Magical Express to end in 2022

[DGsAtBLT]

The main reason I can see for keeping the resort to park transportation is alcohol sales. They won’t want people driving drunk (bad PR), or leaving their cars in the lots overnight and calling a rideshare. Alcohol makes them a lot of money, and they seem to be increasing the number of places to imbibe, not reducing them. If there was a way to walk from all the resorts to all the parks, it wouldn’t matter so much, but that isn’t practical for them either, especially from a security standpoint..

I think the on property transportation is even more important for the bubble aspect too. It’s one thing to get to and from your resort at the beginning and end of the trip only, but if people had to start getting in their own vehicle every time they wanted to go somewhere I think you’re going to lure even more offsite for anything from a meal to entire days at other attractions in Orlando.

 

[bookgirl2632]

You just wait. The next perk to go will be Fast Pass. At the very least they’ll tie the number of Fast Passes to the tier of resort you are in and if you aren’t staying on property, you’ll have to pay for the Fast Passes. They will take this opportunity of not having them and completely revamp it.

 

[SaintsManiac]

You just wait. The next perk to go will be Fast Pass. At the very least they’ll tie the number of Fast Passes to the tier of resort you are in and if you aren’t staying on property, you’ll have to pay for the Fast Passes. They will take this opportunity of not having them and completely revamp it.

That was predicted long before Covid.

 

[MICKIMINI]

The pixie dust is turning into well, just dust...

 

[mshanson3121]

You just wait. The next perk to go will be Fast Pass. At the very least they’ll tie the number of Fast Passes to the tier of resort you are in and if you aren’t staying on property, you’ll have to pay for the Fast Passes. They will take this opportunity of not having them and completely revamp it.

This is exactly what I am expecting.

 

[New Mouse]

I dont understand the justifiable reasons to stay onsite anymore.

There is none, literally 0.

 

[middlechild]

Does anyone have statistical information on how many seats filled twenty years ago versus two years ago? When my family when ten years ago we used DME. Now my daughter goes about twice a year, and she uses Uber for her and her entourage. Not DME. If WDW looks to the target audience as the twenty-somethings then my opinion means little.

 

[Wiltony]

It seems if an item doesn't "pay for itself", it's gonna be gone this year. By definition, a free transport doesn't pay for itself, so it's gone...I'd put all things of that type on the block as the year goes by, and the odds of Black Widow making $1B in theaters and Disneyland opening by Easter become more and more remote...

I contend that it's not free, in the same way the bedsheets and electricity you use when staying on property aren't free. When you stay at a resort, the price includes various things: soap, use of the pool, housekeeping, magicbands (until next year), etc. Between 2005 and 2022, that price included transportation to and from the airport to your resort. They aren't removing something that was free, they are removing something we have been paying for, and will now continue to pay for without receiving. That is what is so distasteful here. This is an unabashed decrease in the value for our money. Get less, pay the same.

 

[Fantasia79]

without luggage service magical express would be a good option but uber is pretty cheap and easy.

Hopefully it'll be all back soon. this really stinks for families!!

 

[karly05]

This may have just destroyed my solo trips.

No baggage service / RAC was already my biggest "deal breaker" - I do not want to have to worry about finding/losing my bag or checking bag and getting boarding pass at MCO.

Scoff if you wish, but I'm a solo older lady who has never done ride share alone, much less a taxi, and I'm nervous/uncomfortable about that. And there is absolutely no way in the world I would ever even try to drive. A Disney-branded (read: "safe") means of group transportation was perfect for me.

It's like oh, forget those cute simple magic bands, just use your phone for everything! Ugh!!!

 

[MICKIMINI]

This may have just destroyed my solo trips.

No baggage service / RAC was already my biggest "deal breaker" - I do not want to have to worry about finding/losing my bag or checking bag and getting boarding pass at MCO.

Scoff if you wish, but I'm a solo older lady who has never done ride share alone, much less a taxi, and I'm nervous/uncomfortable about that. And there is absolutely no way in the world I would ever even try to drive. A Disney-branded (read: "safe") means of group transportation was perfect for me.

It's like oh, forget those cute simple magic bands, just use your phone for everything! Ugh!!!

