News Disney's Magical Express to end after 2021

Walt d

Walt d

Well-Known Member
denyuntilcaught said:
I have the same question. I've never visited WDW without DME, and honestly have a hard time imagining it without it. An Uber ride sounds costly, but cheaper than renting a car (who wants to do that?) and paying parking fees.

Way to make it more challenging for your guests, Disney.
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Its going to be a e ticket ride with out a drop. Un less the lose your luggage!
 
Sir_Cliff

Sir_Cliff

Well-Known Member
Skywise said:
But it further damages the "resort" experience. There was something truly awe inspiring of being pampered as soon as you got off the airplane and got into the "Disney bubble" and, again, I'd grudingly agree with that if they kept the prices reasonable. But they do this and then continue to jack up the rates!
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This sums up my feelings about it. They only ever seem to subtract things from the experience and never add them. At the same time, the prices continue rising by leaps and bounds. Disney honestly seems largely indifferent to the guest experience on the basis that demand is high enough they don't have to worry too much about it.

At this point, what are you really getting for the exorbitant rates they charge at the WDW resorts? A hotel far below the quality of what you'd find for the same price elsewhere, proximity to parks with increasingly spotty maintenance and show quality, and opportunities to spend yet more money at every turn to compensate for all the negative aspects of the experience. That they're still managing to pack them in is, I guess, I testament to the strength of the brand Disney has managed to build up over the decades.
 
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nickys

nickys

Premium Member
Disney Loving Swede said:
Well for those of us who have an ocean to cross and a 16 hour plus travel day getting on a bus at MCO was nice since we dont have the option of not flying.....
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And DME was a big selling point of WDW onsite packages when they were trying to entice U.K. and European visitors to stay onsite. The U.K. travel agents liked it because it meant they didn’t have to arrange transfers for their clients. Now the transfers are another “extra” to be factored in when planning.

I always felt my vacation had started when we got through immigration and customs….. just head for the DME check-in and everything was taken care of. Now I’ll have to work out whether to get a private transfer (and what to do if the flight arrives late or immigration takes 2 hrs) or find the taxi / Uber / Lyft pick up points and then wonder if all the luggage will fit in or whether we’ll have to ride to WDW with bags piled at my feet and on my knees, squashed and uncomfortable.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
JoeCamel said:
I'm sure they need them. Anyone hired today would not be driving the airport shuttle tomorrow. Be a training period
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True, but if they can pick up a few experienced drivers the training period will be short. The hardest part will be training drivers on how to get to each resort onsite in a time saving sequence. Driving the almost straight line from MCO to WDW is the easy part. If I hadn't screwed up my back handling tourist luggage at the Raleigh airport, I would head on down there in a flash.
 
Weather_Lady

Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
nickys said:
And DME was a big selling point of WDW onsite packages when they were trying to entice U.K. and European visitors to stay onsite. The U.K. travel agents liked it because it meant they didn’t have to arrange transfers for their clients. Now the transfers are another “extra” to be factored in when planning.

I always felt my vacation had started when we got through immigration and customs….. just head for the DME check-in and everything was taken care of. Now I’ll have to work out whether to get a private transfer (and what to do if the flight arrives late or immigration takes 2 hrs) or find the taxi / Uber / Lyft pick up points and then wonder if all the luggage will fit in or whether we’ll have to ride to WDW with bags piled at my feet and on my knees, squashed and uncomfortable.
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Agreed! The loss of DME is one of several factors that have changed my perception from "I'm taking a 'Disney vacation,'" to "I'm taking a vacation that happens to include Disney World." By forcing us out of the bubble, Disney has opened our eyes and given us access to other destinations on which to spend our vacation dollars. From a business standpoint, I'll never understand it.
 
Archie123

Archie123

Well-Known Member
Sir_Cliff said:
This sums up my feelings about it. They only ever seem to subtract things from the experience and never add them. At the same time, the prices continue rising by leaps and bounds. Disney honestly seems largely indifferent to the guest experience on the basis that demand is high enough they don't have to worry too much about it.

At this point, what are you really getting for the exorbitant rates they charge at the WDW resorts? A hotel far below the quality of what you'd find for the same price elsewhere, proximity to parks with increasingly spotty maintenance and show quality, and opportunities to spend yet more money at every turn to compensate for all the negative aspects of the experience. That they're still managing to pack them in is, I guess, I testament to the strength of the brand Disney has managed to build up over the decades.
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People will continue to complain and shake their hands in the air about how greedy Disney is and how they are taking away perks once offered for free and not giving anything new and after all of that those same people will still shell out thousands and thousands of dollars to enjoy a Disney vacation. And Disney knows this.
 
John park hopper

John park hopper

Well-Known Member
Archie123 said:
People will continue to complain and shake their hands in the air about how greedy Disney is and how they are taking away perks once offered for free and not giving anything new and after all of that those same people will still shell out thousands and thousands of dollars to enjoy a Disney vacation. And Disney knows this.
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who ever said the masses were smart
 
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L

lewisc

Well-Known Member
WDWFanRay said:
There are Mears advertisements all over Celebration and Kissimmee today, looking for full-time bus drivers.
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Almost all DME buses were operated by Mears. Demand for Mearsconnect has to be less then it was for DME. Mears will need fewer drivers on the MCO WDW routes.

I wonder if other companies are poaching Mears drivers. The companies operating sunshine flyers will need drivers. Poaching from Mears will give them trained, licensed drivers who know the routes
 
HauntedPirate

HauntedPirate

Park nostalgist
Premium Member
lewisc said:
Almost all DME buses were operated by Mears. Demand for Mearsconnect has to be less then it was for DME. Mears will need fewer drivers on the MCO WDW routes.

I wonder if other companies are poaching Mears drivers. The companies operating sunshine flyers will need drivers. Poaching from Mears will give them trained, licensed drivers who know the routes
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I would expect demand to be lower than DME, but I figure it will still be healthy for Mears' MCO-to-WDW service.

If you're a trained, licensed bus driver in the Orlando area right now, you probably have great control over what company you work for.
 
Parker in NYC

Parker in NYC

Well-Known Member
Sir_Cliff said:
This sums up my feelings about it. They only ever seem to subtract things from the experience and never add them. At the same time, the prices continue rising by leaps and bounds. Disney honestly seems largely indifferent to the guest experience on the basis that demand is high enough they don't have to worry too much about it.

At this point, what are you really getting for the exorbitant rates they charge at the WDW resorts?
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Empty calories!
 

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