News Disney's Magical Express to end after 2021

[MickeyLuv'r]

The state of FL is smiling. More vehicles on the road means more toll money collected in the multiple toll road that goes straight from WDW to the airport.

Thanks for finally saying it! that was my first thought when I read this thread, Florida is hurting right now, and charging road tolls/rental car fees is a way the state can tax visitors.

ME was designed to keep people on property, but that was in a different era before Uber. ME isn't working as well as it once did. FL could raise hotel tax rates, but people would just assume the higher price was coming from Disney.

Still, perception has value, ME is easy to use, and people like it. Traffic congestion and WDW parking space are also an issue. Pre-pandemic the whole I-4 corridor was rather congested, and many of WDW hotel parking lots were already at or near capacity much of the time, especially with all the DVC hotel rooms they've added since ME started.

So that makes me wonder if some sort of replacement isn't in the works. Maybe WDW adding more Minnie vans, or a more active Uber partnership.

 

[UNCgolf]

I'm sure Mears will still run bus shuttles.

When Minnie Vans come back, they have multiple car seats.

The difference is there's no free ride from the airport to resorts now.

And, as I said above, there's no more luggage handling -- which is a bigger issue than the transport itself for some people. Being able to put your bags on the plane then have them delivered to your hotel room was a pretty big perk for some.

I think they'd already eliminated that service sometime recently, though.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

It did. And when it did, it was an incredible value. At the time, I thought it was too good to last, and it was. But it was great for a couple of years, then good for a few more years, and then...

I do love my TiW card, though.

I thought so but couldn’t remember for sure. Yes those were the days!

I stopped buying the TiW card when they added the fee for the second card holder.

 

[monykalyn]

It has a vibe of how Universal does it. But it's an Hour instead over there...

Well I can buy an AP that has express for several hours built in, free prime/valet (when available) parking, free ticket to one of their hard ticket events, early entry (hour) built in, and better discounts. All allowing me to stay offsite much much less expensively without losing a perk- or when a good AP rate comes along snag that! Royal Pacific over Thanksgiving this year was $169/night when I booked it- for a deluxe hotel.
I guess one good thing of more people migrating to Universal (so they say) is that third gate will be back on track soon!

I can't really think of an occasion in the last 25 years that I have been doing this site that guest pushback on a major decision has made a difference.

Social media didn’t really exist as an influencer then either, really only last 10(?) or so years and more companies have gotten savvy about monitoring sights and responding. People may have a pent up travel demand but actual dollars to put that way may be a far shorter supply for quite a while.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

The original version of the DDP was great. What it became wasn’t.

It used to include appetizer, entree, dessert and gratuity if I remember correctly?

Correct. I still remember my 2006 trip. $79 a night (plus tax) at Pop Century with the free dining you described included. Now that was a deal.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

I'm pretty sure that was sarcasm. At least that's how I read it.

lol oops

 

[el_super]

The difference is there's no free ride from the airport to resorts now.

Walt Disney World was the only Disney Resort I've been to, where the transportation cost was built into the reservation versus a separate cost (except maybe Aulani, I can't remember now).

I wouldn't really say the transportation at WDW was "free" either, since we all know we paid for it through other means.

I'm hopeful for some kind of easy alternative to come around and be announced later. The only real benefit I saw in the Magical Express was not having to go to baggage claim... but there was always that hesitation, that worry, that something would go wrong and the bags wouldn't be there.

The hassle of having to get on a separate bus or train at the international parks, and usually stressing over reading signs not in English, has never been a deterrent to me wanting to visit those resorts. YMMV.

 

[Parker in NYC]

I'm pretty sure that was sarcasm. At least that's how I read it.

It’s Monday and I’m slow.

 

[SoFloMagic]

I can't really think of an occasion in the last 25 years that I have been doing this site that guest pushback on a major decision has made a difference.

They also had to know it was coming with this one...

 

[UNCgolf]

I wouldn't really say the transportation at WDW was "free" either, since we all know we paid for it through other means.

While this is true, we also know they are not going to suddenly reduce the price of hotel rooms because this service is no longer offered.

 

[legwand77]

I think your numbers are way way off. According to this article:

How Much Does It Cost to Purchase and Operate a Bus?

