New face-have a trip coming up

Hiya honeybunny! Welcome to the forums!

There are a number of dissenting opinions on the car. My personal opinion is that the car is worth it because it typically saves you some time. However it does cost you money. We sometimes valet too, which is more cost and more money. On the other hand the bus gives you a feeling of immersion that is probably broken by the car. Most people who try car don't go back, but some can't stand it.

As far as crowds at the start of July I think you MIGHT be at the very end of what might not be terribly crowded. Kids aren't quite all out of school yet, so you may have a shot.

Are you staying on site? I'm guessing so since you're thinking about using the bus?

That would be another vote for a car for me. You're a bit away from things (except the McDonalds!)

If cost is an issue though I wouldn't fret about it. You'll have a great time either way, but you'll get some more stuff in with a car.

HEY HB!! Welcome to WDWFG! You're gonna love it here.

Yep, first week if June is getting into the summer holidays, but the northern kids aren't out of school yet, so you only have to deal with the southern vacationers ;D

Regarding renting a car, we do so every trip. It's important to us to be able to change plans at the drop of a hat, and a car makes us able to get everywhere on property very quickly. Also, we dine at a lot of resorts, and taking the bus to a park and then to another resort gets really old really fast if you have to do it several times.

When was your last WDW trip? Have you guys thought about dining reservations yet?

I've rented a car each time I've been to WDW and I'm looking forward to not doing so next time. Having your own vehicle does have its advantages, but also disadvantages. For first timers, you're going to have a hard time finding some of your destinations (second, fifth, tenth timers for that matter). You'll be able to get in the vicinity with good directions or GPS, but figuring out where to park and where in the heck the main entrance is (resorts, restaurants) can be challenging. In the past, I did not stay on property so I had to drive a little further (was still only a few miles away) and pay to park. Do you have to pay to park if you're staying on property? In any case, I'm very much looking forward to not having to drive home after a long day at the parks.

Not having a hire car saves us a fair amount of money, which we then spend on Taxi's for those trips that aren't easily done on the buses. It saves us the hassle of having to drive and possibly getting lost.

Sounds great! Are you doing Cindy's for breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

As for your questions, I've been hearing that Disney's been getting a bit more crowded this year, so, in June, plan to use fastpasses and arrive at the parks early so that you can get more of the big rides in.

Car rental is largely your choice. Like the Previous Poster said, it can definitely save time, but sometimes people want to just eschew all responsibilities and not have to worry about driving/finding their destination/parking/etc.

Also, LIFL, no, you don't have to pay for parking if you're staying on property.

We've been to Raglan Road twice. It's a great atmosphere especially when they have live music. We heard people complaining about the food and portion sizes but ours were OK, even when compared to typical US portions (I'm a brit. lol). It's a chance to have something other than burgers or ribs.

At Downtown Disney, T-Rex is worth a look.

I'm from the car camp but I think everyone makes a really good point:

Those of us who like cars have been many times and know our way around. It's not a big time saver if you get lost. It can also take some stress out not to have to worry about how to get around. It's not the easiest place to navigate until you have your bearings. The roads aren't exactly North-South-East-West or even parallel. I think no car is always a safe bet, since you might prefer either way and this way is cheaper.

Yak and Yeti is actually underrated in my opinion. Disney doesn't do ethnic foods that well, but Yak and Yeti is quite edible. Sci-Fi is an experience, you should definitely go once. I actually like the food, but some people aren't fans. Either way the experience is worth it.

Here's some people agreeing with me about Yak and Yeti.

There are many great places to dine at WDW, but one of our favorites I think doesn't get nearly enough credit. The Earl of Sandwich (at Downtown Disney) is out of this world, and you can use your Disney dining plan there.

We have never rented a car and I don't think we ever will. It is vacation, we don't want to have to drive or think about getting lost ect. We stayed at All-Stars Music and only had a problem with buses once!

Disney World is over 40 square miles, so everything is "far apart" by other theme park standards. Here's a great tool: Transportation Wizard. You can enter in your start point and your destination, and it'll tell you exactly what Disney transportation you need to use and how long it will take you to get there.

I think I'd choose Biergarten in Epcot. It's a lot of fun, pretty authentic, and the show is great. Garden Grill is good, but it appeals more to families, I think.

Also, here are a few reviews/posts about the restaurants you mentioned:
Yak and Yeti
Sci-Fi
Raglan Road

Festival of the Lion King usually starts several times throughout the day unless something has changed since I was there last (sadly too long ago.) It's usually pretty no-hassle to get into as long as you get there a little bit before showtime. Fantasmic is a huge hassle by comparison.

Did your ADRs turn out how you wanted? Anything you wish you had gotten?