Minnie Vans--A goo decision?

[TheBigErn]

The only transportation we have ever used to get around WDW is either a rental car or the historic transportation options (monorail, bus, boat). I'm looking into using the Minnie Vans but I some reservations. First is cost. Doing some online research and it looks like I have a bill that doubles (at least) the cost of a rental car. Also, are the vans readily available, i.e. is there ever a time when there just aren't any available? What's the typical wait time for one to arrive? What are the advantages of the van vs. rental car? I do know that going to Hoop Dee Do they can drop off right at Pioneer Hall vs parking and taking a bus. That's the only place we will be going other than the 4 parks and DS

 

[fla4fun]

The only transportation we have ever used to get around WDW is either a rental car or the historic transportation options (monorail, bus, boat). I'm looking into using the Minnie Vans but I some reservations. First is cost. Doing some online research and it looks like I have a bill that doubles (at least) the cost of a rental car. Also, are the vans readily available, i.e. is there ever a time when there just aren't any available? What's the typical wait time for one to arrive? What are the advantages of the van vs. rental car? I do know that going to Hoop Dee Do they can drop off right at Pioneer Hall vs parking and taking a bus. That's the only place we will be going other than the 4 parks and DS

We use a combination of MV and traditional Disney transportation. Typically, we use regular Disney transportation to go to the parks or DS, but depending on how tired we are or what the weather is doing, we might take a MV back to the resort. Taking a MV to and from Hoop Dee Do is a good choice, since you do have access to Pioneer Hall, but it also depends on what else you are doing that day. For example, if you are going to MK, the FW boat also drops you off near Pioneer Hall so you could use that and just take a MV back to your hotel afterwards.

Yes, a MV does cost more than an Uber/Lyft, but they can get you closer to your destination in some cases. The MV will also be allowed to drop off at hotels like CR or BC where access may be restricted at certain times to regular rideshares. However, they can be an option in some cases where the MV doesn’t have any special access, or for going off property if you choose.

We have not had an issue with availability but we have not used one during the worst of park opening and closing crowds. I think our longest wait was fifteen minutes at BC on a rainy evening around 7:00pm that shut down the Skyliner so we needed another way to get to Pop.

 

[TheBigErn]

To further refine my original post--all of days will originate from AKL. So arrival day we will go to Hoop Dee Do only. Day 2 to HS only. Day 3 AK in the morning then to MK for MNSSHP. I have some concerns getting a MV that night getting back to AK. Then day 3 to EP. Departure day to DS and from there to MCO.

 

[fla4fun]

To further refine my original post--all of days will originate from AKL. So arrival day we will go to Hoop Dee Do only. Day 2 to HS only. Day 3 AK in the morning then to MK for MNSSHP. I have some concerns getting a MV that night getting back to AK. Then day 3 to EP. Departure day to DS and from there to MCO.

I am not sure how late they run, and the website just says hours may vary. Perhaps a search of the threads regarding the party will shed some light on that. I don’t believe they run 24 hours like regular rideshares though. You may be stuck with a bus at that hour.

Last I heard, only concierge guests can use MV to/from the airport and it has to be pre booked by phone, not through the app. Not sure if they are still doing it. I drive to WDW so I don’t have experience with that.

 

[_19disnA]

We used a MV once when at Disney a few years ago when going out to dinner with friends on the other side of the property. You reserve it through the Lyft app and we preferred the brightly colored vans and drivers who work for Disney compared to other online taxi options. If you are mostly traveling around on Disney property, there are many existing no cost Disney provided transportation options (bus/monorail/cable car/boat/etc.) depending on where you are staying, where you want to go and how fast you want to get there. I don't recall the cost, but it seemed reasonable to us.

Other times in prior Disney visits we always rented a car. A lot depends on where else off property you plan to go (i.e. shop/eat/sightsee) and how often you plan to do that. The individual costs of someone else taking you places quickly adds up if you use the service multiple times. Now that Disney eliminated the 'free' DME, you still need a means to get to/from the airport which all involve extra fees. I believe MV only now provides that service to MCO for some of the more expensive Disney resorts. There would be a charge for whatever method you choose to return to MCO at the end of your vacation.

My impression is most who want to use any sort of taxi service don't want to wait for Disney provided transportation, think it takes too long or don't want to travel with other people. Much of that is a matter of personal preference and harder to quantify. If you pay for 3 trips using some other service, then the cost might be equivalent to having a rental car, but haven't priced it out lately.

 

[LoveDaisy]

The advantage of a Minnievan is it can drop you where other rideshare/taxis cannot. They are also more likely to have child seat options.

