New Express Transportation: $19/day or $29/week-SERVICE ENDING AUGUST 23RD 2017

[texasgingerbread]

We'll use it for sure as well if it's still there in June. Fingers crossed! There are 30 of us so I'm hoping park hopping will be easier.

 

[Gehrig1B]

Used today AK to MK. There were 18 riding on this bus. Lotsa backstage viewing walking to bus.

Only thing I think needs done is an official posting of departure times somewhere. As of now we have had to check in each day to find out the exact departure times.

CM's said only way to know is to ask at each check in. We have used this service three times this week and all have had a decent number of travelers and have leaved exactly on time.

We are thinking of doing a 4 Park day later in the week just to say we did it... We shall see.

The longest ride has been today, journey time AK to MK was 20 minutes. Pretty sweet. You could get off Safari and be in line at Space Mountain in about 30 minutes if you time it just right

 

[MNtwinsplus1mom]

Glad to hear reports of the service working so well, and I think it's good news that it looks like there are more people utilizing it.

Has there been any news on whether the test of the express bus service will be extended? I think officially it was a 1 month offering, expected to end in around a week?

 

[Accident]

I needed to run between parks quickly the other night and decided to give this a try. It was great. You can tell it's all VIP cast members and not just the uniform they choose. relaxing, you just jump out of one park and into another. I've been on these routes before on backstage tours but it was really nice to have as an option.

When it makes sense to pay the extra, this is 100% worth the cost. Just to add it in case you hop, not sure I would pay the extra. Usually when vacationing on property I hop with the resort in the middle so this wouldn't help that.

 

[BigredNole]

My take on it is if Disney can find a buyer for it, they are going to charge for it. Faster transportation is something many who don't care about money will pay for. I simply drive and it is faster than any transportation Disney can provide.

 

[Mousetopia]

As I said I would much earlier in this thread, I used this service about 2 to 3 weeks ago, on Saturday Dec. 10, for a jam-packed park hopper day.

This was about day 3 of the service for the record, since it started the 8th if I remember correctly, so keep that in mind.

Here's my report of the service, beginning to end:

I arrived at Magic Kingdom about 45 minutes to 1/2 hour before the park opened. I went up to a ticket window at the TTC to purchase this and had no trouble at all. The girl at the ticket window knew exactly what it was, and circled the pickup/drop-off point for me on a map of Magic Kingdom (although I already knew where it was from prior research).

I then took the ferryboat to Magic Kingdom to watch the opening ceremony. Now here's my first little side-story about the service, which will be more relevant later: I asked an employee out front of Magic Kingdom if she could verify the service didn't start until 10am. She didn't have a clue what I was talking about, and thought I was asking her about the standard busses. When I clarified I wasn't, she called another guy over to ask him about it. He didn't have a clue what I was talking about either, and frankly had more questions for ME about it, haha. They finally called a third girl over (each employee seemingly higher ranking than the last), she knew what I was talking about, but wasn't certain when it started or ended and directed me to guest services. Because I had a few minutes to kill before the Opening Ceremony, I took her up on the suggestion and went and asked Guest Services. The girl at that window didn't have a clue either. She asked her supervisor, who finally verified that busses ran from 10am until the last park closed (Which I knew all along from my internet research, I was just looking for some verbal confirmation.) For the record, that's 5 employees before someone could answer my question.

About 8am, after the opening ceremony, I then proceeded straight to Epcot since I was trying to make it there before they opened. Never even went inside Magic Kingdom. It was still well before 10am so I just used regular Disney transport. Monorailed back to the TTC, then took a bus from the TTC to Epcot.

Spent the morning at Epcot. At about 2 I started to ready myself to leave the park, looking to make the 2:30 Express Bus to Hollywood Studios, as my Tower of Terror fastpass window ended at 2:55. I soon found I didn't know where the pickup point was. The girl at the TTC earlier that day only ever told me where pickup was at Magic Kingdom. I knew it was near Spaceship Earth at Epcot from prior online research, but didn't know exactly where. I went inside the photopass gift shop nearby to ask directions. A male and female employee both addressed my question. The female employee hadn't heard of the service at all. The male employee told me he'd heard the service was coming, but that it hadn't begun yet. I informed him it began on the 8th and I'd already purchased it for the day, at which point he immediately apologized for giving me incorrect information. That said, neither had a clue where the pickup/dropoff was. The guy left and told me he was going to try to find more info and would return shortly. It was pushing 2:30 at this point, so I informed the girl if I was going to make my bus, I really needed to find it NOW, so I couldn't wait on him and was going to go look for the pickup point. She apologized once again and I left. I flagged down one of the flannel-vest "tour guide" looking employees outside who happened to be passing by, assuming he might be more in-the-know and asked him. He thankful WAS more in-the-know, and directed me straight to the pickup point (which as it happens was directly on the opposite side of Spaceship Earth from where I started.)

