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

[yulilin3]

Back home.
My impressions:
*This is a great service for those who park hop a lot. Like I mentioned before you save at least 20 minutes per park, without counting waiting for the bus to arrive.
*The CM working these are very nice, they were all excited to help out, the bus drivers where eager to chat.
*You can buy this at any Guest Relations, so if you are planning on using it I would suggest getting it at your first park since you will be close to Guest Relations, and like PP said you can also buy it at Space Mountain gift shop since they have a vacation planning desk there.
*You go through security and tapstiles ONCE, your first park, and that's it
* Ask about bus times when you get on and off at the check in points, the CM have a schedule and they will tell you, 10s and 40s, hour and half, 20s and 50s. Then keep that in mind while you tour the parks. No need to show up more than 5 minutes before, if the schedule says that it leaves at 10:20 it will leave at 10:20
*If you are renting a Disney stroller or wheelchair no need to take it back to the front they have them at all bus stops except Epcot since it's right next to the check in spot
*For those worried about backstage lack of magic. It's just like any backside of buildings, regular parking lots, they are not dirty, you'll see CM on their breaks, they talk on the phone, eat, smoke, that's about it
*If they add buses for after Fantasmic! it would be pretty great. Leaving DHS after F! is a pain, even the bus driver said that it's so much quicker by the express route and I agree.
*Whatever schedule I posted today ( a lot of times) will probably not stay the same, so again, check on your day
Any questions go ahead and ask
Here are some pics, I saw that someone already posted this, but here it is again

For some reason I missed taking a pic of the Mk location

 

[goofygal531]

Thank you for the detailed review.

Would this be sold in limited quantities? Just curious about peak travel times.

 

[yulilin3]

Thank you for the detailed review.

Would this be sold in limited quantities? Just curious about peak travel times.

I asked about that and they said there is a cap off but that it's very high and they doubt they will reach it. They said that they will have buses available on standby depending on demand.
They will obviously know the demand in the morning when they sell tickets

 

[famy27]

It's been answered. You do not go through security. Past the first park you enter of course. No others go through the front gate. Since you can't acquire contraband inside a park there isn't really a need to search bags again

The only contraband I could think of is alcohol. You could grab a rum punch Dole Whip at AK and then bring it with you to MK. I suspect Disney has bigger fish to fry on the security front, so I doubt they will be overly concerned about this happening.

 

[stenmarks]

Thank you so much for the detailed review! Our family can't wait to try thus service next week!

 

[AngiTN]

The only contraband I could think of is alcohol. You could grab a rum punch Dole Whip at AK and then bring it with you to MK. I suspect Disney has bigger fish to fry on the security front, so I doubt they will be overly concerned about this happening.

You have to finish before getting on the bus so that would be a non-issue.

 

[AngiTN]

So GS and the trip desk in SM the only places to buy? There was mention of purchasing from transportation kiosks somewhere along the way

 

[goofygal531]

Did you have to scan your ticket (Magic Band) when you entered each new park? I'm guessing a CM would be there with a handheld scanner.

 

[famy27]

You have to finish before getting on the bus so that would be a non-issue.

I was imagining people hiding drinks in bags or in water bottles. I know people already do that with vodka in water bottles. It's always mind-boggling to me that they can't go a few hours without booze.

 

[yulilin3]

So GS and the trip desk in SM the only places to buy? There was mention of purchasing from transportation kiosks somewhere along the way

Now that I think about it the check in point at ak had the ability to sell because we waited an extra minute for a coyote that was buying. At epcot gr is right next to it so no need, dhs i don't think they could've done the transaction there

Did you have to scan your ticket (Magic Band) when you entered each new park? I'm guessing a CM would be there with a handheld scanner.

No, they only scan at the first park when you enter, they do scan to make sure you have the park hopping pass

 

[yulilin3]

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/express-transportation-options/

Buy Express Transportation tickets at

• All 4 theme park ticket windows and Guest Relations
• Disney Springs ticket window
• Disney Resort hotel concierge locations
• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel and Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel ticket desks
• Kiosks at Express Transportation check-in locations

I guess at DHS you could pay at the little outdoor kiosk on the RnRC courtyard
It also says that you can buy them at resorts but I was told by a couple of CM that you can't. I guess you could always ask at your hotel

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Thanks so much for the great review @yulilin3 it is really nice of you. I was going through all your comments. Apologise if I missed it but do you know if this is open to AP holders? Also are they the same type of bus as the buses they use to the resorts and parks out front? Thanks!

 

[yulilin3]

Thanks so much for the great review @yulilin3 it is really nice of you. I was going through all your comments. Apologise if I missed it but do you know if this is open to AP holders? Also are they the same type of bus as the buses they use to the resorts and parks out front? Thanks!

yes and yes

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

yes and yes

Smashing thank you so much!

 

[PeasandCarrots]

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/express-transportation-options/

Buy Express Transportation tickets at

• All 4 theme park ticket windows and Guest Relations
• Disney Springs ticket window
• Disney Resort hotel concierge locations
• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel and Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel ticket desks
• Kiosks at Express Transportation check-in locations

I guess at DHS you could pay at the little outdoor kiosk on the RnRC courtyard
It also says that you can buy them at resorts but I was told by a couple of CM that you can't. I guess you could always ask at your hotel

I emailed WDW about this and was told I could buy it at the resort concierge desk. I hope this is true - would be nice to have it before heading to the parks.

 

[mom2elle]

Thank you SO much for all of the info!
I thought of one additional question. If I want to buy this for my whole family, do we all need to go to GS to purchase or can I go over by myself and buy for all 6 of us?

 

[danikoski]

I hope they keep this...we will be there in February... definitely would buy it

 

[Eighty8Keys]

Thank you @yulilin3 for taking the time to give us all such detailed info. We don't park hop a lot because of the time involved but this opens up some great options.

Do you know if you can charge the fee to your room via magic band? If not I'm hoping they'll accept Disney gift cards as payment.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Thanks for the updates, yulilin.

 

[LindaOwl1]

This is such great information! Thank you Yulilin3!! I think a few pages back you said you were able to snap a picture of the schedule? If so would you be able to post the whole schedule? I am leaving in 4 days and this could really help me get from EP-MK and AK-EP on different days, but I don't see what times these buses run listed in the thread.
Also hoping someone can confirm trying to use the service after one park closes going to a park still open. I will be trying to go from EP after 9:30 Illuminations to MK which has EMH til 1AM.