Magical Express to end in 2022

[BrianL]

There’s a lot of “what have you done for me lately” around here. 3 new lands since 2017 and 3 new rides coming, but it’s never enough.

Right. I can totally understand lamenting the things that they have cut, but you also have to give them credit for the things they have added. There's a bit of both - how that balances out will vary from person to person of course, but let's not be disingenuous about it.

 

[ford91exploder]

There are contracts in play so shutting down immediately isn't likely an option. However by 22 things should be returning to normal and cutting it then does show it isn't a pandemic thing.

Contracts generally have a ‘force majeure’ clause the pandemic and subsequent shutdowns would be considered a force majeure event. Yes payments would need to be made etc. but the very fact that it’s happening a year from now instead of last April tells me that this is to curry favor with wall st rather than a response to the pandemic

 

[ford91exploder]

As far as Voting with your money? We are. We are not going back to WDW, at all. We have had many good years of visiting and enjoyed all the free perks and also the feeling that disney actually cared about customer experiences. Now, IMO, those feelings have been eroded and the "bubble " has burst for us.
It feels kind of freeing, and I can't wait to go elsewhere, when things open up.
I used to get upset at all the changes and comment on them, BUT I never quit going to disney before. Our grown kids are not going anymore either due to these changes, and also because my son has teenage boys who love Universal more and don't care about disney anymore. So they are losing an entire family, but I guess they will just replace all of us.
This is just one more thing on top of alot of other "things" that finally made us realize that this is it. We used to go once or twice a year and flying from far away,too. It was our happy place with lots of good memories.
That time has passed with all the changes, so YES, we are voting with our money, and will spend it elsewhere.
I never thought I would be saying this.

it was a sad day for us as well because for me and DW it was our happy place. We never left Disney Disney left Us.

 

[ford91exploder]

Disney management doesn't hate the parks. That notion is silly. They've put tons of money in to the parks over the last decade.

Pre iger Disney used to reinvest about 20% of revenue into the parks, Universal still Does, Iger was crowing to wall st about how they had been able to cut parks reinvestment to 8%. A statement like that doesnt speak to love or affection towards the parks business.

while Disney has spent money its been just enough to keep the money tap flowing because unlike Disneys other businesses the parks generate massive and consistent cash flows.

 

[DVCSunDevil]

That maybe partially part of the reason. We all know its mainly due to cost cutting. It's all they are good at anymore. I look at what Universal is doing with opening a new attraction soon as well as doing Mardi Gras. Yet Disney keeps cutting.

Yes, how dare Disney try to cut costs during COVID. Lol. It's funny how that article didn't mention that the cost of DME was pushed to the guests via transportation and resort fees. Here is a few things to consider:
- COVID has crushed Disney. They are forced to make some tough decisions to scale back so they can keep things going
- Mears has laid off thousands of people and furloughed 84% of their other employees. They are struggling.
- The contract with Mears expires at the same time as the DME being discontinued. Does anyone here think Mears wasn't asking for more $$ in the next contract?

IMO, I understand decisions like these. Disney die hards want Disney to keep doing everything they were pre-COVID, regardless of the current financial climate. They would prefer that Disney go into bankruptcy rather than eliminate some of the perks. As others on here have said, Disney has added things in recent years too. It's an ebb and flow.

 

[Jrb1979]

Yes, how dare Disney try to cut costs during COVID. Lol. It's funny how that article didn't mention that the cost of DME was pushed to the guests via transportation and resort fees. Here is a few things to consider:
- COVID has crushed Disney. They are forced to make some tough decisions to scale back so they can keep things going
- Mears has laid off thousands of people and furloughed 84% of their other employees. They are struggling.
- The contract with Mears expires at the same time as the DME being discontinued. Does anyone here think Mears wasn't asking for more $$ in the next contract?

IMO, I understand decisions like these. Disney die hards want Disney to keep doing everything they were pre-COVID, regardless of the current financial climate. They would prefer that Disney go into bankruptcy rather than eliminate some of the perks. As others on here have said, Disney has added things in recent years too. It's an ebb and flow.

I disagree. From what many have said a lot of these cuts were in plans before Covid. Maybe not this many people laid off but a lot of this was planned.

I don't expect them to keep doing everything like they were pre-Covid but when other parks are adding things and not cutting as many things it says a lot. It's not just Universal either. Dollywood's Christmas offering was more then what Disney offered. Some Six Flags offerings for Christmas was on par or better then Disney. I understand they need to cut things but it didn't need to be this extreme either.

 

[Eric Smith]

That maybe partially part of the reason. We all know its mainly due to cost cutting. It's all they are good at anymore. I look at what Universal is doing with opening a new attraction soon as well as doing Mardi Gras. Yet Disney keeps cutting.

Disney is opening Ratatouille. It will likely open before Velocicoaster. Disney has also operated a smaller food and wine festival, festival of the holidays and now festival of the arts. You can’t act like Disney isn’t doing anything in the parks.

 

[Waiting2goback]

I see your points. They are valid. I can't even say I completely disagree. The magic is definitely less than it used to be. But it is still magical. I also completely agree with the sports team analogy. But, like sports teams, Disney ebbs and flows. It is a business, like sports teams. Sometimes really good decisions are made and sometimes not so good decisions are made. But I really do believe Disney wants to provide a great experience. They aren't dumb. They know people have alternatives. Competition is everywhere.

The one area where I have a much different outlook, it seems, is in regards to the decisions that have been made because of COVID. You mentioned things like the parades being cancelled and people being "out of jobs" (like the orchestra at GF). Those decisions were made because of COVID. Times are hard right now and I believe those things will return post-COVID. The parks are limited to the number of people that can be in the parks and the entertainment/attractions they can provide. I don't put that on Disney. However, when COVID is in the rearview mirror I fully expect those things to return.

