News Disney's Magical Express to end after 2021

[maxairmike]

Orlando has public transportation.

Yeah, we have public transportation. If it's actually useful, especially in this context, is another thing. SunRail and LYNX are (IMO) inadequate systems for even their limited best case local uses. SunRail a little less so, but still not anywhere near what it could/should be, partly through no fault of its own and just the sprawling, suburban/exurban nature of Orlando's development.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I'd make the choice to drive in a town of around 2,000 people vs 2 million, too. There is no comparison between driving around Telluride and the Orlando area.

I have always found is amusing how some people get so worked up about others choosing to vacation somewhere other than Disney World.

??? I’m sorry if you think I’m worked up, I’m not. I love that part of Colorado and could easily be talked into Durango vs. Disney. For one... Durango still has ragtime piano and steam trains!!!

I just didn’t understand the comparison...

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Yeah, we have public transportation. If it's actually useful, especially in this context, is another thing. SunRail and LYNX are (IMO) inadequate systems for even their limited best case local uses. SunRail a little less so, but still not anywhere near what it could/should be, partly through no fault of its own and just the sprawling, suburban nature of Orlando's development.

Lynx has always gotten me where I needed to go. I wish some of the routes had better frequency but it’s perfectly usable.

I usually Uber now but pre-Uber I would take lynx all the time.

 

[Parker in NYC]

Posted this in another thread but figured it made more sense here. Without DME, I expect fewer resort guests at least in the first part of 2022. If anyone’s paying attention to the social media thunderstorm, the complaints are making the Splash Mountain announcement look like a single drop of rain.

 

[aliceismad]

Lynx has always gotten me where I needed to go. I wish some of the routes had better frequency but it’s perfectly usable.

I usually Uber now but pre-Uber I would take lynx all the time.

Interesting. See I would never think to consider public transportation as my preferred method when travelling with baggage outside of maybe some very large cities, but I'm from the West where public transport is usually non-existent or poor. I'm glad that's a viable option for some folks.

 

[bcoachable]

Orlando has public transportation.


First of all... I love that area! I’d recommend a ride on the Durango & Silverton and a visit to Mesa Verde while you’re there. Also the gondola is quite nice... i don’t ski but it’s fun to watch the skiers zip down the mountain from the little cabin.

But I’m not sure I understand the comparison. You were choosing between driving to telluride and flying to Disney world and the lack of a free shuttle made the difference?

I am tired of Disney Gouging me. Their actions tell me that they think I am stupid, and will be back. Much like a certian King in Hamilton.
Disney has hurt me in other areas as well, that I am not ready to talk about on here yet. *( I realize how strange that sounds, you just have to go with me here. I am not a crybaby, trust me) Our family has been one of the most devoted, brand addicted, fans you will ever find. I find that I am borderline bitter over the choices the company is making (starting with laying off firing equity, and progressing to the termination of friends behind the scenes in imagineering and guest services, and now telling me to find another ride from the airport- but still pay a butt load for our hotel anyway). Will I be back? Yes. But not spending a week at a time that equates to $6000 plus. I will stay off property, visit friends, eat at Chevy's for old time sake (until that gets destroyed for a highway exit ramp that may or may not be necessary anymore) and buy a one day ticket ($135 or so?)( if I am in the mood) for a spin around the ole park.

 

[maxairmike]

Lynx has always gotten me where I needed to go. I wish some of the routes had better frequency but it’s perfectly usable.

I usually Uber now but pre-Uber I would take lynx all the time.

If you're in/near the downtown core, it certainly is a lot better, but I wouldn't call an hour+ between the Florida Mall and the airport great, which is what it was the one time I gave it a shot outside the downtown core (LYMO and the event services are admittedly pretty decent). I've looked at the route maps and timetables many times over the years and it just isn't great to me. Maybe my expectations are too high, and I'll admit I prefer rail-based/style solutions with more dense development cores (think DC with Crystal/Pentagon City, Silver Springs, etc) and am amenable to walking, but I've never seen LYNX as adequate or viable vs. a car or other private transport solutions. And using it as a tourist as a main mode of transit, especially between the airport and your destination...I wouldn't even give it a second of consideration, personally. And then there's the common and regular multi-hour commutes each way for some Cast that do use it. That's a sign (of many things, really) of a system that isn't working as it could/should.

