Magical Express to end in 2022

[Alicefan]

Same here. Just not having the hassle of putting them in and out of a car seat to travel anywhere made it seem like a vacation. It honestly was one of the factors that made us catch the “Disney bug”- a family vacation that wasn’t more work than being at home! Trying to coordinate rides that would fit 2 car seats, us, and all our luggage would have been such a hassle, maybe we wouldn’t have been “bit.”

Yeah, can you imagine all of that hassle and it being your first Disney visit? I'm just about astonished at this one. I mean even a lot of major hotels have basic shuttle services from the airports in major cities. For as much as you pay to stay on property at a so called "resort" and they can't even make sure you can safely get there? They have lost their minds! You need to get "bit" by the cruise bug like me! lol And I don't mean paying 3 times the price because Disney stuck their name on the side of a boat. I don't think I'll ever be that sucker.

 

[JoeA]

I got a canned response telling me all about the flexibility this is giving me

I think they meant to say you'll need the flexibility to reach for a credit card now!

 

[Alicefan]

We skipped 2020, not because of Covid, we already had other plans (that fell through because of Covid), but all the things disney has cut and increase on price, it actually made us look elsewhere for vacation. We've never really done that before. We take a vacation every year, and when we talk about where we are going, its really, which disney hotel do we want to stay at.

We are going this year, its our last trip before our kids are "disney adults", so if we wanted to go again in the next few years, this was the year.

Next year we're looking at some national parks.

Disney has opened our eyes that there really are other places to go. For us, it costs about the same for us to fly somewhere and do a week long vacation, as it does for us to drive to disney and do a weeklong vacation. It's time to see some other things.

You will NOT be sorry you made this decision. I was exactly like you. You couldn't even interest me in going to a state that didn't have a Disney park. Funny how disillusioned you can get when your regular twice a year get away gets so expensive that it's just not worth it anymore. I mean, it's fun but it ain't THAT fun. I had to retrain my brain to enjoy putting my feet up on vacations. Unheard of! lol Nothing like a cute cabin in the mountains of Gatlinburg, private with your own hot tub inside and out! Wandering around little shops and sampling moonshine all for under $500 for 4 nights! Sign me up! That's how I spent Christmas and I plan on doing it again this year.

 

[Alicefan]

HA HA HA HA!!!

Maybe if there are enough "me's" to make a dent. This is the entire problem.

 

[Alicefan]

Disney gave the marketplace a 1 year head start on creating alternatives. Disney is creating a giant vacuum in the transportation marketplace that will have a huge demand. Someone will make money offering solutions to family transport to and from the airport.

Assuming Disney is out of that game.

The stroller rental industry is huge down there to the point they DELIVER THEM TO YOUR HOTEL. I think there will be options to get in a car with well installed car seats or smaller buses readily available for the 100000000000s of people going to and from Disney to MCO. It'll be relatively inexpensive because there will be competition.

I don't know...I've looked at booking trips before all of this with the intent to fly and rent a car and a LOT of times I get a pop up that says MCO "has no available cars on those specific dates". Seriously, none?

 

[skeeter31]

Yeah, can you imagine all of that hassle and it being your first Disney visit? I'm just about astonished at this one. I mean even a lot of major hotels have basic shuttle services from the airports in major cities. For as much as you pay to stay on property at a so called "resort" and they can't even make sure you can safely get there? They have lost their minds! You need to get "bit" by the cruise bug like me! lol And I don't mean paying 3 times the price because Disney stuck their name on the side of a boat. I don't think I'll ever be that sucker.

A lot of people make the claim that “a lot of major hotels have basic shuttle services” but neglect to include that those hotels are only shuttling a few dozen people a day (or maybe 100-200). WDW is shuttling thousands or tens of thousands a day, and we’re paying a contract to reflect that. With the lack of park income since March, they couldn’t keep that contract going now that it was up for renewal.

 

[rteetz]

A lot of people make the claim that “a lot of major hotels have basic shuttle services” but neglect to include that those hotels are only shuttling a few dozen people a day (or maybe 100-200). WDW is shuttling thousands or tens of thousands a day, and we’re paying a contract to reflect that. With the lack of park income since March, they couldn’t keep that contract going now that it was up for renewal.

Well they certainly could have but didn’t want too.

