News Disney's Magical Express to end after 2021

[UNCgolf]

This might have already been mentioned, but I just got to thinking, Disney's argument that uber can replace DME can be used not just on the DME, but all WDW internal transportation: buses, boats, monorail.

It could, but that would significantly increase the cost of a Disney vacation. You'd have to spend hundreds of dollars to get around the resort -- a short trip from Port Orleans Riverside to Disney Springs is generally $10 each way, and that's if you don't tip the driver. Going to Animal Kingdom from there would be closer to $20+ each way without tipping. A family could end up spending $500 or more on Uber/Lyft fees if they were at Disney for a week without a significant change in guest behavior (i.e. only leave your resort once per day to go to a park and back. No returning to the resort mid-day, no park hopping, no going to Disney Springs, and so on).

I also don't think WDW has the road infrastructure to handle the traffic increase that would result from such a move.

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

That’s exactly how I feel.

 

[Jrb1979]

Is it safe to assume COVID will provide the public cover for whatever happens?

I would guess it would be. They are using it already for some of the things that have been cut.

 

[lazyboy97o]

If Disney wanted a luggage service they could sign a contract for it tomorrow and get it re-started. What makes you think they will do so when the train starts running? Do you think Disney will provide this in-house?

If they do so I’m fairly sure it won’t use the train.

Here’s another thought. Pre-Covid the worst thing that could happen with the luggage service is your bag gets left at MCO, either on the air side or when loading the trucks. Or ends up at a different WDW resort. If they use a train that runs to Tampa, your bag could end up over on the east coast of Florida!

Assuming Disney does create a bundle with Brightline, a luggage service would probably still use a truck while people take the train. Using the train would likely require a dedicated baggage car and additional time at both Walt Disney World and MCO to unload and load that luggage.

 

[ZodIsGr8]

There’s quite the seismic shift across the company happening at the moment. I’m not sure how the endgame will look but I’m not looking forward to it. It will be interesting to see how it plays out to say the least.

Hey Martin, can you elaborate on this comment? Love your Martin’s Vids channel! The depth that you go into is amazing not to mention your knowledge. Hope you are doing well and stay safe.

 

[Parker in NYC]

I also don't think WDW has the road infrastructure to handle the traffic increase that would result in such a move.

This.

 

[wutisgood]

While this sounds like solid workaround, there are still caveats:

1. In 2018, I waited a solid hour to pickup my rental car. Those lines can be brutal, but I admit that might not the norm.
2. Grabbing your own bags slows you down and is a hassle
3. Can be a stressful drive trying to get on property if you aren't used to it (or have your mother-in-law in your passenger seat)
4. You still have to get back to the airport too, guessing you just do the one day rental from Disney Springs to airport? You just bring your bags on normal Disney transportation

MCO is one of the most efficient airports I have ever been in for the volume they do at rental cars. Easy access to many companies directly across the street. It makes bags easier to deal with than other airports that have shuttles. I have never waited more than 15 mins in about 30 trips. I do pre book and sign up for the fast services when I can.

Universal's SuperStar shuttle is $39 per adult and $29 per kid roundtrip. That's not bad. Of course the Magical Express option for free AND being able to skip baggage claim was better.

Uber or lyft is about as cheap as a single person. The shared shuttle is even cheaper. I do not know who uses this besides people with packages or idiots.

I My issue is it won’t be convenient or free. Flying to Orlando is expensive as it is..add another 150 to get to our hotel and it’s just ugly. If we need to do it, the money will come out of somewhere else—less souvenirs, no add ons, one less day or something like that. I assume most families don’t just have plenty of extra money to rid themselves of on an already expensive trip. Could we afford it? Probably. But as a fairly fiscally responsible person, I get to a point where I say enough is enough. Ubers are great, they were very easy to use when my husband and I went to Fort Lauderdale on our own. But you can’t use them with kids who require car seats. Plus so much luggage. This seems like such a bizarre move, that part of me is still wondering if Disney has a planned replacement. But who knows.

Orlando is statistically one of the cheapest places to fly in america to be clear but yea the added cost to get to disney sucks. It is getting to the point where less than a decade ago I got meals, tickets, free parking, and onsite benefits for LESS than I could pay for just tickets and offsite lodging now. Scumbag disney gets a bunch of makeup money in parking if you arent a passholder tho.

