Problems for Disney's Magical Express?

[mitros]

For someone that has used this service, can you please tell me if you are on the same bus as your luggage, and does it {your luggage} get to the resort the same time you do? In other words, do they unload your luggage along with you, or do they drop you off and bring the luggage later? Thanks

 

[mzzbuzzlightyear]

Mitros,

Everything was very convenient and well organized when we went in August.
We got on the bus, without ever seeing our luggage, and were taken to our resort!!! We went to eat and when we came back our luggage was in our room!! Usually we take a towncar, but this was just as convenient. I think our luggage arrived in our room about 2 hours after we did.

June

 

[AlanH]

Airport to boot Disney greeters
Taxis, other drivers said deal was unfair
Beth Kassab
Sentinel Staff Writer

September 22, 2005

Disney's Magical Express, the free service that shuttles Disney tourists and their baggage to and from Orlando International Airport, will no longer be able to lure in travelers with greeters on the airport's third level.

The employees, who wear oversized Mickey Mouse gloves, meet passengers as they enter the main airport terminal. Their location has been a source of friction for taxi, luxury car and rental-car services, which say Disney's exclusive access to the third level has significantly cut into their businesses.

"We don't let anybody else have greeters there," said airport board Chairman Jeffry Fuqua. "Everybody needs to have a fair opportunity and equal playing field."

The change came about Wednesday after the airport's attorney sent a letter to Disney's attorney informing him that the greeters need to be removed by Oct. 31. The letter also clarified that Walt Disney World guests who had not pre-arranged a ride on Magical Express would not be able to access the service once they arrived at the airport.

Disney spokesman Jacob DiPietre said Disney plans to discuss the changes with airport officials, but he would not comment on when the greeters would be moved or what effect that might have on the service.

"We evaluate and adjust our operations on an ongoing basis," DiPietre said.

Since Disney began Magical Express as a pilot project in May, other providers of transportation at the airport have cried foul, saying the service and Disney's special access have dramatically hurt their businesses.

Disney has said about 5,000 people ride Magical Express every day -- a number far above what the airport expected when it agreed to the 18-month trial run last year.

"The response is considerably greater than we anticipated," Fuqua said.

Earlier this month an attorney for the Greater Orlando Livery Association, a group of about 200 bus, van and luxury-car drivers, sent a letter to OIA Executive Director Bill Jennings demanding that the airport terminate Disney's contract for the program.

Larry Colleton, the attorney for the association, said Disney's greeters were soliciting passengers who had not already signed up for Magical Express, which is against the airport's solicitation rules.

Jennings had not responded to Colleton's letter and did not alert him about the changes for greeters.

"It's kind of like too little, too late," Colleton said. "We still stand by our position that this contract should be terminated. How is Disney being held accountable for its material breach of the contract?"

Disney has said it never violated any terms of its agreement with the airport.

Airport officials said they want to schedule a series of meetings with Disney over the next 60 days to lay out a framework for how Magical Express and any similar services that might be offered by other companies in the future will operate.

Of major concern is whether the pilot program is causing the airport to lose money because its other concessionaires may no longer pay as much in airport fees. Disney has spent $21 million on the program since May, about $2 million of that going to the airport through fees or improvements, according to documents from a private presentation Disney made to airport officials last month.

Fuqua said one option might be to require Magical Express to operate out of both the A and B sides of the terminal like most concessionaires such as rental-car companies and other shuttle services.

Currently Magical Express only operates out of the A terminal, and a change would significantly decrease the program's efficiency and result in an estimated increase of $15 million a year in Disney's operating costs, according to documents prepared by the company.

But Fuqua said other providers of transportation are required to operate on both sides of the airport despite the increased expenses and decreased efficiency.

"It costs more money for Hertz and the others to operate that way," Fuqua said. "We can't set our airport up to operate to Disney's pleasure."

Basically the airport seems to be buying the argument of the Livery Association.

 

[peter11435]

Basically the airport seems to be buying the argument of the Livery Association.

Seems more like the airport is just running scared.

 

[DoxaRich]

Maybe they could build some animatronic greeters to put on "level 3" .

 

[mitros]

Thanks for your response. I was really concerned about the situation.

 

[mzzbuzzlightyear]

Mitros.

You're welcome!
But now, just thinking about it,
I want to go back to WDW again...immediately!!