I'm so with you! I don't have a smart phone and don't want one. We've never used Uber. The luggage service/boarding pass service was so convenient.

Personally, I would rather Disney continue the service and charge for it rather than squash it completely. To your point, Disney has abandoned older travelers and families alike. It just gets less "magic" ever day.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

nvm

 

[VWLforever]

Lot of misinformation in this thread about DVC resort parking being "free." It is not. DVC members pay for parking at the resorts as part of a line item in our annual dues. If another party rents DVC points from a member, the points used to pay for their stay have already paid for the parking when the owning member pays their annual dues. If on the other hand someone books a DVC cash stay directly from Disney, they are charged extra for parking the same as any other cash resort guest. Which of course wasn't always that way, it was just a cash grab that Disney decided they could get away with.

It is a common misconception that DVC members park free- which is somewhat Disney's fault, as they seem to encourage this line of "magical thinking". The parking for members is no more free than is the housekeeping service or the toiletries placed in your room. All these things are paid for in our annual dues. And for this reason, Disney cannot charge DVC members a second time to park at our properties.

 

[leaf44]

I go solo more often than I go with my partner but I legitimately don't understand this reasoning. As a solo traveler rideshare isn't an issue because you don't need to grab an XL, you don't have a big group or car seats to worry about. Regular Lyft rides average about $35-40 from MCO to Pop according to the fare estimate calculator. Don't get me wrong, it sucks losing DME, but I really don't get how $70 extra makes that big of a difference on a trip as expensive as Disney generally is. That just means skipping 2 TS meals when I'm by myself.

That is an absolutely fair assessment. I admit that I almost never use ride share as they are not really used where I live and so I was going off the cost of transportation pre ME, and pre ride share times. Honestly though I am usually budgeted to the last dollar for my Disney trip so any extra money is unfortunate.

From a purely personal point of view as well, the introvert in me does not love the idea of riding with a complete stranger all the way to Disney but I realize that is a pretty stupid personal problem.

I think in general however, this is a mistake on Disney's part. They have worked hard to build the idea of the Disney bubble and create an all encompassing world that people want to stay in. With the loss of ME and luggage transfer, some of what made the bubble so appealing disappears. The cost of staying on property becomes more obviously extravagant as the perks disappear. It's easier to accept a price when you can say that you get something extra with it, but not when it's just a room.

 

[ChipnDale79]

I’d love to see universal become a bigger threat to Disney, maybe they will when their new park opens.

 

[Tandy]

https://blogmickey.com/2021/01/disneys-magical-express-service-ending-in-2022/

Another elimination - Almost daily now

 

[ChipnDale79]

That is an absolutely fair assessment. I admit that I almost never use ride share as they are not really used where I live and so I was going off the cost of transportation pre ME, and pre ride share times. Honestly though I am usually budgeted to the last dollar for my Disney trip so any extra money is unfortunate.

From a purely personal point of view as well, the introvert in me does not love the idea of riding with a complete stranger all the way to Disney but I realize that is a pretty stupid personal problem.

I think in general however, this is a mistake on Disney's part. They have worked hard to build the idea of the Disney bubble and create an all encompassing world that people want to stay in. With the loss of ME and luggage transfer, some of what made the bubble so appealing disappears. The cost of staying on property becomes more obviously extravagant as the perks disappear. It's easier to accept a price when you can say that you get something extra with it, but not when it's just a room.

How many people are more inclined to visit universal if they’re staying offsite vs on? I wonder that.

if I have to drive, why not check out universal

 

[Br'er Rabbit is the Best]

Well I wrote to guest services to express my disappointment with all the cuts that have been made over the past several years. I know it won’t have any impact but I’m not sure what else to do other than voting with my wallet and no longer staying on site or visiting WDW. I’m sure in a few months when they announce a paid magical express at $100 a head they’ll say they are responding to guest feedback and excited to announce this new service! Ugh

 

[DianeMccornack]

I agree this seems like a huge mistake. I never used MDE but I know lots and lots of people did. That could be a large additional expense for families

 

[SwanVT2]

Will the cost of rooms go down if it doesn't include ME? Probably not.