The other issue is that it's possible the value actually increases in that scenario (relatively speaking). If the prices are high enough and the economy is bad enough that attendance levels drop significantly, then people may decide it's worth the increased price because of the lack of crowds. Able to ride everything without long waits, eat when you want, etc.

It's possible for Disney to find a sweet spot where they can charge very high prices with lowered attendance and come out ahead -- at least on admission. I'm not sure the numbers would work overall with a commensurate decrease in shopping and dining from lowered attendance.

Disney is so expensive that people are weary of making a trip on cut services and entertainment. Disneyland was freaking out because people did not want to come before rise of the resistance was open and the would not cut prices. People are weary to spend money with cut AK night show, no MK fireworks, no epcot show, no hollywood fireworks, and no fantasmic

Wouldn't be surprised if it involves selling off the parks to a third party.

Disney parks have been the cash cow of the company for a while. I would argue disney plus will be the real money maker in the future however if you want to sell the parks off you got to have a buyer that thinks they can make more money than you. Buying a mature chain that has already screwed their own guests for maximum profits would be one of the dumbest decisions an investment source could ever make,

 

[TiggerDad]

Will they reimburse families the extra costs that were added into their magical stay on property that had been tacked in to pay for the ME to begin with?
@Tigerdad- this wasn’t directed just to you, it is to all that say “just get an Uber- problem solved”

First off, it's TiggerDad, named after the beloved character you can play with at Crystal Palace. The generic Tigerdad is someone else who has been here far longer but is not nearly as popular.

I agree that this change stinks. We always enjoyed DME and the counterpart in Paris. A generic Mears bus just won't be the same, especially if I have to schlep all of our luggage. I have three girls and they pack a lot of stuff. When they were younger, we would have an entire suitcase of just princess costumes and swap out three per day. So I don't like this change. But some posters on here - not pointing fingers at you - are going on like the internal combustion engine has been outlawed and they will have to walk uphill both ways to get to WDW. Yes it's going to cost more, but prices have gone up one way or another every year. It's not the end of the world.

 

[TiggerDad]

There’s quite the seismic shift across the company happening at the moment. I’m not sure how the endgame will look but I’m not looking forward to it. It will be interesting to see how it plays out to say the least.

I have been shocked at the scope and number of big announcements over the past few days, and your post makes me think there are more to come. To me, the theme is using a crisis to tackle sacred cows, which could end up being productive or disastrous depending on how valuable those cows are. We likely won't know which changes worked for years.

 

[unmitigated disaster]

A generic Mears bus just won't be the same, especially if I have to schlep all of our luggage. I have three girls and they pack a lot of stuff.

As another female I'm no end baffled by the need to pack tons of stuff. A couple of shirts and changes of underwear, a spare pair of pants - maybe two - a swimsuit and flipper floppers. I can either do laundry in the room or at a laundry room. Maybe one nice outfit and shoes. Maybe. What else do you need?

 

[Lilofan]

MCO is one of the most efficient airports I have ever been in for the volume they do at rental cars. Easy access to many companies directly across the street. It makes bags easier to deal with than other airports that have shuttles. I have never waited more than 15 mins in about 30 trips. I do pre book and sign up for the fast services when I can.

Uber or lyft is about as cheap as a single person. The shared shuttle is even cheaper. I do not know who uses this besides people with packages or idiots.

Orlando is statistically one of the cheapest places to fly in america to be clear but yea the added cost to get to disney sucks. It is getting to the point where less than a decade ago I got meals, tickets, free parking, and onsite benefits for LESS than I could pay for just tickets and offsite lodging now. Scumbag disney gets a bunch of makeup money in parking if you arent a passholder tho.

Disney is so expensive that people are weary of making a trip on cut services and entertainment. Disneyland was freaking out because people did not want to come before rise of the resistance was open and the would not cut prices. People are weary to spend money with cut AK night show, no MK fireworks, no epcot show, no hollywood fireworks, and no fantasmic

Disney parks have been the cash cow of the company for a while. I would argue disney plus will be the real money maker in the future however if you want to sell the parks off you got to have a buyer that thinks they can make more money than you. Buying a mature chain that has already screwed their own guests for maximum profits would be one of the dumbest decisions an investment source could ever make,

Agreed. Orlando international is one of the easiest to get a rental car. Pick up your luggage at baggage claim, the rental counters are nearby then walk across the street to the big parking garage where the rental cars are at.

