News Round Up 2018

[shoreward]

Anyone else noticing a trend that they are providing the vans to places where they also run a bus? I'm wondering what that means for the future of free/inexpensive transportation?

Last year, while waiting for a bus to go back to my resort from a park, a CM walked up and told the few people at the bus stop to follow him over to a Disney van. I commented about the van transporting guests from a park to a resort, and he said they are trying to use them at slower times, typically in the earlier hours of the morning.

 

[rteetz]

Today in Disney History

Construction on the Swan and Dolphin Resorts began in 1988

 

[Farro]

Anyone else noticing a trend that they are providing the vans to places where they also run a bus? I'm wondering what that means for the future of free/inexpensive transportation?

I would feel confident in saying that Disney will never get rid of free transportation to/from parks.

Honestly, if they did that, we would not go anymore.

But I can see if a guest has other options to get to park - monorail, boat, gondola or walking - then yes, they may not have buses during "slow" times of day...

 

[jlundeen]

I would feel confident in saying that Disney will never get rid of free transportation to/from parks.

Honestly, if they did that, we would not go anymore.

But I can see if a guest has other options to get to park - monorail, boat, gondola or walking - then yes, they may not have buses during "slow" times of day...

Wondering what they consider to be "slow times" though...judging from attendance, it really seems there are no more slow times of the year, but maybe certain times of the day are slower.... we have sometimes found ourselves to be the only riders on the bus if we come or go in the middle of the day....

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Wondering what they consider to be "slow times" though...judging from attendance, it really seems there are no more slow times of the year, but maybe certain times of the day are slower.... we have sometimes found ourselves to be the only riders on the bus if we come or go in the middle of the day....

Yeah, it think it is more "slow times of the day" and maybe they have those busses stop at multiple/additional resorts during those times or something so they are more efficient. Also will have to see the impact the Skyliner has on those resorts and parks

 

[crazy4wdw]

Redbox files federal lawsuit against Disney:

http://variety.com/2018/biz/news/disney-redbox-cutthroat-competition-1202678385/

 

[OKW Lover]

Redbox files federal lawsuit against Disney:

http://variety.com/2018/biz/news/disney-redbox-cutthroat-competition-1202678385/

Hmmm, didn't Disney file a suit against them???

 

[samsteele]

Anyone else noticing a trend that they are providing the vans to places where they also run a bus? I'm wondering what that means for the future of free/inexpensive transportation?

I just don't see it being dropped. From WDW's POV, the $ of running the buses/Magical Express is necessary to keep guests captive to the Mouse & to deny Universal Studios this revenue. Denying competitors has been a huge part of WDW's success.

 

[vacationer1954]

Personally, I don't feel the food is worth any more credits than it is right now

Not much at WDW is worth what it is worth on account of it intrinsic value. Generally, the price of things at WDW is related to value afforded to it by other factors such as location, popularity, scarcity, etc.

 

[MissGina5]

Not that it will happen in my lifetime but can we rename the Bears the Midwest Bears?

Gee, thanks.

I was just gonna say #Rude lol

 

[preemiemama]

Last year, while waiting for a bus to go back to my resort from a park, a CM walked up and told the few people at the bus stop to follow him over to a Disney van. I commented about the van transporting guests from a park to a resort, and he said they are trying to use them at slower times, typically in the earlier hours of the morning.

I'd have preferred this to my 45 minute wait from Epcot to WL midday in July!

I am not sure they will completely do away with resort/park bus service (except where there are other options like gondola/monorail/boat), but I do fear that they will cut Magical Express as they expand the Minnie Vans.

 

[Roxyfire]

I'd have preferred this to my 45 minute wait from Epcot to WL midday in July!

I am not sure they will completely do away with resort/park bus service (except where there are other options like gondola/monorail/boat), but I do fear that they will cut Magical Express as they expand the Minnie Vans.

The reason I don't think that will happen is the sheer volume of people they transport each day. Sure they can make money off people who are unwilling to use the free option. But I don't believe they'll ever have the infrastructure to completely remove the Magical Express buses. Will it continue to be included in the resort pricing in the future? Who knows. But I doubt it will go away. It's a decent selling point to people who do not want to drive and are just staying on Disney property most of the time.

edit in italics

 

[rteetz]

Apparently the Ursula AA at DCA had it's "head" fall off. There is video of it operating on twitter.

Then across the seas at DLP, the Barbosa AA also had it's head fall off while the attraction was operating.

Rough day for Disney AAs... Off with the head literally.

