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

[cel_disney]

Definitely bummed about this! Have an extended family group going in April 2018 and this was going to make it possible for us to do a lot more with slow grandparents and a 4 year old in the group!

Fingers crossed they bring it back in another form - I really loved the idea of not going thru he bag check lines again and avoiding the long walks at the front of the park with this group!

 

[MandyLovesMulan]

So, I take it driving a bus in lightning is bad for CMs . . . does this mean the "normal" bus services are also down when there's lightning? How safe are the people waiting for a bus? Are the bus shelters (if any) safe from lightning?

Genuinely curious as it seems I will be taking the normal Disneyworld buses everywhere come September (hurricane season).

 

[MandyLovesMulan]

I suggest Disney build a subway system for park hopping (solves lightning issue). . . if they don't cause sinkholes.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

So, I take it driving a bus in lightning is bad for CMs . . . does this mean the "normal" bus services are also down when there's lightning?

The issue isn't the safety of the bus drivers. It's the safety of the Guest Relations cast who check guests in for the Express Transportation service and escort them on and off stage.

 

[FinnsMom7]

Maybe by my December trip Disney will fix the bag/security check points a little more and my main need for ETB won't be as big a concern - they need to break out strollers to certain lines and people with just bags to another

 

[Lesley Wake]

Maybe by my December trip Disney will fix the bag/security check points a little more and my main need for ETB won't be as big a concern - they need to break out strollers to certain lines and people with just bags to another

Agreed! One area for strollers, one area for bags, and one area for bagless. It's horrible at DLR where we don't even have bagless lines, everyone is in the same spot and you have to judge how many strollers and how crowded they look...

 

[MommaBerd]

The biggest change in plans is that I'm going to have to cancel Early Morning Magic on 8/27 because without ET, I'll never make it to AK in time for my FOP FPs. I guess WDW's loss of $300 (again, not that they will notice or care). We will still have fun and now it's more relaxed without worrying about our FOP FPs (which my wife will appreciate).

I hope you let "Emily" know - just for the record- that you were going to cancel EMM. So, not only did they lose out on the ET $ from you, but also the EMM $.

 

[FinnsMom7]

Agreed! One area for strollers, one area for bags, and one area for bagless. It's horrible at DLR where we don't even have bagless lines, everyone is in the same spot and you have to judge how many strollers and how crowded they look...

I got stuck behind a man with a stroller at mk last December as he got to table 3 kids another guy and 2 wives walk up all with bags and the guy took nothing out of the stroller ahead - I flipped I had a bag - with my poncho prescription sunglasses and band aids - 25 mins

 

[AngiTN]

So, I take it driving a bus in lightning is bad for CMs . . . does this mean the "normal" bus services are also down when there's lightning? How safe are the people waiting for a bus? Are the bus shelters (if any) safe from lightning?

Genuinely curious as it seems I will be taking the normal Disneyworld buses everywhere come September (hurricane season).

The issue isn't the safety of the bus drivers. It's the safety of the Guest Relations cast who check guests in for the Express Transportation service and escort them on and off stage.

And to answer the bold, watch the video of the FL airport worker that got struck by lightening about a month, 6 weeks back. The answer is, some. When under the shelter. Walking to/from, not much at all. It's very risky to do it in a storm. Disney wouldn't ever put their CM out there. What guests do is sort of out of their control. Free will and all that.

 

[MandyLovesMulan]

And to answer the bold, watch the video of the FL airport worker that got struck by lightening about a month, 6 weeks back. The answer is, some. When under the shelter. Walking to/from, not much at all. It's very risky to do it in a storm. Disney wouldn't ever put their CM out there. What guests do is sort of out of their control. Free will and all that.

Wow. We have plenty of trees and buildings here, so lightning isn't an issue . . . saw aftermath of a few forest trees which exploded near my house as a kid.

Any suggestions/tips to stay alive @ Disney during thunderstorms (for foreigners)?

 

[AngiTN]

Wow. We have plenty of trees and buildings here, so lightning isn't an issue . . . saw aftermath of a few forest trees which exploded near my house as a kid.