 

[Movielover]

Things are going to get worse no matter what just based on the inevitable hyperinflation due to the massive amounts of new money printed last year. If you think things are expensive now, just wait...

 

[Disstevefan1]

Right now very few people are visiting Disney. They'll wait until people freak out to the maximum extent before announcing any type of replacement. By that time, people will be thrilled to have a paid replacement.

If what you mean by paid replacement, paid by the guest then I agree. The DME replacement will not be free.

 

[Chi84]

As another female I'm no end baffled by the need to pack tons of stuff. A couple of shirts and changes of underwear, a spare pair of pants - maybe two - a swimsuit and flipper floppers. I can either do laundry in the room or at a laundry room. Maybe one nice outfit and shoes. Maybe. What else do you need?

Whatever it takes to avoid doing laundry.

 

[Chi84]

Agreed. Orlando international is one of the easiest to get a rental car. Pick up your luggage at baggage claim, the rental counters are nearby then walk across the street to the big parking garage where the rental cars are at.

Right, but now many of those people who used to get on the bus are going to be with you in line at the rental counters and walking across the street to pick up their cars. MCO is easy now, when the Magical Express buses are lined up waiting to take huge numbers of guests to WDW. It's going to take a hit in terms of congestion as a result of Disney's decision. I just hope some other options come along before DME ends.

 

[Lilofan]

Right, but now many of those people who used to get on the bus are going to be with you in line at the rental counters and walking across the street to pick up their cars. MCO is easy now, when the Magical Express buses are lined up waiting to take huge numbers of guests to WDW. It's going to take a hit in terms of congestion as a result of Disney's decision. I just hope some other options come along before DME ends.

If one goes online and fill out the reg form and the essentials ( ie Alamo ) the family can just pick.up bags at baggage claim and then walk directly across the street . The cars already are unlocked with keys in the ignition. The Alamo staff member scans your form. Then he tells you where the car is located.

 

[Chi84]

If one goes online and fill out the reg form and the essentials ( ie Alamo ) the family can just pick.up bags at baggage claim and then walk directly across the street . The cars already are unlocked with keys in the ignition. The Alamo staff member scans your form. Then he tells you where the car is located.

I know. I was just referencing the part of your post that said "the rental counters are nearby." Hertz is even better - you just go to where the cars are parked (with the keys in the ignition) pick out the one you want and check out on the way out of the lot.

My point was that without the Magical Express handling large numbers of guests, there will be a lot more congestion at the airport - more people waiting for luggage, renting cars, getting into Ubers, etc. It won't be as uncrowded and easy as it is now, with the buses handling so much of the transportation. Hopefully, a new system will come into place before this happens.

 

[Lilofan]

I know. I was just referencing the part of your post that said "the rental counters are nearby." Hertz is even better - you just go to where the cars are parked (with the keys in the ignition) pick out the one you want and check out on the way out of the lot.

My point was that without the Magical Express handling large numbers of guests, there will be a lot more congestion at the airport - more people waiting for luggage, renting cars, getting into Ubers, etc. It won't be as uncrowded and easy as it is now, with the buses handling so much of the transportation. Hopefully, a new system will come into place before this happens.

Flying into OIA before Magical Express was something to plan for and deal with. If OIA cannot come up with a plan 12 months from now, it will go back to the old ways. Guaranteed that the new system will not be free.

 

[Jrb1979]

I am interested to know more about the seismic shift going on in Disney.

 

[bcoachable]

First off, it's TiggerDad, named after the beloved character you can play with at Crystal Palace. The generic Tigerdad is someone else who has been here far longer but is not nearly as popular.

I agree that this change stinks. We always enjoyed DME and the counterpart in Paris. A generic Mears bus just won't be the same, especially if I have to schlep all of our luggage. I have three girls and they pack a lot of stuff. When they were younger, we would have an entire suitcase of just princess costumes and swap out three per day. So I don't like this change. But some posters on here - not pointing fingers at you - are going on like the internal combustion engine has been outlawed and they will have to walk uphill both ways to get to WDW. Yes it's going to cost more, but prices have gone up one way or another every year. It's not the end of the world.

Thanks for the response- Sorry for the typo.
Dad of Three girls here, too!
Hope you have a Magical day!