Magical Express Replacement

[ford91exploder]

It works on private property because of supply and demand. The same reason Disney decided magical express wasnt worth it to them anymore. Disney can charge whatever they want, but in doing so they will drive away consumers. Theyve been very corporate suicidal in their decisions lately, but I dont think they would go that far.

No we as Disney guests who continue to go to Disney showed them that no matter what they cut we would still show up in droves, Now that the fat is gone Disney has started on the muscle and bone of the Disney experience. Disney no longer leaves 'money on the table' you can bet they are going to charge the moon for the privilege of dropping guests off,

Hey they already did it with adaptive equipment remember all of the MCO ECV vendors used to be able to drop ECV's and other adaptive equipment with bell services and now. Disney 'monetized' that service now the one company who won the bidding war is the only one allowed to leave ECV's with bell services for pickup and delivery. I wonder what Disney is gonna do to Owners Locker as well.

 

[Stratman50th]

No we as Disney guests who continue to go to Disney showed them that no matter what they cut we would still show up in droves, Now that the fat is gone Disney has started on the muscle and bone of the Disney experience. Disney no longer leaves 'money on the table' you can bet they are going to charge the moon for the privilege of dropping guests off,

Hey they already did it with adaptive equipment remember all of the MCO ECV vendors used to be able to drop ECV's and other adaptive equipment with bell services and now. Disney 'monetized' that service now the one company who won the bidding war is the only one allowed to leave ECV's with bell services for pickup and delivery. I wonder what Disney is gonna do to Owners Locker as well.

And continue to pay those prices in room and resort fees that used to include ME costs. You know, what we all used to pay regardless as to whether or not we used the service. Never rode the Mickey bus but guarantee I paid a cut for it. I'll never pay for resort parking either. I drive my own room to the Fort for the time being. That too is subject to change depending on future gouging.

 

[Joseph Andrew Hunt]

My family will be going to Disney in June 2022. I was sad to see Disney's ME go away because I had heard so much about it from friends and other people on the internet. I've priced a car service that was recommended by Dreams Unlimited and for my family of 3 it will cost $160 roundtrip with pickup at baggage claim and a short stop if we want at a grocery store for supplies. There is no way I will pay more than $30 per person to ride a packed bus that stops at every resort.

 

[Taraleigsmom]

Still not the kind to get in a car with someone I don't know - old school

 

[Taraleigsmom]

Still not the kind to get in a car with someone I don't know - old school

 

[Pooh's World]

Has anyone taken the public bus from the airport to the transportation center? Would be interested in their experience.

Take it all the time. $2.
There's also a $4.50 unlimited day pass and a $16 unlimited week pass.
Since COVID, they created an app and you can now buy the passes ahead of time on your phone which makes things alot easier.

The LYNX #111 express takes about 50 min to Sea World. You then have to get off and wait 13 minutes for the LYNX #50 Disney that takes 17 minutes to Disney Springs/25 minutes to Disney Transportation Center.

You can also take the LYNX #42 if you are staying at I-Drive/Universal. This is slower. Maybe an hour and 20 minutes to the Convention Center/lower I drive. and then you would have to switch to LYNX #8 to get to Sea World and transfer to LYNX #50 Disney.

Usually on my last night I will stay on IDrive or Sea World Double Tree (which has a LYNX #111 Express bus stop right in front of it)

 

[corpcomp]

I happened to make reservations on Magical Express yesterday through a website for a November visit, but it did not allow me to set up a return to MCO. Called the Magical Express number at MEARS 866-599-0951 and talked to a reservations person who set up my return to MCO and confirmed that a letter went out a month ago stating that MEARS was continuing their service but no pricing listed. I happened to ask him what he will do in January and he said, hey I'm 70, I will retire. Called them because the wait time at Member services was 90+ minutes.