I got to the pickup point short of breath at 2:30 on the dot-ish. Give or take. Informed them I wanted to go to Hollywood Studios. They said the bus was arriving shortly. I said great and took a seat.

About 2 minutes later one of the employees walked over to me looking sheepish and said the bus had just left and the next one wouldn't be there until 3 (1/2 hour from that point). They seemed... braced to anticipate my frustration, having erroneously told me just prior it would be there shortly. I leveled with the guy at that point and told him I was rather upset by the news that I'd missed the bus, as I should have had ample time to make it, but hardly any employees I talked to all day were up to speed on this service and it was a chore finding someone JUST to DIRECT me to the pickup point. Furthermore I was now guaranteed to miss my ToT Fastpass window. He understood my frustration completely and offered to rectify it with a flex fastpass. He scanned my magic band with his ipad. Not only did he extend my existing ToT fastpass to an all-day window, but he added an additional flex fastpass I could use on virtually any ride at all 3 parks, save Frozen Ever After, or fireworks shows (as he explained it). This did a lot to calm my frustration, and I was grateful.

Thankfully, at the Epcot pickup point, they had pamphlets that marked the pickup/dropoff points at all four parks. This would have been a very helpful item for the girl at the TTC to have given me at the beginning of the day, before I ran into trouble, and I hope they're handing them out there by now. Anyway, Bus arrived shortly before 3. Got to Studios shortly after 3. Spent a few hours there. Rode Tower of Terror using afformentioned fastpass. Saved the flex pass for Magic Kingdom (or so I thought...)

Took the Express Bus from Hollywood Studios to Magic Kingdom around 8:20-8:30 pm. Wanted to get there before 10pm to catch Wishes. Got to Magic Kingdom and went to check new fastpasses at the kiosk near Buzz Lightyear. To my surprise, I still had an all day Tower of Terror fastpass. Turns out ToT used my flex fastpass... rather than the (more logical) Tower of Terror fastpass. *Facepalm* Talked to the nearest employee. She understood the problem, but couldn't do anything. Left me in the hands of another girl who didn't have an ipad, and also couldn't fix the problem on my account in the "digital" sense, but offered to write me a paper fastpass to rectify the problem. This wasn't a flex, and required me to make my ride choice there and then, rather than on the fly, which bugged me, but I said, "Minetrain" and moved on with my life. She wrote me a paper fastpass for Minetrain, which I used later in the evening.

At a couple points during the day, the Express bus employees asked me how I found the service (they seemed eager for feedback)... I told them the service itself was fine, and about what I expected it to be, but employee awareness of it was very lacking and no one seemed to have a clue about it.

All in all of the 8 employees I spoke to in total that day NOT including the one who sold me the ticket, or the ones who actually worked at the pickup/dropoff points... only 2 knew about the service and were able to answer my questions, wheras 6 were mostly or completely clueless and uninformed. A few even giving me false information. I missed a bus, arguably, because no one could tell me where the pickup point at Epcot was. BUT... hiccups and headaches aside... they seemed very accomidating and eager to rectify any problems and frustrations as I ran into them.

The service itself was about what I expected it to be. Bus rides were brief. Probably about 10-15 minutes. Got me in and out of parks very quickly, which I enjoyed. Was also neat seeing some backstage areas (even if there wasn't much to see in them).

ALL that said... it was a new service... so I was anticipating I might run into problems. When I did run into problems, employees did all the could to help and make things right, so ultimately I can't complain. The gripes above aren't for the sake of griping, just to give a point by point account of my day. I assume employee awareness will get better, if it hasn't already. I assume they'll learn to make sure people are informed of the pickup/dropoff areas, if they aren't already. All in all it worked out well and I'd do it again (especially now that I know exactly where that danged Epcot pickup is, lol).

Thank you for your time writing that. I sooo hope I get to try this in march!

 

[ErinsMommy]

Any word if they're going to extend this and make it an option for the packages? We're coming in September and while we certainly have plenty of time I would like to concrete what our final 'bill' for the trip will be.

 

[AngiTN]

Any word if they're going to extend this and make it an option for the packages? We're coming in September and while we certainly have plenty of time I would like to concrete what our final 'bill' for the trip will be.

