Magical Express Rumor??

[KMLOVESWDW]

Just got done booking Sept trip & was told by the CM on the phone that ME would only be free til the end of this year. Don't know if this is true or not, but thought I'd share the gossip!

 

[ADP]

Wow! That's interesting. I guess the days of the ME cost being incorporated into other Disney costs could be over.

 

[Maybelle]

We went on our first trip to WDW when Magical Express was brand new two years ago. I remember the travel agent telling us at the time that Disney was doing this for free "for now." I guess I always figured they'd charge for it at some point. I don't think it's a good move on their part though. I know for us having ME does halp make the trip just that much more affordable.

 

[jctwizzer]

I seem to recall the same rumor going around about this time last year...IMHO, just a bun ch of wild guesses
If I had a nickel for every false rumor we've heard from CM's, we'd be up to a dozen or so nickels by now!!!!!

 

[CleveRocks]

Just got done booking Sept trip & was told by the CM on the phone that ME would only be free til the end of this year. Don't know if this is true or not, but thought I'd share the gossip!

I wouldn't believe it for half a second. Since you said you were on the phone booking your trip, it sounds like you were on the phone with the Disney Reservations Center. As a group, they know unfortunately little about DME. We often hear reports of them giving incorrect DME info (such as wrongly telling people that if they aren't flying in on a "participating airline" that they have to get their own luggage from baggage claim). The reservations CMs would actually be the LAST people management would tell, since they are just about the ONLY people that could let a rumor slip out, since they interact with guests every minute of their workdays.

Besides ...

If this were true, then people booking room-only resevations for after the New Year would already be told of a DME charge on their account. DIsney doesn't surprise people with additional fees after-the-fact.

Disney makes SO MUCH MONEY off of DME, and they are not foolish enough to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. They know very well that if they started charging $20 per person for it, that many many families of four would hire a car service for an extra $20 than pay $80 for DME.

Charging for DME would be a bigger blunder than New Coke back in the 1980s.

 

[seashoreCM]

Too early to say.

It is perfectly possible to have the modification go into effect with bookings made after a certain date and for after a certain date.

It is perfectly possible to have a maximum charge for Magical Express per room, for example $10. per person and no more than $30. per room. This would prevent most defections.

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

 

[mika911]

I think Disney should keep it free because you know it's making them more money by keeping you at Disney.

I've decided not to use it. I think the freedom will be nice. I can see many situations where it would be convenient, but yeah Disney has obviously done ME to benefit themselves.

 

[Goobergal99]

It was announced last year in the Orlando Sentinel that Magical Express would remain free until 2011

 

[Edd]

If you believe in all those rumors why don't you go online and start booking a vacation for after January, 2008. I am sure you will get the price if Disney is truly going to charge for the DME. They aren't that stupid. To charge for the DME will hurt the service.

 

[seashoreCM]

It was announced last year in the Orlando Sentinel that Magical Express would remain free until 2011

All the articles I saw (via the internet) only said that Magical Express would remain there until 2011 at least.

 

[Edd]

I never saw any article that said it would be free until 2011. The contract with the airport was extended until 2011, but the airport doesn't have anything to do with what Disney would charge, whether it be free or cost.

 

[swilphil]

If you believe in all those rumors why don't you go online and start booking a vacation for after January, 2008. I am sure you will get the price if Disney is truly going to charge for the DME. They aren't that stupid. To charge for the DME will hurt the service.

You can't book for 2008 yet. You can reserve a room at current prices (in some cases), but they tell you there will be a cost increase.

 

[cigar95]

I never saw any article that said it would be free until 2011. The contract with the airport was extended until 2011, but the airport doesn't have anything to do with what Disney would charge, whether it be free or cost.

I had read a couple articles that including wording like "The contract for the free service has been extended until 2011." At first that made it sound as if the service would remain free through 2011, but reading more closely it's ambiguous. That wording could just as well mean "The contract for service, which is presently free, has been extended until 2011."

Adding a nominal charge at some point would not at all be a surprise. (In my case, I always rent a car, so it won't help me one way or another.)

 

[huge mickey fan]

Disney makes SO MUCH MONEY off of DME, and they are not foolish enough to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. They know very well that if they started charging $20 per person for it, that many many families of four would hire a car service for an extra $20 than pay $80 for DME.

Charging for DME would be a bigger blunder than New Coke back in the 1980s.[/QUOTE

If Disney starts charging for this service I would likely call a town car or something. I have only done it once and it took about 4 hours to receive our luggage and about 1 1/2 to get to the resort. I enjoyed not going through baggage claim and kept telling myself it was free. However I would be willing to get my own luggage if I found a cheap way to get to the resort faster.

 

[CarolA]

CRO is NOT a reliable souce of rumors.

GO read the Codes board on here. On a daily basis almost you get CRO telling callers all kinds of things 99.9% of which turn out to be false. (Discount will b released at 7 AM tomorrow so 100 DIS members call at 7 am NO DISCOUNT. THere will be NO AP Discounts this summer, next day discounts are released)

Disney knows these folks can't keep thier mouths shut and doesn't tell them anything important!

 

[bradk]

I had read a couple articles that including wording like "The contract for the free service has been extended until 2011." At first that made it sound as if the service would remain free through 2011, but reading more closely it's ambiguous. That wording could just as well mean "The contract for service, which is presently free, has been extended until 2011."

more accurately, it just sounds like poetic media license. the editor should have replaced the missing '[currently]' before the 'free.'

i don't think OIA has any real input into what, if anything, disney charges. the reality is one key aspect Disney had to prove to OIA was that it was making them enough money to justify letting them stay. all that was negotiated was the time the DME program is allowed to stay there (and it may very well extend past 2011, it's just a 5 year term that was agreed to) and the rates disney pays OIA per passenger.

disney could turn around and start charging tomorrow. and there might be a strong possibility that they do, but i wouldn't think it would end up more than $10 one way. they'd only lose by charging much more given competing services. personally, i'd gladly spend $20 for DME. i sure as heck would rather spend $20 for it than $90-$120 for a car service, but that's me.

not to mention, the transportation isn't disney's livelihood. just like universal started giving away free length of stay car rentals for their guests staying on site, disney's incentive is to get guests to disney property (and not have that car freedom needless to say) because that's where their revenue comes from. if they have to charge each guest $.10 more for a turkey leg to compensate for DME costs, they make out even better if they just charged $1 for the service.

 

[CAJUNBLAZE]

If I were Disney Exec.

Optoin 1: Charge for DME.....make more money!!!!!!!
Customers start renting cars--stop at Walmart for supplies
--maybe go to Universal or Seaworld
--Go offsite to eat
--NO LONGER A CAPTURED CUSTOMER!




Optoin 2: Dont charge for DME.....Get MY customers to MY resort to BUY MY items for more and faster???

I would think this is a no brainer!!
Aren't they going up on the hotels rates?!