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Minnie Van to rope drop MK.

yorkieteacher

DIS Veteran
Joined
Oct 4, 2014
We are staying at the Dolphin. We want to take a Minnie Van to rope drop MK. I understand we can’t reserve a Minnie Van for pick up at the Dolphin that would drop off at MK entrance like it would from other Disney resorts.Can we walk to Yacht Club and call a Minnie Van? We want to arrive at the entrance of MK by 8 without lining up for a bus at 7. Is this even possible? Are we doomed to have to go through TTC?
 
Do the minnie vans service any of the other disney spring hotels that offer early theme park entry? We are thinking of staying at Hilton Buena Vista Palace in May, but not sure how early we would be able to get to MK with transportation options available.
 


Do the minnie vans service any of the other disney spring hotels that offer early theme park entry? We are thinking of staying at Hilton Buena Vista Palace in May, but not sure how early we would be able to get to MK with transportation options available.

Minnie Van service provides service to and from select locations within Walt Disney World Resort, including:

  • Any hotel in the Disney Resorts Collection
  • Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
  • Shades of Green
  • Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
  • Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
  • Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
 
I am hoping to use the Minnie Van as well from the Poly bc I like to get to parks super early and Monorail doesnt start soon enough for my liking ha. We'll get to do the 8:30 early entry so hoping I can get a van around 7:15.
 
Considering using the Minnie Van but never have before, or any other Uber/Lyft. Can you reserve ahead of time or just request the day you need it? Is there a special app I need? Wondering expected cost would be, can I know that before reserving?
 


Considering using the Minnie Van but never have before, or any other Uber/Lyft. Can you reserve ahead of time or just request the day you need it? Is there a special app I need? Wondering expected cost would be, can I know that before reserving?
You cannot reserve ahead of time. Minnie Vans don’t begin running until 7am (edit: MVs leave their lot at 6:30am - thanks tobikaye for the correction) & are reserved through the Lyft app and are generally around twice as expensive (if not more) as the most basic Lyft vehicle. You should be given several vehicles from which to choose, including pricing and estimated time to arrival and then you can choose which one best suits your needs.
 
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I thought the Minnie Vans started at 6:30 am, has it changed? I know that the WDW website is not always accurate, but I thought I read recently that they still started accepting fares at 6:30 am.

WDW Minnie Van Instructions

It has been some time since I used the Minnie Vans, but I know I read something in the last couple of months where someone went from AKL to MK and it was about $40.
 
I thought the Minnie Vans started at 6:30 am, has it changed? I know that the WDW website is not always accurate, but I thought I read recently that they still started accepting fares at 6:30 am.

WDW Minnie Van Instructions

It has been some time since I used the Minnie Vans, but I know I read something in the last couple of months where someone went from AKL to MK and it was about $40.
That does say 6:30, so I’d say 6:30 is the correct answer. I took several on my last trip (just returned home on Friday), and one of our drivers mentioned that he had the first shift of the day and 7:00am was his first pick-up and we were his last fare of the day at 2:45pm. I was assuming (incorrectly) by what he told me.
 
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That does say 6:30, so I’d say 6:30 is the correct answer. I took several on my last trip (just returned home on Friday), and one of our drivers mentioned that he had the first shift of the day and 7:00am was his first pick-up and we were his last fare of the day at 2:45pm. I was assuming (incorrectly) by what he told me.
Thanks, I just wanted to make sure. I have a few days in February undecided before visiting family and was debating on a WDW stay and could see wanting to use the Minnie Van.
 
Just to be aware, as learned recently from using the Minnie Van service almost exclusively on our trip a few weeks ago, there is a limited amount of these drivers/vehicles. So at park open, depending on your location and destination, the wait times for this service could be an additional 15-20 minutes for pick-up + plus the ride time to the destination itself at surge pricing - if you even get one at all (this happened quite a few times where it was constantly searching but could not connect a driver). Same for park close times. Check the app frequently to understand where this might effect your plans and arrival for time sensitive activities like rope drop and ADRs.

