Buses Going Away or Pay?

[westie]

My uncle just returned from WDW. He is a passholder and goes often. He heard from a CM that the bus service between resorts and parks is either going to go away or turn into a pay service early next year. I find this concerning because the free transportation is one of the biggest perks about staying on site. I do not know if this also includes boats and possibly the monorail. Can anyone else confirm or deny this rumor?

 

[peter11435]

My uncle just returned from WDW. He is a passholder and goes often. He heard from a CM that the bus service between resorts and parks is either going to go away or turn into a pay service early next year. I find this concerning because the free transportation is one of the biggest perks about staying on site. I do not know if this also includes boats and possibly the monorail. Can anyone else confirm or deny this rumor?

This is not true. There are no plans to remove or charge for any WDW transit.

Your uncle is likely confusing WDW transportation with the Magical Express service to and from the airport. ME will be discontinued next year.

 

[dreday3]

I would imagine they would just raise resort rates rather than publicly announce charges for transportation from resorts.

But jeebus, their busses are baaaaad.

 

[castlecake2.0]

As a cast member I can tell you that we would be the very last people to hear about something like this.

But to answer your question, that is not happening. There might be some confusion in regards to Magical Express retiring next year. Your transportation costs for resort transport is already built into other prices for things ie park ticket or hotel rate.

PS there’s a job fair hiring transportation hosts this week for busses, watercraft, and monorails if anyone is interested.

 

[westie]

Thanks for clearing this up. I will now go back and sock my uncle in his nose lol

 

[PaulZ]

“We’ll never charge for Transportation access. However, if you’d like a guaranteed seat on the bus and not have to stand and to move to the front of the line, let us introduce you to Genie Magic Carpet! A special one of a kind experience that allows you to take advantage of all the Magic our transportation system provides. Not only do you get a seat and immediate transportation access, but you’ll also hear imagineers discuss the route you are on and why the roads turn the way they do, why that resort you are passing sits there, and why that sign telling you to call now for a Disney hotel room is located where it is. You’ll also get special photo pass experiences and videos of your traveling experience so you and your family can relive that magical trip to the theme park anytime you want. You get all this for $14.95 per day! Details of how to order are coming soon.”

 

[HauntedPirate]

“We’ll never charge for Transportation access. However, if you’d like a guaranteed seat on the bus and not have to stand and to move to the front of the line, let us introduce you to Genie Magic Carpet! A special one of a kind experience that allows you to take advantage of all the Magic our transportation system provides. Not only do you get a seat and immediate transportation access, but you’ll also hear imagineers discuss the route you are on and why the roads turn the way they do, why that resort you are passing sits there, and why that sign telling you to call now for a Disney hotel room is located where it is. You’ll also get special photo pass experiences and videos of your traveling experience so you and your family can relive that magical trip to the theme park anytime you want. You get all this for $14.95 per day! Details of how to order are coming soon.”

Price is too low.

 

[castlecake2.0]

“We’ll never charge for Transportation access. However, if you’d like a guaranteed seat on the bus and not have to stand and to move to the front of the line, let us introduce you to Genie Magic Carpet! A special one of a kind experience that allows you to take advantage of all the Magic our transportation system provides. Not only do you get a seat and immediate transportation access, but you’ll also hear imagineers discuss the route you are on and why the roads turn the way they do, why that resort you are passing sits there, and why that sign telling you to call now for a Disney hotel room is located where it is. You’ll also get special photo pass experiences and videos of your traveling experience so you and your family can relive that magical trip to the theme park anytime you want. You get all this for $14.95 per day! Details of how to order are coming soon.”

MinnieVans

 

[monothingie]

This is not true. There are no plans to remove or charge for any WDW transit.

Your uncle is likely confusing WDW transportation with the Magical Express service to and from the airport. ME will be discontinued next year.

While you are correct, it does open an interesting thought experiment, how much would a guest pay to get from point A to point B using Disney Mass Transit on Disney property. It wouldn't surprise me at all if this had been tossed around at some level. It would definitely alter guest behavior.

