Disney's free buses leave cabs in lurch

[safetymom]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...jul06,0,4518589.story?coll=orl-news-headlines

For those that have wondered if ME was going to hurt the taxi and limo business at MCO.

 

[epcotfan]

We always use taxis at MCO and will continue to use taxis on future trips. We like the flexibility in service. We basically just grab a cab at the taxi stand and go. We aren't keen on the ME service.

 

[bicker]

This is a true innovation, so it is understandable that old-style service providers will suffer. While that suffering is unfortunate, remember that 500 new jobs were created. And this is apparently a major improvement for guests.

Maybe the next step is to contract with some of the livery companies that can put up a service bond, to provide a more personal form of ME, with the baggage still taking the bus, but the people carried by cab.

 

[PlaneJoy1]

Do you think people will go back to other modes of transportation if/when Disney starts to charge for this service?

 

[CarolA]

Well my one and ONLY Orlando Taxi experience pretty much ruined me for life on them. I have learned.... I attempt to only use taxis in cities where they are regulated and there are some standards. So if ME goes away I will either use a town car or rent a car.

Nashville had a lot of idiot taxi drivers, but I had a few that I would call if I needed a cab when I lived there.

 

[DisFlan]

We'll still rent a car. Like the article said, "Disney won't drive you to Daytona." Or tampa. We fly in and out of Tampa - by choice. It's a more user-friendly airport than MCO.

What I'd worry about is after a year or two of free ME, when a lot of the other transport options have gone out of business, Disney can start charging for the service and have much less competition. They'll have cornered the market on transport on and off-site. I can't see Disney continuing ME long term for no charge. It's got to be a fairly expensive process. At that point, it may have actually been cheaper to take a cab or limo - but many or most of them will be gone.

DisFlan

 

[goosedwn]

We will still rent a car from the airport as we usually do. ME is just not for us.


Wendy

 

[DebbieB]

I think those who do rent a car are benefiting also. I only paid $97 for a week in May, the lowest I've ever paid. We like having a car, so ME service doesn't interest us. It seems like too much of a hassle to get the car on Disney property just to have the luggage delivered (sometimes hours later). We have no problems picking up our luggage from the carousel, putting it on a rented cart ($3) and heading over to the garage for our car.

 

[Brian Noble]

What I'd worry about is after a year or two of free ME, when a lot of the other transport options have gone out of business, Disney can start charging for the service and have much less competition. They'll have cornered the market on transport on and off-site. I can't see Disney continuing ME long term for no charge.

I agree that ME won't be free forever. However, even if a few companies go by the wayside between now and then, the barrier to entry for a transportation company isn't that high: you need a few drivers, and a few leased cars. The capital to start that up isn't so high that it couldn't happen.

 

[Gooofy-Blade]

I guess that's simply what happens to the shuttles/taxis who overcharged us for years............i.e. $85.00 for a family of three last year! Give me the free ME!

 

[seashoreCM]

I'm still surprised the following had not happened earlier:

1. Discounted flat rate cab fares to Disney (airport to Disney is a "nice long ride" in taxi lingo, very productive use of resources),

2. Mears' own shuttles offering "more express" service to Disney resorts and per-party (as opposed to per-person) fares,

3. Towncar companies being more gracious about refunds for some mishaps.

But then, Magical Express had been on the drawing board for some years before it actually began.

And then the newspaper article referred to was primarily to sell newspapers and earn brownie points for its author as opposed to stir up pity for taxi drivers.

There was talk of train service from MCO to a point very near if not in WDW, where probably Disney's own transit buses would bring guests to the resorts.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[lsteadman]

I will continue to use ME as long as it is offered. I also wouldn't mind paying the Mears rates for ME if the service continues beyond 2006.

I used Mears on my May 3rd arrival date before the ME started on May 5th. I loved Mears I thought it was great and the service was the same as Magical Express.

If they discountinue ME in 2006 then I will just use Mears. I lot of negative stuff was posted on this board about Mears. But my experience was very positive. They got me to the hotel in a reasonable time frame - can't ask for more than that for the money paid.

I am sure a lot of business will go under as a direct result of ME; however, Disney is in the business of keeping the money spent on its property. I call it good marketing and financial thinking on Disney behalf.

