News Disney's Magical Express to end after 2021

[Chi84]

Think you might be exaggerating just a bit?

They may be, but only about the 20 bottles of sunscreen and the small house. It's more like 10 bottles and a tent.

 

[jaklgreen]

They may be, but only about the 20 bottles sunscreen and the small house. It's more like 10 bottles and a tent.

Your going to Florida, not to Antarctica. LOL Just have the extra stuff delivered when you get there or stop at the store if you have a car. No need to complicate things.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Think you might be exaggerating just a bit?

Obviously not a literal house, no, but there is a darned if you do darned if you don't dynamic to being a mom. If you're out with your toddler or small child and you are The Mom Who Doesn't Have Hand Sanitizer, you feel judged as disorganized and unprepared (and someone will suggest a blog, app, planner, general organization guru, etc., to help you do better) but then, if you travel with a small rucksack for all the gear you're supposed to have, you're tsk tsked for being a 'helicopter parent'. I've read that "Intensive Parenting" is the style that is expected of parents in 2021, and I definitely see it.

 

[dreday3]

I'm pretty sure the whole luggage conversation started when someone asked why women feel the need to pack so much. I don't think it had anything to do with kids?

I answered, then I started talking about shoes, then I started daydreaming about shoes, then my laptop was open to Nordstrom.com and my credit card felt warm to the touch?

 

[DisneyHead123]

Your going to Florida, not to Antarctica. LOL Just have the extra stuff delivered when you get there or stop at the store if you have a car. No need to complicate things.

I get that approach, but to me, so long as transportation is available, dumping everything in a suitcase is easier than going shopping once on vacation - a reason I'm bummed about the ME. I understand that possibly this was a necessity as the parks are bleeding money, but I do think it had a lot of value for families especially.

 

[Chi84]

N

I get that approach, but to me, so long as transportation is available, dumping everything in a suitcase is easier than going shopping once on vacation - a reason I'm bummed about the ME. I understand that possibly this was a necessity as the parks are bleeding money, but I do think it had a lot of value for families especially.

Now they want you to do laundry AND go shopping for necessities? I’d rather be at the pool. Just kidding. I’m not looking for advice on how to vacation.

 

[flynnibus]

I've read that "Intensive Parenting" is the style that is expected of parents in 2021

Know what is expected? Keep your biz out of mine. No one needs a supply train to do that.

We raised 3 kids too.. so we know what it means to pack and travel.

 

[MrHappy]

How is the DME these days? Same operationally as always? Is the service is limited (do they wait and fill 1 bus fully to service any resort that any guest may be staying at? Or do they have dedicated buses for a resort or 2 or 3?
I know it's typically based on advanced scheduling and they'd run a bus for a certain resort/resort area even if the bus was less than half full. Just wondering - I'm trying to weigh car service vs MDE for family of 5 at the end of April.
Thanks!

 

[Nunu]

How is the DME these days? Same operationally as always? Is the service is limited (do they wait and fill 1 bus fully to service any resort that any guest may be staying at? Or do they have dedicated buses for a resort or 2 or 3?
I know it's typically based on advanced scheduling and they'd run a bus for a certain resort/resort area even if the bus was less than half full. Just wondering - I'm trying to weigh car service vs MDE for family of 5 at the end of April.
Thanks!

Used DME yesterday, waited about 20mins for it to depart. Bus was at 40% capacity (aprox.), and it serviced 3 resorts.

 

[MrHappy]

Used DME yesterday, waited about 20mins for it to depart. Bus was at 40% capacity (aprox.), and it serviced 3 resorts.

Thanks for the info, may I ask which resorts were in play?

 

[Sir_Cliff]

There are non-free alternatives in place already. And Mears or other companies have 11 months to figure out what services they want to provide for those who want a MDE type experience (for a fee).

I think you keep missing the point here. People aren't complaining because they literally can't get to WDW without DME, it's that Disney keeps stripping away perks from their very expensive hotels. This was a key perk for many guests.

