note2001
Well-Known Member
Incorrect. Disney is dropping ME in place of raising room rates. It's a magician's trick where you watch the left hand while the right robs you blind.
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News Disney's Magical Express to end after 2021
- Thread starter WEDway Inc & Company LLC
- Start date
Incorrect. Disney is dropping ME in place of raising room rates. It's a magician's trick where you watch the left hand while the right robs you blind.
UNCgolf
Well-Known Member
They're definitely still going to raise room rates exactly the same as if DME was still offered.
It's the same thing that happened with resort parking fees. Maintenance costs for the parking lots were already included in the room rate, and they certainly didn't cut back on raising the rates just because they are now also charging a fee to park at the resorts. It's just a loss of a perk and a potential added expense without any corresponding savings on the price of a room.
No one should expect anything less from Disney at this point, but it's understandable that people are annoyed by it.
Awww - I like the in trip TV.
Ok, yeah it's extremely cheesy "Remember - you be SAFE out there!" and I'd prefer if they ran full cartoons but it had a certain charm and magicalness to it that's going to be sadly missing now.
It's one thing to raise the rates to astronomical levels - but it's the simultaneous cutting of services while raising the rates that's just head scratching. More concerning is that people are paying it!
Over/Under before they start tacking on meaningless "resort fees" like Vegas hotels do now?
Notes from Neverland
Well-Known Member
It's baffling that Disney didn't attempt to make the Disney Magical Express a premium upcharge before scrapping it entirely. They had to know Mears would pick up where they left off and it seems odd for Disney to pass on income.
Any charge they would've made would immediately had Mears demanding a chunk of it.
It's more baffling that they'd drop a feature that has only one purpose - to get people locked into their properties. Yeah - Uber cuts into that a little but it was still $50 to get to Universal and ME was a godsend for families with young kids. As a temp cost saving measure during the pandemic that kind of made sense - but to completely cancel a business positive feature?!
I suspect there's some other hidden cost/benefit they're taking advantage of - For instance my apartment complex has embarked on a "green" study of our utility bills. If they can show a certain amount of usage and then propose a solution that will cut down the energy consumption they can get access to new environmental investment funds for property improvements. Disney's dumping ME may be on the same lines - "See - WE aren't polluting anymore so give us green investment $$$"
Dan Deesnee
Well-Known Member
Except your post, that I quoted, was your inability to understand why people wouldn't want to take Ubers.
You then pivot to compare what I said to the new Mears option starting next year.
Nice try.
note2001
Well-Known Member
Hey Dan, I realize you're trying hard to win an argument where there is none. I'll give you that virtual award for warping what people say.
Everything I'm posting is in reference to 2022 when we no longer have that ME option. That is what this thread is about. Exception to the sub conversation about paying for it through our room rates (or dues in the case of DVC) in 2021 and prior.
Uber is indeed an option now as well as 2022, assuming the company doesn't do something odd and go under. Ubers are just as safe as ME and in 2022, the cost should be in line with other options. Now, if you have a personal issue with the company, look at Lyft.
Dan Deesnee
Well-Known Member
Not one thing in what you posted is talking about the new option though. You say you can't understand people's issues/fear in taking anything other than the Magical Express then suggest Uber, etc. There is no "warping"...
It's your post, not mine.
I take issue with people brushing off Magical Express going away. It makes it incredibly easier for families with young ones to go to Disney. That is what you posted about, that is what I responded to.
Mr. Moderate
Well-Known Member
Very good thread here and I've enjoyed the read. To me I think getting rid of M.E was a shortsighted, extremely dumb move on Disney's part. I know it was never free, nor that convenient at times as it was advertised, but it did a few things well.
1. It conditioned the average WDW vacationer that M.E was an important part of your vacation and the start of the magic that you just couldn't do with out. Cute interiors, Disney wrapped buses, and you didn't have to worry about your luggage. They were told it was free and for some, that's all it took.
2. The only reason M.E came out in 2005 was to make sure that the same average WDW vacationer was delivered from MCO to WDW and trapped on property for the duration of their stay. They didn't have to have a car to explore the rest of what Orlando has to offer and ate, drank, slept, and emptied their wallet, all on property. I saw this from the very beginning and thought it was a genius move on their part. Especially when the Disney Dinning plan was introduced around the same time frame and the average guest saw no need to leave property. You had prepaid food and a guaranteed trip back to the airport. Money never left the Mouse's paw.
