Express Transportation No More?

[freewill]

Hi, have been away from the Dis for many moons. Looks like the Express Transportation bus between parks is no longer in service? It was a huge and cost-effective benefit for our trip last year.

Just hoping to confirm its demise (RIP) and ask if folks know (or speculate) why it went away? Any indications or whispers that it might return?

Thanks

 

[ptlohmysoul]

It did go away.

 

[anomamatt]

Correct, it's been gone since August of last year. It went away because while it was beloved here, it was not popular (and certainly lost them money).

 

[hiroMYhero]

Hi, have been away from the Dis for many moons. Looks like the Express Transportation bus between parks is no longer in service? It was a huge and cost-effective benefit for our trip last year.

Just hoping to confirm its demise (RIP) and ask if folks know (or speculate) why it went away? Any indications or whispers that it might return?

Thanks

You’re correct: Express Busing no longer exists.

Replaced by Minnie Vans by Lyft.

 

[Action City]

Hi, have been away from the Dis for many moons. Looks like the Express Transportation bus between parks is no longer in service? It was a huge and cost-effective benefit for our trip last year.

Just hoping to confirm its demise (RIP) and ask if folks know (or speculate) why it went away? Any indications or whispers that it might return?

Thanks

Yes, the service was discontinued. I am guessing it was stopped due to lack of use by guests.

 

[freewill]

Many thanks! So it’s back to strategic and selective park hopping.

 

[cgattis]

Yes, the service was discontinued. I am guessing it was stopped due to lack of use by guests.

And my guess is they figured out people WOULD pay for quicker resort area transpiration, and that they could make much more with the Minnie vans.

 

[Ydnameht]

The worst part about it going away is that when I (and others) contacted Disney saying how much we'd miss it they responded with "but we have Minnie Vans and the Gondolas!" The former still not being available to everyone and the latter not being available to anyone at all yet.

I really missed it in December after using it earlier in the year. Parkhopping seemed exhausting that trip compared to using the express buses!

 

[Wubar]

Was hoping to use it when I booked my trip, was disappointed to see it go away. And yes, while Minnie Vans would help...those are currently only available to guests staying at deluxe resorts. Pfffft.

 

[Shanti]

It also was really inconsistent during summer. They wouldn't let people use it during the daily thunderstorms.

 

[freewill]

I totally thought that Minnie Vans was a joke when first mentioned in this thread! I guess I have been away awhile....

 

[Wubar]

It also was really inconsistent during summer. They wouldn't let people use it during the daily thunderstorms.

Is that true? No buses during thunderstorms, while all of the other resort buses and cars were running? Wonder what that bodes for the gondolas once those are completed and running....

 

[anomamatt]

Is that true? No buses during thunderstorms, while all of the other resort buses and cars were running? Wonder what that bodes for the gondolas once those are completed and running....

It had to do with being backstage (no protection) during the possibility of lightning.

 

[anomamatt]

I totally thought that Minnie Vans was a joke when first mentioned in this thread! I guess I have been away awhile....

Minnie Vans are awesome, but sadly they will not do park-to-park and avoid security like ET did.

 

[freewill]

Minnie Vans are awesome, but sadly they will not do park-to-park and avoid security like ET did.

And are they only at the Epcot resorts still?

 

[Shanti]

No buses during thunderstorms, while all of the other resort buses and cars were running? Wonder what that bodes for the gondolas once those are completed and running....

The gondolas will probably be closed during thunderstorms and lightning sightings, making them completely unreliable every summer afternoon...

 

[anomamatt]

And are they only at the Epcot resorts still?

No, all deluxe resort guests have access to them (and maybe one or two moderates). And you can usually get the activation code from bell services at a deluxe even if you are not staying there (they won't likely ask). We used Minnie Vans a lot over Xmas/NYE week and they were great.

 

[anomamatt]

The gondolas will probably be closed during thunderstorms.

And high winds. And...

Maybe I'm wrong, but the gondolas seem like a real head scratcher to me (in terms of uptime).

 

[dminnie]

It's been a while for me...I'm not sure what you mean by "express transportation". So, is this thread saying that they no longer have busses that will take you from one park to another if you are park hopping. How do you get from one park to another? Do you have to take a bus to a resort and then transfer busses?

 

[Gehrig1B]

It's been a while for me...I'm not sure what you mean by "express transportation". So, is this thread saying that they no longer have busses that will take you from one park to another if you are park hopping. How do you get from one park to another? Do you have to take a bus to a resort and then transfer busses?

Regular buses still run from park to park. Express transportation was a fee based service where buses ran from park to park, picking up and dropping off from designated spots inside the parks thus bypassing bag check and security and running on a specific schedule. It was great for hopping and was underutilized due to poor marketing in my opinion.