Any suggestions/tips to stay alive @ Disney during thunderstorms (for foreigners)?

Try not to walk around outside during lightning. Disney does have an abundance of lightning rods for this reason. And an abundance of buildings. They realize guests will be out and not know/be paying attention, to the lightning. There haven't been reports of people being struck at Disney but they could. So, to keep yourself safe, if there is a bad storm, stay out of it. If you are walking around somewhere and a storm comes up, try to head in to the nearest covered/enclosed spot. That's really all there is to it.

 

[Ydnameht]

I got a call back re: my email (even though I didn't include a contact # and it's not the email in my MDE) from Gary in Guest Experience Services.
I missed the call but the voicemail said they were calling about my disappointment with the service ending and Gary invited me to call back to discuss any comments or concerns I had and told me he'd sent an email as well.

The email arrived about an hour later. It appears to be the exact same email my brother received from another CM though I haven't doublechecked to see if it's actually identical.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding the recently announced changes to our transportation offerings.

We continually evaluate and adjust our offerings based on a variety of factors, including feedback from our Guests. We have found that while Guests who used Express Transportation enjoyed the convenience, more Guests preferred other forms of transportation.

We have recently started offering Minnie Van service through a collaboration with rideshare service, Lyft. With Minnie Van service, Disney Cast Members will whisk you away to wherever you want to be at the Walt Disney World Resort . This service accommodates up to six guests and provides two versatile car seats so even the tiniest of passengers can travel in style! Additionally, we are eagerly preparing for the Disney Skyliner, which will give Guests a bird's-eye view of the Walt Disney World Resort as they travel between Disney's Art of Animation Resort, Disney's Pop Century Resort, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and the International Gateway at Epcot in gondolas featuring favorite Disney Characters. These new services, in conjunction with our existing transportation offerings, will continue to provide our Guests with a variety of ways to travel between our Theme Parks and Resorts.

Our Guests’ feedback is important to us, and you may be assured your comments have been thoroughly reviewed.

Best Regards,
Gary Nettles
Guest Experience Services
Walt Disney World Resort
​

I haven't called back yet or responded to the email.

I found it very odd they would take this opportunity to promote the gondolas that don't exist yet and won't for years and the Minnie Vans which aren't even available to all resort guests. Non-existent transportation certainly doesn't replace Express Transportation and even if the gondolas WERE already running they aren't even remotely similar to what I told them I was disappointed to lose.

And while Minnie Vans do at least currently exist who knows if I'll be eligible to use it on my upcoming trip and they also don't do the same things that Express did.

And that "more guests preferred other modes of transportation" line really bugs me. Sure! And more guests eat at quick service than table service! More guests stay at Values than Deluxe! More guests use the buses than the monorail! More guests utilize regular park hours than EMH or EMM or hard ticket parties! Just...not the best argument. At all.

 

[DisneyKoolaid]

I spoke with an Epcot guest relations CM today and they said that one of the reasons ET is being suspended at Epcot is because of all the construction that's going to be happening with Ellen's. They did also bring up Minnie Vans -_-

And that "more guests preferred other modes of transportation" line really bugs me. Sure! And more guests eat at quick service than table service! More guests stay at Values than Deluxe! More guests use the buses than the monorail! More guests utilize regular park hours than EMH or EMM or hard ticket parties! Just...not the best argument. At all.

AGREE 100% - I wonder how many of these "more guests" actually even used ET. I feel like if you were just pitched the idea + price (without actually using it), you probably wouldn't see the value.

 

[MandyLovesMulan]

I wonder how skyliner will deal with lightning.

 

[Mopedmom1]

The email arrived about an hour later. It appears to be the exact same email my brother received from another CM though I haven't doublechecked to see if it's actually identical.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding the recently announced changes to our transportation offerings.

We continually evaluate and adjust our offerings based on a variety of factors, including feedback from our Guests. We have found that while Guests who used Express Transportation enjoyed the convenience, more Guests preferred other forms of transportation.