P.S. - As a side note, my wife and I moved to upstate NY from Boston back in 2003. We are die hard Sox fans (and Pats fans). Go Sox!!

the night time parade at WDW was cancelled on 2016 when Shanghai opened as a result of those budget overages. The day time parade was cancelled because of Covid, which I totally support. I support now having fireworks during Covid. I get having to make cuts because of Covid. But, given Chapek’s history of cutting corners and raising prices it feels like a convenient excuse. They could have EASILY said they are just temporarily suspending some of these things until things return to normal. They announced them as closures so it feels different.

 

[Farro]

Never mind. I'm disengaging.

 

[WiredForFlight]

I have to stay with the end of Magical Express it will make me think of staying at Swan and Dolphin more than ever. Lower cost, still walking access to HS and Epcot, they offer a bus option to MK/AK, earn points. not much of a loss really if I have to pay for transport to and from WDW and don't have my bags shipped to the hotel.

 

[IDislikePulp]

I've only skimmed this thread so apologies if the joke (kinda...) has already been made, BUT... how long until Disney airline and on property airport?

 

[hertamaniac]

Thanks pal.

I don’t know why but this image just reminded me that I’m pretty sure my kids have a toy DME bus that came with a little Disney transportation toy set. Gotta go find it and put it somewhere safe so I can rediscover it in 10 years and sulk . Sorry kids, mine now!

Had to take the picture on my t.v. Levity is a great stress reliever.

 

[hertamaniac]

I have to stay with the end of Magical Express it will make me think of staying at Swan and Dolphin more than ever. Lower cost, still walking access to HS and Epcot, they offer a bus option to MK/AK, earn points. not much of a loss really if I have to pay for transport to and from WDW and don't have my bags shipped to the hotel.

I've only visited the SW and D, but never considered it a resort to stay at (and I'm not sure why). To me, it looks dated and too gregarious of a resort. But, it does hold an appeal for value/proximity. We've never eaten there, but Il Miluno does look appealing.

 

[ford91exploder]

the night time parade at WDW was cancelled on 2016 when Shanghai opened as a result of those budget overages. The day time parade was cancelled because of Covid, which I totally support. I support now having fireworks during Covid. I get having to make cuts because of Covid. But, given Chapek’s history of cutting corners and raising prices it feels like a convenient excuse. They could have EASILY said they are just temporarily suspending some of these things until things return to normal. They announced them as closures so it feels different.

Precisely, Not having parade and fireworks during covid makes sense and I'm not gonna ding Disney for doing it, But if DME was covid related it would be cut NOW contracts notwithstanding that's what legal teams are for, Not a YEAR from now, The year from now reads like a bog standard Chapek cost cutting move to please the gods of wall st.

 

[ford91exploder]

I disagree. From what many have said a lot of these cuts were in plans before Covid. Maybe not this many people laid off but a lot of this was planned.

I don't expect them to keep doing everything like they were pre-Covid but when other parks are adding things and not cutting as many things it says a lot. It's not just Universal either. Dollywood's Christmas offering was more then what Disney offered. Some Six Flags offerings for Christmas was on par or better then Disney. I understand they need to cut things but it didn't need to be this extreme either.

True - up I-4 the only things cancelled were the concerts but because concert seating is perfect for spreading covid the cancellations were logical

I think the vast layoffs were planned, Chapek just needed an excuse to pull the trigger, Else why layoff seasonal employees they receive no benefits and work only 'as needed' so there was no expense to the company to keep them on. In the time of Covid one would think 'per diem' employees would be useful to have.

 

[Anais]

I am sorry my English is good but not perfect as I am French, but I did mean on both. What I tried to say is I haven't seen a lot of complaints (only a few couples) on disneyworld Facebook page. In my opinion, if one wants to be heard by them, it is one of the best places to tell them what we feel.

 

[Eric Smith]

Precisely, Not having parade and fireworks during covid makes sense and I'm not gonna ding Disney for doing it, But if DME was covid related it would be cut NOW contracts notwithstanding that's what legal teams are for, Not a YEAR from now, The year from now reads like a bog standard Chapek cost cutting move to please the gods of wall st.

If they cut DME now, they’d be pulling the rug out from under all of the guests who have reservations this year.

 

[DVCSunDevil]

If they cut DME now, they’d be pulling the rug out from under all of the guests who have reservations this year.

Bingo. Would you rather Disney give people a heads up so they can plan accordingly? I think it's a situation that Disney had to do. It's unfortunate, but a lot of things are. It really does suck for the families that use it on every trip, but imagine those families that have trips in two weeks. Or trips next week. What if Disney terminated DME effective today? Those families would be scrambling. Instead, Disney gave everyone almost a year to prepare. No matter what Disney did in this situation, they weren't going to win. The people who are already bitter towards Disney would find fault in how Disney handled it.

 

[seashoreCM]

Does Airline check-in at other resorts include them bringing your bags to the airport for you? I've never used it anywhere else either but that's the only thing that really matters.

I think that BAGS Inc. is still offering checking of bags at some other major resorts in the Orlando area. The rate that stood out to me was $15.00 each. There was also skip-the-carousel delivery to resorts starting at $40.00 for one or two bags.

 

[Mome Rath]

The biggest issue I have with the announcement is that there is no replacement announced, even one where they make a killing. It's just "take a rideshare." That doesn't cut it with those of us, for multiple reasons, can't or won't take a rideshare and/or taxi. I can rent a car, sure, but I have zero desire to do so; Disney was the one vacation I could take where I didn't have to drive.