Minnie Vans "Uber" like transport begins soon!

[HopperFan]

If Disney was really smart, there is one place on property where this "Uber" system could really work out great for them and guests, Trail's End Restaurant and Pioneer Hall - Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review. Now what I meant about Disney being smart is they would have to find away for the Minnie Vans to drop you off very close to both buildings. I'm not talking about dropping you off at there internal bus station then taking there bus to both places. I'm talking about the Minnie Vans dropping you off with a very short walk to them. NO more taking a bus to Magic Kingdom then a long boat trip to Fort Wilderness. I mean front door service from your Resort Hotel, to the Trail's End or Hoop Dee Doo Review. It is very hard sometimes to get to those places on time and this service could make that a lot easier. $20 to me is not bad in that situation. I think Disney should considering working something out.

Good idea. That's definitely doable. They could enter thru the service road by WL and drop off at the mostly unused shelter by the stables.

Per Blog Mickey "Even direct transport to Pioneer Hall for Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is possible with Minnie Van."

That right there is worth more than $20.

PS It's being reported on twitter by some that it has been free, and will be this week.

 

[cvjpirate]

Saw a review of this service. Price $20 bucks including tip anywhere on property. I have never used Uber so if this is right and includes tip is that more comparable to the Uber service? The review also talked about dropping you off closer to your room at the resort, not just at the front or bus stops.

 

[joelkfla]

Saw a review of this service. Price $20 bucks including tip anywhere on property. I have never used Uber so if this is right and includes tip is that more comparable to the Uber service? The review also talked about dropping you off closer to your room at the resort, not just at the front or bus stops.

UberX/Lyft for 1-4 passengers is about half that. UberXL/Lyft+ for 5-6 passengers is a couple of bucks cheaper, depending on how far you're going. Getting a child car seat on Uber makes Minnie Van closer for UberX; cheaper compared to UberXL.

The review was wrong about dropping off. Uber & Lyft can pick up & drop off at individual lodging buildings, except at CSR where there are gates preventing that.

 

[cvjpirate]

UberX/Lyft for 1-4 passengers is about half that. UberXL/Lyft+ for 5-6 passengers is a couple of bucks cheaper, depending on how far you're going. Getting a child car seat on Uber makes Minnie Van closer for UberX; cheaper compared to UberXL.

The review was wrong about dropping off. Uber & Lyft can pick up & drop off at individual lodging buildings, except at CSR where there are gates preventing that.

Thank you for information

 

[Dean Marino]

Saw a review of this service. Price $20 bucks including tip anywhere on property. I have never used Uber so if this is right and includes tip is that more comparable to the Uber service? The review also talked about dropping you off closer to your room at the resort, not just at the front or bus stops.

For my wife and I? A standard MEARS Taxi to or from our resort (WL) to most restaurants (GF, and Contemporary) - $10 with a solid tip. Minnievan looses.
Restaurants at Dolphin/Swan? Minnievan flat rate wins.

Disaster scenario: Roads clogged due to wreck, or "Major event" - Minnievan flat rate wins.

 

[CAS239]

 

[cavepig]

Just want to say that they are so cute, I want one for me personally to drive at home!!

 

[rteetz]

 

[disboardlover]

Just to nitpick, they are actually using crossover/SUVs (Chevrolet Traverse?) instead of minivans for their "Minnie Van" service. Doesn't seem very punny to me.

 

[disboardlover]

I wonder why a Traverse when an actual "Minnie" van would hold more people and strollers and be much more user friendly?

Yeah, not very punny to call it "Minnie Van" and not actually use a minivan.

 

[disboardlover]

Honda and Chevy both are Disney sponsors. The Odyssey was a D23 only promotion.

Yeah there is a all-new 2018 Honda Odyssey and they wanted to market it at D23, and in the media: many major auto magazines had a post on it.

 

[bebec22]

I think this is going after different people thatn Uber/Lyft - as these are all larger vehicles and come with car seats. Plus some people just don't agree with the Uber business model and/or don't have experience with them or just "trust" Disney more - so I don't think it is about taking a slide from Uber as much as it is expanding the pie

As for cost - if you are 6 people and need 2 car seats, that is an Uber XL and the car seat fee - it is likely getting very close to a similar cost. But if you are just 1-2 people, not car seats, etc. - then Uber will be chaper. Again, different markets

The fact that these Minnie Vans have car seats makes me super excited. One of the things that I love about Disney is that I can travel there with my small children and not have to worry about car seats. I will absolutely use this service and happily pay the $20 price tag to get my kids somewhere fast and safely. I've been contemplating a trip alone with my 2 kids next summer when they will be 2 & 4 but I was mostly worried about how I would handle the double stroller plus the 2 of them getting on and off the busses by myself. These Minnie Vans completely solve that problem.