 

[Alicefan]

A lot of people make the claim that “a lot of major hotels have basic shuttle services” but neglect to include that those hotels are only shuttling a few dozen people a day (or maybe 100-200). WDW is shuttling thousands or tens of thousands a day, and we’re paying a contract to reflect that. With the lack of park income since March, they couldn’t keep that contract going now that it was up for renewal.

I don't see how they can afford not to.

 

[RamblingMad]

I don't see how they can afford not to.

Are you going to stop going to WDW because of this change?

 

[middlechild]

A few pages back was an observation on how empty the bus was during their visit. While we think they transport millions, could the real number be more like hundreds in the recent past?

 

[Eric Smith]

I don't see how they can afford not to.

I don't think it will hurt Disney that much in the end. With hotel occupancy super low and WDW taking a beating financially anyways, it could have been incredibly expensive to keep the service running.

 

[Eric Smith]

A few pages back was an observation on how empty the bus was during their visit. While we think they transport millions, could the real number be more like hundreds in the recent past?

I saw a couple TAs mention elsewhere that ridership on DME had been declining steadily even before COVID. With all of the horror stories I've seen over the past few years about being stuck waiting for buses and stopping at multiple resorts, it's certainly possible that a significant number of people had just decided to use a different means to get to property.

 

[middlechild]

Reminds me of what appears to be a corporate strategy unfortunately. Change a service such that no one uses it, then cancel it due to "low demand". As opposed to rolling back the changes that caused it to suffer initially.

 

[AaronB]

I saw a couple TAs mention elsewhere that ridership on DME had been declining steadily even before COVID. With all of the horror stories I've seen over the past few years about being stuck waiting for buses and stopping at multiple resorts, it's certainly possible that a significant number of people had just decided to use a different means to get to property.

I know Disney would never release it, but it would be interesting to see the % of people who used it.

Of all the trips I have taken over the last few years, the buses I was on were never more than a 1/3 full (and they stop at multiple resorts); plenty of times I would be the only person getting on or off at my resort. That is a completely un-scientific observation, but it certainly seemed like it was not being heavily utilized.

 

[hereforthechurros]

Out of curiosity, has anyone who emailed Disney to highlight your concerns recieved anything beyond what looks to be a canned generic response?

The response I received was most likely still canned but a bit different that I’ve seen posted so far:

Kelly Zupan (Disney) Jan 19, 2021, 1:00 PM EST Dear XXXXXXX, Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort. I want to thank you for being such a dedicated fan of the Walt Disney World Resort. It is obvious that you care deeply about the Disney brand and how our changes may affect your family's visit. As you know, we strive to provide magical and unique experiences for all of our Guests and maintain our exceptional service throughout the years by evaluating and refining our offerings with new ideas every day. This philosophy is in keeping with Walt Disney’s vision for continuing to grow and evolve with providing similar and also new experiences with each and every visit. I am truly sorry to hear about your disappointment with the suspension of our Disney's Magical Express service. We pride ourselves on continuously maintaining our company's reputation for providing outstanding Guest service, and we are continually evaluating the different aspects of our operation to make it magical for everyone. In keeping these expectations and goals in mind, we know that Guests have far more options to choose from compared to when Disney’s Magical Express service was introduced more than 15 years ago. These options are becoming more popular for vacationers, providing more flexibility and saving time so they can better plan their day at their convenience. We sincerely appreciate your honest feedback, as we rely on our loyal Guests to help us determine when these changes should remain in effect or when we should implement something different. As we continue to evolve, we always keep in mind what is best for all of our Guests to create a seamless and magical experience throughout their visits. Please know, I have personally shared your correspondence with the appropriate Leadership teams for further internal review so we can continue to provide the magic for all of our future Guests. XXXXXXX, we hope to continue entertaining your family for years to come. Kindest regards, Kelly Zupan Guest Experience Services Walt Disney World Resort

 

[hereforthechurros]

Are you going to stop going to WDW because of this change?

Speaking for myself, I believe so. Not 100%, but our 4-5 trips a year may go down to once a year. Not to punish Disney but because the convenience factor is what kept us coming back.

 

[AvidDisReader]

Well they certainly could have but didn’t want too.

