ME ending next year?

[mkb3]

For a company bragging about being more eco friendly this seems like a step in the opposite direction.

 

[Cheburashka]

When the luggage transfer and resort airline check-in desks stopped operating, I read a post that a CM said those were permanent changes. I am sure that dropping Mears/DME has been in the works for awhile.

As soon as Disney dropped the luggage perks from DME, I knew we wouldn't be using it anymore. That was the key perk that drew us in. It was so awesome to be able to check in our luggage at our home airport, and then find it waiting in our resort room later that day. That was actually one thing that led me to go to Disney for my very first trip when my son was little. I was a single mom and didn't travel much, and my son was autistic so I knew I'd have my hands full, but DME and the luggage transfer made it sound so easy that I felt confident enough to make the trip. It was seamless.

I'm glad my son is a teenager now and we've already had a lot of Disney trips. We're going one more time over spring break this year, and I've already told him that it's going to be our last trip for the foreseeable future. He's fine with that and so am I. We loved it, but we've had our fill, and on the practical side I feel like I'm getting out just in time. Everything has a peak, and with the continuing trend of cutbacks I think WDW's peak has already passed.

 

[spiders]

I will say that I think the timing is very odd. Obviously I'm not in charge but I don't understand taking away things that gave you reasons to want to stay on property at this time.

Had COVID never happened and the parks were still bursting at the seams then by all means, yes...you can't build fast enough and the way you reduce demand is to increase the price. But I think the parks have a revenue issue right now and at a time when every other travel/hospitality segment is offering their greatest flexibility & offers, Disney seems to be going in the exact opposite direction.

I don't know how everyone else feels but I would be willing to pay a decent amount of money -- at least $20-$25 per person to do DME if that meant it included the luggage transfer. I just don't understand the entire discontinuation of the service.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

Mears’ shared shuttle service to/from MCO ended after December 2020. I wonder if they will bring it back, if demand is there.

My guess is, and this is only a guess, is that if Disney let's Mears bring their busses on property then they'll bring it back. But that's just a guess.

Way back in the day, we took a shared motor coach service, which was operated by Mears. Don’t recall the price. You had to get your own luggage, and they had a number of busses doing different WDW runs.

I'm wanting to say it was only $25 one way, but I was a solo traveler, so maybe that had something to do with it.

 

[Gitelfor]

Another article was just posted with a response from Mears saying that they will continue to operate transportation between MCO and WDW. No details on how that will differ from the non-DME service they previously offered, but sounds like that could be an option during the time before the rail starts running and for those of you not comfortable with ride share.

Though this link may not look normal (DIS glitch), it does work. The Orlando Spectrum News channel has the story. I wonder if WDW would allow Mears to operate a fee-based motor coach service, in place of DME. Of course. Disney would probably get their cut, charging for the privilege.

Currently, Mears operates taxi, car, and limo service to/from MCO. Other vehicles (buses, etc.) quoted out.

https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando...ney-world-to-end-magical-express-bus-service-

 

[Splashboat]

and so it begins, the fees for what had been provided to guests (staying onsite) without charge.....

 

[joelkfla]

I think only the Miami line opens in 2022. WDW line won't be until 2023

And most likely towards the end of 2023.

 

[joelkfla]

To my knowledge, Brightline has said nothing about wanting to carry local passengers between MCO & WDW. All their talk has been about carrying passengers from South FL & eventually Tampa. They may or may not be interested in entering this market.

They have, however, offered to share their right of way with SunRail, the local commuter service (for a price, of course.) So you may find yourself riding a commuter train. There's nothing wrong with SunRail trains, but they're a bit less comfortable and plush than Brightline.

 

[skeeter31]

And most likely towards the end of 2023.

I’d be surprised if it’s even in 2023. Brightline is so slow with their construction and is already behind on the Miami to MCO line. The MCO to WDW line doesn’t even have government approval yet. I think we’re looking more at 2026 or 2027 for the WDW line to be operational, if Brightline is even still in business then.