Right now we are looking at (assuming the train to Disney Springs will start running in January - unlikely) picking up luggage, then getting on a terminal shuttle to get to the new terminal where the station will be, putting luggage on the train, taking the luggage off at Disney Springs, waiting in line for a resort bus, putting the luggage back on and I assume those buses will be the same style as Magical Express because the standard Disney buses have no cargo space underneath, and arriving at the resort (sorry for the run on sentence). Figure 1/2 hour minimum more than now to get to the resort. Have no idea how often that train will run.

So if MEARS is going to offer similar service to the resorts as they do now through Magical Express, the price is critical. Any more than $20 per person and I would reserve a compact car at the airport. Last time I took a cab it was about $55 one way for my wife and I a few years ago. And we don't know what the train ride will cost. I doubt Branson is going to give that away for free.

 

[corpcomp]

Take it all the time. $2.
There's also a $4.50 unlimited day pass and a $16 unlimited week pass.
Since COVID, they created an app and you can now buy the passes ahead of time on your phone which makes things alot easier.

The LYNX #111 express takes about 50 min to Sea World. You then have to get off and wait 13 minutes for the LYNX #50 Disney that takes 17 minutes to Disney Springs/25 minutes to Disney Transportation Center.

You can also take the LYNX #42 if you are staying at I-Drive/Universal. This is slower. Maybe an hour and 20 minutes to the Convention Center/lower I drive. and then you would have to switch to LYNX #8 to get to Sea World and transfer to LYNX #50 Disney.

Usually on my last night I will stay on IDrive or Sea World Double Tree (which has a LYNX #111 Express bus stop right in front of it)

Wait, where in the airport do you pick up the public transportation and do you just roll on your luggage on a resort bus at the transportation center?

 

[CarolynFH]

I happened to make reservations on Magical Express yesterday through a website for a November visit, but it did not allow me to set up a return to MCO. Called the Magical Express number at MEARS 866-599-0951 and talked to a reservations person who set up my return to MCO and confirmed that a letter went out a month ago stating that MEARS was continuing their service but no pricing listed. I happened to ask him what he will do in January and he said, hey I'm 70, I will retire. Called them because the wait time at Member services was 90+ minutes.

Right now we are looking at (assuming the train to Disney Springs will start running in January - unlikely) picking up luggage, then getting on a terminal shuttle to get to the new terminal where the station will be, putting luggage on the train, taking the luggage off at Disney Springs, waiting in line for a resort bus, putting the luggage back on and I assume those buses will be the same style as Magical Express because the standard Disney buses have no cargo space underneath, and arriving at the resort (sorry for the run on sentence). Figure 1/2 hour minimum more than now to get to the resort. Have no idea how often that train will run.

So if MEARS is going to offer similar service to the resorts as they do now through Magical Express, the price is critical. Any more than $20 per person and I would reserve a compact car at the airport. Last time I took a cab it was about $55 one way for my wife and I a few years ago. And we don't know what the train ride will cost. I doubt Branson is going to give that away for free.

I can tell you right now that the train to DS will NOT be running in January. If all goes well, it MIGHT be running in 2023 or 2024. See this thread, which is pretty much up to date on the issues with the train. The intention is to transport passengers from south Florida (Miami) to Orlando and eventually to Tampa, not to provide transportation from MCO to DS.

 

[DebbieB]

Wait, where in the airport do you pick up the public transportation and do you just roll on your luggage on a resort bus at the transportation center?

There are not resort busses at the TTC, you have to go to MK. I don’t think luggage is allowed on Disney busses.

 

[Pooh's World]

Wait, where in the airport do you pick up the public transportation and do you just roll on your luggage on a resort bus at the transportation center?

You go to the A terminal (Magical Express in in the opposite B terminal) and then ground floor for ground transportation.
The LYNX bus stops should be all the way to the right and is marked with a sign that says LYNX city bus.
For Disney #111 express to Sea World, then transfer to #50.

Once you get to the transportation center, you could either uber from there to a Disney resort or
otherwise you would have to go through Disney Security to take the monorail/ferry to Magic Kingdom to catch a resort bus at the MK resort bus stop. (*If you are staying at Polynesian, you could just walk on the outside sidewalk to Poly and avoid security).

