Minnie Vans Question

[DisneyWishes14]

This may be premature to ask as Lyft just made the partnership announcement today, but I'm reading conflicting statements regarding who can currently utilize the Minnie Vans. I know it's only being offered at BWI, BC/YC, but some articles state "resort guests" (which could be read as any guest staying at the WDW resort) and some state "guests of the resort" (implying only guests of BWI, BC/YC). I have the Lyft app on my phone and we will be at BWI one evening on our trip and will need to return to WL afterward. Do we have to be actual guests AT BWI, BC or YC to utilize the service or just WDW "resort guests"? If we can't use it, we'll just use a regular Lyft service, but I wanted to try it out!!

 

[Best Aunt]

This may be premature to ask as Lyft just made the partnership announcement today, but I'm reading conflicting statements regarding who can currently utilize the Minnie Vans. I know it's only being offered at BWI, BC/YC, but some articles state "resort guests" (which could be read as any guest staying at the WDW resort) and some state "guests of the resort" (implying only guests of BWI, BC/YC). I have the Lyft app on my phone and we will be at BWI one evening on our trip and will need to return to WL afterward. Do we have to be actual guests AT BWI, BC or YC to utilize the service or just WDW "resort guests"? If we can't use it, we'll just use a regular Lyft service, but I wanted to try it out!!

I don't know how they would know where you are staying, unless it is tied to MDE rather than just the Lyft app.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

This may be premature to ask as Lyft just made the partnership announcement today, but I'm reading conflicting statements regarding who can currently utilize the Minnie Vans. I know it's only being offered at BWI, BC/YC, but some articles state "resort guests" (which could be read as any guest staying at the WDW resort) and some state "guests of the resort" (implying only guests of BWI, BC/YC). I have the Lyft app on my phone and we will be at BWI one evening on our trip and will need to return to WL afterward. Do we have to be actual guests AT BWI, BC or YC to utilize the service or just WDW "resort guests"? If we can't use it, we'll just use a regular Lyft service, but I wanted to try it out!!

I got the impression from the stories/announcements I read today that it was now live for every resort guest, not just those test resorts. But I didn't totally dig into the details yet so I could be wrong.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

This doesn't answer your question, but we were really frustrated with the Minnie Vans. We tried to inquire about using them during our recent stay (got back over the weekend from a 5 night stay at BWI). The CM I asked was really grumpy about it and told me the Minnie Vans were a trial only and there were none available for us to use right then. I said we could wait or come back later, but she was insistent there was nothing available at all that day. I asked about the next few days and was told it was a trial only and there wasn't a launch date yet. She seemed really annoyed with us for wanting to try it out, lol. we kept seeing Minnie Vans arriving and departing BWI with guests in them the remainder of our stay. I really wanted to try it but didn't want to deal with the grumpy CM again. Unfortunately, she was always out there and i was directed to talk to her every time I tried asking a different CM about the Minnie Vans. So, I'd say availability of the Minnie Vans depends on which CM you ask! hopefully this fall we'll be able to try one out.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Actually, I was wrong - here are some links that may be helpful?

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/07/revie...tion-service-launches-lyft-walt-disney-world/

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...nnie-van-service-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

 

[ColoradoMom12]

Actually, I was wrong - here are some links that may be helpful?

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/07/revie...tion-service-launches-lyft-walt-disney-world/

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...nnie-van-service-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

Well if only I had been told to inquire at Bell Services! Lol. The Bell Services staff at BWI were all very friendly to us and a few even knew us by name by the time we checked out. I feel quite certain they would not have been grumpy to my inquisitiveness about the Minnie Vans!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Well if only I had been told to inquire at Bell Services! Lol. The Bell Services staff at BWI were all very friendly to us and a few even knew us by name by the time we checked out. I feel quite certain they would not have been grumpy to my inquisitiveness about the Minnie Vans!

FWIW, this "new" update to the program and the coordination with the Lyft app was just announced today. Sounds like you got the bad end of the prior "test" period that was going on!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Actually, I was wrong - here are some links that may be helpful?