If Disney keeps ME free it keeps people on their property which keeps the money at Disney. Sounds smart to me! I don't think Disney is losing any money on the ME deal. Just look at how many people are using ME and how many of those people are not rent cars anymore. They are staying onsite and spending their cash with the Mouse! I am sure the person who thought of ME is getting a hefty raise and a promotion.

Happy traveling!

 

[DisFlan]

seashoreCM - I'm suprised there hasn't been more of that sort of thing, too. Adds like "We're CHEAP. We're dependable. And you won't have to leave 3 hours before your plane!"

We've noticed the outrageous prices for MCO-WDW limos and shuttles for years, so it's not as if I feel sorry for them. In Houston, we can do a limo for $30 for two people. In New Orleans, it's a whopping $50. Both for longer distances and excellent service.

I'm sure many people will benefit from ME, but it isn't all that appealing to us. We'll rent a car, anyway. We like to have a bit more control over things.

DisFlan

 

[TDC Nala]

ME is pretty inflexible, especially on the return time. But it's really difficult to compete with "free"

 

[Disneyjosh229]

Im not knocking ME, because its good for different situations, but I allways rent a car. I just dont feel like using up my "Mouse" time waiting on a bus. For me and my fam, its easier just to walk over to EA and be on our way. I can't beleve that rental car companies are hurting, because so many people that don't use ME still rent a car, and many people that use ME rent a car at CCC or Dolphin.

 

[DebbieB]

Mears is operating the DME busses for Disney, I don't think they would compete against it.

 

[dbanzai]

Ahh, I was wondering how Mears fit into the equation.

I would have expected Mears to be the real competition (and the ones losing the business) instead of the cabs.

As a NYer, I try and avoid cabs as much as I can. Many of those stereotypical cab stories you hear from here are true, and I always think cabs are extremely over-priced (the article said $50 one-way from MCO to Disney? No thanks!) and don't mind waiting my stop on a bus. ME isn't going to change my trip much if at all because I always took Mears and my last couple of trips were spent very happily solely on property. The idea of luggage transfer is great, and if they do start charging and the price is on par with what Mears used to/does charge, I'll happily pay it for ME service.

 

[CarolA]

If the cabs had gone to a flat rate years ago, I think they would be in better shape. Folks are scared of getting stuck... For example, you take the $50 cab to Disney, but there is an accident on the interstate and you sit for half an hour, now you are probably looking at $75.....

And I agree, the limo services are fairly high... higher then other cities.

 

[Pedler]

Im not knocking ME, because its good for different situations, but I allways rent a car. I just dont feel like using up my "Mouse" time waiting on a bus. For me and my fam, its easier just to walk over to EA and be on our way. I can't beleve that rental car companies are hurting, because so many people that don't use ME still rent a car, and many people that use ME rent a car at CCC or Dolphin.

We were going to rent a car until ME came along. While some ME users will rent a car on property I imagine that there are quite a few that will stay put. They were going to get from MCO to WDW somehow, rental car, cab, limo or whatever, and now they are riding ME. That is going to take down the volume across all transportation modes.

I for one don't think Disney did this to affect the other transportation methods or to even start charging for it down the road. I think it was done primarily as a means to keep people on site and spend more at WDW. We are a perfect example of how this works. The first plan was to rent a car, stay at the Nick hotel and go to WDW maybe 4 days and see some other stuff in Orlando. We were not planning on going the the parks the first day. Then along came MYW Dinning, ME, the revised ticket pricing and suddenly we are staying 7 nights at WL, have ADR's for everyday, going to the parks 7 days including arrival day and thinking its great. Disney is basically getting every dollar we spend in Florida except for lunch at the airport on the day we leave (And I think if they could find a way the would try to grab that money as well). Its like a giant vacum cleaner is just sucking up every dollar we spend in Florida. ME is just part of the hook to keep us on sight and the other transportation companies are just collateral damage.

Just me .02.

 

[seashoreCM]

I would have expected Mears to be the real competition (and the ones losing the business) instead of the cabs.

Maybe you could say it this way: Yes ME is competing with Mears but Mears won the opportunity to play a big role in the ME system and salvage most of the money it might have lost forever.