Actually though you could also get off at Disney Spring (which is closer to the airport) and then take the resort bus from Disney Springs to your resort.

 

[Eric Smith]

You go to the A terminal (Magical Express in in the opposite B terminal) and then ground floor for ground transportation.
The LYNX bus stops should be all the way to the right and is marked with a sign that says LYNX city bus.
For Disney #111 express to Sea World, then transfer to #50.

Once you get to the transportation center, you could either uber from there to a Disney resort or
otherwise you would have to go through Disney Security to take the monorail/ferry to Magic Kingdom to catch a resort bus at the MK resort bus stop. (*If you are staying at Polynesian, you could just walk on the outside sidewalk to Poly and avoid security).

Actually though you could also get off at Disney Spring (which is closer to the airport) and then take the resort bus from Disney Springs to your resort.

I don't know if they would allow you to take your luggage on a normal Disney bus.

 

[bellanotte10]

Luggage isn’t allowed on Disney busses

 

[hegstad1]

Just got back from Poly. We wanted some extra time in the park before we left so we decided to take Lyft instead of ME. It cost two of us $44 plus tip. Not a bad way to go.

 

[Eric Smith]

Just got back from Poly. We wanted some extra time in the park before we left so we decided to take Lyft instead of ME. It cost two of us $44 plus tip. Not a bad way to go.

We did Magical Express for the first time last week on our trip. We'll be doing Lyft in August. It'll get us to our resort faster than DME and we won't have to listen to the annoying ads/shows on the TV. There was one show where a bunch of pre-teen girls were building a boat from Moana and then squealing as they tested them out. I wanted to die.

 

[StageTek]

Take it all the time. $2.
There's also a $4.50 unlimited day pass and a $16 unlimited week pass.
Since COVID, they created an app and you can now buy the passes ahead of time on your phone which makes things alot easier.

The LYNX #111 express takes about 50 min to Sea World. You then have to get off and wait 13 minutes for the LYNX #50 Disney that takes 17 minutes to Disney Springs/25 minutes to Disney Transportation Center.

Once you get to the transportation center, you could either uber from there to a Disney resort or
otherwise you would have to go through Disney Security to take the monorail/ferry to Magic Kingdom to catch a resort bus at the MK resort bus stop. (*If you are staying at Polynesian, you could just walk on the outside sidewalk to Poly and avoid security).

Actually though you could also get off at Disney Spring (which is closer to the airport) and then take the resort bus from Disney Springs to your resort.

All great info.

I usually travel solo so this might work. But you're missing one thing; What do you do with your luggage?

 

[Lewisc]

All great info.

I usually travel solo so this might work. But you're missing one thing; What do you do with your luggage?

Really only works if your luggage is limited to a personal item or a small to medium sized back pack. Something that, if necessary can fit on your lap. Think a Spirit or Frontier pax who elects not to pay for a bin bag or a checked bag.

Sounds like you could be looking at 3+ hours to your resort...vs 30-45 minutes with Uber or a car service.

This is more of a theoretical discussion. Really not practical for the vast majority of guests.

 

[kanerf]

There are some luggage delivery services out there. Don't know of they delivery to Disney resorts though. If you could ship your main luggage and just have carry-on for the flight and subsequent bus rides it might work. Have to go to Disney Springs though, not the TTE.

 

[whiporee]

It's still seven months before DME ends.

I'd still bet on them reversing direction and keeping it. In the midst of COVID it seemed like a terrible thing, to keep people all huddled together on busses. By the end of the summer, my guess it will be back to being commonplace.

Once things are back to normal -- which appears to be happening fast -- WDW is going to want to keep resort guests in the bubble. DME is a key component to that strategy, and unless they've already had all the busses repurposed, I think it will return. It's too good a perk for them to abandon to Mears.

(I used to drive for Mears when I got out of college. Anything that takes money from them is a good thing, IMO)

 

[Lewisc]

DME is no longer keeping the bubble. Delivery services like Prime Now and Instacart makes it easy for guests to purchase outside snack items. Ride share like Uber makes it easy for disloyal guests to do bad things like eat offsite.