 

[UNCgolf]

That is your take from that? You are reading to much into that. They are just saying the data shows less people are using ME and either renting cars, taking direct shuttles, Uber etc. Sure some people love ME but less and less than 5-10 years ago.

No, I'm not reading too much into it. That's exactly how it's written, which is my point. Someone working in customer relations should know better than to write a sentence like that.

Of course that's not what they were trying to say, but it's what they said.

 

[Parker in NYC]

No, I'm not reading too much into it. That's exactly how it's written, which is my point. Someone working in customer relations should know better than to write a sentence like that.

Of course that's not what they were trying to say, but it's what they said.

I’d like to see this data.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Interesting. See I would never think to consider public transportation as my preferred method when travelling with baggage outside of maybe some very large cities, but I'm from the West where public transport is usually non-existent or poor. I'm glad that's a viable option for some folks.

What part of the west? I’ve travelled all over the country using all manner of transportation.

By the way... I’m not saying take public transit instead of Magically express... I’m not happy with Disney’s decision at all. I enjoyed using magical express and would use Lynx when arriving by Amtrak.

 

[aliceismad]

What part of the west? I’ve travelled all over the country using all manner of transportation.

By the way... I’m not saying take public transit instead of Magically express... I’m not happy with Disney’s decision at all. I enjoyed using magical express and would use Lynx when arriving by Amtrak.

I've lived in Montana, Idaho, Colorado, and Arizona, with relatively frequent visits to Utah, Oregon, Washington, California, Wyoming, and Nevada. My DH is a military brat who grew up almost entirely overseas and then also was in the Army, and his view of public transportation options is so much different than I experienced as a kid. We've used the subway or light rail in cities, but Orlando didn't really cross my mind.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I've lived in Montana, Idaho, Colorado, and Arizona, with relatively frequent visits to Utah, Oregon, Washington, California, Wyoming, and Nevada. My DH is a military brat who grew up almost entirely overseas and then also was in the Army, and his view of public transportation option is so much different than I experienced as a kid.

Some lovely states to live in. Montana I once had to hire a car service at a pretty good price to get to the Amtrak station so yeah... some of those states transit can be non-existent. West coast is great though. I miss it

 

[aliceismad]

Some lovely states to live in. Montana I once had to hire a car service at a pretty good price to get to the Amtrak station so yeah... some of those states transit can be non-existent. West coast is great though. I miss it

My grandma used to take Amtrak from Montana over to Washington or down to California to visit family quite a bit. We went to New Orleans by train once and had the best time. It's a pretty cool way to travel.

So naturally, being West-based, I've been to DLR many more times than WDW, usually driving. Once I tried to get transportation from John Wayne Airport to the Disney area. That was such a pain! Those experiences are certainly part of why I so enjoyed the ease of ME and the full Disney bubble.

 

[jaklgreen]

To me, they are very similar. You seem very good at discussion here, so I assume you’d be quite competent in person. Whether or not you would enjoy that interaction is another thing altogether, I suppose.

I’m not sure where a person might go on vacation that wouldn’t require at least some interaction with people. Maybe if you drove out to the woods for a camping trip?

I would hope that all people feel welcome at WDW—even those who prefer not to interact with others. But I’m not sure it is reasonable to demand that sort of thing.

I understand what you are saying. There is a difference between "incapable" of talking to strangers and not liking it. I would say that a good chunk of people don't "like" talking to strangers but we live in a society and as adults, we deal with it and then move on. My hubby hates talking to strangers but he is pleasant when someone speaks to him and then goes on with his life.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Something that makes no sense...
(Unless they are replacing it with some kinda of new "Paid" on demand service.. like Uber)

I mean, really, this makes ZERO sense for a few reasons.. Not the least of which is Disney wanted to keep people on the property, not encourage them to rent car's.

