Express Transportation starting Dec 7th

[ShookieJones]

We were going to use this in a few weeks. We rent a car and always park hop. Avoiding security and being dropped into the parks was so appealing and definitely worth the extra coin. Unfortunately it wasn't being used. Otherwise we would have been hearing about a price hike (which I would have paid a couple of bucks more for this convenience and more valuable time in the parks) instead of a discontinuation. Too bad.

 

[Bolt]

I bought park hoppers for my upcoming trip specifically because of this offered service. I'm travelling with my mom who requires a wheelchair (bad arthritis) and I thought we could get around easier without having to go through security multiple times. I wish I'd purchased base tickets now. I'm ****ed.

No you aren't. Just call them, they easily change tickets.

 

[epcotfan]

Can't change them now as we have ADRs in different parks same day ,etc...Wouldn't have planned that way had I known this service was to be discontinued.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Looks like the Minnie Van was the replacement.

That actually kind of makes me laugh.

Given the options:
1) We could just run the buses (free) from park to park internally because the guests have already been through security and this would limit the crowds at the gate, which is a better guest experience, and allow guests, who've already been vetted a better experience by not having them go through security again.
2) We could charge $20/head/day (or whatever - I don't remember the price) to do the same as above even though it makes a lot less sense.
3) We could run our own ride-sharing service and charge 3x the amount of other ride sharing services ($20/trip)

Walt Disney World
It's not about the guest experience.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Stop using logic, it really bothers people!

When they announced this, people were upset it was exposing backstage areas and removing buses from existing routes. Now that it's leaving, I assume people want Farewell merchandise and last ride experiences on the routes.

Maybe a $150 special ice cream event to say, "Farewell?"

 

[disney4life2008]

You really didn't think they would keep this service right? And if any of you think the Minnie vans will remain at $20 by December, you are mistaken. Lol

 

[Gelatoni]

I'd go to farewell desert party ! I better get a farewell video from attractions magazine too!

 

[Gelatoni]

You really didn't think they would keep this service right? And if any of you think the Minnie vans will remain at $20 by December, you are mistaken. Lol

I think the minnie vans will flop imo

 

[raven]

Looks like the Minnie Van was the replacement.

That's because Disney can make $20/ride on the Minnie Vans over $15/Day with this service. All about money...once again.

 

[Gelatoni]

Do you think we can get something farewell merchandise too like a shirt and a magnet how about a pin with a piece of a bus in it?

 

[djdan888]

Pet peeve alert:

I've seen a lot of this around the various sites as people react to the news. If you're going to complain about the cost difference, please compare apples to apples. The express transportation costs were per person. Whereas the minnie vans are per vehicle.

If you have a family of four, your express bus day was $80, not $20.

But the $20 only gets you one ride. As far as I can tell, the Minnie Vans aren't even set up for park to park yet. Don't they just take you to and from one resort to one park? Oh wow, what a steal!!! The express bus was all day and to and from every park. You could literally ride it 20 times if you wanted to. The real value came in the week long pass. The skipping of park entrances was also very key. Now, if they allowed Minnie Vans to do that, that would recoup some value but still be a terrible move as express bus started out at $15 per person. Bad move, Disney.

 

[LAKid53]

I think the minnie vans will flop imo

We were there over the weekend and constantly saw the Minnie vans all over the place. Don't think they'll flop. If wait time and price are similar to Uber, their popularity will increase, especially if they can drop guests off at the park bus depots. Disney Springs to a park and resort to resort alone makes them a great concept.

 

[raymusiccity]

Pet peeve alert:

I've seen a lot of this around the various sites as people react to the news. If you're going to complain about the cost difference, please compare apples to apples. The express transportation costs were per person. Whereas the minnie vans are per vehicle.

If you have a family of four, your express bus day was $80, not $20.

There you go again, applying common sense to an issue! You're going to ruin everyone's fun.

 

[disney4life2008]

I think the minnie vans will flop imo

I don't think it will flop perse. But it's a service that gives the illusion of convenience. But hey, hopefully it's popular that means less people on the bus. I can spend that 20 on a delicious meal lol

 

[peter11435]

I think the minnie vans will flop imo

I think they will be very popular as convenient resort to resort transportation.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Are there going to be any new backstage offerings in the future? The part that makes traveling from park to park a beating is really NOT the actual travel time or finding transportation to get to the other park. It's having to go through security a second time.

 

[Chef Mickey]

But the $20 only gets you one ride. As far as I can tell, the Minnie Vans aren't even set up for park to park yet. Don't they just take you to and from one resort to one park? Oh wow, what a steal!!! The express bus was all day and to and from every park. You could literally ride it 20 times if you wanted to. The real value came in the week long pass. The skipping of park entrances was also very key. Now, if they allowed Minnie Vans to do that, that would recoup some value but still be a terrible move as express bus started out at $15 per person. Bad move, Disney.

Agreed. It was an amazing, magical experience with incredible value. I rode it a week nonstop for $29/person in June. I reviewed it here and said it was the best service at WDW. Sadly, they already killed it.

I have to think part of it was due to "Minnie Vans" and maybe a bigger part was the backstage areas being somewhat in flux due to all the construction. This has to be something Disney could "optimize" whether it be fewer buses but still offered every hour or charge more per person. I just don't see this as a bad idea because it makes sense in practice. "Secure" guests should be able to get to their park destination without going through bag check again, particularly if they are going to offer a "Park Hopper" option for a not so nominal fee.

 

[Brad Bishop]

To make the express bus service actually work, they'd need to build special secure bus areas inside the secured perimeter. That would have gotten them past the backstage problem.

It's cheaper, and they'll get more ROI, if they just switched to Minnie Vans, though, that don't go into secure areas. Also, the van is IP based so it's a win-win with the current management. Buses were just buses.

 

[Bender123]

Agreed. It was an amazing, magical experience with incredible value. I rode it a week nonstop for $29/person in June. I reviewed it here and said it was the best service at WDW. Sadly, they already killed it.

I have to think part of it was due to "Minnie Vans" and maybe a bigger part was the backstage areas being somewhat in flux due to all the construction. This has to be something Disney could "optimize" whether it be fewer buses but still offered every hour or charge more per person. I just don't see this as a bad idea because it makes sense in practice. "Secure" guests should be able to get to their park destination without going through bag check again, particularly if they are going to offer a "Park Hopper" option for a not so nominal fee.

The service would have been great if it was just the standard bus between parks. Instead it was an extra cost, relatively unknown and was a naked cash grab.

They easily could have just moved the standard bus back there for resort guests and made it a sure fire hit and marketing point for resort guests. They lost it based solely on their desire to get more money.

 

[RobbinsDad]

RIP Express buses. 2017-2017