Magical Express Ending Service

[Orion Nebula]

Wow. This is a big disappointment. I wonder how this will affect on-site hotel reservations if all on-site perks are basically gone!

Ya what is the point? No ME and no EMH? Don't some of the other nice resorts outside of the park offer shuttle service?

 

[margot31]

This is sad to me as when i move back to the mainland we won't be in driving distance (well we could do it but wouldn't be out top choice) but to just be able to jump on a bus and be there in a short drive. This is still discouraging my return trip in hopefully 2022.

 

[holden]

No standard shuttle service from the airport to your hotel seems... unworkable. Not just for me as a guest, but for the parks! Even standard hotels have a shuttle loop. The $155 (per way) Minivan isn't worth it at all.

I'm assuming another shoe will drop here, but if not, wow, that's a huge perk they're cutting.

Minnie Vans were discontinued a while ago.

 

[EricInPA]

Minnie Vans were discontinued a while ago.

Discontinued due to covid (just using it as a recent example), but they WERE offered as a Disney-provided option.

 

[Dug720]

Have they said that they are also eliminating airline check in at the resorts?

Bag check in has been discontinued since they re-opened.

Just use the app on your phone to check in. Most of them offer a way to add bags there, and if not you can go to the machines at the airport to add it and hand the bags off.

 

[lampshadehead]

This could turn off single parent travelers with small children. Having ME at the airport meant you could avoid an uber/taxi with a random stranger driving you alone in car that you can only hope has safe brakes, suspension etc. It meant you could avoid driving in an unfamiliar area. It meant you could keep an eye on your children in the airport without having to drag luggage along. Even though I am long past this stage, its upsetting none the less and I am highly disappointed with Disney.

 

[crazyventures]

We are DVC members, but this would factor into my decision moving forward if I were paying out of pocket for a Disney hotel room. I know some people complain about transportation times, but I always found Magical Express to be pretty convenient. I liked not having to grab my bag or worry about transportation to my hotel.

 

[YeOswaldianSociety]

What it comes down to is that it’s obvious that many of us are angry about this but we’ll have to wait to see how everything plays out by 22. Perhaps this train service will work out in our favor but honestly having it take guests to Disney Springs seems like an added step that’s not at all positive for anyone.

 

[DebbieB]

My bet is someone else takes it over for a fee.

 

[Brett Wyman]

Ya what is the point? No ME and no EMH? Don't some of the other nice resorts outside of the park offer shuttle service?

Even the best non-Disney resorts cant match the Disney buses with their shuttle service. They just run too infrequently and none can drop you off at the front of MK.

 

[Orion Nebula]

Bag check in has been discontinued since they re-opened.

Just use the app on your phone to check in. Most of them offer a way to add bags there, and if not you can go to the machines at the airport to add it and hand the bags off.

What do you mean "add bags there"? Don't you just go get the bags and roll them to the ME check in area?

 

[Orion Nebula]

Even the best non-Disney resorts cant match the Disney buses with their shuttle service. They just run too infrequently and none can drop you off at the front of MK.

Ya I have never stayed in one before. So they can't drop you off near the bus areas? Where do their shuttles end up?

 

[dreamer17555]

Things that have disappeared (or are announced to leave) that were standard onsite perks:

Magic Bands
Luggage Tags Mailed to you (picking them up at the resort doesn't make any sense!)
60 Day Fastpasses
Extra Magic Hours (30 mins is not the same at all)
180+10 ADR Booking Window
Resort Airline Check In
Magical Express
Resort Item Pickup

WDW resorts charge a premium and I have always felt the perks made them well worth it but even amazing theme-ing and location- the value is no longer there. Disney really, really hasn't thought this through.

 

[JayhawkCruiser]

Before being relocated to ORL for work, we used ME 3x before giving up on it. The tragical express experience was fine for the trip back to the airport, but I found waiting 45 mins or longer to actually get into a bus and depart the airport on arrival to be the norm on our last few times using it. Then factor in if you were a third stop on the drop off route and you’d be looking at 1 1/2 to 2 hours before you even got to your resort. Chalk it up to impatience, but I found using Lyft to be the only way to go once they allowed pickups from MCO.

 

[SealedSeven]

Even if its transitioning to Brightline (possibly), a problem with the Brightline service to Disney Springs, is what will you do about luggage to your hotel at that point...

 

[HannaLeAnn]

I will be disappointed if Pete is not in the WDW show tomorrow. That's for sure! I love every other member of the team, but I need to hear his thoughts on this.

 

[wisblue]

Bag check in has been discontinued since they re-opened.

Just use the app on your phone to check in. Most of them offer a way to add bags there, and if not you can go to the machines at the airport to add it and hand the bags off.

I haven’t assumed that a service like resort check in for bags and flights that was discontinued because of COVID will be gone for good.

I know how to check bags at the airport, but I always like not having to haul bags to the airport

 

[Dug720]

What do you mean "add bags there"? Don't you just go get the bags and roll them to the ME check in area?

When you get to the airport to fly home. The poster I quoted was whining about not being able to check in at the resort. You can check in ANYWHERE via phones. Some airlines will allow you to pay your baggage fee on the app, then you go to the machines at the airport (or the bag check line) to get the tags and hand them off.

 

[Mome Rath]

Who do we email?

 

[dreamer17555]

I will be disappointed if Pete is not in the WDW show tomorrow. That's for sure! I love every other member of the team, but I need to hear his thoughts on this.

This! I need a good Pete rant on Chapek right about now.