Express Transportation starting Dec 7th

[koalacat]

I'm actually very excited for this. It's surprisingly affordable and since we always parkhop...perfect..on average we had been wasting hours dealing with transportation and walking through the gates.

 

[JoeCamel]

Seems odd Disney wants to discourage APs when...

1. Current AP holders get a discount to renew.
2. Their 45th anniversary incentive is getting an extra month free.
3. Their 45th anniversary incentive is getting food discounts that rival Tables in Wonderland without having to pay a commensurate buy-in like TiW requires.
4. Their 45th anniversary incentive includes even more merch discount than before.
5. All the other AP perks remain (free parking, discounts to special events, etc...)

Now, did they try to discourage locals from using APs from excacerbating peak days with tiered passes with block out dates? Yes. But everything else they're doing seems to be encouraging APs.

Added photo pass - useless for most AP holders,
reduced or eliminated merch and food discounts
Added "Free" parking to all passes yet that devalues the top tier pass by giving away the incentive to purchase that pass - BUT upped the price on all without adding attractions just upcharge events!

You mentioned the restructuring of the blackout dates

The killer is the statement made that that they don't want the causal visitor just to concentrate on the resort (high end) guest that will spend. The APs are bought to save money ie: cheap. They do not want those people as they don't spend.

I spent a couple of years in the parks almost every day, once this was announced and the cuts and exclusions started I was gone.

 

[ford91exploder]

It would be nice if the buses were on an actual schedule during the day. I know the general rule is every 20 minutes, but that tends to be vague. I would like to see a top and bottom of the hour type of schedule, or 15 and 45, so you could better plan. As-is, (during the day) it can be very sporadic with a bus coming anywhere from once every 20 minutes, to one or two at a time, then the next not for another 45 or more.

THIS - At one time the buses were reliable in that you could expect one approximately every 15-25 minutes to each park, Since about 2011 buses became much less reliable and as @GrumpyFan notes it can take up to 45 minutes for any bus to show up at all, which is why since then we've always used a rental car.

 

[ford91exploder]

Added photo pass - useless for most AP holders,
reduced or eliminated merch and food discounts
Added "Free" parking to all passes yet that devalues the top tier pass by giving away the incentive to purchase that pass - BUT upped the price on all without adding attractions just upcharge events!

You mentioned the restructuring of the blackout dates

The killer is the statement made that that they don't want the causal visitor just to concentrate on the resort (high end) guest that will spend. The APs are bought to save money ie: cheap. They do not want those people as they don't spend.

I spent a couple of years in the parks almost every day, once this was announced and the cuts and exclusions started I was gone.

Yet DVC members are also likely to hold an AP and they are a class of guest who have spent more on Disney than most customers will in a lifetime. The reason of course is that Disney's package deals are unavailable to them

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Once upon a time WDW build highways in the sky, to whizz guests from park to park. To impress and entertain them. To build experimentally, in the Spirit of of EPCOT, to Walt's vision of finding solutions for America's cities and their transportation. To serve as the dramatic first act of the parks.

Now you move from park to park in a dull and dreary bus system. Ran as cheaply as the bus service in East Berlin, 1978. As overcrowded as buslines in a third Wold hell hole. So dismal that you would now prefer to please be taken from backstage parking lot to backstage parking lot to avoid the horror. Sad. But nowhere near as sad as management's reaction to, rather than solve it, capitalise on this inadequacy.

How the mighty has fallen.

 

[Big C 73]

Inexcusable. With generalized transportation infanstructure improvements and innovative methods and modes implemented, a problem of such would have never been apprised. In all regards, for the mere sanity of adequate convictions of hospitality, this should not have been so.

 

[flynnibus]

I would argue that most city buses don't go as fast as Disney buses. They have many more stops and the traffic doesn't allow for high speeds

And you'd be wrong.

Municipal routes all around the world travel on both local, intermediate, and even highways. And standing is normal.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Universal's transportation was already better than Disney's. This is just laughable.

 

[flynnibus]

I bet this isn't what you all were thinking when you heard of the 12 days of christmas Somebody has GOT to do that paraody


This is 2016 Disney's idea of a countdown to christmas. Each week we see all the great new 'options' they have for us

 

[fizzyjax]

What a nice way to wake up from a nap...two hours of this thread existing and it has 14 pages that's when I know I'm definitely in for...something.

Has it ever been stated that this "express bus" is actually going to get you to the parks any faster or will it arrive and depart from the bus stations at the same frequency as a normal bus? I haven't read the entire thread but it seems to me the only benefit is skipping security lines which...I don't know maybe I'm lucky but I've never waited more than around 10-15 minutes for security (yes, yes, I do go during peak times) Besides that, I assume it will be less crowded but if a bunch of people take this option then WOOPS not anymore (and the same can be said for the express bus security lines)

With 14 pages I'm sure most of these points have been said but oh well might as well scream into the void a little bit

 

[flynnibus]

If you're unhappy with these decisions, don't give them the pleasure of your business, nor your money.

So when someone important in your life starts heading down the bad path... you just walk the other way and forget the other person ever existed? I mean, you're saying stop fussing and just ignore the whole thing.

 

[WildcatDen]

So have we thought about another reason why they might be doing this?

It's been rumored that Disney is going to start screening all guests soon. Is this a way to take pressure off the main entrances and give the guests that pay an exclusive quicker entrance to avoid the possible long lines when full screening comes into play.

I am replying to this without reading the following 5 pages so this may have been aid already. . .

"If only the airlines had thought of this"

 

[flynnibus]

For Disney, this is a no-brainer. I mean, they were leaving money on the table and allowing others to come and get it. They're just offering what guests have said they want. If I recall, there was actually a survey several months back asking about such a service.

