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

[Timmy Boy]

Hopefully ET can be sold as 1 days after the 16th, but we're not sure yet.

 

[Mopedmom1]

Hopefully ET can be sold as 1 days after the 16th, but we're not sure yet.

Thanks for keeping us updated @Timmy Boy . Hopefully you'll be back soon to tell us they are reinstating the service after storm season is over.

 

[shoreward]

Have you sent a message to WDW Guest Communications about the discontinuation of the Express Transportation, and, if so, what was the gist of the reply?

 

[HillsboroHoppers]

My biggest peeve with Disney is that WE need to plan 60 days out... which I did, painstakingly. My plans were HEAVILY influenced by my expectation of using Express Transportation. My itinerary is now screwed. Why can't they give US 60 days notice on these things, so we can plan accordingly? So bummed right now. And yes, I have emailed them but don't expect that to make any difference.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

My biggest peeve with Disney is that WE need to plan 60 days out... which I did, painstakingly. My plans were HEAVILY influenced by my expectation of using Express Transportation. My itinerary is now screwed. Why can't they give US 60 days notice on these things, so we can plan accordingly? So bummed right now. And yes, I have emailed them but don't expect that to make any difference.

I just can't say this enough: if you were cutting things so close that you were depending on express transportation to get there on time, you might have been VERY disappointed. Slightest weather shuts it down. Without enough cushion built in you could easily have missed plans

People have hopped for YEARS. Now there are options like Uber that make that even easier if you're willing to pay extra.

 

[sunflowerblooms]

I just can't say this enough: if you were cutting things so close that you were depending on express transportation to get there on time, you might have been VERY disappointed. Slightest weather shuts it down. Without enough cushion built in you could easily have missed plans

People have hopped for YEARS. Now there are options like Uber that make that even easier if you're willing to pay extra.

I arrive on Thursday. I did plan on using Express Transportation. I have hopped for years. I was aware that weather could shut the service down. But I made my plans with the hope that the service would be available.

I would have done my touring plans and FPs totally different. With 3 days notice there isn't a lot to time to make adjustments. And any FPs I would want to make changes to are not readily available.

So yes this is a huge disappointment for many of us. I would have really appreciated a little more advanced notice from Disney that the service was ending.

 

[sherlockmiles]

I was definitely planning on using it in September! RRRRR!

 

[jsbowl16]

I think this service was shut down for lack of use over the summer. I see more people using this in every season but summer because it is easier to go all day without needing a break. We go every summer and this service was nice but there is no benefit to all of those people that tour the two most popular ways in the summer. Those are get up late and visit one park without hoppers or have hoppers but go back to the resort every afternoon.

One other thing to remember is that this service makes it quicker for guests to hop so maybe people were booking less days which means less money for Disney.

It also wouldnt surprise me if there was some sort of a security risk that they found with this service and couldnt take the risk of allowing people to bypass security when hopping.

 

[shoreward]

The story from WDW Today News draws a link between the Express service being dropped and the new Minnie Van service beginning.

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/08/walt-disney-world-ending-express-bus-transportation-service-next-week/

 

[sherlockmiles]

The story from WDW Today News draws a link between the Express service being dropped and the new Minnie Van service beginning

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/08/walt-disney-world-ending-express-bus-transportation-service-next-week/

Very sad - are people REALLY paying $20 PER RIDE!! OMG. Because that's the best use of $20 at Disney.

 

[FastPasser.]

The service spanned a winter, spring and a summer, I believe that's an adequate amount of time for Disney to evaluate the service.

 

[MandyLovesMulan]

How will Minnie vans help those of us staying at the 20+ resorts without minnie van authorization?

If I could go to the front desk of a (any) resort and have one within 5 minutes, and it drive right to the park gate it might be worth it. (Although, from what I've heard... I doubt it).

 

[BrianL]

It is definitely a bummer for me to have this cancelled. We planned to use it, though it shouldn't affect us too much. It was a convenience thing though. It is amazing to me that not enough people would be using it. At 29 bucks for a week? That's a steal! Oh well. I've park hopped without it before, and can do so again. No problems.

