Magical Express Ending Service

[DisneyNDecember]

This is the reply back from Disney I received.

View attachment 549964

I got the exact same reply to my email. It was a different representative, but exact same email.

 

[skeeter31]

According to this article (Len from TP) this is exactly the issue. People using ME and still leaving property. Disney apparently wasn’t getting the same bang for their buck. Which is why I don’t think it’s coming back.https://www.marketwatch.com/story/w...u2YTT-cxmm5WUXCcO7mfACDlF-xwW30GZ4HRliAXQCgFA

This is exactly it. Disney knows that DME wasn’t keeping people on property like it used to. There have been a lot of surveys over the past 2 years revolving around DME and Uber and how people are getting around on property. They know more and more people are coming in on DME and then still going off property for restaurants and other parks. Disney doesn’t want to subsidize that with DME anymore.

 

[cm8]

ME was one of the main reasons to stay on property. This is atrocious. Since Covid hit, it's nothing but downgrades. Covid killed Disney magic. I guess here's to looking for better deals and resorts off-site...

Covid didn’t kill Disney Magic, Covid was FRAMED by Disney to look like it killed its magic ...

This is all on Disney!!

 

[skeeter31]

Covid didn’t kill Disney Magic, Covid was FRAMED by Disney to look like it killed its magic ...

This is all on Disney!!

Yeah right. Disney isn’t losing millions of dollars each week, if not each day, due to multiple resorts at WDW closed, reduced capacity at WDW, DL Paris closed back down, and DL closed since MARCH. But it has nothing to do with COVID right?!

 

[princesslover]

This is exactly it. Disney knows that DME wasn’t keeping people on property like it used to. There have been a lot of surveys over the past 2 years revolving around DME and Uber and how people are getting around on property. They know more and more people are coming in on DME and then still going off property for restaurants and other parks. Disney doesn’t want to subsidize that with DME anymore.

In case people didn’t click on the link, here is the quote:

“That was a pretty effective moat that, when it was introduced, was supposed to keep people inside ‘the Disney bubble,’” said Len Testa, co-author of “The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World” and president of travel website Touring Plans. “The rise of ride-sharing apps made it easier and cheaper for people to go offsite when they wanted (rather than renting a car or calling a cab), and so Disney was bearing the entire cost of getting people between the airport to their hotel, without getting as much benefit as they once did.”

 

[cm8]

Yeah right. Disney isn’t losing millions of dollars each week, if not each day, due to multiple resorts at WDW closed, reduced capacity at WDW, DL Paris closed back down, and DL closed since MARCH. But it has nothing to do with COVID right?!

Stay on topic please, this isn’t about resorts, this is about ME and Covid was not listed as a reason it is being discontinued.

 

[skeeter31]

Stay on topic please, this isn’t about resorts, this is about ME and Covid was not listed as a reason it being discontinued.

It is on topic. Disney is stopping DME for monetary reasons and those reasons are the lack of income that I listed above. It’s all connected.

 

[canyoncam]

And I get this survey today which includes transportation as a response to a deciding factor in my trip. I put in 75 points for that!

 

[Disirish]

I think the first few months of 2022 are going to be better off avoided . It's crazy to think that a family arriving on the 31st of dec will have free transport and and family arriving on the 1st of Jan will have to make there own way . I know Mears said that they will meet the demand but there still is going to be huge teething problems at the start . Could they just not have charged for it . I'm pretty sure everyone would have paid it

 

[VandVsmama]

The Disney Food Blog website had an interesting article I saw today in which Mears said that they were informed of the news from Disney the same day that Disney made the announcement to the public. And apparently the end of DME coincides with the current end date of Disney's contract with Mears.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

I guarantee that the people who made this decision are not the types who ever take public/mass transportation if they can avoid it. They fly private and have town cars waiting for them. When you’re the one who decided what “free” perks go on the chopping block, it’s much easier to cut something you can’t imagine missing. Cynically, I do think they are hoping this will pad bookings for the end of 2021. I must admit I was tempted, just as I booked a trip to catch the last year of the Osborne lights. But I don’t think any of the entertainment that has been cut is likely to be restored before the end of the year.

 

[Orion Nebula]

I guarantee that the people who made this decision are not the types who ever take public/mass transportation if they can avoid it. They fly private and have town cars waiting for them. When you’re the one who decided what “free” perks go on the chopping block, it’s much easier to cut something you can’t imagine missing. Cynically, I do think they are hoping this will pad bookings for the end of 2021. I must admit I was tempted, just as I booked a trip to catch the last year of the Osborne lights. But I don’t think any of the entertainment that has been cut is likely to be restored before the end of the year.

I might be in the minority but I have never taken public transportation before outside of the ME and two uber rides on property. Which wasn't exactly awesome as one of the drivers got lost. This was between Coronado and Wilderness, I don't know how difficult that is to figure out though.

But ME was really important to my family and I. Mostly due to our lack of experience trying to get places without our car. And the entire skipping baggage claim, and having your bags show up in your room later was extremely "magical" to us. I loved being able to step into the Disney bubble so quickly.

 

[holden]

The end of ME won't affect us much at all. We generally used it, but I'd say half the time we rented a car or used a car service. I don't like to use the Disney buses. Our experience has been less than stellar with them. If feel like when we do use them we waste so much time.

