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

[agavegirl1]

One of the pitfalls of putting together tentative plans so far in advance is an announcement like this. I also had some rough ideas of how to use hoppers based on this service. I have also had tentative plans for special offerings that have since disappeared. I won't be using Minnie Vans if I can help it. Hubby would not be caught dead riding in a polka dot, Minnie themed vehicle. I've noticed that even six months in advance can be too soon to count on. I will make my plans based on boats, buses and monorails and less park time I guess.

 

[ShannyDoesDisney]

And disney mentioning Skyliner as a mode of transportation is ridiculous. It's like me saying don't snack on junk food, dinner will ready in two or three years.

So true!! I love this.

We can book dining reservations 180 days out but they cancel a method of transportation in a flash?

I do also agree that the Minnie Vans are so not the same and getting that reply deserved a big ol eye roll.

 

[GrandAdmiralStrife]

the whole point of this service was to skip the security detail at the front of the parks. I fail to see how Minnie Vans (or might as well call them not-so-handy helpers) replaces the sole selling point

 

[sherlockmiles]

I just wrote another email to disney. I shared how the past two trips we rented a wheelchair from disney. But now with the stoppage of the express bus, we needed to rent one from an offsite location. The added walking/standing from gate to transportation to gate would have been too much for my husband, which would have resulted in more time in the room.


Two trips ago, this is exactly what happened. More time icing his knees in the room. Last trip with the express bus, it wasn't as bad. I realize the lost of one wheelchair rental isn't going to ruin disney, but perhaps it adds to the thinking of reinstating it.

I'm sure they will write back and mention the minnie vans, but for two people , no way would we pay $20 multiple times. Perhaps if DH was feeling bad, we'd use it once to get back to resort, but not just for general travel.

My DH has knee/back issues as well and I was very much looking forward to using the ET to help lengthen his amount of "good" time each day. The "Minnie" van price is beyond ridiculous!

 

[FinnsMom7]

I keep hoping that when I check in on this thread it will finally say - ITS BACK! I have 3 months and was really banking on this service. I know you can't plan around "extras" too much but the increasing worry that crowds will be insane my week having this to skip security was going to save so much time. I love park hopping (I have FD so it was a requirement anyway) but the amount of time spent actually hopping is getting more strenuous

 

[rg35]

Hubby would not be caught dead riding in a polka dot, Minnie themed vehicle.

I guess your hubby is too cool for school. Ridiculous.

 

[Cirlonde]

I also wish they hadn't decided to cancel this service, although from my one day of using it I can certainly believe that it wasn't profitable...even at the price they were charging. My husband and I had were able to take a quick 3 day trip in February because we had some Southwest travel funds that were about to expire and a free park ticket to spend. Without this Express transport, I don't think we could have fit all three parks into one day...it saved us so much time and so much walking. But there was never more than one other family on the bus with us or waiting at the stand for a different bus.

We started at Hollywood Studios for a couple hours, went to Epcot around 11am and stayed for about 4-5 hours, then finished up at Animal Kingdom until close. It was exhausting but felt so jam-packed and we had a blast. I think we're spoiled and I don't know if we'll ever opt for park hopper tickets without the convenience of being taken between parks without having to go through security and the entrance lines. Although I'll admit, it felt a little strange to not see the park gates on your way in, haha!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hubby would not be caught dead riding in a polka dot, Minnie themed vehicle.

Why?

 

[agavegirl1]

Why?

I'm not sure myself. I showed him a picture and that's what he said. He also will not wear an Olaf T-shirt again. I think he got some grief from the guys at work for that one. I bet he would ride if I vowed no pictures of the van or him near it. Social media can be brutal to a nice guy working in macho land. He would do it for me I'm sure...but I don't like the cost.

 

[AngiTN]

I guess your hubby is too cool for school. Ridiculous.

Luckily I have a DH that doesn't think this way. He suggested a ride in one for us on my birthday (I was doing a Minnie themed day)

I'm not sure myself. I showed him a picture and that's what he said. He also will not wear an Olaf T-shirt again. I think he got some grief from the guys at work for that one. I bet he would ride if I vowed no pictures of the van or him near it. Social media can be brutal to a nice guy working in macho land. He would do it for me I'm sure...but I don't like the cost.

I don't particularly love the cost either but it was DH's idea, not mine. I actually prefer regular lift all in all, except for at MK, where Minnie Van gets better drop off locations. I'll pay the upcharge to get the better drop off. And honestly, we paid $14 with tip for Lyft for a 4 seat vehicle. Considering Minnie Vans are the next class up for $6 more it's not priced too far out of line. Throw in a car seat and it's a bargain.