Not yet but I'm certain more will be known in plenty of time for you to know your total.
Only thing so far is it will be running through the Marathon weekend

 

[sharonabe]

My take on it is if Disney can find a buyer for it, they are going to charge for it. Faster transportation is something many who don't care about money will pay for. I simply drive and it is faster than any transportation Disney can provide.

I do care about money, but time is money, and for those who fly into Orlando, driving is not an option unless they want to rent a car, which would also cost more money. An extra $100 for my family of four to get more park time out of the park hopper option seems pretty reasonable to me.

As to driving being faster than this service, I doubt it. The time it takes for you to get out of the park, to your car, drive, park, and walk back into the park through security is probably more than the 15-20 min this express service takes.

 

[AngiTN]

As to driving being faster than this service, I doubt it. The time it takes for you to get out of the park, to your car, drive, park, and walk back into the park through security is probably more than the 15-20 min this express service takes.

Exactly. Plus, what if you've sampled a beer or three around WS?

 

[Grammy4Lizzy]

It would be awesome if they added Disney springs as well! Hop from a park to DS, dine and then back to a park!

This would not be feasible because you would leave the secure areas inside the parks.

 

[rteetz]

Used this today from DHS to epcot. Worked out great. Have the 7 day option. I will have a full review when I get home.

 

[KSellers88]

I hope they still have this running in February for our trip! I think it would save us so much time.

 

[DopeyDame]

Quick question for those that have used it: Can you buy it at the actual location or only at guest services? How long did the purchase take (realizing that lines vary, of course)?
We're heading there the end of January and I'm still torn on using it or not. We're staying at the Poly, so many days we'll go back to the hotel before hopping to a different park. But I can see us deciding that we all feel fine and don't need the hotel break and just hopping right away, too.
Thanks!

 

[rteetz]

Quick question for those that have used it: Can you buy it at the actual location or only at guest services? How long did the purchase take (realizing that lines vary, of course)?
We're heading there the end of January and I'm still torn on using it or not. We're staying at the Poly, so many days we'll go back to the hotel before hopping to a different park. But I can see us deciding that we all feel fine and don't need the hotel break and just hopping right away, too.
Thanks!

You buy it at guest services or hotel concierge. Purchase was easy and connected to your magicband.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I needed to run between parks quickly the other night and decided to give this a try. It was great. You can tell it's all VIP cast members and not just the uniform they choose. relaxing, you just jump out of one park and into another. I've been on these routes before on backstage tours but it was really nice to have as an option.

When it makes sense to pay the extra, this is 100% worth the cost. Just to add it in case you hop, not sure I would pay the extra. Usually when vacationing on property I hop with the resort in the middle so this wouldn't help that.

On our December trip the only time it would have been of use was going from a park that had closed to one that was open - and they end the service by that time. Otherwise everyone, including me, wanted to stop at the hotel for a break before hopping. We stay onsite and take a break mid-day so it's going to be very rare if ever that this service would be worth it for us also.

 

[Accident]

On our December trip the only time it would have been of use was going from a park that had closed to one that was open - and they end the service by that time. Otherwise everyone, including me, wanted to stop at the hotel for a break before hopping. We stay onsite and take a break mid-day so it's going to be very rare if ever that this service would be worth it for us also.

I used it at park close to get to another park no problem so that might have changed. It's funny wording as they say available until park close but they confirmed I can watch the fireworks up until the park closed, take my time and get to MK no problem.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I used it at park close to get to another park no problem so that might have changed. It's funny wording as they say available until park close but they confirmed I can watch the fireworks up until the park closed, take my time and get to MK no problem.

Then a little more definitive time might be nice to know for certain. I'm thinking that yulilin said during her test on one of the first days that the last bus was right at park close which would mean not catching the park closing show most places. Sounds like that's changed but perhaps they don't really want people to know that for fear they would get overwhelmed.

 

[Accident]

Then a little more definitive time might be nice to know for certain. I'm thinking that yulilin said during her test on one of the first days that the last bus was right at park close which would mean not catching the park closing show most places. Sounds like that's changed but perhaps they don't really want people to know that for fear they would get overwhelmed.

I agree, when I was told it sounded funny I couldn't tell if it was park actually closed, park advertised close, etc etc.. And being so vague they can just decide there is too many for a bus and say sorry, it ended at park close.

 

[tlmadden73]

I am tempted to get this for just one day on my next trip .. simply as a convenience as my plan is to spend the morning/early afternoon at DHS and then use this to quickly get my family to MK without having to deal with security (Me, wife, 4 year old and infant with stroller). It seems like this will be quicker, easier and avoiding the hassle of going through security AGAIN may be worth the $45 ...