We loved the Minnie Van service, and I am disappointed they got rid of it. Now we use Lyft/Uber for transport to parks, resorts, etc. if we do not rent a car. I actually prefer that to a car rental.

 

[princesslover]

I might be in the minority but I have never taken public transportation before outside of the ME and two uber rides on property. Which wasn't exactly awesome as one of the drivers got lost. This was between Coronado and Wilderness, I don't know how difficult that is to figure out though.

But ME was really important to my family and I. Mostly due to our lack of experience trying to get places without our car. And the entire skipping baggage claim, and having your bags show up in your room later was extremely "magical" to us. I loved being able to step into the Disney bubble so quickly.

Same here. While I certainly don’t “blame” people who used ride sharing or public transportation on property, it saddens me that this trend likely contributed to the end of ME. We were one of those families who stayed in the bubble from beginning to end. And we will be in the category of families most significantly feeling this loss.

 

[Orion Nebula]

Same here. While I certainly don’t “blame” people who used ride sharing or public transportation on property, it saddens me that this trend likely contributed to the end of ME. We were one of those families who stayed in the bubble from beginning to end. And we will be in the category of families most significantly feeling this loss.

I don't really blame them either but some are putting the people down that are upset over it. What's kind of annoying is that it's obvious that they have never used ME and just rely on rentals. No I don't want to rent a car, the "freedom" argument doesn't work for me as I love the bubble experience. But to each there own, I just have never ridden an empty ME or had a wait time. So it's confusing to me as to where people are coming from when they say it's no longer popular.

 

[Orion Nebula]

The end of ME won't affect us much at all. We generally used it, but I'd say half the time we rented a car or used a car service. I don't like to use the Disney buses. Our experience has been less than stellar with them. If feel like when we do use them we waste so much time.

We loved the Minnie Van service, and I am disappointed they got rid of it. Now we use Lyft/Uber for transport to parks, resorts, etc. if we do not rent a car. I actually prefer that to a car rental.

Legit question; how much daily does renting using cost you once you factor in parking (both parks & resorts)? When I looked up the cost of an SUV for instance (party of 6) then factored in everything else my week long trip was going up 1k.

 

[wilkydelts]

Legit question; how much daily does renting using cost you once you factor in parking (both parks & resorts)? When I looked up the cost of an SUV for instance (party of 6) then factored in everything else my week long trip was going up 1k.

I rented a van through Alamo (using their plan ahead rate) From the evening of Wed 10/21- evening of Mon 10/26. We stayed at the Hilton Double Tree at Disney Springs and had a rate with free parking (would of been another $100 from them if charged). We went to 4 park days for $100 in onsite parking. So it was $478 not counting gas. We rented because it was easier in regards to moving around especially controlling our own fate in regards to morning park arrival times when rope drop during this COVID times is crucial.

Remember also you do not pay for Resort parking and park parking. If you are on-site you get a parking pass to get into the parks for no additional parking.

The best way to look at Rental Car/Van prices is to use Hotwire. Once you are in Hotwire it will give you a "couple" agencies who would be renting you the van for that price. I then go to that companies website to rent because most times it stops me from paying ahead and I do not have to deal with a third party if something goes wrong.

 

[Jrb1979]

I rented a van through Alamo (using their plan ahead rate) From the evening of Wed 10/21- evening of Mon 10/26. We stayed at the Hilton Double Tree at Disney Springs and had a rate with free parking (would of been another $100 from them if charged). We went to 4 park days for $100 in onsite parking. So it was $478 not counting gas. We rented because it was easier in regards to moving around especially controlling our own fate in regards to morning park arrival times when rope drop during this COVID times is crucial.

Remember also you do not pay for Resort parking and park parking. If you are on-site you get a parking pass to get into the parks for no additional parking.

The best way to look at Rental Car/Van prices is to use Hotwire. Once you are in Hotwire it will give you a "couple" agencies who would be renting you the van for that price. I then go to that companies website to rent because most times it stops me from paying ahead and I do not have to deal with a third party if something goes wrong.

Costco is another good one to use.

 

[Disneybuckeye]

Legit question; how much daily does renting using cost you once you factor in parking (both parks & resorts)? When I looked up the cost of an SUV for instance (party of 6) then factored in everything else my week long trip was going up 1k.

Ouch. A minivan would probably be a few hundred cheaper, but either way this is a big expense to add on top of an already expensive trip. I am going to see how it all plays out before making any rash decisions, but this definitely has put a damper on my feelings towards Disney.

I am not opposed to public transportation, but it cannot be horrid. We take the tube all over London and the subway in New York. We are not opposed to walking. I have taken luggage on the Marta in Atlanta. But if the train only runs 5-6 times a day I am not going to sit in the airport for hours. We will rent a car and spend less money on property. We can easily cook dinners in our DVC kitchen and then head back to the parks in the evening.

 

[going/again]

Well you may have to wait. There is new cdc guidelines for traveling back into the country now. That’s very risky to do, you don’t want to test positive outside the United States.

What a great response, however I live in UK so again what you've written means nothing, have you not realised yet your insensitive posts are only upsetting others,. Or as I suspect that's your intention.