The downside is cost and availability, especially at key times(park open and close).

Only those who stay club level can take a minnievan to and from the airport. The price was really expensive last time asked.

You book it through the Lyft app.

I have used it for dinner reservations at other resorts, but for the cost I’m more likely to book Uber or Lyft.

I normally stay at Boardwalk and walk to Epcot and HS, we rarely go to AK and I take the bus to MK. The two times we tried to take a minnievan to MK the wait was longer than the bus wait (one was park open and the other was before the Halloween party).

 

[john7994]

Minnie Vans do handle after hours and event ticketed evenings. they post their hours of operation with signage - like all Disney Transportation (Boats, Skyliner, Busses and Monorail). The signs will indicate last pickup times from the parks at the point of drop-off as a reminder.

Minnie Van runs to MCO are available on a limited basis and for Concierge/Club level only which have to be prearranged via the hotel assigned concierge at your property.

 

[TheBigErn]

Can you pay with Disney gift card for the MV?

 

[gottalovepluto]

You can estimate all your MV pricing by plugging your trips into the Lyft app. MV pricing is based on distance, so the prices don’t surge. I find prices to be arounf triple normal rideshares.

MV availability is hardest at park close and event close. And hard can be non-existent if they all get booked. It can be hard in the morning but morning isn’t as bad for me as park/event close. YMMV.

MVs aren’t a substitute for your own car. They are a supplement to Disney transport. I say this due the availability issue at peak times. Dollar wise I cannot imagine MVs will be cheaper than renting. Suckers are expensive!

You cannot go DS to MCO since as others pointed out only club level guests can take MVs. Even if you were AKL CL there is no luggage storage at DS so you would need to return to AKL to get your bags.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Can you pay with Disney gift card for the MV?

No.

You can use Lyft gift cards though.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

You can really see things vary at any given minute over the course of a day. I’ll give you a real life example a few days ago:

9:45am - Searched for a Minnie Van from CR to TL… it took two minutes to connect to one, who was 14 minutes away finishing a prior ride. We had the time so were fine. $50.22 pre tip.

5pm leaving TL to go back to CR. First searched Minnie Van, the estimated time to connect to a driver was 5-8 minutes if I remember correctly, which is a decent sign availability is limited and the wait after you connect could still be lengthy. We were in more of a hurry so switched to Lyft Black SUV (the most directly equivalent size/type vehicle to a Minnie Van) and connected with one in <15 seconds who was 3 minutes away. $41.64 pre tip. (Yes we could have chosen a cheaper Lyft type, but we prefer a black/SUV type car for our party size for comfort and generally professional drivers/vehicles.)

Being 100% Minnie Van dependent can be challenging. If you do, be prepared to have some lengthy waits to connect at peak times and build in plenty of time your destination. Unless you need the car seat part of a Minnie Van, adjusting between Minnie Vans and other vehicle types on the fly based on conditions is usually a winning strategy.

 

[GsR80]

We use Minnie vans when there isn't a direct non bus Disney transportation option between where we are going. I would not want to deal with the stress of driving around Disney myself (or the hassle of getting a rental car) so to me it's worth the cost.

 

[Best Aunt]

I don't like buses and I don't like driving.

If I had OP's itinerary, my transportation would be:

MCO to AKL: towncar with a grocery store stop.

AKL to Hoop Dee Doo: Minnie Van because it can take you right there.
Hoop Dee Doo back to AKL: Minnie Van.

AKL to DHS: regular Lyft or Uber
DHS back to AKL: regular Lyft or Uber

AKL to AK: regular Lyft or Uber
AK back to AKL: regular Lyft or Uber

AKL to MK: Minnie Van because it can drop off right at the Magic Kingdom. Regular Lyft or Uber has to drop off at Transportation & Ticket Center, and you have to take ferry boat or monorail from there to MK. (Rental cars park at Transportation & Ticket Center).

MK back to AKL: walk to Contemporary, then get regular Lyft or Uber from there. I would not want to deal with going to TTC with everyone leaving MK, in order to get regular Lyft or Uber. I would anticipate a long wait to get Minnie Van.

AKL to MCO: regular Lyft or Uber. You can't use Minnie Van for this route unless you are staying Concierge Level.

I realize that my chosen transportation has costs associated with it. Different people spend money on different things. I eat breakfast in the room, and all other meals are at Quick Service restaurants. I never spend money eating at table service restaurants.

I use Minnie Van when there is a reason, but otherwise I am fine with regular Lyft or Uber. I don't need car seats. I'm not enchanted by the paint job on the Minnie Vans. I don't care that the drivers are Disney cast members.