News Disney's Magical Express to end after 2021

[RememberWhen]

I wish there was a bit more information about the different options. We’re a family of 5. 2 adults, 2 kids (9 and 4) and a baby.
Option 1 seems to be the big coach busses that ME used. Cheaper and slower. Familiar, but not “free” anymore.
Option 2 seems to be... a car? Van? It’s not clear. It says babies can sit on the lap of an adult and aren’t charged, but that’s surely not legal (not to mention highly unsafe) in a car or van. And there’s no way to indicate that we would have a baby with us.

Hopefully they post more information as things progress. Especially as these are “introductory rates” and we don’t know how much they will be later or when later is.

I think we’ll hold onto our current car rental reservation, even though it’s much more expensive.

 

[Parker in NYC]

I wonder what the limited stops are on the standard plan. Other Disney resorts? Or off property locations?

This is a big thing for me. One of the big perks of Magical Express - aside from the luggage transfers - was the pleasure of skipping as much of Florida as possible.

 

[note2001]

This is a big thing for me. One of the big perks of Magical Express - aside from the luggage transfers - was the pleasure of skipping as much of Florida as possible.

That was a superbly nasty way of putting down the residents, many of whom make the Disney resort experience magical for you

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

I wonder what the limited stops are on the standard plan. Other Disney resorts? Or off property locations?

If you look at the drop down menu, it’s all Disney resorts, or at least good neighbor ones nearby.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

That seems perfectly acceptable to me 32 bucks US (40 CAD) roundtrip per adult ? easy peasy...

I believe it has been that price for Roundtrip for sometime. I took a Mears Shuttle RT to Universal in 2016 and it was $32..

 

[skypilot2922]

One of the great things there USED to be about a Disney vacation and one reason we took so many was the vacation started when you boarded the plane everything else was taken care of until you got off the return flight. This is a penny wise pound foolish decision on Disney's part.

Even with a fuel and pit stop the our little 4 place Arrow will make it there in 11 hours, 8 if we fly at Oxygen altitudes. and we get to see the country as we fly.

 

[MisterPenguin]

One of the great things there USED to be about a Disney vacation and one reason we took so many was the vacation started when you boarded the plane everything else was taken care of until you got off the return flight. This is a penny wise pound foolish decision on Disney's part.

Even with a fuel and pit stop the our little 4 place Arrow will make it there in 11 hours, 8 if we fly at Oxygen altitudes. and we get to see the country as we fly.

Huh. I didn't know that Disney:

• picked up your luggage at the carousel and transported it to your room
• they had automatic check-in for decades instead of only instituting it in the past two years with MDE
• you could walk into any restaurant in any park at any time for the meal of your choice
• you could get on all the rides you wanted at any park without any planning

 

[skypilot2922]

Huh. I didn't know that Disney:

• picked up your luggage at the carousel and transported it to your room
• they had automatic check-in for decades instead of only instituting it in the past two years with MDE
• you could walk into any restaurant in any park at any time for the meal of your choice
• you could get on all the rides you wanted at any park without any planning

DME intercepted your luggage before it ever hit the carousel and delivered it to your room, RAC took your checked baggage and printed your ticket (I always have a printed ticket even when using electronic tickets because if the electronics not working you have a paper backup to save hassles)
I never use automatic check in ANYWHERE, I actually want to talk to the person at the desk to learn about the resort and activities as well as any potential annoyances like renovations or construction.

Your last two points I truly hope you are joking, because no reasonable person ever had those last two expectations although while staying we usually had a 1 or 2 BR and cooked about half of our meals in room for convenience usually breakfast and possibly lunch.

 

[homerdance]

Huh. I didn't know that Disney:

• picked up your luggage at the carousel and transported it to your room
  

This was truly one of the best experiences of MDE. Checking the bags at the airport and then they magically arrived in our room Biggest miss for us.

But with the end of Disney doing it for us it Made me find bAgsinc to do it as you describe.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

This was truly one of the best experiences of MDE. Checking the bags at the airport and then they magically arrived in our room Biggest miss for us.

But with the end of Disney doing it for us it Made me find bAgsinc to do it as you describe.

I think they are following Homer's idea..

 

[jinx8402]

This was truly one of the best experiences of MDE. Checking the bags at the airport and then they magically arrived in our room Biggest miss for us.

But with the end of Disney doing it for us it Made me find bAgsinc to do it as you describe.

Yup. I wouldn't mind DME being gone so much if they still offered the bag delivery and RAC options. RAC was a god-send, especially for those with children and lots of luggage.

