Disney's Magical Express to End in 2022, Extra Magic Hours to be Replaced with Early Theme Park Entry Later This Year

[WorldOfPooh]

When everyone starting to stay off site and go to other theme parks in the area, Disney will change it mind about this decision again. For sure.

May be too late.

Blockbuster Video was a dominant monopoly and was arrogant and cocky and didn't see Redbox or Netflix as a threat. Blockbuster had a chance to dominate the streaming market but they let it all slip away.

Whenever a company thinks they can do no wrong and they control everything and the customer is just a pawn to them there's potential for a disastrous result.

 

[Aprilshack]

May be too late.

Blockbuster Video was a dominant monopoly and was arrogant and cocky and didn't see Redbox or Netflix as a threat. Blockbuster had a chance to dominate the streaming market but they let it all slip away.

Whenever a company thinks they can do no wrong and they control everything and the customer is just a pawn to them there's potential for a disastrous result.

Going to universal, staying there is maybe an option for me which I never considered before.

 

[WorldOfPooh]

Going to universal, staying there is maybe an option for me which I never considered before.

I've been going to both. Universal itself doesn't have the magic to me but adding the Harry Potters areas those places are Magical. And then there are one or two rides like Men in Black shooting ride, the Jimmy Fallon Ride and Hulk that are pretty good. Their Halloween mazes are great too.

There annual pass is only $290-$390. So it's a complete bargain compared to Disney and gives you park hopping/free parking/food and merchandise discounts.

The Portofino Bay hotel and their Polynesian hotel are quite nice as is City Walk and their are also cheaper options like Comfort Inn/Double Tree in walking distance.

 

[Aprilshack]

I've been going to both. Universal itself doesn't have the magic to me but adding the Harry Potters areas those places are Magical. And then there are one or two rides like Men in Black shooting ride, the Jimmy Fallon Ride and Hulk that are pretty good. Their Halloween mazes are great too.

There annual pass is only $290-$390. So it's a complete bargain compared to Disney and gives you park hopping/free parking/food and merchandise discounts.

The Portofino Bay hotel and their Polynesian hotel are quite nice as is City Walk and their are also cheaper options like Comfort Inn/Double Tree in walking distance.

I'd want to go to the Harry Potter area and the Nintendo area when opened. There are a few rides I want to do as well. I'm really shocked at how cheap compared to Disney the ap is!

 

[Orion Nebula]

I'd want to go to the Harry Potter area and the Nintendo area when opened. There are a few rides I want to do as well.

HP is really the ONLY thing I want to stop in for at the moment although Nintendo will be pretty neat I am sure. Everything else reminds me of a Six Flags with more theming.

 

[James From Utah]

Rental car fee and resort parking fee. Don't forget that extra money Disney will be making now on all the people who decide renting a car would be easier or necessary.

People who rent cars will not be staying at a disney resort. They'll have freedom to pay half the rate for a hotel close by -- so Disney won't get anything from them on parking -- or food.

 

[PattnFmly]

I agree that this is a bad decision on Disney's part. We too loved that our vacation started the minute we scanned the bands at the airport and hopped on the bus. So easy for a family! We never rent a car and generally stay in the Disney bubble our entire vacation. And although we have driven from home a few times, those vacations we stayed offsite in accommodations with regular kitchens so we could make a few meals at the hotel. Guess we will go back to that type of vacation for now. If I have my own car from home I will definitely vacation differently. Absolutely no reason to stay on property for my whole vacation.

 

[Disneylover99]

We may see a significant price increase in offsite hotels as more people move away from Disney resorts to try something new. Good news for non Disney hotels.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

One of the big perks of staying on WDW property is not having to drive (for us). We don’t drive on vacation. With DME gone and so many other offerings gone it makes sense staying offsite. But then I don’t want to rent a car because I don’t want to drive. But ubers can get costly especially when the grown kids want to go back to the condo/villa/house before you do.

Its just more work than what it’s worth for us at this point. We can vacation elsewhere with less stress. Maybe one day disney will evolve back to what they were when attendance gets higher. Hopefully. I wanted to go in 2022 for DS college grad but none of this sounds relaxing or fun.

I also don’t go to Florida to do Florida attractions. I go for WDW.

 

[Dashzap]

Disney's plan can't be the Brightline train to Disney Springs then to the resort buses as the buses stand now. There is no place for luggage on the regular Disney buses. Current policy is no luggage is allowed on the regular Disney buses, which is why bell services will move your stuff if you do a split stay.
Maybe luggage delivery from Disney Springs?

 

[Karen46]

Disney's plan can't be the Brightline train to Disney Springs then to the resort buses as the buses stand now. There is no place for luggage on the regular Disney buses. Current policy is no luggage is allowed on the regular Disney buses, which is why bell services will move your stuff if you do a split stay.
Maybe luggage delivery from Disney Springs?

This is exactly what I thought Luggage is not allowed on Disney Buses so the Train to Disney Springs how does that help get you to your resort?

Having vacationed before ME and after ME the money saved on the ME was spent in the parks, now that will have to budgeted and not given back to Disney.

 

[Tom_E_D]

Disney's plan can't be the Brightline train to Disney Springs then to the resort buses as the buses stand now. There is no place for luggage on the regular Disney buses. Current policy is no luggage is allowed on the regular Disney buses, which is why bell services will move your stuff if you do a split stay.
Maybe luggage delivery from Disney Springs?

