Minnie Vans

[mousekedoc]

Having spent this week at WDW I have found I was ill prepared for Minnie Van use.
I’m hoping this thread will help reduce the confusion and frustration my family experienced.
Minnie Vans are currently using lyft as an outside soft wear vender but are a Disney service.
When you order a Minnie Van, they will be picking you up near the bus terminals, NOT near lyft/Uber pickup locations.
Cast members at Hollywood Studios seem to have this knowledge firmly in their grasp. Signage is good.
Epcot cast members are confused where the Minnie Van location is (near buses, in taxi hub, far end). No signage at all.
Animal Kingdom has some signage, cast member knowledge half and half. It’s at bus terminal 30.
Anyone know about Magic Kingdom or the Springs or water parks?
For a small party, the MVs IMHO are a little too expensive, but for parties of 4-6, they are pleasant, and get you out of the end-of-the-night mass exodus nightmares at the buses.

 

[mousekedoc]

Found out today Magic Kingdom Minnie Van pick up is bus terminal 9.

 

[I am Timmy]

Thank you for posting this. Have not really seen much on pick up and drop off as far as Minnie Vans are concerned. Which parks would you say have the closer drop off spots? Trying to figure out if MV would be a better option than Uber at any of the parks. Thanks!

 

[nickys]

Thank you for posting this. Have not really seen much on pick up and drop off as far as Minnie Vans are concerned. Which parks would you say have the closer drop off spots? Trying to figure out if MV would be a better option than Uber at any of the parks. Thanks!

Definitely a better option for for MK , since you’re dropped at the bus station, not the TTC (or Contemporary).

 

[JIMINYCR]

Also for those guests wanting to reserve one that is accessible for wheel chairs, Disney has expanded their fleet of vehicles set up for this but they are limited in number so you may have more of a wait. On the Disney site you are directed to : Guests needing to utilize an accessible vehicle to accommodate a wheelchair or ECV can make arrangements by calling (407) 828-3500.

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

I was noticing last week that the Minnie Van service actually got more expensive by getting cheaper. When we done it the first time it was just the $25 flat fee. Now that it's "distance based" it actually is even MORE expensive than it was. For a ride from Bay Lake to Hollywood Studios it's like almost $34! They told me it's a mileage rate now on top of the base rate of $15. We actually just used Lyft on for a few rides on this trip and it was always less than $11. I did enjoy the Minnie Van ride we done before though. I just think it's pretty outrageous and we're there a lot and hate the buses but dang that's a pretty penny really.

 

[nickys]

I was noticing last week that the Minnie Van service actually got more expensive by getting cheaper. When we done it the first time it was just the $25 flat fee. Now that it's "distance based" it actually is even MORE expensive than it was. For a ride from Bay Lake to Hollywood Studios it's like almost $34! They told me it's a mileage rate now on top of the base rate of $15. We actually just used Lyft on for a few rides on this trip and it was always less than $11. I did enjoy the Minnie Van ride we done before though. I just think it's pretty outrageous and we're there a lot and hate the buses but dang that's a pretty penny really.

You must have missed this:

https://www.wdwmagic.com/transporta...service-to-move-to-distance-based-pricing.htm

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

You must have missed this:

https://www.wdwmagic.com/transporta...service-to-move-to-distance-based-pricing.htm

No I had known about that but I was just assuming it was gonna make it cheaper instead of more expensive. I didn't realize it was gonna still have the $15 flat rate no matter what. It's literally over $20 to be taken from BLT to the Poly even. I had just thought it was gonna be like Uber or Lyft or something and only be like $10 to $15 a trip. One thing I've been curious bout though is if you have some of those Lyft discounts they send you in your phone sometimes do they allow you to apply those the Minnie Van service? I would assume not.

 

[nickys]

No I had known about that but I was just assuming it was gonna make it cheaper instead of more expensive. I didn't realize it was gonna still have the $15 flat rate no matter what. It's literally over $20 to be taken from BLT to the Poly even. I had just thought it was gonna be like Uber or Lyft or something and only be like $10 to $15 a trip. One thing I've been curious bout though is if you have some of those Lyft discounts they send you in your phone sometimes do they allow you to apply those the Minnie Van service? I would assume not.

Ah, OK.

I had seen it was expensive, think the clue was the fare to the airport ....! Must admit, I never for a moment thought it would be cheaper. Did you actually use it from Bay Lake to the Poly? I assume, if so, it was either very late or very early and the monorail wasn’t running.

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

Ah, OK.

I had seen it was expensive, think the clue was the fare to the airport ....! Must admit, I never for a moment thought it would be cheaper. Did you actually use it from Bay Lake to the Poly? I assume, if so, it was either very late or very early and the monorail wasn’t running.