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/07/revie...tion-service-launches-lyft-walt-disney-world/

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...nnie-van-service-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

These links are great, thank you!!! The review is awesome. The vans look so cute! Well, I guess I can only hope they roll it out to WL by the end of August, but I'm not holding my breath. I'll save money by just using the regular Lyft service anyway . . . but I want to ride in a polka dot car

 

[Scott MC]

I'm just hoping that regular Lyft or Uber is also available.

 

[quandrea]

Do you have to use the Lyft app to order the vans or will bell services call one the way they will for a taxi?

 

[ColoradoMom12]

I'm just hoping that regular Lyft or Uber is also available.

Should be. I can't imagine WDW would have a large enough fleet of Minnie Vans to meet the transportation needs of every guest wanting paid transportation. Not to mention there are many people who stay off site who use Uber/Lyft. The Minnie Vans are only on site. The $20 fee is pricey too. We took Lyft a few times last week for around $10-12 including tip.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

Do you have to use the Lyft app to order the vans or will bell services call one the way they will for a taxi?

I'm also curious about this. I'm sure there are people who might be interested in a Minnie Van but don't use a smartphone

 

[quandrea]

I'm also curious about this. I'm sure there are people who might be interested in a Minnie Van but don't use a smartphone

I have a phone but I really limit the apps I add. Not interested in adding Lyft but I am interested in the vans. If we don't get an answer I will report back. I'd like to use a van on Sunday.

 

[Lynne M]

The Minnie Vans are being discussed on the Transportation board. I'll move this thread over there.

 

[Hopefully]

I'm just hoping that regular Lyft or Uber is also available.

Why wouldn't they be? This is a new added service, not a replacement

 

[Roocatty]

This doesn't answer your question, but we were really frustrated with the Minnie Vans. We tried to inquire about using them during our recent stay (got back over the weekend from a 5 night stay at BWI). The CM I asked was really grumpy about it and told me the Minnie Vans were a trial only and there were none available for us to use right then. I said we could wait or come back later, but she was insistent there was nothing available at all that day. I asked about the next few days and was told it was a trial only and there wasn't a launch date yet. She seemed really annoyed with us for wanting to try it out, lol. we kept seeing Minnie Vans arriving and departing BWI with guests in them the remainder of our stay. I really wanted to try it but didn't want to deal with the grumpy CM again. Unfortunately, she was always out there and i was directed to talk to her every time I tried asking a different CM about the Minnie Vans. So, I'd say availability of the Minnie Vans depends on which CM you ask! hopefully this fall we'll be able to try one out.

We had the same type of experience. We kept seeing others get to ride then 3 or 4 times on Twitter the same week we were there. Everyone we were told to ask told us no they weren't running and when they were they would only be used for people with special needs. I think it was a matter of who you know. Some people were allowed to sign up and wait. Others were told no.

 

[AngiTN]

I'm just hoping that regular Lyft or Uber is also available.

Yes, they will be. This service does not replace either. This service is only for use on Disney property. Lyft and Uber are not, they can and do go off property. Minnie Vans are a 3rd option, not a replacement.

 

[AngiTN]

Do you have to use the Lyft app to order the vans or will bell services call one the way they will for a taxi?

Yes, they are using the Lyft app as the only method to request the service

 

[AngiTN]

We had the same type of experience. We kept seeing others get to ride then 3 or 4 times on Twitter the same week we were there. Everyone we were told to ask told us no they weren't running and when they were they would only be used for people with special needs. I think it was a matter of who you know. Some people were allowed to sign up and wait. Others were told no.

Because at that time it was even less of a test than it is now.
It was almost in what you could think of as 1st phase of testing. Today is second phase of testing. Still testing.

ETA - This confusion is really why I think their testing is not being done well. It's leading to extra confusion when it doesn't have to. I can't help but think they could have done the entire testing in a different way that was less confusing to the guest

 

[wilkeliza]

I was wondering how they werr going to keep it resort guest specific during the test. Looks like it is possible to even make it resort guests only as well if you have to have it unlocked at bell services.