We have recently started offering Minnie Van service through a collaboration with rideshare service, Lyft. With Minnie Van service, Disney Cast Members will whisk you away to wherever you want to be at the Walt Disney World Resort . This service accommodates up to six guests and provides two versatile car seats so even the tiniest of passengers can travel in style! Additionally, we are eagerly preparing for the Disney Skyliner, which will give Guests a bird's-eye view of the Walt Disney World Resort as they travel between Disney's Art of Animation Resort, Disney's Pop Century Resort, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and the International Gateway at Epcot in gondolas featuring favorite Disney Characters. These new services, in conjunction with our existing transportation offerings, will continue to provide our Guests with a variety of ways to travel between our Theme Parks and Resorts.

Our Guests’ feedback is important to us, and you may be assured your comments have been thoroughly reviewed.

Best Regards,
Gary Nettles
Guest Experience Services
Walt Disney World Resort
​

I got the same EXACT email, only signed by Jonathan Riggs​

 

[Mopedmom1]

I wonder how skyliner will deal with lightning.

I inquired about this in my email. It was not addressed in their reply.

 

[shoreward]

I spoke with an Epcot guest relations CM today and they said that one of the reasons ET is being suspended at Epcot is because of all the construction that's going to be happening with Ellen's. They did also bring up Minnie Vans -_-

AGREE 100% - I wonder how many of these "more guests" actually even used ET. I feel like if you were just pitched the idea + price (without actually using it), you probably wouldn't see the value.

I have often wondered if a video made of a typical ET experience might not have increased the popularity. The video could have been viewed on Disney's site, and could have shown a guest(s) checking in with a CM, being escorted to bus and boarding (but not showing any restricted areas), arriving at destination park, and being greeted and escorted, upon arrival, by CM.

I concur - this service needed to be experienced to fully appreciate and "get" it.

Did anyone ever receive a survey about ET, asking for your thoughts/experience? Though used on quite a few trips, I never received a survey, though always hoped I would.

 

[DisneyKoolaid]

Also, not sure if anyone already posted this, but I just checked and ET has been wiped from Disney existence on MDE and also online

 

[AngiTN]

I got a call back re: my email (even though I didn't include a contact # and it's not the email in my MDE) from Gary in Guest Experience Services.

I found it very odd they would take this opportunity to promote the gondolas that don't exist yet and won't for years and the Minnie Vans which aren't even available to all resort guests. Non-existent transportation certainly doesn't replace Express Transportation and even if the gondolas WERE already running they aren't even remotely similar to what I told them I was disappointed to lose.

And while Minnie Vans do at least currently exist who knows if I'll be eligible to use it on my upcoming trip and they also don't do the same things that Express did.

And that "more guests preferred other modes of transportation" line really bugs me. Sure! And more guests eat at quick service than table service! More guests stay at Values than Deluxe! More guests use the buses than the monorail! More guests utilize regular park hours than EMH or EMM or hard ticket parties! Just...not the best argument. At all.

I agree with everything you said
And I got a phone call despite not giving them a contact number too. I know they looked the account info up though because he was able to see all our upcoming plans, park days, resort stay, etc.

I spoke with an Epcot guest relations CM today and they said that one of the reasons ET is being suspended at Epcot is because of all the construction that's going to be happening with Ellen's. They did also bring up Minnie Vans -_-

That would make some sense though I always did wonder why they couldn't use a spot in WS. When doing a tour we were brought in back there so I know there is a spot where it could happen. It's possible there isn't enough room for all the buses they need for the service. There were only 2 of our buses.

I wonder how skyliner will deal with lightning.

I said that exact thing from the moment the service was announced. It was one of the reasons the original sky system was removed. I'm guessing the new tech used in these new systems have figured that out

 

[ChrisNY2]

I wonder how skyliner will deal with lightning.

I thought this was a pretty interesting article:
"...Gondolas, when designed properly, will function perfectly fine in the event of lightning....'We just think no one would let us build these things if they couldn’t handle lightning. I mean, they must be able to handle lightning. We wouldn’t build them if they couldn’t. And because we do build them and are allowed to build them, then we assume people know that they can handle lightning… I guess we must think differently...'"
http://gondolaproject.com/2010/08/23/what-happens-when-lightening-strikes/