If Disney chooses to provide bus service from the Brightline train station to the Disney resorts, they will have the option of doing so with buses that will have room for luggage underneath. They wouldn't have to use the buses they currently use for resort to park transportation. As others have pointed out, whether in this thread or the multiple other Disboards threads discussing this topic, the Brightline service to Disney Springs won't come online until a year or more after DME ends. I don't think they're counting on Brightline to pick up the slack once DME ends. Brightline is only a consideration for further into the future.

 

[JPTexan82]

You’re not being mean, you’re being incredibly insensitive and ignorant of others’ situations. There are a great deal of reasons why ubers aren’t good fits. Money is the least of them. Try hauling around a wheel chair and having a special needs child too. DME was REALLY a god-send. Try to not judge others and tell them what they can and can’t do. This is a fair concern for guests.

You took it personal, and clearly affected by the remark. Let’s roll back the clock to 2004 and see how it was done then. You were on your own then. So in 2022, there is more options now than there was ever in 2005 when DME started.

Also, as long as the demand stays at the current level on capacity with or without restrictions. If Disney cuts a service and the demand is still there, they have higher margins. Higher margins relates to ROI. Which I respect. But face it, there is some things in life some people are not meant to do based on income and ability. It could be from work to vacation, it’s facts.

 

[brockash]

You took it personal, and clearly affected by the remark. Let’s roll back the clock to 2004 and see how it was done then. You were on your own then. So in 2022, there is more options now than there was ever in 2005 when DME started.

Also, as long as the demand stays at the current level on capacity with or without restrictions. If Disney cuts a service and the demand is still there, they have higher margins. Higher margins relates to ROI. Which I respect. But face it, there is some things in life some people are not meant to do based on income and ability. It could be from work to vacation, it’s facts.

Lol...okay we get that empathy is not your strong point and it sounds like you're proud of the fact that this is an area in life that you choose is not meant for you to do, but others do have a right to their opinions. You're not going to change theirs and they won't change yours. For you, this personally isn't an issue; for others, who's circumstances may be (gasp) different than yours; it is a big issue and they're entitled to their thoughts and opinions about it just as you would be about something that would be an issue for you, but not for others.

 

[Sandiz08]

Families are the most affected by this. Im glad our son should be out of a booster by the time we head back, but I really feel for the large families with small kids. Paying per head is not going to be cheap, and all the strollers/carseats/luggage are going to be such a pain.

 

[friedela]

I wonder what on earth they are thinking??? Taking away free transportation from the airport and EMH are two major perks that drew us into wanting to stay onsite. Now that those two things are gone and the fact that Disney will never drop their prices to make up for those lost perks makes it very hard to justify spending the money for a tiny room to stay on Disney property. Did Disney just shoot themselves in the foot?

I think so. Super disappointed.

 

[PattnFmly]

I look at it as something that made my life so much easier and much more fun. It's not that getting transportation is so awfully difficult, it's just an added difficulty that I don't need or want when I am on vacation. Just like from home to the airport - we cannot take a regular cab. There's 4 adults, 4 suitcases, and at least 3 carry-ons (we come home with 4 though - one filled with souvenirs!). When we call for a taxi it has to be a minivan. We have to plan ahead and sometimes have to wait. Same thing when landing in Orlando. Has to be an appropriate sized taxi/van. The ME busses saved us from that tussle. Go downstairs, see the happy smiling ME folks checking our bands and directing us to a line. Climb aboard, plenty of seats for all, relax with no traffic and feel your excitement build as you watch the video and get closer and closer to our happy place. Now there'll be just one more added thing to plan for. Not magical. Just transportation. Takes away from the vacation arrival magic for me.

 

[disneyseniors]

Families are the most affected by this. Im glad our son should be out of a booster by the time we head back, but I really feel for the large families with small kids. Paying per head is not going to be cheap, and all the strollers/carseats/luggage are going to be such a pain.

Yes, I feel bad for the families.
Others affected will be EVC and wheelchair users. Also those with other disabilities.
This is Huge, IMO, and will affect many more people than they think.
Personally, we are going to stay offsite, get Universal AP, and do all the other fun things that are in Florida. No more Disney until they put back the great experiences that made the Disney Magic.

 

[ppony]

You took it personal, and clearly affected by the remark. Let’s roll back the clock to 2004 and see how it was done then. You were on your own then. So in 2022, there is more options now than there was ever in 2005 when DME started.

Also, as long as the demand stays at the current level on capacity with or without restrictions. If Disney cuts a service and the demand is still there, they have higher margins. Higher margins relates to ROI. Which I respect. But face it, there is some things in life some people are not meant to do based on income and ability. It could be from work to vacation, it’s facts.

Dude. I’ve been visiting WDW since 1994. I know what I did then. I also wasn’t in a WHEELCHAIR. Things matter. Something also doesn’t have to personally affect me for me to feel empathy for those it does impact. We actually didn’t use DME much until my mobility issues kicked in, and it’s far more involved & expensive that you realize to just *shift* to other modes when you’ve got a wheelchair. For starters, most Uber/Lyft/etc... can’t accommodate. Try to show some empathy.

 

[dawnelda]

Totally agree with the many other posters who are affected by the loss of DME. For myself, Disney World has been a place where I obsessively make plans in advance so that I can go on auto-pilot once I arrive which is what I'm looking for on vacation. A chance to not-think about anything.

Now that there are no FastPasses, no dining plans, no DME etc. then it becomes a place where I can't go on auto-pilot, hence not a vacation for me. Cruises suddenly become that much more appealing since, if I have to figure out the airport-to-destination transportation anyway then I might as well let the cruise line do the rest of the thinking.