June

 

[lovetoscrap]

I understand why they would make them remove the greeters, but how can they say they only those that have pre-arranged for ME can use it?

It says that allowing others that didn't pre arrange violates the solicitation rule, but you can walk through the airport and arrange for a ride on Mears or any other shuttle service, how is that any different?

If you were staying at the Holiday Inn and they had a free shuttle and you were walking by and saw it you could just hop on--just like the Disney Resort Shuttle.

Sure sounds like MCO is biting the hand that feeds them!

 

[Disney Girlie-Wirlie]

I agree, it's no different. Let's face it, I too feel sorry for the people who are losing money, but us consumers were the ones losing money before this idea of a free shuttle bus to Dsiney came along. Now, that money that we spent on our shuttles/limos to the parks we can use for ourselves in the parks or for your kids.
I really enjoyed the ME service when DH and used it in May. All the cast memebers were very kind and helpful (as always). It was so easy and convenient and organized. Just made life a little easier. And it adds to the "magic" of your disney trip. It's nice to walk out of the airport and onto a bus that has Mickey ears on the seats and plays a Welcome to Disney World video the entire way to your hotel. I hope this service doesn't go anywhere and that we'll be able to use it for many trips to come. I recommend it to everyone staying on Disney property.

 

[AlanH]

I understand why they would make them remove the greeters, but how can they say they only those that have pre-arranged for ME can use it?

It says that allowing others that didn't pre arrange violates the solicitation rule, but you can walk through the airport and arrange for a ride on Mears or any other shuttle service, how is that any different?

If you were staying at the Holiday Inn and they had a free shuttle and you were walking by and saw it you could just hop on--just like the Disney Resort Shuttle.

Sure sounds like MCO is biting the hand that feeds them!

In order to use Mears or any other shuttle service one must either use the phone or go to one of their counters. The airport prohibits any shuttle, limo or cab employees from soliciting business from people on the gate (3rd) level.

As part of the agreement with the airport Disney was allowed to station "greeters" on this level in order to assist and direct those signed up for ME. The livery association is claiming that the "greeters" soliticited business by encouraging Disney bound passengers not signed-up for ME to use the service.

 

[DancingBear]

In order to use Mears or any other shuttle service one must either use the phone or go to one of their counters. The airport prohibits any shuttle, limo or cab employees from soliciting business from people on the gate (3rd) level.

Yes, but the article says:

The letter also clarified that Walt Disney World guests who had not pre-arranged a ride on Magical Express would not be able to access the service once they arrived at the airport.

This does not appear to accomodate even people going to a Disney counter at the airport to make the arrangement.

 

[DancingBear]

ME has ramifications much worse than we can really understand. The Vallets are now missing out on almost 50% of the tips that they normally got from baggage and vallet people. Other towncar services and taxi companies are really suffering.

Of course, there are also now additional baggage handlers, bus drivers, etc. with jobs for the ME.

 

[sbelyo]

I tried the mears shuttle once before. This was way before ME was even thought of. I paid $70.00 or so for 3 seats and it took 1.5 hours to get there because you stop several times and wait before you even leave the airport. I now need 4 seats and when it's not free anymore that will be $80.00 That was until I found FLTours. They are a sponsor of the DIS board and the best car service I have ever used. It's only $60.00 for a one way to the resorts and I think $110.00 round trip. This way I don't have to listen to my kids asking when will get there, bathroom requests, and crying for 1.5 hours. And it would only cost me $30.00 extra. When you've already laid out 1-5 thousand for a vaction $15.00 each way for a little peace of sanity is cheap.

 

[AlanH]

Fuqua said one option might be to require Magical Express to operate out of both the A and B sides of the terminal like most concessionaires such as rental-car companies and other shuttle services.

What this inplied is that if Disney pulled the "greeters" and operated counters in both Terminals A & B, (like other shuttle services) then they could sign up people who had not pre-arranged for ME.

So it appears the options are:

1. Have the "greeters" and one counter, but only allow people who signed up for ME prior to their trip to use the service, or
2. Have no "greeters" and two counters in which case Disney could provide ME to "walk-ins".

 

[DoxaRich]

Let me see if I'm understanding this right:

You have to have pre-arranged your ME, I assume when you booked the trip.