Lyft also employs the tactic of we found your driver but completing the last ride drop-off. This can be a test of your patience and add additional time to your pick-up as the driver resets the vehicle for the next pick-up (removing car seats, clean-up etc.) We ran into this situation often and it would add another 5-15 mins in pick-up time to the original estimate. You won't know this until after your driver has been connected with your request. So again, consider this in planning times.

Lastly, be sure to specify pick-up / drop-offs carefully especially at the resorts. We were at Saratoga and there is a big difference in the "main lobby" or the specific area room block (i.e. congress park). This seems simple, but depending how you search the resort and the options presented - you may think you locked it in correctly. Fortunately, Minnie Van Drivers are accommodating on the drop-off but it could delay your pick-up if you are not careful.
 
Just to be aware, as learned recently from using the Minnie Van service almost exclusively on our trip a few weeks ago, there is a limited amount of these drivers/vehicles. So at park open, depending on your location and destination, the wait times for this service could be an additional 15-20 minutes for pick-up + plus the ride time to the destination itself at surge pricing - if you even get one at all (this happened quite a few times where it was constantly searching but could not connect a driver). Same for park close times. Check the app frequently to understand where this might effect your plans and arrival for time sensitive activities like rope drop and ADRs.

Lyft also employs the tactic of we found your driver but completing the last ride drop-off. This can be a test of your patience and add additional time to your pick-up as the driver resets the vehicle for the next pick-up (removing car seats, clean-up etc.) We ran into this situation often and it would add another 5-15 mins in pick-up time to the original estimate. You won't know this until after your driver has been connected with your request. So again, consider this in planning times.

Lastly, be sure to specify pick-up / drop-offs carefully especially at the resorts. We were at Saratoga and there is a big difference in the "main lobby" or the specific area room block (i.e. congress park). This seems simple, but depending how you search the resort and the options presented - you may think you locked it in correctly. Fortunately, Minnie Van Drivers are accommodating on the drop-off but it could delay your pick-up if you are not careful.
Happy to have found your response!

We are staying at Saratoga Springs and have an 8:00 a.m. Crystal Palace breakfast reservation. Wasn't sure how early the buses started running, so we were hoping to use Minnie Van to make sure we get there in plenty of time (with our 2 year old who needs car seat).

Based on your experience, do you think we'll be ok requesting the Minnie Van at like 7:15 a.m., or do you think bus will be safe?
 
Happy to have found your response!

We are staying at Saratoga Springs and have an 8:00 a.m. Crystal Palace breakfast reservation. Wasn't sure how early the buses started running, so we were hoping to use Minnie Van to make sure we get there in plenty of time (with our 2 year old who needs car seat).

Based on your experience, do you think we'll be ok requesting the Minnie Van at like 7:15 a.m., or do you think bus will be safe?
I think you will be fine at 7:15A - requesting the Minnie Van - even if they are busy - it should give you somewhat of a buffer on your ADR. With that said, I would be sure to see what the pick-up times look like in the Lyft app by 7:00A - just to be sure. Hard to give advice or guarantees for any given day :)

On the bus idea - not sure where you are in SSR, so that internal bus loop may have you at the first or last internal stop before moving on to MK. The busses from my observation were pretty consistent with many folks up early to grab one to the parks. Again, hard to say or predict whether you hit everything just right to make the bus. Its only 15 minutes by bus from the resort to the park - so leaving at 7:15A theoretically should be enough time - I just don't have enough experience to say with any certainty.
 
Is it better/faster to get a Minnie Van or regular Uber/Lyft with requested car seat or just rent a car and drive to MK from the resorts in the Epcot/Boardwalk area?
 
Minnie Vans come with car seats, rideshare with car seats aren’t always readily available. MV also drop off at the MK bus station, but rideshare drops off at TTC, which requires extra time to cross the lagoon to MK entrance. So MV wins that contest.

We almost always have a car, but if we’re going straight to MK we take Disney transportation. Driving means parking at TTC, so same issue as rideshare with having to cross the lagoon.

Minnie Van wins again!
 
Can the Minnie Van pick us up at YC and drop us off at Poly- we will not have a reservation plan to eat at captain cooks
 

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