Using this logic... why didn't they monetize all the transportation system from the start? I mean being able to move between the parks without having to have a car, repark, etc is what guests would have wanted right??

Just because it's something people would want... doesn't mean you should figure out how to sell it to them. Especially when the backbone of your identity was customer focus and service.

 

[drizgirl]

I am replying to this without reading the following 5 pages so this may have been aid already. . .

"If only the airlines had thought of this"

They did. That's why I don't have to be screened again for the second leg of my flight.

 

[flynnibus]

You do realize that Disney is now selling you something because they intentionally made the free service not worth being free. If you are considering this it has already negatively impacted you to the point where you are personally willing to throw money at the problem to correct the problem for you.

Simple and concise. It amazes me when people fail to grasp this over and over. How many of these 'offerings' does it take before people clue in?? This is the worst type of customer treatment... from the company that built WDW on that back of being a 'resort'. Now people think Disney is just POTC and fireworks.

 

[flynnibus]

So... there are some interesting conflicts with this system.

1. 30mins? That's not much of a premium service. During the normal day, this is probably far worse than normal park to park hopping. The fact it's also NOT in the bus loops infers to me the perk is perceived to be more about skipping security.
2. It's not at the bus stops... one thing about the bus stops is they take up a lot of SPACE. If you want a high capacity service, you need space to hold all those people queuing up for 30mins. Anyone see lots of *COVERED* space in these areas to hold three separate bus queues??
3. I think people seeing long lines after they paid for 'express' service is going to lead to mixed feelings
4. Based on the points above... I can't imagine them projecting this to be a highly utilized service... something more like people pay for more than they actually get the value from. The fact Disney will offer it with ticket purchases kind of supports that thinking as well. Convince people up front they need to buy this.. even if they don't really need it
5. If the system can't really hold a ton of people, and the number of people actually needing it isn't necessarily great.. I think the price is actually way too low to make this a 'money grab' as their costs are there if people use it or not. And if you are driving 15-20 people who paid $5 a DAY to use this.. the labor costs will catch up to Disney quick.

All that said... I think this is a product Disney would oversell, and expect guests to under utilize. Else, why offer it so cheap?

If it were combating uber or taxis... Disney would charge way more. The uber experience at WDW largely sucks because of the lack of curb access.

I think this and other recent options are about driving METRICS not necessarily profits. Drive that average guest spend up by capturing pre-sold bus tickets... drive that spend up by offering more vending options... drive those F&B revenue numbers by offering tours.. etc

I don't think Disney is profit whoring here... they are pushing to make their top line numbers look better.

 

[danlb_2000]

So... there are some interesting conflicts with this system.

1. 30mins? That's not much of a premium service. During the normal day, this is probably far worse than normal park to park hopping. The fact it's also NOT in the bus loops infers to me the perk is perceived to be more about skipping security.
2. It's not at the bus stops... one thing about the bus stops is they take up a lot of SPACE. If you want a high capacity service, you need space to hold all those people queuing up for 30mins. Anyone see lots of *COVERED* space in these areas to hold three separate bus queues??
3. I think people seeing long lines after they paid for 'express' service is going to lead to mixed feelings
4. Based on the points above... I can't imagine them projecting this to be a highly utilized service... something more like people pay for more than they actually get the value from. The fact Disney will offer it with ticket purchases kind of supports that thinking as well. Convince people up front they need to buy this.. even if they don't really need it
5. If the system can't really hold a ton of people, and the number of people actually needing it isn't necessarily great.. I think the price is actually way too low to make this a 'money grab' as their costs are there if people use it or not. And if you are driving 15-20 people who paid $5 a DAY to use this.. the labor costs will catch up to Disney quick.

All that said... I think this is a product Disney would oversell, and expect guests to under utilize. Else, why offer it so cheap?

If it were combating uber or taxis... Disney would charge way more. The uber experience at WDW largely sucks because of the lack of curb access.

I think this and other recent options are about driving METRICS not necessarily profits. Drive that average guest spend up by capturing pre-sold bus tickets... drive that spend up by offering more vending options... drive those F&B revenue numbers by offering tours.. etc

I don't think Disney is profit whoring here... they are pushing to make their top line numbers look better.

Three separate queues would assume that it's three different buses. Do we know that it will work this way, or will it be one route that makes the loop of all four parks?

 

[flynnibus]

Three separate queues would assume that it's three different buses. Do we know that it will work this way, or will it be one route that makes the loop of all four parks?

One loop for all the parks would put the total travel time to flat out abysmal. You're going to wait for LESS buses... and then get on a non-direct ride that will take SIGNIFICANLY longer? And you paid for this?

The father of 3 that just paid $75 for 'express' service and then sat on the van for an extra 30mins while they drove to DAK while trying to goto the MK is going to flip.

They have to offer direct routes.. and who would want to try to sort out 'ok, whos going to EPCOT?' out of a mob of 50-100 people? And maintain order and no customer complaints about cutting, etc. Nah... this has to be broken into queues.

 

[RSoxNo1]

In 2005-2006 Disney came up with the Magical Express and along with the bus infrastructure used that as a means of keeping people on property. There was free transportation between the parks. While it's no secret here that the transportation is pretty lousy, the "express transportation" is Disney acknowledging that they agree.

I'm wondering when they're going to start charging for bedsheets.

 

[Baloo62]

They need to be careful. That almost makes it seem like they are going to profit from the recent need for more security.

That is precisely what it is. Absolutely 1000%. It is a new low...in fact rock bottom. Karma had a great time spending last summer with them. She might just be itching for a magical return trip. Arrogant greedy fools.