Express Transportation starting Dec 7th

[The_Jobu]

there's probably a lot of things I'm forgetting that people would be interested in, so if you have questions please ask!

What did you have for dinner, which attraction did you ride last and do you enjoy Portlandia?

 

[MisterPenguin]

Congrats on fitting TWO strawmen into a single post. There should be a trophy for that.

O RLY?

Slight correction, Fixing the transportation network would cost money and anger Disney's REAL customer Wall St. So they came up with this which makes extra money and further hurts the transportation system for the 'poors' as buses were withdrawn from the 'poor pool' to facilitate transportation for the 'Wall St Dad's' yes that is Disney's new target market for WDW.

I just can't see Disney deliberately making bus service even worse than it already is just to "entice" guests into paying for something. Wait a minute, this is Disney, yes I can...

I had reached the same conclusion or sense of resignation and wasn't paying too much attention to the boards for about a week or so, waiting on the earnings reports. So that was before the news of: Tiana's Riverboat dessert party (with obstructed parade view), $650 Tomorrowland tents (gotta pay for that paint somehow!), the parking lot cart, and now the $15 park-to-park transportation. Regardless of whether one is for or against such changes, it speaks volumes as to the Disney company of today, and their apparent disregard for the traditional values of show, theme, quality experience for all guests, etc. The trend of letting infrastructure stagnate or deteriorate to inefficiency and then monetizing 'the solution' - "but it's just good business!!".

 

[TeriofTerror]

1. There is absolutely park-to-park free transportation.
2. When I stayed at the Boardwalk in 2015, the bus monitors were a joke - completely unreliable, particularly in the mornings.
3. This new service doesn't start until 10:00 AM. My guess would be that Disney typically starts "benching" some of their fleet around this time, because much of the morning rush has ended. So this service isn't pulling from buses that would normally be transporting guests; it's pulling from the "bench". Therefore, it is not inconveniencing guests who are not utilizing its service.

 

[Bandini]

Thanks for the report WTNIP. When did the CM's scan parks tickets or AP's? Do you know if there was an ability to the express transportation to Magic Bands?

 

[wtinp]

What did you have for dinner, which attraction did you ride last and do you enjoy Portlandia?

and here I thought my post would have gotten things back on track

but to answer your questions: toaster strudel scramblers (the bacon kind), toy story midway mania, and I tried to watch it once but I didn't understand it.

 

[wtinp]

Thanks for the report WTNIP. When did the CM's scan parks tickets or AP's? Do you know if there was an ability to the express transportation to Magic Bands?

when I bought my express pass, I had to give the girl the hard ticket, but I'm not sure if that's just because she wasn't aware I had a band (I was wearing a sweater, covering it). after that, at each check in point they just used my band. there system showed them that I had an express ticket and all other tickets on my band, so they would know that I'm able to go in the park. we didn't have to use the touch point again at any other park (which, thinking about now, could be a time saver for a lot of those that have issues with the finger scanning. I never have problems so it doesn't take me long to get in, but I know those with small children do and this would be good for those that don't want to do the finger tag).

 

[Bandini]

when I bought my express pass, I had to give the girl the hard ticket, but I'm not sure if that's just because she wasn't aware I had a band (I was wearing a sweater, covering it). after that, at each check in point they just used my band. there system showed them that I had an express ticket and all other tickets on my band, so they would know that I'm able to go in the park. we didn't have to use the touch point again at any other park (which, thinking about now, could be a time saver for a lot of those that have issues with the finger scanning. I never have problems so it doesn't take me long to get in, but I know those with small children do and this would be good for those that don't want to do the finger tag).

Thanks for the information. It sounds like a pretty easy process.

 

[SorcererMC]

O RLY?

Nice! I just love it when my remarks are taken out of context and/or entirely misinterpreted.

So I'll reiterate my actual point - Disney has made a habit of not investing in WDW on a regular basis, and then when they do invest in infrastructure improvements (eg MM+, hub makeover, transportation), there is a concomitant upcharge/item for purchase - Magic Bands, fireworks viewing party, and now the park-to-park ticket.

One can debate whether or not the regular guest is impacted or whether you agree with it or not. One cannot debate whether or not the trend is taking place, unless one is willing to disregard the facts.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I would definitely be frustrated if I showed up at 4:15 for a 4:30 bus and it was already gone. That must have been nice not to have to walk to the bus stops, or go through the turnstiles again.

Thanks for the report! Glad you enjoyed it!