I'd argue:

Eisner wanted to keep them on property. Eisner, well, when Frank Wells was still around, was a visionary and could see the "big picture". He understood the guest experience and indirect things like: Yes, the express is a cost, but we will make that money back and more in guest spending.

I don't think that the current management sees things that way. I just don't think that they think that way. I think that the Bobs see things black and white and that's what a spreadsheet gives them.

They see the cost of the Magical Express and don't see where people are paying for it. No one directly pays to get on it so it's just a "cost" that floats around. To them, nothing should be on the "shelf" if it isn't going to be (directly) sold.

It's why they got rid of the street performers (they were doing this before COVID and COVID let them get away with more because: COVID). It's why when things break, if they're not returning money directly, they don't get addressed.

I've said it before: people may complain about this stuff being taken away or reduced but the reality is: Nostalgia is strong and people continue to line up at the gates screaming, "TAKE MY MONEY!"

While I think it's short sighted, I'm also not really trying to ding them on it as I really just think that, in their minds, "everything should be paid for." (directly).

Historically, it is what they've done. Also, historically, they introduce new "upsell" items like the Cabanas. "Can we get customers to rent a cabana for a day at the Magic Kingdom?" Turns out the answer was, "No," or, at least, "it's more trouble than it's worth." Still, I think it shows their mindset:
- Nothing should be on the "shelf" for free
- Try to put new items on the shelf to entice customers to buy them.
- If something is broken and isn't critical, we can let it go because we're still getting people lining up at the gate.

People constantly argue: "Oh, will THIS be the straw that breaks the camel's back???" It never seems to be. I think, ultimately, they're still living on a generation of nostalgia and eventually it'll catch up but that'll be long after the Bobs are gone (someone else's mess).

 

[nickys]

Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't the hotels at DLP within walking distance of the train station? At WDW, you would be dropped off "close" to Disney Springs but then you would need some other kind of transportation to your resort. America is so much bigger then the Countries in Europe that it is hard to compare the two. Many inner cities have trains that work because everything is in close proximity. But in a place like Orlando, where it is spread out, trains are not a viable option as "easy commute". WDW property alone is larger then many European Countries.

WDW is 40 square miles.

So it is indeed bigger than:
Vatican City
Monaco
San Marino

Which let’s face it would hardly feature in most people’s list of European countries and hardly constitutes “many” out of 44.

 

[jaklgreen]

WDW is 40 square miles.

So it is indeed bigger than:
Vatican City
Monaco
San Marino

Which let’s face it would hardly feature in most people’s list of European countries and hardly constitutes “many” out of 44.

Yeah, I meant their metropolitan areas. That was a mistype on my part.

 

[aliceismad]

Yeah, I meant their metropolitan areas. That was a mistype on my part.

I believe Paris is about 40 square miles, so roughly the same as WDW. (We've been researching as we're considering/dreaming about a Paris/DLP trip someday in the post-covid times.)

 

[2bornot2be]

I’d like to see this data.

I agree. I see more people using ME than I saw years ago.

 

[homerdance]

We generally fly into SFB (Sanford on Allegiant) and out of MCO. So the majority of our trips we didn't use MDE from the airport, but did on the way back. So, this change doesn't have a huge impact on us. But it still sucks, when we did use it, it was great, and it will increase the congestion at MCO for rental cars/shuttles along with the roads to and from the airport.

Add this to the other cuts made pre-COVID (talking mickey, live music in EPCOT, pirates show, live music in Animal Kingdom, PARADES (remember parades at all the parks?), night time shows, and others that I can't think of off the top of my head) along with the cuts post covid(NEMO, Lion King, Characters, EMH, etc, etc) and still extracting the same money from guests is a pile of donkey poo.