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

[shoreward]

We rode the Express Bus on Friday. We rode from AK-HS, HS-EP, EP-MK (and my husband ran back from MK-EP-MK in between, as well because he forgot to pick up an item he purchased). We finally got to do a 4 park day!


The only thing that I think they really need and don't have is a sign posted stating the departure times for each park. It's kind of a pain to have to ask the CM all the time. Hopefully when they get the testing finished, there will be some time posted on a sign, in a brochure or something.

How about an electronic billboard, mounted at each check-in spot? With an electronic board, the departure times easily could be adjusted, on an as-needed basis. That would allow guests who have the Express Transportation pass to quickly check times, without having to wait for CMs to check for them. The boards could be updated every day, at park opening, allowing that day's schedule to be accessible for planning purposes, even before the CMs report to the check-in locations for the first departures of the day. It would also make better use of the CM's time, while on duty at a check-in location.

 

[cakebaker]

The express worked its magic again! My sil realized he had lost his bb8 mug just as we were leaving the MK to go back and catch the ME to the airport. He hopped on an express bus over to HS while the rest of us went to the bus stop to go back to the resort. He had an hour to get to HS, buy the mug and get back to the resort. Made it with enough time to grab a bite before the bus arrived! Headed to the airport now- exhausted but it was a fantastic trip!

 

[Gehrig1B]

After having used this service last week and reading how others agree it is a park hopper game changer, I have to wonder what happens when Disney begins to market this appropriately. Without forums such as this one we would not have known about the service.

I can see Disney having to either limit the number of express bus passes or raising the price to limit the numbers. I can't imagine this service working as well if multiple buses are needed for each run to each park. Hope I am wrong as we found the service changed the way we visit the parks. We easily moved through three parks a day. Gotta believe this could result in more people purchasing hoppers as well.

 

[cakebaker]

I'm pretty sure one of reasons for this service is to encourage people to buy hoppers. I wouldn't expect the price to stay this low for long, less than $4 a day for unlimited service is incredibly cheap. I'd happily pay twice that much- but don't tell them that.

 

[Araminta18]

I'm pretty sure one of reasons for this service is to encourage people to buy hoppers. I wouldn't expect the price to stay this low for long, less than $4 a day for unlimited service is incredibly cheap. I'd happily pay twice that much- but don't tell them that.

I'm hoping that the price stays this low at least through my trip in March--or allow you to buy the passes online so I can lock in the lower price!

 

[Suzanne74]

I'm hoping that the price stays this low at least through my trip in March--or allow you to buy the passes online so I can lock in the lower price!

Me too!

 

[MommaBerd]

After having used this service last week and reading how others agree it is a park hopper game changer, I have to wonder what happens when Disney begins to market this appropriately. Without forums such as this one we would not have known about the service.

I can see Disney having to either limit the number of express bus passes or raising the price to limit the numbers. I can't imagine this service working as well if multiple buses are needed for each run to each park. Hope I am wrong as we found the service changed the way we visit the parks. We easily moved through three parks a day. Gotta believe this could result in more people purchasing hoppers as well.

I haven't seen it in action, so I may be way off base. But, it would seem to me that based on the pre-purchased number of tickets they could adequately predict the number of riders. And based on that, they could add more buses - potentially every 15 minutes vs. every 10.... But maybe there are space limitations backstage?

 

[NoMoneyThanks2Disney]

This service sounds great, and I hope we get to use it for our trip in February. It would be great to be able to purchase it, and have the 7 days start from the first date of use instead of the date of purchase, like it is now.

 

[cindyfan]

After having used this service last week and reading how others agree it is a park hopper game changer, I have to wonder what happens when Disney begins to market this appropriately. Without forums such as this one we would not have known about the service.

I can see Disney having to either limit the number of express bus passes or raising the price to limit the numbers. I can't imagine this service working as well if multiple buses are needed for each run to each park. Hope I am wrong as we found the service changed the way we visit the parks. We easily moved through three parks a day. Gotta believe this could result in more people purchasing hoppers as well.