 

[TransportationGuy]

I wish there was a bit more information about the different options. We’re a family of 5. 2 adults, 2 kids (9 and 4) and a baby.
Option 1 seems to be the big coach busses that ME used. Cheaper and slower. Familiar, but not “free” anymore.
Option 2 seems to be... a car? Van? It’s not clear. It says babies can sit on the lap of an adult and aren’t charged, but that’s surely not legal (not to mention highly unsafe) in a car or van. And there’s no way to indicate that we would have a baby with us.

Hopefully they post more information as things progress. Especially as these are “introductory rates” and we don’t know how much they will be later or when later is.

I think we’ll hold onto our current car rental reservation, even though it’s much more expensive.

Option 1 will be based off of the DME style charter buses with smaller equipment potentially substituted when demand is low/off peak hours. Option two is a family friendly way of offering the same black car service that Mears has for decades. It should include a driver meeting you in the baggage area, assisting with luggage, and taking you directly to your resort

 

[scoobygirl39541]

Losing "free" DME is hard, but losing the bags and RAC are the biggest heartbreak. I've taken advantage of this service since it premiered in 2005 and its been amazingly convenient (for our party of 2-3 adults!). Now we're starting a family and could use this service more than ever. We traveled to Disney with our 12 month old once so far (going again this October) and while manageable with adults... Traveling with a child under the new "no bags or RAC" service was hard. Now add in a brand new service with car seat issues plus the bags plus no RAC, plus extra cost. Man. We chose the wrong time to have a kid :/

 

[MisterPenguin]

DME intercepted your luggage before it ever hit the carousel and delivered it to your room, RAC took your checked baggage and printed your ticket (I always have a printed ticket even when using electronic tickets because if the electronics not working you have a paper backup to save hassles)
I never use automatic check in ANYWHERE, I actually want to talk to the person at the desk to learn about the resort and activities as well as any potential annoyances like renovations or construction.

Your last two points I truly hope you are joking, because no reasonable person ever had those last two expectations although while staying we usually had a 1 or 2 BR and cooked about half of our meals in room for convenience usually breakfast and possibly lunch.

I stand corrected with regard to luggage.

I hope you stand corrected that in the good ol' days, there were still decisions and hoops to go through on a Disney vacation.

 

[jaklgreen]

I don't mind paying this, but I would get a bit peeved if I paid for this service, and still had to wait 45 minutes to get on the bus and get going. I don't think that is acceptable anymore when you are charging people.

 

[skypilot2922]

I stand corrected with regard to luggage.

I hope you stand corrected that in the good ol' days, there were still decisions and hoops to go through on a Disney vacation.

I never said they were no hoops, It was after making your plans and reservations which one has always had to make at Disney for as long as I can remember. Once you hit boarded the plane you no longer needed to worry about the details any longer you could simply go to your resort or the parks with no hassles about transportation or luggage just like Sandals

For us it was always a big part of why we would choose a WDW vacation over other FL destinations, I think the choice was pennywise and pound foolish so to speak.

 

[dsinclair]

I don't mind paying this, but I would get a bit peeved if I paid for this service, and still had to wait 45 minutes to get on the bus and get going. I don't think that is acceptable anymore when you are charging people.

This should not be an issue according to their description of the service.

While there is a little mystery to the service, I think people are going overboard being worried that their bus will make 90 stops before getting to their hotel.

 

[skypilot2922]

I don't mind paying this, but I would get a bit peeved if I paid for this service, and still had to wait 45 minutes to get on the bus and get going. I don't think that is acceptable anymore when you are charging people.

With MEARS think an HOUR and 45 minutes, Did a conference at the Gaylord and did not rent a car because this was a technical conference which pretty much ran from 8AM to 10PM daily. MEARS wants full buses and they will hold the bus till it's full. then next time at same conference same place we rented a car.

Short version MEARS SUCKS.

 

[note2001]

I don't mind paying this, but I would get a bit peeved if I paid for this service, and still had to wait 45 minutes to get on the bus and get going. I don't think that is acceptable anymore when you are charging people.

Unless you book a good livery service who is willing to sit curbside and wait for you (not allowed, but people do it) I don't think there are any options without a substantial wait at MCO. If you've seen the pick up area, you know what I mean.

Disney was often fighting with Mears to get the buses on to road more frequently (the faster people were on site, the more opportunty to spend money).
It was frustrating to sit on a bus and watch it slowly load up to the point where we're squashed in like sardines. From my experience, this is the Mears business model and what we will see with the paid service. Not a relaxing start to a vacation.

I will be using Lyft or renting come 2022.

 

[skypilot2922]

View attachment 577506
This should not be an issue according to their description of the service.

While there is a little mystery to the service, I think people are going overboard being worried that their bus will make 90 stops before getting to their hotel.

With MEARS it will take 90 minutes to fill the bus and then it will make 90 stops at the sketchiest locations in Orlando.