 

[MommaBerd]

Apparently the Ursula AA at DCA had it's "head" fall off. There is video of it operating on twitter.

Then across the seas at DLP, the Barbosa AA also had it's head fall off while the attraction was operating.

Rough day for Disney AAs... Off with the head literally.

That would have been REALLY creepy to see!

 

[Mal6586]

The reason I don't think that will happen is the sheer volume of people they transport each day. Sure they can make money off people who are unwilling to use the free option. But I don't believe they'll ever have the infrastructure to completely remove the Magical Express buses. Will it continue to be included in the resort pricing in the future? Who knows. But I doubt it will go away. It's a decent selling point to people who do not want to drive and are just staying on Disney property most of the time.

edit in italics

Also, Magical Express helps contain that Disney bubble we all love. When people don’t need to rent a car (which I think a lot of people would do rather than pay for Minnie Van service if faced with that being the only option), they’re more likely to remain ONLY at Disney properties and parks rather than adventure across town to say... Universal...

 

[rteetz]

News

Weekly Walt Disney World Times Guides Now Available (Jan. 28-Feb. 3, 2018)

 

[skier_pete]

Also, Magical Express helps contain that Disney bubble we all love. When people don’t need to rent a car (which I think a lot of people would do rather than pay for Minnie Van service if faced with that being the only option), they’re more likely to remain ONLY at Disney properties and parks rather than adventure across town to say... Universal...

This exactly - I don't think Disney is stupid enough to get rid of ME and the Resort buses. While not everyone comes without a car, I would say the majority do, and that trapping of folks on property is a HUGE money maker for Disney. For me, it's one of the things I love about Disney trips - not having to drive for 10 days. It's what stops me from complaining when I get a bad bus experience. It's amazing though to me - since I would say 19 out of 20 times using Disney transport it is wonderful, but that 20th time, where someone had to wait 30 minutes for a bus - that's all they remember - like it ruined their trip.

Anyways - back to my point - ME was a genius move for Disney. It's probably costs them less than $30 per person to do it, and the "cost" is just embedded in the resort room costs, and instead of people driving off property to eat and shop, they do all their eating and shopping on property.

 

[WDW_Ding]

This exactly - I don't think Disney is stupid enough to get rid of ME and the Resort buses. While not everyone comes without a car, I would say the majority do, and that trapping of folks on property is a HUGE money maker for Disney. For me, it's one of the things I love about Disney trips - not having to drive for 10 days. It's what stops me from complaining when I get a bad bus experience. It's amazing though to me - since I would say 19 out of 20 times using Disney transport it is wonderful, but that 20th time, where someone had to wait 30 minutes for a bus - that's all they remember - like it ruined their trip.

Anyways - back to my point - ME was a genius move for Disney. It's probably costs them less than $30 per person to do it, and the "cost" is just embedded in the resort room costs, and instead of people driving off property to eat and shop, they do all their eating and shopping on property.

DVC folks can use ME, so I guess they are getting a good deal, since it is unlikely that the ME cost is built in to that cost.

But, maybe it is...who knows.

 

[skier_pete]

DVC folks can use ME, so I guess they are getting a good deal, since it is unlikely that the ME cost is built in to that cost.

But, maybe it is...who knows.

It's broken down as part of the annual dues. It varies by resort. DVC resorts that are separate from regular Disney resorts have a higher cost. (For example - Boardwalk Villas it's 0.41 cents per point, whereas Saratoga Springs it is 0.64 cents per point.) I would assume this includes resort transportation to the parks and also ME, but you are right I don't know that for sure. When you look at details of that line item - it just says "Cost of WDW transportation provided to the Resort." so it doesn't mention ME specifically. Based on my points ownership (160 pts AKV and 75 pts BWV) I pay $109.47 a year for transportation costs. Realistically, that's probably around $8 - 9 a day for transportation, which I think is pretty reasonable to move 3 people around property.

(One of the nifty things about owning DVC is you do get to see a full breakdown of where you resort dollars go. I pay $55 a year for the animal upkeep at AKV - a number I am happy to pay to watch giraffes off my balcony.)

 

[Mal6586]

DVC folks can use ME, so I guess they are getting a good deal, since it is unlikely that the ME cost is built in to that cost.

But, maybe it is...who knows.

I would bet there's an element of it built into the equation for annual dues. Obviously it would be an estimate or an average since every DVC member would be different on how many times per year they use it, but I'd bet it's figured in there somewhere.