 

[Nunu]

Thanks for the info, may I ask which resorts were in play?

Sure.

Coronado Springs, Pop Century and Caribbean Beach.

 

[seabreezept813]

Obviously not a literal house, no, but there is a darned if you do darned if you don't dynamic to being a mom. If you're out with your toddler or small child and you are The Mom Who Doesn't Have Hand Sanitizer, you feel judged as disorganized and unprepared (and someone will suggest a blog, app, planner, general organization guru, etc., to help you do better) but then, if you travel with a small rucksack for all the gear you're supposed to have, you're tsk tsked for being a 'helicopter parent'. I've read that "Intensive Parenting" is the style that is expected of parents in 2021, and I definitely see it.

This reminds me of the first time I brought my daughter to the doctor’d office and didn’t have any formula. I learned real quick how shameful it feels not to be prepared for every last incident. Like come on new baby, you couldn’t go 1.5 hours without a drink

 

[MisterPenguin]

I think you keep missing the point here. People aren't complaining because they literally can't get to WDW without DME, it's that Disney keeps stripping away perks from their very expensive hotels. This was a key perk for many guests.

You don't get that I was replying to this:

Retiring Disney's Magical Express without an alternative in place is a very short-sighted, cost-cutting idea.​

It would be kinda nice if people read what I was responding to for proper context.

Or, just blindly go about having the argument you want to have devoid of context.

 

[Shouldigo12]

You don't get that I was replying to this:

Retiring Disney's Magical Express without an alternative in place is a very short-sighted, cost-cutting idea.​

It would be kinda nice if people read what I was responding to for proper context.

Or, just blindly go about having the argument you want to have devoid of context.

Without an alternative from Disney. Not without an alternative period.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

You don't get that I was replying to this:

Retiring Disney's Magical Express without an alternative in place is a very short-sighted, cost-cutting idea.​

It would be kinda nice if people read what I was responding to for proper context.

Or, just blindly go about having the argument you want to have devoid of context.

No, I did read that. At least what I understood the poster to mean was that Disney was eliminating DME without replacing it with an alternative, not that there was literally no alternative way of getting to WDW.

Edit: The poster above beat me and was more succinct!

 

[MisterPenguin]

Without an alternative from Disney. Not without an alternative period.

No, I did read that. At least what I understood the poster to mean was that Disney was eliminating DME without replacing it with an alternative, not that there was literally no alternative way of getting to WDW.

Edit: The poster above beat me and was more succinct!

And what alternative would that be other than a free bus?

 

[Sir_Cliff]

And what alternative would that be other than a free bus?

Well that's like replying to someone annoyed that Disney is eliminating Extra Magic Hours and saying you can always just go during regular hours with everyone else. Sure, but it kind of misses the point.

 

[Shouldigo12]

And what alternative would that be other than a free bus?

Not sure I understand your point. I don't care what alternative they offer; their own bus service, the train, a league of well trained alligators. The problem for me is, ME was a big perk for me and a good way to justify the price of the hotels. That perk is gone, and there isn't any alterative offered by Disney as a perk for staying at their hotels that I can use. Yes, I could use Mears once they break from Disney or an Uber. But now I'm paying for that cost, on top of the high hotel prices.

Of course there are other transportation options available to people. That's irrelevant. What I'm concerned about is what Disney is offering to get me to the hotel, and right now that's nothing.

 

[unmitigated disaster]

Not sure I understand your point. I don't care what alternative they offer; their own bus service, the train, a league of well trained alligators. The problem for me is, ME was a big perk for me and a good way to justify the price of the hotels. That perk is gone, and there isn't any alterative offered by Disney as a perk for staying at their hotels that I can use. Yes, I could use Mears once they break from Disney or an Uber. But now I'm paying for that cost, on top of the high hotel prices.

Of course there are other transportation options available to people. That's irrelevant. What I'm concerned about is what Disney is offering to get me to the hotel, and right now that's nothing.

I vote for the well-trained alligators.