I have to agree..... this could easily become hard to get if it's popular (and I expect it to be!) because they would almost have to limit the numbers. It is the first thing on my list to take care of when I arrive for my visit in March.

 

[Gehrig1B]

This service sounds great, and I hope we get to use it for our trip in February. It would be great to be able to purchase it, and have the 7 days start from the first date of use instead of the date of purchase, like it is now.

Currently you can only purchase on site so just wait and purchase the first day you plan to use it. It can be purchased at the parks as well as from your Disney resort if staying on site.

 

[Gillbob316]

I saw someone say something somewhere earlier in this thread (I don't even remember where) which implied that this service might be a limited time trial... is that confirmed? Is there a known end date? Or will it just be around until one day it maybe isn't?

It's still going for the time being, is it not?

As posted earlier in this thread, I went solo in December and used it, and I thought it was well worth the $15. Going back w/ the family at the end of the month/beginning of February and recommending we do it again. My mom is very interested in it, as she has trouble getting around over a long day at the parks, and skipping the walk to/from the parking lot every time we park hop sounds great to her.

 

[AngiTN]

I saw someone say something somewhere earlier in this thread (I don't even remember where) which implied that this service might be a limited time trial... is that confirmed? Is there a known end date? Or will it just be around until one day it maybe isn't?

It's still going for the time being, is it not?

As posted earlier in this thread, I went solo in December and used it, and I thought it was well worth the $15. Going back w/ the family at the end of the month/beginning of February and recommending we do it again. My mom is very interested in it, as she has trouble getting around over a long day at the parks, and skipping the walk to/from the parking lot every time we park hop sounds great to her.

Yes to the bold for the most part (though isn't anything at Disney?)
For now, it's extended without an end date.
But they could get up one day and just end it

 

[cakebaker]

Currently you can only purchase on site so just wait and purchase the first day you plan to use it. It can be purchased at the parks as well as from your Disney resort if staying on site.

We could not purchase the express service at AOA last week. We were told that the only way to be able to purchase at the resort is if your passes were bought as part of a package. Seemed odd, but that's what the CM said. We bought ours at guest services at HS.

 

[shoreward]

We could not purchase the express service at AOA last week. We were told that the only way to be able to purchase at the resort is if your passes were bought as part of a package. Seemed odd, but that's what the CM said. We bought ours at guest services at HS.

I was not able to purchase mine at a resort, either, even though there was a placard at the concierge/front desk, promoting the service.

Mine was purchased at a park ticket window in early December. The CM there told me that the ticket windows were selling quite a few of them.

 

[Gehrig1B]

I was not able to purchase mine at a resort, either, even though there was a placard at the concierge/front desk, promoting the service.

Mine was purchased at a park ticket window in early December. The CM there told me that the ticket windows were selling quite a few of them.

Interesting. We bought ours as an add on when checking in at Wilderness Lodge last week. Concierge services added it to our Reservation.

 

[cakebaker]

Interesting. We bought ours as an add on when checking in at Wilderness Lodge last week. Concierge services added it to our Reservation.

Were your tickets purchased separately from your resort reservation?

 

[Gehrig1B]

Were your tickets purchased separately from your resort reservation?

We did have one night connected to our park hoppers so yes. We had two separate reservations, the other was resort only.

 

[cakebaker]

We did have one night connected to our park hoppers so yes. We had two separate reservations, the other was resort only.

It could be that or it could just be they're inconsistent, but she was more than ready to let us purchase until she saw I was an AP holder and our other tickets had been purchased separately.

 

[rcraw45425]

AP holders and we were able to purchase at theWL Concierge on 1/2 with our magic bands.

 

[cakebaker]

AP holders and we were able to purchase at theWL Concierge on 1/2 with our magic bands.

I don't know that the AP had anything to do with it, she only mentioned that the reason was we had purchased our tickets separate from our reservation. Just mentioned it so others wouldn't be surprised if they ran into the same thing. When we got them at guest services at HS, she had to ask for help in how to do it as she had never sold express passes before- sort of surprised me a bit.