Does anyone see the advantage of using the bus system over renting a car? We are undecided which to do.

This is always a hotly debated issue over at disboards.com - so you can wander over there for more info. But here's my take on the issue... it all depends on your own situation and preferences.

First consider the cost. You can save a couple of hundred bucks by not renting but you still have to get yourself from the airport to WDW. What will that cost you? If you are staying at WDW and are arriving after May 5th (double check this) you can get free transporation right from MCO to WDW including luggage handling. But if you're paying for your transportation it might make sense to rent the car.

Also consider if you want to stay at WDW for your entire stay or do you want to be able to go off site for restaurants or to other attractions in Orlando. You'll mostly likely need a car to do that.

Also which hotel are you staying at? Some of the WDW hotels have their own bus service while others share with other resorts (ie Boardwalk and Yacht Club and Beach Club share the same bus). If sharing it can add a lot of time to move from one place to the other. Coronado Springs does not share with any other hotel and we never waited long for a bus and found we arrvied at MK and Epcot and AK very quickly.

Are you planning on resort hopping? Some people like to visit the different WDW hotels to see what they are like. It takes a long time to do this if you are relying of bus service.

We rent a car when we go because
1. My DH wants flexibility.
2. After considering the cost of a limo or taxi or bus from MCO to WDW, it wasn't that much more. As we are a family of four these modes of transportation tend to add up.

We have also used the bus to get to the parks and have found for the most part that they are frequent and convenient.

Well said Bennie. We've done it both ways and it really depends on how much "park hopping" you want to do and if you want to visit other hotels as well. We often hit one park in the am, another in the afternoon and have dinner at a third or at a hotel. Reaching other hotels is a pain on the bus as you have to go to a main hub and transfer from there.

WE always rent a car. Freedom to come and go from hotel to park to different non-Disney parks. I just like leaving when I am ready.

If you are staying on site, there really isn't a good reason to rent a car.

When we stay on site at Disney, we don't visit other parks.

Disney's transportation is so good that you never seem to be more than a 5 or 10 minute wait away from a bus, watertaxi, or monorail ride.

I prefer the Disney transportation because:

I get to sit near other peoples oversugared, sticky, loud children.

My sticky kids can do whatever they want on public transportation, isn't that what WDW is for?

A bus full of sweaty, tired, anxious to be entertained people is my idea of fun.

I like to watch couples argue.

There is nothing like SRO to get to know your neighbors.