Magical Express to end in 2022

[rteetz]

https://blogmickey.com/2021/01/disneys-magical-express-service-ending-in-2022/

 

[Krandor]

Thst is surprising to me. Helpful to keep people in the bubble

 

[sachilles]

The train wouldn't be online by then. Curious if there will be a pay per service, somewhere in the neighborhood of a bigger minnie van.

 

[Wiltony]

Lol WHAT? This seems absurd to me. What's next, elimination of the WDW bus transportation system altogether? They can also justify that one "as consumer needs and preferences change...."

Yeah, my need of getting from the airport to my resort hasn't changed.

 

[davper]

Seems unlikely. I can see it no longer being free or as convenient. But going away completely, not happening.

 

[rteetz]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1348676113036439559

 

[MrsBooch]

I'm hesitating to bite on this one -
One Disney "spokesperson" just said something to someone.

This feels like it should have been an announcement from Disney no?

If this is true - this is shocking and actually will be extremely annoying. I don't care about getting my own luggage, we do that anyway, but one of the best parts of a WDW vacation is taking a vacation from driving.

This is a massive bummer if true.

 

[davper]

I have never used this service myself. But before Covid, were the buses empty?

 

[Zurezo]

Lol WHAT? This seems absurd to me. What's next, elimination of the WDW bus transportation system altogether? They can also justify that one "as consumer needs and preferences change...."

Yeah, my need of getting from the airport to my resort hasn't changed.

" Yeah, my need of getting from the airport to my resort hasn't changed." That made me laugh! haha

Not sure what the "plan" is here, but maybe I am giving them too much credit for having a plan.

 

[rstevens333]

I could see fewer people using it now, but you have to imagine it would be the opposite in post-vaccine 2022. Very strange.

 

[Transvection]

This is a big change if true. It will add stress and complications to a lot of vacations.

 

[dledger]

This is a huge bummer if true. Part of why we love Disney is that we HATE driving, especially in unfamiliar places. The magical express, along with other Disney transposition was a HUGE factor in our decision to visit regularly. Genuinely interested in what their contingency plan would be, if there is one.

 

[Ydnameht]

I am a person who HATES driving. I love that I can go to WDW and getting to and from property is easy and getting around property is easy and I never need to get in a car to do it!

This seems like a really terrible idea.

 

[sullivan.kscott]

If this is true, and I know the site is reputable as a source, it could very well be the straw that breaks a lot of people to offsite. Apart from the headache of MK, the cost of rideshare is way cheaper than rental cars and parking for a stay offsite.

 

[FredPinsocket]

Disney is really perfecting the art of getting guests to pay more while offering less.

I get that budgets need to be cut due to COVID, but this one is a gut punch to many. Disney is already crazy expensive. This adds another expense to many visitors.

 

[MrsBooch]

Ok i saw Scott's tweet about how it's going to be on the Disney Parks blog later -

wow.

In a post vaccine world - people will be traveling. A lot. Maybe more than before at first.

I can see the switch to not doing luggage transfers to and from the airport but my gosh - now imagine the amount of people clamoring to get rideshares or transport services all at the same time. I can't even begin to wrap my head around how much they'll charge now that there is no other option.

 

[Doug S]

Off property hotels doing backflips at the moment. No DME or EMH? Goodbye biggest selling points to spend the extra to stay with Disney.

Everyone living in Orlando is going to be an Lyft or Uber driver come January 1, 2022.

 

[Wiltony]

They really need to do a better job at anticipating the response from these kinds of announcements so people don’t feel so abandoned. Put out a press release, guide, Q&A, etc. so people who relied on this know what they’re supposed to do in the future. Will the train be open? Do I just have to pay now? Am I supposed to take a taxi/Uber/Lyft? What is their expectation?

Instead, implication from Disney is, “don’t know, don’t care” when they provide no additional information after releasing a statement like this.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Really hoping this is Disney being Disney and there is a better plan in the future. One of the things that makes a WDW trip worth all the added expense is the ability to check in @ ME and start your vacation right then and there. I would pay for that - but not if it exceeds the cost of a rental car. It's supposed to be a perk of staying on property though. No ME (future), no FP (for now), you'd have a car anyway - what is the point of paying all that extra to stay on property?

 

[MrsBooch]

Everyone living in Orlando is going to be an Lyft or Uber driver come January 1, 2022.

this.

and all of a sudden it will cost $500 round trip for airport transfers.