Magical Express to end in 2022

[TiggerBouncy]

They'll hear you out, but then they'll tell you they arent changing their minds. They did that with the parking.

I emailed them, actually got a call back from someone and expressed my frustrations. A lot of people here did that, disney didnt care.

Im hoping if their systems get overloaded with complaints, they’ll think again.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Im hoping if their systems get overloaded with complaints, they’ll think again.

Highly doubt it. I’m sure they were braced for it.

 

[BayouQueen]

The way our family gathers from different parts of the country for a WDW vacation, we really rely on Magical Express to get everyone to our resort safely, at whatever time of day they're able to arrive. I wouldn't feel safe telling my daughter to take an Uber by herself late at night when she arrives after work.
Honestly, this changes all the logistics of how we as a family do a WDW vacation and it makes things much less appealing. If they do away with the complimentary transportation, I hope they still offer it for a fee. The way a Disney vacation is "seamless" is one of the main reasons we pay the big bucks to go there.
This is a very big deal change for us.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Im hoping if their systems get overloaded with complaints, they’ll think again.

I hope so too, but im not optimistic about that.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Disney seems to be in emergency mode for spending...which is not a surprise with Covid raging for another year.

Movies are gonna be horrific revenue again...theme parks as well (I mean, will Disneyland even open in 2021?)...

It seems if an item doesn't "pay for itself", it's gonna be gone this year. By definition, a free transport doesn't pay for itself, so it's gone...I'd put all things of that type on the block as the year goes by, and the odds of Black Widow making $1B in theaters and Disneyland opening by Easter become more and more remote...

 

[kylenne]

Well this will price me out as I often travel solo due to being the only Disney fan among my family/friends, but I can't afford to pay for airport transportation/rent a car for one. So I guess if I don't get there in the next year I won't be going. Just so stupid.

They are making it less and less appealing to make the effort to go to Disney or stay on property. Also did they turn off comments on the article. I can't see a way to comment and there are only 2 comments so far.

I go solo more often than I go with my partner but I legitimately don't understand this reasoning. As a solo traveler rideshare isn't an issue because you don't need to grab an XL, you don't have a big group or car seats to worry about. Regular Lyft rides average about $35-40 from MCO to Pop according to the fare estimate calculator. Don't get me wrong, it sucks losing DME, but I really don't get how $70 extra makes that big of a difference on a trip as expensive as Disney generally is. That just means skipping 2 TS meals when I'm by myself.

 

[Eric Smith]

Highly doubt it. I’m sure they were braced for it.

I agree, I think they anticipated what the reaction would be.

 

[MrsBooch]

There are currently 162 comments on that Disney Parks Blog post announcing this - and narry a one is good.

 

[DaveNan]

On the DVC front.. I'm not a lawyer, but here's the message that is consistent on that side (could always be wrong). The deeds spell out the resorts and define the common areas. The common areas include the parking lots on the deeds. They charge, in members fees, for the maintenance, upkeep, and improvement of these common facilities. (Those I have seen). This final one is "taken on internet truths", but makes sense. Florida law prohibits timeshares for charging for items that are paid for and maintained by the owners. Since the owners (members) paid for the parking lot and pay to maintain the parking lot, and pay for the security guard.... you can't charge them to use the lot they own, maintain, and pay to have administered.

 

[Disney Frenhines]

It is happening. They announced it.

Wait for a paid Disney Express to be announced then. I may contact Disney to express my disappointment, perhaps we should all do so.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

There are currently 162 comments on that Disney Parks Blog post announcing this - and narry a one is good.

They also took a lot of crap in comment sections for things like mandatory masks. Unfortunately I don’t think anger changes much unless reservations actually slow significantly enough for 2022.

 

[fla4fun]

While I do not think it will happen in the short term, the same logic could be used to eliminate the WDW hotel to park busses.

The main reason I can see for keeping the resort to park transportation is alcohol sales. They won’t want people driving drunk (bad PR), or leaving their cars in the park lots overnight and calling a rideshare. Alcohol makes them a lot of money, and they seem to be increasing the number of places to imbibe, not reducing them. If there was a way to walk from all the resorts to all the parks, it wouldn’t matter so much, but that isn’t practical for them either, especially from a security standpoint..

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I agree that people will accept it faster if Disney lets us pay for it. Kind of funny to think about given that if they went straight from “free” to paid without news of the loss of the service people would be more upset I think.

Your second paragraph, I think you’re touching on the don’t like it vote with your wallet crowd? I’m with you. Lots of room between seeing NO value in a WDW vacation anymore and being upset about aspects and changes.

gotta follow the full 7 step process:

1. Disney removes something previously free
2. People grumble
3. Disney announces a new amazing service that largely just replaces the old free one but sounds newer, ffresher, fancier
4. People are excited
5. People realize they are now paying extra for something they were getting for free
6. Disney announces a new cupcake/magic band color/plush collection/etc
7. people forget about why they were mad in the first place

 

[adam.adbe]

Highly doubt it. I’m sure they were braced for it.

Yeah no way they're intending to call up Mears, and tell them, so actually we've had a rethink... That kind of mistake is expensive.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

They also took a lot of crap in comment sections for things like mandatory masks. Unfortunately I don’t think anger changes much unless reservations actually slow significantly enough for 2022.

yeah, to me the only thing that is going to get perks back is after conditions are back to/closer to "normal" and attendance/revenue is still down ... so not likely until mid 2022 at the earliest

 

[DGsAtBLT]

gotta follow the full 7 step process:

1. Disney removes something previously free
2. People grumble
3. Disney announces a new amazing service that largely just replaces the old free one but sounds newer, ffresher, fancier
4. People are excited
5. People realize they are now paying extra for something they were getting for free
6. Disney announces a new cupcake/magic band color/plush collection/etc
7. people forget about why they were mad in the first place

6 is arguably the most important step. They are nothing without a themed cupcake.

 

[MrsBooch]

They also took a lot of crap in comment sections for things like mandatory masks. Unfortunately I don’t think anger changes much unless reservations actually slow significantly enough for 2022.

oh i'm not saying it will DO anything - I'm just remarking on the fact that there are quite a lot of similarly minded people.

 

[BrianL]

yeah, to me the only thing that is going to get perks back is after conditions are back to/closer to "normal" and attendance/revenue is still down ... so not likely until mid 2022 at the earliest

That's the thing - I've been pretty understanding with Disney due to Covid and all, but this isn't something that can easily be suspended and restored like EMH or the dining plan. I think they are being short-sighted on this one becuase demand will return. They need to figure out something here.

 

[adam.adbe]

gotta follow the full 7 step process:

1. Disney removes something previously free
2. People grumble
3. Disney announces a new amazing service that largely just replaces the old free one but sounds newer, ffresher, fancier
4. People are excited
5. People realize they are now paying extra for something they were getting for free
6. Disney announces a new cupcake/magic band color/plush collection/etc
7. people forget about why they were mad in the first place

The danger with them playing that game is that perceptions are often far behind reality. It takes a while for a narrative of "Disney just isn't worth it" to really start to take-hold, especially amongst those people who aren't all that familiar with the parks, and what they should expect. Once it does though, it's going to be a long and hard push for Disney to reverse that message.

 

[Disney Frenhines]

Reading more about it I would say Mears have a big hand in the decision too. Mears have lost a lot of business to Uber, Lyft etc due to their shocking unreliability and poor customer service. Remember when so many people used their shuttle service between Disney and Sea World and Universal, now no one uses them. So Mears will soon announce they will provide coach services between OIA and Disney Resorts, for a fee of course.