Bus systems have significant capital and operating costs that must be taken into consideration when designing public transit systems.

www.liveabout.com

It costs on the low end $100 per hour to run a diesel bus including labor. Those buses run 24 hours, but lets say on average they only run 12. Thats $438,000 per year that it costs Mears to run 1 bus not including the $550,000 that it costs to buy the bus. How many buses are they running. I know in the summer you would see at least a dozen at the airport, plus all the ones on the road. They would show up every 30 mins at the resorts. I bet they had 50 buses running. That's about 25 million in costs plus the 25 million to buy the buses. Now they have to mark it up to Disney. I be it cost Disney 75 million a year to run the ME. You have to figure in the cost of the Disney employees at the airport, plus all that space at the airport is not free. The airport rent is probably millions a year.

Yup, this is exactly right, after this year when everyone was posting that only 2-5 other people were on the buses going to and from airport, you can see it coming. Can't imagine the millions Disney was losing as they had to have all those buses running.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Correct. I still remember my 2006 trip. $79 a night (plus tax) at Pop Century with the free dining you described included. Now that was a deal.

Those were the days!

1 year ago I paid more for a Pop Century Room then I used to pay for Animal Kingom Lodge. Skyliner is nice though I’ll give them that.

 

[Shouldigo12]

The Orlando cabs are terrible. Before Uber I used the lynx busses to get around off property after being totally disgusted with the cab system and the way they over-charged me.

Still. Hotel occupancy was pretty good pre-Covid, and I'm sure we can all attest that the restaurants weren't struggling to get bodies either. There wasn't any big problem that I can see of too many people deciding to stay and eat off-site due to the ride sharing apps. So I can't really see Uber having such a big effect that it would cause decisions like this.

 

[SoFloMagic]

This really screws over day guests/AP holders that used to rope drop to get a start on their day.......Now every park, every day will have lines before any day guest/AP holder can go in

And they'll learn that they need a hotel room next time. Thus filling the space left from people upset about magical express going away

 

[el_super]

While this is true, we also know they are not going to suddenly reduce the price of hotel rooms because this service is no longer offered.

So just consider it a price hike on the hotel room. Would an extra 40 bucks a night change your mind on a vacation?

 

[GusEzra]

Walt Disney World was the only Disney Resort I've been to, where the transportation cost was built into the reservation versus a separate cost (except maybe Aulani, I can't remember now).

I wouldn't really say the transportation at WDW was "free" either, since we all know we paid for it through other means.

I'm hopeful for some kind of easy alternative to come around and be announced later. The only real benefit I saw in the Magical Express was not having to go to baggage claim... but there was always that hesitation, that worry, that something would go wrong and the bags wouldn't be there.

The hassle of having to get on a separate bus or train at the international parks, and usually stressing over reading signs not in English, has never been a deterrent to me wanting to visit those resorts. YMMV.

Maybe I am wrong but wasn't one of the reasons for the ME. With of the high number of international visitors that visit WDW. it made it easier easier for them to get to Disney and took the stress out of navigating a foreign land? WDW is a huge international travel destination. and I heard that's why things like the ME exist there.

 

[plawren2]

Well, this sucks. The Magical Express was one of the best things about staying in-park. And what the hell is Disney going to do with those busses?

Raise prices and cut services - great business model, Iger. You idiot.

Disney does not own or operate those buses, Mears does and look for Mears to continue to offer as paid service (like they provide for DL)

 

[Lilofan]

Maybe I am wrong but wasn't one of the reasons for the ME. With of the high number of international visitors that visit WDW. it made it easier easier for them to get to Disney and took the stress out of navigating a foreign land? WDW is a huge international travel destination. and I heard that's why things like the ME exist there.

Good points. Guests foreign and domestic not familiar with FL roads driving lost if renting a car or minivan , driving below the speed limit and making illegal turns. It is a recipe for car accidents.

 

[John park hopper]

First it was "free parking" for on site resort guests vanished and now you pay, then it was Magic Bands which were "free" now you pay, now it's Magical express which was "free" and now it's completely gone. Disney-- I just don't think I can take any more of your magic.

 

[Buck Wheelie]

I think eliminating ME is big deal for a lot of people. For people who stayed at Disney and used Disney Transportation, it save them a lot of money. That included our family since we have four kids and a fair amount of luggage. Now we will need to hire a service that all us and our bags can fit in. I know luggage handling gave ME some issue during covid but I thought the luggage transportation would come back once the pandemic goes away.