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

[FastPasser.]

CMs themselves told us: "down for 2-4 hours every day these days".

I absolutely know that this is very likely this summer.
It's a three sneaker summer. One pair on the first day, another pair on the second day because the day one sneakers are soaked and a third pair because the day one sneakers are still a little damp. All set for day four though.

 

[FastPasser.]

I'm glad to hear that they will still be employed by Disney.

They are bus drivers. They'll still be driving buses.

There has been a shortage of drivers for as long as I can remember. They scraped the bottom of the barrel when they offered me a position ten years ago. Current drivers get plenty of hours. And for those that don't know, bus drivers are the highest paid costumed CMs at WDW. Anyone want a job?

 

[shoreward]

There has been a shortage of drivers for as long as I can remember. They scraped the bottom of the barrel when they offered me a position ten years ago. Current drivers get plenty of hours. And for those that don't know, bus drivers are the highest paid costumed CMs at WDW. Anyone want a job?

Talking to a number of the Express Bus drivers, it was interesting to hear about their prior careers...everything from NYC firefighter to district supervisor of a fairly well-known food store. The firefighter's professional driving experience, prior to Disney, was driving a fire engine.

 

[Mopedmom1]

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?

I received a generic auto response thanking me for my correspondence 5 minutes after sending my email yesterday. Nothing else.

 

[FastPasser.]

Talking to a number of the Express Bus drivers, it was interesting to hear about their prior careers.

It's important to know that the ET bus drivers were not always the same drivers every day and that they didn't just drive the ET routes. On any given day, it could have been any of the 1500 or so drivers.

The firefighter's professional driving experience, prior to Disney, was driving a fire engine.

Do you happen to recall what his name was?

 

[shoreward]

Do you happen to recall what his name was?

Sorry, I don't. He was talking to the passengers on the bus, all 6 or 7 of us, about working in NYC during 911. He was a larger guy.

 

[Cuchman]

OMG so sad - I was so looking forward to using this. It was a part of the reason we chose park hoppers for this next trip :-(
The family will be sorely disappointed.

 

[FastPasser.]

He was a larger guy.

Unfortunately that doesn't rule out that many drivers.

 

[AngiTN]

Talking to a number of the Express Bus drivers, it was interesting to hear about their prior careers...everything from NYC firefighter to district supervisor of a fairly well-known food store. The firefighter's professional driving experience, prior to Disney, was driving a fire engine.

They have had a lot of interesting careers. I think a lot of the retirees who relocate to FL find bus driving to be a good fit. And boat drivers. We have spent time talking to a lot of them. Something about them tend to be some of the friendliest of CM

 

[FastPasser.]

Something about them tend to be some of the friendliest of CM

There was one crabby bus driver that I knew well, but fortunately he transferred out.

 

[Kaytie]

Actually, we did have about a month with this one. It was announced either during or the day after the D23 Expo which was in mid July, and the rides just closed over the weekend.

And rumors circulated for several months prior. No such hint about the Express Transportation

If you are arriving outside of this time-frame, you will still be able to use the complementary transportation at Walt Disney World®.

I would love to ask the CM who replied, "What does it complement?" She/he used the wrong word. Complementary does not mean free.

I don't know if they are or not, but it's possible that the Minnie Van drivers are 3rd party CMs.

They're existing CMs who've applied for the positions, or possibly recommended by a superior. Lyft only provides the reservation and payment capabilities.

There has been a shortage of drivers for as long as I can remember. They scraped the bottom of the barrel when they offered me a position ten years ago. Current drivers get plenty of hours. And for those that don't know, bus drivers are the highest paid costumed CMs at WDW. Anyone want a job?

I know a paratransit driver starting at WDW in a couple of weeks, driving the monorail.

 

[HopperFan]

There has been a shortage of drivers for as long as I can remember. They scraped the bottom of the barrel when they offered me a position ten years ago. Current drivers get plenty of hours. And for those that don't know, bus drivers are the highest paid costumed CMs at WDW. Anyone want a job?

AND ............

Transportation Bus Driver- Full Time & Part Time - $500 Hiring Bonus

 

[FastPasser.]

AND ............Transportation Bus Driver- Full Time & Part Time - $500 Hiring Bonus

Come on down!

 

[JerseyJanice]

I didn't realize that a bus driver's uniform was considered a costume.

A CDL driver with a passenger endorsement can make a very good living right now. There are shortages of them in student transportation and trucking and apparently at Disney World.

 

[AngiTN]

I didn't realize that a bus driver's uniform was considered a costume.

A CDL driver with a passenger endorsement can make a very good living right now. There are shortages of them in student transportation and trucking and apparently at Disney World.

Disney calls uniforms costumes in the same manner they call their employees Cast Members instead of employees
Almost all Cast Members wear a Costume.
I can think of a few that do wear street clothes so I suppose they are not in what would be termed a costume.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I did not know that.

 

[FastPasser.]

I didn't realize that a bus driver's uniform was considered a costume.

It's just part of the show terminology.

Disney calls uniforms costumes in the same manner they call their employees Cast Members instead of employees

A few more. Good show, bad show, on stage, back stage, staying in role, Casting Center, Cast Services.

 

[sherlockmiles]

It's just part of the show terminology.
A few more. Good show, bad show, on stage, back stage, staying in role, Casting Center, Cast Services.

And there's the whole Walt philosophy that went into the Park layouts......starting with the smell of popcorn when you first enter, just like when you first enter a movie theater.

 

[jessicag13]

And there's the whole Walt philosophy that went into the Park layouts......starting with the smell of popcorn when you first enter, just like when you first enter a movie theater.

and all the "credits" on the windows of main street are really great too.
(the keys to the kingdom tour really focused on the movie/show aspect of the magic kingdom- very cool)

 

[anomamatt]

Well, I got a call back about my email. But it was totally useless (as expected). She ("Emily") told me that Express Transportation was a test and everything is subject to change without notice. I stressed that I care less about ET ending than I do about my plans starting in 9 days needing to be completely changed. She told me that Disney values feedback, but I could tell she didn't care. But really, it's not like WDW can change the fact that a vacation there requires 180 days of pre-planning (which is why their last minute changes muck plans up so badly)...

Oh well, life goes on... 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).