I have been reading this tread and thinking about this alot. I cannot help but think this whole cancel thing is going to end up being a negotiating tool for a new contract with Mears. While it is going to be awhile for attendance to come back, there should be an uptick by end of summer, along with an uptick to resort stays. Is Disney really going to go away from trying to keep guests in the Bubble? That would go against their whole philosophy. I really do not think most families of 4 or more will be up for Uber or some other ride share. This is just me thinking on this post, I am no way predicting DME will come back, but it would not surprise me.

 

[jpeterson]

The response I received was most likely still canned but a bit different that I’ve seen posted so far:

Kelly Zupan (Disney) Jan 19, 2021, 1:00 PM EST Dear XXXXXXX, Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort. I want to thank you for being such a dedicated fan of the Walt Disney World Resort. It is obvious that you care deeply about the Disney brand and how our changes may affect your family's visit. As you know, we strive to provide magical and unique experiences for all of our Guests and maintain our exceptional service throughout the years by evaluating and refining our offerings with new ideas every day. This philosophy is in keeping with Walt Disney’s vision for continuing to grow and evolve with providing similar and also new experiences with each and every visit. I am truly sorry to hear about your disappointment with the suspension of our Disney's Magical Express service. We pride ourselves on continuously maintaining our company's reputation for providing outstanding Guest service, and we are continually evaluating the different aspects of our operation to make it magical for everyone. In keeping these expectations and goals in mind, we know that Guests have far more options to choose from compared to when Disney’s Magical Express service was introduced more than 15 years ago. These options are becoming more popular for vacationers, providing more flexibility and saving time so they can better plan their day at their convenience. We sincerely appreciate your honest feedback, as we rely on our loyal Guests to help us determine when these changes should remain in effect or when we should implement something different. As we continue to evolve, we always keep in mind what is best for all of our Guests to create a seamless and magical experience throughout their visits. Please know, I have personally shared your correspondence with the appropriate Leadership teams for further internal review so we can continue to provide the magic for all of our future Guests. XXXXXXX, we hope to continue entertaining your family for years to come. Kindest regards, Kelly Zupan Guest Experience Services Walt Disney World Resort

This was mine, it is worded different but includes all the same talking points It's like watching politicians on the Sunday morning shows. Somehow all their opinions line up with each other...:

Joy Payne (Disney) Jan 15, 2021, 12:34 PM EST Dear jpeterson, Thank you for contacting us. I would first like to thank you and your family for choosing to vacation with us. It may be different from the last time you visited. But together, we can find new ways to create magical moments—and memories to treasure. I truly appreciate the time you took to send in your feedback regarding the announcement of the removal of Disney's Magical Express Service. As Walt Disney World continues to plan for the future, we will be evolving parts of our experience for Disney Resort hotel stays. A one-size-fits-all approach to airport transportation no longer meets the needs of our Guests today. Guests have far more options to choose from compared to when Disney’s Magical Express service was introduced more than fifteen years ago. These options are becoming more popular for vacationers, providing more flexibility and saving time so they can better plan their day at their convenience. As with every other change we’ve made in our history, we will help Guests navigate through these next steps and will continue to deliver on what’s expected from a Disney experience. Disney's Magical Express Service for Resort arrivals through the end of 2021 will be honored. We truly believe that by listening to our Members, we will know what we’re doing right and—most importantly—what we should continue to improve upon. Joshua, thank you for your honest and constructive feedback. Best Regards, Joy Payne Guest Experience Services Walt Disney World Resort

 

[hereforthechurros]

I don't think it will hurt Disney that much in the end. With hotel occupancy super low and WDW taking a beating financially anyways, it could have been incredibly expensive to keep the service running.

Well they have to through 2021. By 2022 most of the population should be vaccinated and able to travel. They could be doing more to fill the resorts. They aren’t. Heck half of the resorts aren’t even open, of course demand for DME is low.

 

[Eric Smith]

Well they have to through 2021. By 2022 most of the population should be vaccinated and able to travel. They could be doing more to fill the resorts. They aren’t. Heck half of the resorts aren’t even open, of course demand for DME is low.

Travel isn't going to magically bounce back in 2022. It'll be a slow climb back and the pandemic may alter how a lot of people travel for the rest of their lives. People will also be dealing with economic issues after the pandemic is long gone. It's not going to be like flipping a switch back to what it was in 2019.