1. It conditioned the average WDW vacationer that M.E was an important part of your vacation and the start of the magic that you just couldn't do with out. Cute interiors, Disney wrapped buses, and you didn't have to worry about your luggage. They were told it was free and for some, that's all it took.
2. The only reason M.E came out in 2005 was to make sure that the same average WDW vacationer was delivered from MCO to WDW and trapped on property for the duration of their stay. They didn't have to have a car to explore the rest of what Orlando has to offer and ate, drank, slept, and emptied their wallet, all on property. I saw this from the very beginning and thought it was a genius move on their part. Especially when the Disney Dinning plan was introduced around the same time frame and the average guest saw no need to leave property. You had prepaid food and a guaranteed trip back to the airport. Money never left the Mouse's paw.
nickys
Premium Member
The people delivering the luggage would also need to know the room number for guests. And gain access to the rooms.
So Mears would need to introduce some system of tagging bags and then have guests send them their room number. And Disney would need some way of verifying that certain guests were happy to allow access to their rooms ......
Yeah, that isn’t going to happen.
Mears would not need access to your room or even know the room number. DVC told me I can have Amazon Fresh drop off my food order with Bell Services on the day I arrive with only my name and they would deliver it to my room when I get there. So your luggage may not be in your room when you get there but Bell Services will deliver it when you do get there and ask for it.
runnsally
Well-Known Member
Resort fees (like parking fees) allow WDW to raise room rates without giving an increased cut to travel agents and third party booking sites, so there’s that...
Incomudro
Well-Known Member
I've always said that Disney operates like a government.
Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
I love the cheesiness, too, which is why I've already downloaded the DME onboard video from Youtube to my phone. When my family does our mid-week transfer from a Universal hotel to a WDW hotel during our upcoming August split trip, we'll still be able to honor tradition and play it in the car. Sad to think our trip to the airport at the end of that WDW leg (assuming we even keep our onsite reservation and not our offsite one -- we have both at present!) will be our last-ever ride on DME, though. #cheeseforthemouse #diydme
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I've only been going to WDW for about 10 years and it's jaw dropping how "stripped down" the customer experience has gotten in that short amount of time.
My first time going (2009 I think) I stayed at the Contemporary in a non-club level room and was cheerfully greeted by a "welcome" greeter when I got off the bus and guided to the front desk, given an actual, customized welcome pack with my itinerary information in a keepsake folder, had a box of chocolates in a chocolate box to greet me in my room, had turn down service every night with a memento card and more chocolates with the Contemporary logo on them. Got a welcome call from Mickey and Minnie too! Maid service twice a day, etc; It was overpriced then but I felt extremely pampered.
Now? I'm lucky if I see any employees at the resort at ALL. Turn down service is long gone. Chocolates (if you get them at all) are now mass branded Godiva squares generic park wide -as is the itinerary packet (which now seems to be a thing of the past as well) and the prices have TRIPLED!
This isn't just Disney - I'm seeing this across the hospitality industry as the bean counters tighten their grip - but you'd think Disney would LEAD in a different direction.
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They wouldn't have to get to their rooms personally - they could do a drop off at the baggage check desk and let Disney's people do the delivery to the room (which Disney would happily charge for on both Mears AND the customer I bet!)
Otherwise - yeah, you have to get the luggage tags from Mears ahead of time and authorize them to grab your bags from the terminal (and reverse when going home!)
UNCgolf
Well-Known Member
I agree, which was my original point. Without Disney's involvement I really don't see delivery to hotel rooms. At best I could see delivery to the front desk and you can go pick up your luggage there.
Otherwise Disney would have to do final room delivery, which, again, would drive up the price of the service because Disney would want their cut.
wedenterprises
Well-Known Member
This baffles me too. I certainly would have paid a reasonable fee. They could have "included it for free" (lol) with certain room types and packages. Also baffling that another company other than Mears hasn't stepped in with a better deal for Disney. Very strange. Like I've already said it makes no sense.