 

[HopperFan]

Just to nitpick, they are actually using crossover/SUVs (Chevrolet Traverse?) instead of minivans for their "Minnie Van" service. Doesn't seem very punny to me.

Well ................. as an owner of minivans for almost 30 years, and now the owner of an Equinox, the Traverse's baby sister ..... I think most SUVs no longer look like SUVs and Minivans are slowly dying off from production. I don't think Chevrolet even makes minivans anymore. What they are creating is a hybrid of the two, which the Traverse is. My vehicle has front and back seats but no third row like mini vans do, so I joked I no longer have a Mom-Car. The Traverse has a third seat and all the feels of a minivan inside, Mom-car. It is today's modern minivan. Traverse is the Chevy mini van.

 

[joelkfla]

Well ................. as an owner of minivans for almost 30 years, and now the owner of an Equinox, the Traverse's baby sister ..... I think most SUVs no longer look like SUVs and Minivans are slowly dying off from production. I don't think Chevrolet even makes minivans anymore. What they are creating is a hybrid of the two, which the Traverse is. My vehicle has front and back seats but no third row like mini vans do, so I joked I no longer have a Mom-Car. The Traverse has a third seat and all the feels of a minivan inside, Mom-car. It is today's modern minivan. Traverse is the Chevy mini van.

True -- Honda's market-leading Odyssey has been looking more and more like an SUV with each revision.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Everything I've seen about the Minnie Vans talks about traveling within WDW property. Will they go to WBC? It's within the gates. It would make that resort more appealing to us. Which is why Disney may not go there.

 

[Lalalyn]

Somewhere I saw the vans would be equipped with two Graco car seats. It didn't provide specific information about whether those would be infant, convertible or booster or some combination.

I'm curious for families with young children how this would work. We have three kids, one of whom is a very tall 7 year old but still requires a car seat. It doesn't look like this would be an option for us. Uber isn't an option either due to the car seat situation. Perhaps if Disney could do more on the car seat front they could get more folks using this.

 

[rteetz]

Somewhere I saw the vans would be equipped with two Graco car seats. It didn't provide specific information about whether those would be infant, convertible or booster or some combination.

I'm curious for families with young children how this would work. We have three kids, one of whom is a very tall 7 year old but still requires a car seat. It doesn't look like this would be an option for us. Uber isn't an option either due to the car seat situation. Perhaps if Disney could do more on the car seat front they could get more folks using this.

In the video by Blog Mickey they are car seats that are a combination.

 

[HopperFan]

True -- Honda's market-leading Odyssey has been looking more and more like an SUV with each revision.

Makes perfect sense. Many want all the convenience, seating etc that comes with mini vans but the sleeker "cooler" look of an SUV - and many don't want the big truck sized Expeditions etc. Best of both worlds and win/win for manufacturers that don't have to produce both.

 

[Lalalyn]

In the video by Blog Mickey they are car seats that are a combination.

I just watched the video, which had me thinking. Our older daughter just needs a booster and one that we've used in the past is this blow up bubble booster. That booster would be easy to take to the parks and just store in a stroller. I wonder if they would let her use that and our twins their Graco car seats.

If so, we would definitely use this to get to pre-opening ADRs at AK or HS. We usually stay at Poly.

 

[HopperFan]

I don't think there's anything new or "inside" here. They're just reporting what's on the parks blog and making the same assumptions and analysis of the concept art that's been going on here.

I agree with you, I think it just takes information known about these things merged with what Disney has now released to narrow what the product will be. I think it's a good read for the average person who isn't interested in reading all the technical postings of conjecture we have had.

And maybe Disney completely misrepresented them in their renderings and D23 wordage, but it does appear that these will be small sky bucket styled gondolas and not the big capacity ones some were predicting. That alone changes the expectations, which I find interesting as does the thought that they may be open air.