 

[Brian]

They'd sooner charge for toilet paper.

 

[Lilofan]

As a cast member I can tell you that we would be the very last people to hear about something like this.

But to answer your question, that is not happening. There might be some confusion in regards to Magical Express retiring next year. Your transportation costs for resort transport is already built into other prices for things ie park ticket or hotel rate.

PS there’s a job fair hiring transportation hosts this week for busses, watercraft, and monorails if anyone is interested.

Never say never is a saying . Who would ever think parking would be an upcharge on vacation, including FPs , no more daily housekeeping, etc.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

I’ve speculated for a while that a “Transportation Pass” is on the horizon. Still don’t know how far away that horizon is but it’s there.

 

[JoeCamel]

I would imagine they would just raise resort rates rather than publicly announce charges for transportation from resorts.

But jeebus, their busses are baaaaad.

You would think they would do that for parking if there really was an added cost to them rather than it being low hanging fruit as a line item

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

You would think they would do that for parking if there really was an added cost to them rather than it being low hanging fruit as a line item

My opinion only. But this would be the perfect opportunity to introduce the “resort fee”. That would include all the amenities of your home resort along with unlimited use of Disney transportation resort wide. Not staying on site? No problem. You can purchase a pass through Genie. Disney is all about nickel and dime.

 

[UNCgolf]

I can't imagine many scenarios where Disney eliminates their "free" transportation. They want to make it simple for people to get to the parks (and Disney Springs) so that they spend more money.

It's also such an easy thing to advertise as a major perk for on-site guests. Adding an additional charge (the aforementioned "resort fee") to hotel rooms is plausible, though.

 

[JoeCamel]

My opinion only. But this would be the perfect opportunity to introduce the “resort fee”. That would include all the amenities of your home resort along with unlimited use of Disney transportation resort wide. Not staying on site? No problem. You can purchase a pass through Genie. Disney is all about nickel and dime.

You know Bob thought about that. Can't figure out how to do it yet but.....

 

[SingleRider]

Also a lot of offsite hotels have free bus service so if they made this change it may push more people offsite. But at this point not much would surprise me since they’ve eliminated other perks like ME.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Also a lot of offsite hotels have free bus service so if they made this change it may push more people offsite. But at this point not much would surprise me since they’ve eliminated other perks like ME.

ME is different, you have no idea how costly that is to operate. I have wondered for a long time when it was going to stop. WDW did very well before ME was ever heard of and now that they charge you to park no matter what, they figured that was going to be gravy for them, and I believe they are correct. Even if they lose some resort guest to offsite, the vast majority will rent or drive cars so they will just make money by not spending literally hundreds of thousands per year. Plus I'll bet that if one were to look and Disney's portfolio you will find that they own a couple of car rental agencies that are in MCO as well. Besides does anyone think that the cost of the "free" buses isn't already firmly in the room rates. All they have to do is add it in to that rate, how would anyone know? I don't think any two people actually pay the same rate per room. Sort of like the airlines.

 

[Figments Friend]

Back in the days of yore, you had to pay for a 'Transportation Ticket' to use the various modes of transport on Property.
Would not surprise me at all to see something in a similar vein to return in some form.

If there is money to be squeezed out of the contained populace on Property, today's Disney will find a way to exploit it.
This would be a easy additional way to do it.

Nothing surprises me now, having seen what has been happening over the last couple of years.
Let's not give them ideas......

(Oops...too late!)



-

 

[castlecake2.0]

Back in the days of yore, you had to pay for a 'Transportation Ticket' to use the various modes of transport on Property.
Would not surprise me at all to see something in a similar vein to return in some form.

If there is money to be squeezed out of the contained populace on Property, today's Disney will find a way to exploit it.
This would be a easy additional way to do it.

Nothing surprises me now, having seen what has been happening over the last couple of years.
Let's not give them ideas......

(Oops...too late!)



-

That transportation ticket still exists, it’s just worked into the cost of the hotel room and park ticket.