The greeters are there to assist arriving guests who already have a reserved seat on ME.

Disney greeters do not "sign you up" for ME as you get off the plane.

If this is the case, what's the issue with having greeters on the 3rd level ? If anything it's just an additional expense Disney is absorbing to make their guests ME experience that much better. The limo drivers lost the fare months earlier when the customer booked there trip.

 

[AlanH]

The limo drivers and now the airport are claiming that the greeters are signing people up as they get off the plane.

 

[DoxaRich]

I don't see how they could possibly be signing them up at the airport unless they are travelling with carry-on. Baggage arrangements must have been made with ID tags at the guests departure airport. By the time a guest is in the arrival gate, their luggage has already been dropped by at least three people. No one can it be diverted to a ME location.

 

[TiggerFreak]

I don't see how they could possibly be signing them up at the airport unless they are travelling with carry-on. Baggage arrangements must have been made with ID tags at the guests departure airport. By the time a guest is in the arrival gate, their luggage has already been dropped by at least three people. No one can it be diverted to a ME location.

Your luggage does NOT have to be checked through to WDW to use ME.
They are not encoraging you to bring your bags to the bus and have them stowed in the underbelly, but they will allow you to(space permitting of course).
I was told this when I inquired for our upcoming October trip
So it is possible that some of the greeters have been soliciting arriving quests.

It also may be that some travelers were unaware of the service and hear about it from others on their flight. They may then see the greeters in the airport and are told in true Disney fashion that "sure, you can ride. just see the man over . . ." !

 

[AlanH]

From the Orlando Sentinel

Taxi drivers protest fees, Disney shuttle
Beth Kassab and Jerry W. Jackson
Sentinel Staff Writers

October 4, 2005

Frustrated by rising fuel costs, higher lease fees, and a free airport bus service, taxi drivers demonstrated Monday at Orlando International Airport and in downtown Orlando.

Dozens of taxi drivers organized a strike at the airport, lining up in the holding lane but refusing to take passengers, though several cabs were still available for service.

Drivers said it is increasingly difficult to operate at the airport. They want lower lease fees from the companies that own the taxis, and they want airport officials to end a contract for Disney's Magical Express, a free airport-to-hotel shuttle that began in May.

"Nobody makes money here," said taxi driver Frank Garcia, one of those at the airport. "They killed the taxi business and the town-car business here."

Airport officials said Monday's demonstration caused no disruptions for passengers.

The Magical Express service, approved by the airport, is provided by Mears Transportation under contract to Disney.

Some 5,000 passengers use the service every day.

Drivers said they are also frustrated by Mears' recent decision to raise the weekly fee it charges them to lease its vehicles. Town-car drivers protested Monday at Mears' downtown headquarters, saying their lease fee was just increased from $700 to $850 a week.

"This year there is just no way to keep up," said Selidieu St. Jean, who has worked for Mears' town-car division for the past nine years. "We used to have enough business in Orlando, but now we don't. So I'm out of business after nine years. I can't afford it."

Mears spokesman Roger Chapin said the fee increase was a standard yearly increase that occurs in mid-September or October, as business starts to pick up before the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Chapin said the company understands the drivers' concerns but does not intend to lower its lease rates.

"Fuel prices are compounding the problem," Chapin said. "It's been a hot, slow, expensive summer, and I think we're seeing the frustration."

He said Magical Express is not to blame for what drivers say is a major slowdown in business at the airport.

"We just haven't seen the decline in the demand for service," he said. "Not from the customers."

Last month, taxi and luxury-car drivers won some concessions from Orlando International officials, who told Disney that its airport greeters would no longer be allowed to stand on the third level of the main terminal to direct passengers to Magical Express.

No other transportation company can have greeters on the third level, the airport said, so it made the change out of fairness to the others.

Beth Kassab can be reached at bkassab@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5448. Jerry W. Jackson can be reached at 407-420-5721 or jwjackson@orlandosentinel.com.

Copyright © 2005, Orlando Sentinel | Get home delivery - up to 50% off

 

[mitros]

Well, I just used the ME service, and it was great! No-tie ups or hold -ups. From the moment my plane landed,until my bus pulled up in front of SSR, it took exactly one hour, and one hour after that, my bag was in the room. Seems like a fantastic service, with Disney movies on board,{the bus} including old Walt himself!