lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
The train won’t even be running when Magical Express service stops, so for those visits in between you’re just on your own.
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
News Disney's Magical Express to end after 2021
- Thread starter WEDway Inc & Company LLC
- Start date
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
Indeed, we're really in the realm of hypotheticals regarding when and whether there will be any viable replacement. A very puzzling announcement.
The magical way they packaged it did make me chuckle, though.
Last edited:
bcoachable
Well-Known Member
This is no biggie for us. After our last trip in Feb 2020, my husband kept complaining about being in a maximum security prison. The highlight of the trip, in fact the only part he liked, was seeing Patrick Mahomes in the parade in MK. (I’m the fan in the family and he wanted me to be happy. Hes a keeper.)
The worst part of the trip for both of us was the horrible kosher food. At least they didn’t charge us a premium on the DDP.
If we are able to go back some time post-COVID, we will probably stay off site and rent a car. Obviously, we would dine off site at a kosher restaurant.
i did like not having the chore of driving while on vacation, but I’d get over it in favor of the control. With navigation on my phone, I’m not worried about getting lost.
I did not like having to stand in line for an hour just to be assigned to a bus, which then took another hour (in my mind) to load up and get moving. I also did not like enduring multiple stops before reaching my resort. And tbh I didn’t trust luggage service. So the “stress-free just relax” factor wasn’t there for me. Especially since we arrived late morning, had lunch, and went right to the parks before seeing our room.
To the point about airline check-in for the return trip, don’t you just do that online on your phone anyway?
And my last point, what about the transfer between your house and the airport? Last trip we took the Long Island Railroad to Jamaica station, then the AirTrain to the JetBlue terminal. With smartcarts, it was easy peasy. Of course it’s just me and DH, but I think all the airports have the carts now.
The worst part of the trip for both of us was the horrible kosher food. At least they didn’t charge us a premium on the DDP.
If we are able to go back some time post-COVID, we will probably stay off site and rent a car. Obviously, we would dine off site at a kosher restaurant.
i did like not having the chore of driving while on vacation, but I’d get over it in favor of the control. With navigation on my phone, I’m not worried about getting lost.
I did not like having to stand in line for an hour just to be assigned to a bus, which then took another hour (in my mind) to load up and get moving. I also did not like enduring multiple stops before reaching my resort. And tbh I didn’t trust luggage service. So the “stress-free just relax” factor wasn’t there for me. Especially since we arrived late morning, had lunch, and went right to the parks before seeing our room.
To the point about airline check-in for the return trip, don’t you just do that online on your phone anyway?
And my last point, what about the transfer between your house and the airport? Last trip we took the Long Island Railroad to Jamaica station, then the AirTrain to the JetBlue terminal. With smartcarts, it was easy peasy. Of course it’s just me and DH, but I think all the airports have the carts now.
bcoachable
Well-Known Member
Hearing a rumor there was an “Influencer” event today at epcot where freebies where handed out?? Is this true? Timing is everything, If so...
How did they do it before MDE?
How do they do it going almost anywhere else in the world?
Showing off Ratatouille.
Being there is by invitation. One rarely stumbles upon free swag by accident.
Immediately after 9/11/01 WDW went into more efficiency mode and ever since more and more guests kept coming and the company stock to the delight of the shareholders kept rising.
GladToBeHear
Well-Known Member
I assume Disney will likewise reduce their hotel resort rates to coincide with yet another reduction in service.
Don't plan in seeing the staff with their ipads asking you in a survey how is your stay.
Timmay
Well-Known Member
With great difficulty.
That’s what makes ME special...and makes guests feel special. It’s not like “anywhere else.”
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
Exactly. Disney is trying to sell this as a resort experience for which they charge a huge premium.
I would be interested to know if they are surprised by how integral this service had become to the WDW experience for so many people or if they knew it would cause so much annoyance and figured the cost savings were worth it.
orky8
Well-Known Member
Thanks for sharing, that video is a perfect representation of what Disney used to be. And while each of those little perks were individually small things, they added up to the total package of Disney magic that many of us fell in love with and is just no longer going to be there.
mightynine
Well-Known Member
You had to and have to plan for it.
Maybe not having to do that was a positive for families when choosing where to go on vacation.
I know it’s shocking to think some people preferred using DME compared to what they did before when arriving in Orlando.
mattpeto
Well-Known Member
I might be naïve, but I really believe that the Bubble Perks, and all of these featured in the video have a good possibility to return (even in another forms), eventually.
I was responding not to what people preferred, but to sentiments that without DME, travel to WDW nigh impossible. But congratulations on tackling that straw man!
Who doesn't prefer free services?
LSLS
Well-Known Member
I actually think your comparing what it was like before MDE is a bit off. First off, it's a service people have come to rely on over 15 years. Yes, people made due (just like people did before they had a lot of things), but that doesn't mean it hasn't become an important piece of their trip. Second, there were no parking fees on top of hotels being around 50-65% less back then. Third, Orlando has around 1,000,000 more people now than it did in 2000. Add to that the attendance at WDW has gone up what, 10-12 million per year in that time frame? That's a LOT more cars on the roads for people to deal with when driving around.
Yes, people will adapt like always, and Disney I'm sure found another way to save (and make) money without seeing a large decrease in attendance. But it's a service that was a big perk for a lot of people, and it's just the latest example of the lack of care of the customer experience.