 

[AngiTN]

The story from WDW Today News draws a link between the Express service being dropped and the new Minnie Van service beginning.

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/08/walt-disney-world-ending-express-bus-transportation-service-next-week/

Sorry, but a line drawn by a blogger doesn't make it true.
No more than the article written by the Dis news side yesterday about the Cali Grill going Buffet for dinner made that true.
His conclusions are vastly flawed. It doesn't take any amount of comparison between the 2 services to realize Minnie Van doesn't replace any part of Express Bus.
They do not do the same things.
Unless, and PPs have mentioned, they add in Minnie Vans bringing you to inside the parks. Then it's a replacement. Until then, not a replacement.

 

[switch15foot]

arriving aug 24, used it in the past and love it, planned my upcoming trip using it, guess back to the drawing board on the plans with only 8 days until I arrive

 

[AngiTN]

I just can't say this enough: if you were cutting things so close that you were depending on express transportation to get there on time, you might have been VERY disappointed. Slightest weather shuts it down. Without enough cushion built in you could easily have missed plans

People have hopped for YEARS. Now there are options like Uber that make that even easier if you're willing to pay extra.

I realize you hit a really bad run of luck with it and rain and it really soured you on it. I would be the same.
But I think it ran more than you are giving it credit for.
We used it an awful lot, including around Memorial Day when it was pretty dang rainy.
Didn't have a single time where we went to use it and it was down.
I acknowledge fully it was equally good luck on our part, only pointing out that it isn't quite as bad as it was for you, on avg.
I compare it to when someone finds bus service horrible but another at the same resort at the same time finds it wonderful. The 2 guests could even approach the same bus stop 5 min apart. But if guest A walks up as a bus is ready to depart and catches it each time, they'll have no wait each time so they'll say, buses were great. Then if Guest B walks up 5 min later and sees the bus pulling away each time and then waits 20 min for a bus every time they'll say bus service was awful. Neither was wrong, they just had very different luck with timing.

Now, the rain and protection for CM is something that will never be eliminated. It is impossible to provide protection to walking CM and it is also impossible to get guests from the back stage areas to on stage areas without a CM to walk them. Something has to give. The thing that gives may well be, we'll never have another service that brings guests to the back stage areas. No idea.

 

[totallytigger]

I arrive on Thursday. I did plan on using Express Transportation. I have hopped for years. I was aware that weather could shut the service down. But I made my plans with the hope that the service would be available.

I would have done my touring plans and FPs totally different. With 3 days notice there isn't a lot to time to make adjustments. And any FPs I would want to make changes to are not readily available.

So yes this is a huge disappointment for many of us. I would have really appreciated a little more advanced notice from Disney that the service was ending.

Just remember--no matter when an anouncement is made, it is advance notice for some and last minute notice for others--depending on when you're going. You certainly can't expect Disney to know your personal schedule.

 

[AngiTN]

How will Minnie vans help those of us staying at the 20+ resorts without minnie van authorization?

If I could go to the front desk of a (any) resort and have one within 5 minutes, and it drive right to the park gate it might be worth it. (Although, from what I've heard... I doubt it).

Yeah, I agree. Even at the resorts that have it, many times those requesting a car are having to wait a bit for one.
It's only going to get worse when it rolls out to more resorts. Unless they plan to get more cars/drivers. No idea on that one

 

[FinnsMom7]

I was already having an awful day and now this to be confirmed?!? UGH - I know I can hop without it in December but last year I spent 40 mins in security line to get into Epcot at 7 on a Tuesday - I really wanted to use this to save the security recheck during hopping.

 

[AngiTN]

I was already having an awful day and now this to be confirmed?!? UGH - I know I can hop without it in December but last year I spent 40 mins in security line to get into Epcot at 7 on a Tuesday - I really wanted to use this to save the security recheck during hopping.

Maybe try using the IG entrance instead? Hop via BC or BWI? Not sure where you are coming from