Plus, those trains aren’t going to be running continuously from the airport to Disney like the monorail from the terminal to the hub at MCO. They’ll run a few a day, it really won’t offer any alternative to DME.

 

[Cheburashka]

I’d be surprised if it’s even in 2023. Brightline is so slow with their construction and is already behind on the Miami to MCO line. The MCO to WDW line doesn’t even have government approval yet. I think we’re looking more at 2026 or 2027 for the WDW line to be operational, if Brightline is even still in business then.

This. Those types of projects always seem to go way overtime.

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

Ugh. So disappointed by this news. My partner and I loved the convenience of getting off the plane and walking directly to the DME to take us to our hotel. That convenience helped us be more than willing just to take a lot of quick disney weekend trips (fly down Friday evening, go home Sunday afternoon). Adding the additional step of dealing with rideshare or car service or rental or whatever is just such a drag and makes it less likely we will take those weekend getaways in the future

 

[Roxas_XIII]

When talking to friends and family members about why Disney is my favorite getaway, I always say the exact same thing: "They take care of eeeeverything! They take you straight to your hotel from the airport, and you don't even have to carry your luggage! It's SoOo GrEaT!"

Seriously, this is one of the biggest draws for overworked, overstressed people who just want to get away and be taken care of for a bit. I hate driving, and I hate renting cars even more. I get that ride-sharing is an option, but it's a hassle, too. Magical Express offered a lot of peace of mind in advance of your trip. No wondering if you and all your friends' luggage will fit in the cab. No wondering if your driver is coming to the right exit, or if they're going to call you and try to con you into canceling the ride before they arrive because they don't feel like taking on the less-profitable long haul.

Vacation used to begin as soon as you handed your bags off at your departure airport. Now I feel like it won't really start until you finally plop down in your room after an hour of unwanted awkward/uncomfortable conversation with a stranger.

:/

 

[charmed59]

There is an entire level on one side of the airport dedicated to this. What is MCO going to do with area now?

I can see how this would save Disney money, not only on the ME, but if a large percentage then go for rental cars they can cut back on the frequency of park buses.

 

[DisneyJade]

How friendly is this: Get off plane, take airport train, get luggage, go back up stairs waiting for slow elevators, take airport train to train station, elevators to platform, wait for train, ride train, arrive WDW train stations and wait for a bus to your hotel, arrive hotel. Move your luggage a half dozen times. Hope you don't need a cart to manage it.

This made me LOL, because I have lived this! On a trip to London, we had to take the underground from the airport and make one train change to our final destination. Well, thanks to some construction, we ended up having to haul our huge suitcases up a steep, narrow staircase, down a block, across two streets, through an underground shopping area, and down another steep flight of steps, as we cursed all the broken escalators. It was traumatizing. I almost abandoned my suitcase and everything in it. Haha!

I agree that the train is not the solution. Rideshare is so prolific now, I would imagine that a huge chunk of Disney visitors will not blink at the loss of ME. However, as a mom of two small children in car seats, this is very frustrating. We have had the experience of having to book a private car and pay for rented car seats on a trip to DL; we also booked an independent shuttle company in Florida for a (non-Disney) cruise with terribly inconvenient times, because they were the only company to guarantee two car seats. In both cases, I longed for ME! (we have also attempted air travel with car seats, and that is a non-starter for us. long story.)

I wonder if Minnie Vans will return? I know there was a high-priced option for airport transport at one point, right?

 

[patster734]

This made me LOL, because I have lived this! On a trip to London, we had to take the underground from the airport and make one train change to our final destination. Well, thanks to some construction, we ended up having to haul our huge suitcases up a steep, narrow staircase, down a block, across two streets, through an underground shopping area, and down another steep flight of steps, as we cursed all the broken escalators. It was traumatizing. I almost abandoned my suitcase and everything in it. Haha!

