Orlando without a car works if you stay at a resort and stick to it

The honest answer

Orlando was built around cars. The parks, the airport and the neighborhoods are spread across a wide area, and public transit reaches only some of it. But the two big resorts run their own transport, and ride-shares are easy to find. If your trip is mostly parks, going without a car is realistic and often cheaper once you count rental, tolls and hotel parking.

Do the math for your own trip. Add up the rental, the rental company's toll fee, park parking at around $30 or more a day, and hotel parking. Then compare it with an airport shuttle and a handful of ride-shares. For a five-day park trip based at a resort, skipping the car usually wins. For a trip with two or more outside days, it usually doesn't.

Where to stay

Disney resorts. Free buses run from every Disney-owned hotel to every Disney park and Disney Springs. Some hotels also have the monorail, the Skyliner gondola or boats. This is the easiest carless setup in Orlando.

Universal hotels. Many are a walk or a free boat ride to CityWalk and the parks. Others use free shuttles. Epic Universe is a short shuttle ride away.

International Drive. Many hotels run shuttles to the parks, sometimes for a fee, and the I-Ride Trolley runs up and down the drive. You can walk to plenty of restaurants. It is the best base if you want both resorts without a car.

Downtown or Winter Park. Walkable and pleasant, but far from the parks. Only worth it if the parks are a small part of your trip.

Getting from the airport

1. Decide before you land: shuttle, ride-share or car service. See the MCO airport guide for where each one picks up.
2. For a shared shuttle, book ahead online. Mears Connect serves Disney and other area hotels. Shuttles stop at several hotels, so allow extra time.
3. For a ride-share, follow signs to the ride-share pickup area. Expect $40 to $70 to Disney and less to International Drive, more at peak times.
4. LYNX buses run from the airport to downtown and International Drive for about $2, but they are slow and not built for luggage.

Getting around once you're here

Use resort transport for the parks. For dinners or a trip into the city, ride-shares are the practical choice; a ride from Disney to downtown usually costs $25 to $45 each way. LYNX buses do connect the tourist areas to downtown, and SunRail runs north to Winter Park and Sanford on weekdays, but neither is quick. See LYNX and SunRail for which routes are worth using.

Disney's free buses also go between parks and resorts, so you can reach Disney Springs for dinner without paying anything.

Groceries are the other practical question. Delivery apps reach most hotels in the tourist areas, and many resorts accept grocery deliveries at the front desk. Ordering water, snacks and breakfast once at the start of the trip saves money and saves you from carrying bags on a bus.

Where it falls apart

Springs, beaches, Kennedy Space Center and most nature spots have no useful transit. Ride-shares there are expensive and getting one back can be hard. The fix is a one- or two-day rental: many hotels on International Drive and in Lake Buena Vista have rental desks, and you pay for only the days you need. Book it a few days ahead in busy seasons, since hotel desks have small fleets. Compare that with the full-trip rental in rent a car or not.

Mistakes to avoid

• Booking a cheap off-site hotel with no shuttle, then paying for ride-shares twice a day.
• Assuming the free Disney buses go to Universal. They don't.
• Counting on SunRail on weekends. Service is mostly on weekdays.
• Leaving late-night ride-shares to chance after fireworks. Prices surge, so walk a little away from the crowd first.
• Forgetting car seats. Most ride-shares don't carry them, so bring one or book a service that does.