taxi dispatcher was just being difficult with us. We had to wait about 20 min to finally get a taxi with 2 car seats. He had 1 infant and 1 booster so one of my kids did not sit in a car seat.

That's probably different when driving from the airport on the highway than taking a cab from a Disney resort to another Disney resort.