I agree that the train is not the solution. Rideshare is so prolific now, I would imagine that a huge chunk of Disney visitors will not blink at the loss of ME. However, as a mom of two small children in car seats, this is very frustrating. We have had the experience of having to book a private car and pay for rented car seats on a trip to DL; we also booked an independent shuttle company in Florida for a (non-Disney) cruise with terribly inconvenient times, because they were the only company to guarantee two car seats. In both cases, I longed for ME! (we have also attempted air travel with car seats, and that is a non-starter for us. long story.)

I wonder if Minnie Vans will return? I know there was a high-priced option for airport transport at one point, right?

We had similar experiences multiple times in Spain. First in Madrid when we arrived, where we used the subway from the airport to the street our hotel was on while carrying our suitcases. Then midweek, we lugged our suitcases back to the airport, where we caught a train to Malaga, followed by a bus trip to our hotel.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

That's it. I'm never visiting Disney again.


OOOO free food. Hello Disney. Book me!!!!

 

[GPC0321]

This makes me sad because DME was one of the best perks of staying at a WDW resort, IMO.

I've been eyeing Swolphin for a few years now and always decided against because no DME. Maybe this will be the push I need to go there. MEARS services Swolphin, right? I know it used to way back in the day prior to DME. I remember being in a van with someone who got dropped at the Swan when we were on our way to CSR for our first ever stay on property.

In all honesty, after a trip this June (which came about almost accidentally...hard to explain), I'm looking to give WDW a break for a while. We were just there for Christmas. I'm sure June will be fun, but it will be my sixth trip in as many years (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), and I think I'm finally getting a little burnt out on WDW. I never thought I'd say that.

 

[Gitelfor]

This makes me sad because DME was one of the best perks of staying at a WDW resort, IMO.

I've been eyeing Swolphin for a few years now and always decided against because no DME. Maybe this will be the push I need to go there. MEARS services Swolphin, right? I know it used to way back in the day prior to DME. I remember being in a van with someone who got dropped at the Swan when we were on our way to CSR for our first ever stay on property.

If you were referencing Mears’s shared shuttle (van) between MCO and the Swan/other area resorts, unfortunately, Mears discontinued the service after December 2020.

 

[North of Mouse]

Disney is definitely 'hurting' so they're gradually cutting everything that makes Disney 'special' to us. I feel as another poster has said - Disney has reached it's 'heyday' and Covid has brought a lot of things to a near screeching halt or drastic slowdown. We've enjoyed a very long run with them (since a year after opening in 1971) so we're basically calling it quits and so nice while it lasted.
I feel for those that didn't really know Disney in the 80's -90's as those were our best years, even early 2000's, but not long after that the changes really started - some great, most not so great IMO.
We are personally moving on, have no desire to see it watered down now since Covid hit. Our memories will keep us.
There are still a lot that's good there, but our comparisons and memories are too great.

 

[_19disnA]

As soon as Disney dropped the luggage perks from DME, I knew we wouldn't be using it anymore. That was the key perk that drew us in. It was so awesome to be able to check in our luggage at our home airport, and then find it waiting in our resort room later that day.

I agree, the idea of someone else dealing with your luggage while you take a Disney bus from the airport was a perk of staying on-site. Over the years we have stayed at Disney as well as other nearby hotels. Enjoyed them all for different reasons. We took DME when we were at Disney in 2019 and enjoyed it. No matter how their PR department tries to spin this, it is a cost increase for visitors. Now you have either have to rent a vehicle or take one of those online taxi services. There is also the cost of parking at Disney.

That new train service to Disney Springs doesn't really seem like a practical replacement. You still have to get yourself & your luggage from there to whatever Disney hotel you are staying at. I can imagine long lines waiting for hotel buses at the entrance to Disney Springs.

Before this latest change, we found a Disney trip to be about twice what it cost to vacation elsewhere. We find less reason/incentive to visit Disney and will spend our vacation time elsewhere.