As to the bold, DH works with boiler makers in a power plant and live electrical line workers. Fairly macho.
If any of them were to dare to give him any grief over riding in a Minnie Van all he'd have to remind them is they'd do the same to please their wife too. If they had one that is. Needless to say, if they had attitude to tease someone to the point they are refusing to ride in a Minnie Van they may not have a lady in their life any way.
He's with your DH on a character shirt though. He won't do them. But it's not from fear of teasing.

 

[agavegirl1]

Thanks @AngiTN. I was a bit taken aback by the "Ridiculous" comment. DH was never a fan of WDW (until I dragged him there of course) and I was until recently a very casual fan. I've gotten a little more obsessed of late. Thanks for the price comparison information. I was not aware of more convenient drop off locations. That may be well worth the extra.

DH has just recently convinced some coworkers that "going to DW is not all that bad". I have turned him into a defender of the vacation location at work. I don't know what it is about these grain elevator workers and Millwrights (that's him, he's on contract). Few, if any of them have ever been and for now, refuse to do so.

 

[FinnsMom7]

Thanks @AngiTN. I was a bit taken aback by the "Ridiculous" comment. DH was never a fan of WDW (until I dragged him there of course) and I was until recently a very casual fan. I've gotten a little more obsessed of late. Thanks for the price comparison information. I was not aware of more convenient drop off locations. That may be well worth the extra.

DH has just recently convinced some coworkers that "going to DW is not all that bad". I have turned him into a defender of the vacation location at work. I don't know what it is about these grain elevator workers and Millwrights (that's him, he's on contract). Few, if any of them have ever been and for now, refuse to do so.

I wouldn't worry about the ridiculous comment - I am Disney obsessed and so is my bf now but those Minnie vans are imo ridiculous- the express buses on the other hand sounded worth while and amazing

 

[cel_disney]

I'm sure I should be able to find this - but what is the guest services email?

 

[Gehrig1B]

I'm sure I should be able to find this - but what is the guest services email?

guest.services@disneyworld.com

 

[ThistleMae]

I just wrote another email to disney. I shared how the past two trips we rented a wheelchair from disney. But now with the stoppage of the express bus, we needed to rent one from an offsite location. The added walking/standing from gate to transportation to gate would have been too much for my husband, which would have resulted in more time in the room.


Two trips ago, this is exactly what happened. More time icing his knees in the room. Last trip with the express bus, it wasn't as bad. I realize the lost of one wheelchair rental isn't going to ruin disney, but perhaps it adds to the thinking of reinstating it.

I'm sure they will write back and mention the minnie vans, but for two people , no way would we pay $20 multiple times. Perhaps if DH was feeling bad, we'd use it once to get back to resort, but not just for general travel.

I would recommend renting a ECV....saved my life for two Disney trips, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to do it. Luckily, I am now able to walk and did the last trip ECV free. But...it truly made the whole trip so much fun, without the pain.

 

[ThistleMae]

I'm not sure myself. I showed him a picture and that's what he said. He also will not wear an Olaf T-shirt again. I think he got some grief from the guys at work for that one. I bet he would ride if I vowed no pictures of the van or him near it. Social media can be brutal to a nice guy working in macho land. He would do it for me I'm sure...but I don't like the cost.

It's a confidence boost to be able to be silly and still be a man. I guess he's old school. But, yes prices are crazy.

 

[jo-jo]

I would recommend renting a ECV....saved my life for two Disney trips, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to do it. Luckily, I am now able to walk and did the last trip ECV free. But...it truly made the whole trip so much fun, without the pain.

He won't. I had to push (no pun intended) to rent a WC offsite for full time use. Although he won't be in it full time. Going up big hills, he'll walk while pushing WC. As times, he just gets tired of sitting and walks a bit while pushing. He walks better with something to lean on. But the big thing is, there is always a spot for him to sit as needed. Some shows like lion king, he just can't do without a backrest, now he can. Or standing in a long slow moving line, is too much for him too. We can stop and watch a street show, etc.

 

[Kaytie]

Get him a rollator. Amazon has at least one that converts to a transport chair.

 

[ktkerber]

So I got a response from Disney regarding the email I sent. I specifically mentioned the Minnie vans and the Skyliner and why they weren't comparable options in my email. So the response I got was basically a copy/paste of what everyone else got telling me that they now have Minnie vans and Skyliner is coming. I even went as far as to tell them we would definitely not use the Minnie vans and they still mentioned them in the email as a replacement for Express transportation. So frustrating....

 

[ThistleMae]

So I got a response from Disney regarding the email I sent. I specifically mentioned the Minnie vans and the Skyliner and why they weren't comparable options in my email. So the response I got was basically a copy/paste of what everyone else got telling me that they now have Minnie vans and Skyliner is coming. I even went as far as to tell them we would definitely not use the Minnie vans and they still mentioned them in the email as a replacement for Express transportation. So frustrating....

Yeah, things like this are frustrating with Disney. But I imagine that since most of the time there were so few people on the bus that Disney decided it wasn't worth it for them to provide the service.