No I didn't. I was just typing in different destinations to see if you could get it to hover around that $15 mark and you can't. From BLT to AK is almost $40 one way! Just a regular Lyft from BLT to AK was like $12 or $13. We just hate using the bus from BLT to AK because it really takes a long time. It took over an hour on a bus to get from AK to BLT. We waited almost 40 minutes at the AK bus stop for the MK bus and all the people in line were getting super irritated. I decided on this trip that our AK bus riding days from BLT are over. Our membership is at BLT and it just always seems like the bus for AK there is a headache and it's a common complaint there. From there to AK it's 20 minutes one way and that's not even counting having to load and unload the buses and they just never seem to have a lot of buses on that specific route.

 

[Pirate Magic]

When we were there two weeks ago we used mostly at Magic Kingdom because it could pick you up at the Disney bus stop ( which was bus station # 8). It is expensive it was between $34 to $ 36. But the convenience of being picked up at the bus station by passing all the crowds at the end of a long day it was worth it.

 

[mousekedoc]

Thank you for posting this. Have not really seen much on pick up and drop off as far as Minnie Vans are concerned. Which parks would you say have the closer drop off spots? Trying to figure out if MV would be a better option than Uber at any of the parks. Thanks!

The drivers tell me MK supports fully the Minnie Van service and that’s why they got the #9 slot. Hollywood studios has budgeted for a dedicated Minnie Van site in all the new parking lot construction. Currently it’s got a little slice of a parking lot just before bus pickup sites. The Epcot site has no signage, but it’s really the closest to the entrance of all the parks: if you’re leaving from front, stay to left side, passing baggage pick up, and it’s in the taxi lot, far side. There is a single post that has been painted with Minnie Polka Dots, but you really got to look for it.
So for me, now that I know where it is, Epcot is most convenient, followed by MK, AK and then HS.
The Springs has two sites, an East and a West. The East is the old bus drop off, at the Christmas store. I haven’t taken any from West side.

I think it’s really expensive in comparison to Uber. But we had a party of 6 all week and used Minnie Vans because they are clean pleasant and large enough to accommodate all of us COMFORTABLY.

Hope this rambling helped

 

[TrojanUSC]

I don't really see the appeal of using MinnieVans except to Magic Kingdom, where they have access to the bus loop thereby avoiding the TTC, and Fort Wilderness, thus allowing you to skip the bus transfer. Uber or a standard Lyft is a fraction of the price. I guess they're banking on middle America people who have a fear of ride share services.

 

[I am Timmy]

Our last trips we used Uber quite a bit, but that MK drop off at the TTC was ridiculous. Thats why I was wondering if spending more for the MV might be worth it just for that. When we took Uber to AK we got dropped off in front, whee the taxi would drop off. That was nice. But, this trip there is only 3 of us (myself and 2 adult DS) so Uber is a more likely choice, anyway.

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

Can you reserve the Minnie Van in advance? For example, could I reserve one for a specific time to pick me up at Magic Kingdom, or could I reserve one for 7 am to pick me up at the Pop?

 

[ABZDisneyFan]

We used Uber a few times on our trip last November but gave the Minnie Van service a try one evening from the Yacht Club when we wanted to catch HEA & were running late.
We were impressed & being dropped off right at the entrance to MK was great.

 

[LittleBuford]

Our last trips we used Uber quite a bit, but that MK drop off at the TTC was ridiculous. Thats why I was wondering if spending more for the MV might be worth it just for that. When we took Uber to AK we got dropped off in front, whee the taxi would drop off. That was nice. But, this trip there is only 3 of us (myself and 2 adult DS) so Uber is a more likely choice, anyway.

Unless Disney's put a stop to it, you can request to be dropped off at (and picked up from) the Contemporary Resort, which is a short walk from the Magic Kingdom. I used this trick several times last year.

 

[xdan0920]

Just wanted to add this...

Booking a Minnie Van from the airport requires some serious advance planning. Don’t try and book a few weeks out like I just did. There is zero availability.

The rep I spoke to said to book at 180 days. That’s aggressive.

 

[bluewings]

First Magic Kingdom night my group had left earlier in the night but I stayed. Took almost 2 hours to get onto a Pop Century bus. Second Magic Kingdom night there were 5 of us at the end of the night and we decided to try out a Minnie Van. Took less than 20 minutes from order to pickup, 100% worth it for Magic Kingdom.

I don't know if this is true for regular Lyfts/Ubers, but the Minnie Van had a car seat with it that my 4 year old nephew used for the trip.

 

[Tinkwings]

I am considering doing the Magic Behind the Steam Train tour at 7:30 AM.....wondering if Minnie Vans would be good idea from WL to MK at 7:00AM.....we are supposed to arrive 15 minutes early at the gates....can you book these prior?