Magical Express to end in 2022

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I don’t understand why they have opened up so many resorts if they’re all ghost towns as you say?
Most of the resorts that are opened are the DVC side of properties that have to be opened. A good majority of the resort sides of DVC properties remain closed or are opening later this year. PO and the All Stars being closed are massive properties. The resorts that are open are most likely the resorts that will be open for 2021. I can’t see them opening anymore than what are announced.
 
2 of the 3 All Stars are closed, both Port Orleans resorts are closed, the Poly is closed, they are allegedly renovating the main tower at the contemporary this summer. We are talking half a dozen resorts here.
Not to mention Boardwalk, WL, Beach Club are all closed still as well.
 
There needs to be some way to discourage parking at the resorts though. Those parking lots aren't big enough for every guest to park a car.

I was just thinking the same thing. They can't make the parking lots bigger, for the most part. Where are all these cars going to go?
 


I was just thinking the same thing. They can't make the parking lots bigger, for the most part. Where are all these cars going to go?
They were fine pre-2005 and will still be fine after this. People will just use Uber or another bus service. I don’t foresee a large increase on amount of cars on property.
 


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.
I'm with you! Renting a car and the parking fee for a solo traveler makes staying on site considerably more expensive. I have been looking at off-site hotels and other option for a couple of years now, but always choose to stay in the bubble.
 
Oh I didn't realize that. Major bummer there. So I guess this change will affect us even if we go this year like planned anyway. Unless it comes back for a final run before DME goes away.
To be fair, carrying our bags to/from the airport wasn't the headache I expected it to be Thanksgiving week. Granted, DS x2 are 12 & 10, and can help. Plus, we aren't heavy packers. Two checked bags and a couple carry-ons for the week, plus an airplane backpack each for snacks and electronics.
 
Exactly. For us, if we flew, the whole point of staying on site was so we didn't have to go through the hassle of booking transportation - be that renting a car, arranging shuttles etc... And it truly did just feel like part of the "bubble".

We are the same. we live a long way away from Florida and always fly into MCO. The arrival at the Magical Bus area was just that, magical. It felt like we were really appreciated for staying onsite at disney. The ease of this was great for us. No renting a car, trying to find our way around, parking ourselves, etc.
They might say that there are lots of other options for us, but what it really means is this: We are saving even more money and it's something we wanted to do for a while so might as well use Covid for an excuse.
More of the disney bubble is being chipped away, IMO. I doubt if we ever stay onsite again. There is too much else to see and do in Florida!
 
To be fair, carrying our bags to/from the airport wasn't the headache I expected it to be Thanksgiving week. Granted, DS x2 are 12 & 10, and can help. Plus, we aren't heavy packers. Two checked bags and a couple carry-ons for the week, plus an airplane backpack each for snacks and electronics.

That's good to know. For our planned trip this year, even if they have DME still, if I have to get my bags myself and pick them up myself, I may take Uber anyway. The baggage part was the only part that really appealed to us anyway. I don’t mind paying extra for a trip as Uber is 1,00 times more convenient than DME.
 
I’m going to miss the luggage service the most. I loved not having to get our luggage at the airport and also being able to check it at the resort. I know neither is going on now, but I was hoping it would return.
 
One sad thing about this is environmental impact: Running consolidated ME Bus service was the lowest impact option available. Sending people to rental cars, rideshares, and Mears Vans in small groups will seriously increase the carbon footprint.

Almost certainly this is a contract decision to severe from Mears. One side or the other does not want to continue. It's an instant price increase, too. Disney won't reduce prices... instead they instantly keep all the money they were spending on ME and make visitors spend it on their own. So it's an extra $100 per family... not a lot in the big picture but it's a big addition of complexity to manage that booking separately and a lost bit of Disney Magic.
 
I was just thinking the same thing. They can't make the parking lots bigger, for the most part. Where are all these cars going to go?
I really don't think this change will drive a lot of people to rental cars, it just doesn't make sense to rent a car to sit at the resort and pay for the parking fee to do so. A lot of people who used DME will likely now move to using other paid services or taxis or Uber/Lyft.
 
“We will continue to operate the service for new and existing reservations made at Disney Resort hotels for arrivals throughout 2021”

That is going to be interesting.

My current plan is to activate my previously purchased AP in November and use it throughout 2022. So I'll book my three 2022 trips this year. It seems I'll still be able to use DME even in Nov of '22.
 
“We will continue to operate the service for new and existing reservations made at Disney Resort hotels for arrivals throughout 2021”

That is going to be interesting.

My current plan is to activate my previously purchased AP in November and use it throughout 2022. So I'll book my three 2022 trips this year. It seems I'll still be able to use DME even in Nov of '22.
I don't think that's what it was saying. I take it to mean that the last day DME operates will be New Year's Eve of 2021. That'll be interesting for people that have reservations that straddle the New Year.
 
The service was through Mears. Disney was paying that contact. The airport bills Mears. What was the cost increase to them and what was being passed to Disney? Also the bags service was another company that went out of business (Covid related?) now given Mears is handling more bags, are they pressing for an increase on the contract to pinch Disney, who is just walking away and leaving them out threes?
I’ve seen this out there on the internet so just want to clarify: BAGS, Inc. (the company that provided luggage delivery and resort airline check in) has not gone out of business. They’re still servicing a number of major Orlando hotels and have even expanded service since the pandemic. While I’m sure they’re hurting like everyone in Orlando, the removal of luggage delivery from DME seems like it was Disney’s decision (and now Mears has confirmed that today’s news was also Disney’s decision).
And will Mears come to the rescue and provide the service. Almost seems to easy for them to continue and you book directly through them but wonder at what cost?
Since Disney contracts Mears to operate DME as a third party, I have to wonder if Mears will take a (reduced) fleet of the DME busses (which they own), rebrand them as some non-Disney name (like just Magical Express or Magical Shuttle or something) and pay Disney to be the “official” airport shuttle provider for WDW. Much like they do for Alamo rental cars, Walt Disney Travel could even sell this as part of their packages. This way, Disney goes from paying Mears to Mears paying Disney.
 
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