Something you should know... Unless a bus is full and the driver has received permission to leave before it's designated departure time, you will probably never see that driver again. If there is one mortal sin in busing it is leaving before it's scheduled time. As a driver we have been known to make sure that we don't arrive until it is almost departure time so we don't accidentally leave beforehand. Cardinal rule of busing or any other scheduled rule for that matter. I don't, however, remember seeing any scheduled times published for Disney buses other then every 20 minutes or so. Might be with the new electronic signs they have tightened that up a bit.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Nice! I just love it when my remarks are taken out of context and/or entirely misinterpreted.

So I'll reiterate my actual point - Disney has made a habit of not investing in WDW on a regular basis, and then when they do invest in infrastructure improvements (eg MM+, hub makeover, transportation), there is a concomitant upcharge/item for purchase - Magic Bands, fireworks viewing party, and now the park-to-park ticket.

One can debate whether or not the regular guest is impacted or whether you agree with it or not. One cannot debate whether or not the trend is taking place, unless one is willing to disregard the facts.

Oh, but you can. I'm not sure how you can relate anything to an upcharge other then in reverse... that changes were made because of a need generated by the event. The hub had nothing to do with that, and that is an obvious observation. You are giving way to much credit to the cleverness of the Disney executive. They come up with events and then react to them after the fact. They don't spend money and then see if it was a good investment.

As for the bus specials, they took long enough to react to that need. Something like 33 years since Epcot opened. It has had basically the same system, only expanded, for all those years.

 

[jt04]

Nice! I just love it when my remarks are taken out of context and/or entirely misinterpreted.

So I'll reiterate my actual point - Disney has made a habit of not investing in WDW on a regular basis, and then when they do invest in infrastructure improvements (eg MM+, hub makeover, transportation), there is a concomitant upcharge/item for purchase - Magic Bands, fireworks viewing party, and now the park-to-park ticket.

One can debate whether or not the regular guest is impacted or whether you agree with it or not. One cannot debate whether or not the trend is taking place, unless one is willing to disregard the facts.

Proof please.

 

[SorcererMC]

Oh, but you can. I'm not sure how you can relate anything to an upcharge other then in reverse... that changes were made because of a need generated by the event. The hub had nothing to do with that, and that is an obvious observation. You are giving way to much credit to the cleverness of the Disney executive. They come up with events and then react to them after the fact. They don't spend money and then see if it was a good investment.

LOL. I'm willing to concede I may give too much credit to the Disney executive.

ETA: I don't want to rehash debates on infrastructure here. I'd rather hear from people who have used this service and can comment on its use in practice.

 

[Notes from Neverland]

The review above had roughly 45 to 50-minute waits between parks, excluding the route from Epcot to HS which would have been quicker to just walk. That doesn't seem too far off from the normal times it takes to hop between parks using the regular system.

There is of course time saved from the entrance process, but that may be negligible depending on the size of the group, what you have with you and what that process is usually like.

 

[Bandini]

The review above had roughly 45 to 50-minute waits between parks, excluding the route from Epcot to HS which would have been quicker to just walk. That doesn't seem too far off from the normal times it takes to hop between parks using the regular system.

There is of course time saved from the entrance process, but that may be negligible depending on the size of the group, what you have with you and what that process is usually like.

Based on this report, it doesn't sound like the express bus is worth the money. Yes you get to avoid lines at security, but don't those line diminish after the first couple hours?

 

[flynnibus]

O RLY?

Letting is inaction... not direct action. The other was frustration/sarcasm... the first is saying spending to fix it proper would be expensive... not that they literally don't spend anything. Regardless you know that is not the center of the argument, so still strawmen.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Proof please.

Disney's investment in its U.S. theme parks (capex less depreciation) since the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971, in inflation adjusted dollars:

 

[The_Jobu]

Disney's investment in its U.S. theme parks (capex less depreciation) since the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971, in inflation adjusted dollars:

View attachment 179081

awwwwww yeah, look at that late 90's sweetness

 

[ParentsOf4]

awwwwww yeah, look at that late 90's sweetness

There's a reason it was called the Disney Decade.

 

[jt04]

Disney's investment in its U.S. theme parks (capex less depreciation) since the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971, in inflation adjusted dollars:

View attachment 179081

Thanks. This shows perfectly the Eisner vs Iger strategies and how the ship was headed in the wrong direction but has now been turned around. And now it Is gaining momentum. This chart should be especially interesting around WDW' s 50 th anniversary.

 

[The_Jobu]

There's a reason it was called the Disney Decade.

I feel like it was a good time for amusement in general, I remember my local theme park and local science centre being awesome then too.