News Round Up 2017

[pepperandchips]

It seemed popular to me and I loved using it. I would gladly have paid for it again.

Could the service be ending due to construction backstage at Magic Kingdom and Epcot? Not sure how close the access point is to Universe of Energy but in my head it seems like they would have been close (the stop was behind guest relations in the park, right?).

 

[rteetz]

Could the service be ending due to construction backstage at Magic Kingdom and Epcot? Not sure how close the access point is to Universe of Energy but in my head it seems like they would have been close (the stop was behind guest relations in the park, right?).

I would think that's not the reason. I have to think they want to push Minnie vans instead or this wasn't as profitable as hoped.

 

[MommaBerd]

Never heard of it, how long wad this a thing?

Sometime December 2016

 

[MommaBerd]

I would think that's not the reason. I have to think they want to push Minnie vans instead or this wasn't as profitable as hoped.

But (and you know this) everyone agreed THE biggest perk was bypassing security. Minnie Vans don't provide that benefit.

When people consistently reported 6, 8, 10 people on an entire bus going to another park, it was definitely a "demand" problem.

 

[rteetz]

But (and you know this) everyone agreed THE biggest perk was bypassing security. Minnie Vans don't provide that benefit.

When people consistently reported 6, 8, 10 people on an entire bus going to another park, it was definitely a "demand" problem.

Exactly. I loved bypassing security!

 

[STLstone]

It seemed popular to me and I loved using it. I would gladly have paid for it again.

I was planning to get it on my next trip. Never got a chance to use it.

 

[STLstone]

I'm not sure the "average" guest even knew about this option. We saw a couple of small signs but I knew about it from the dis. Sure it was costly, but for a week long trip where people planned to hop it was pretty convenient. It wasn't well advertised.

I don't even consider it "costly" if you wanted to hop. It would, potentially, cut your hop time in half - for $29/week.

I'd pay $60 a week just to bypass security (after my first pass, of course).

A lot of people seem excited about the Minne Vans, but Minnie is $20 per trip and you don't get to bypass security.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Darn. That service was fantastic.

Unless it drizzled for 5min... That was our experience this past week. Useless, sadly. ~ $120 of useless. I doubt our experience was unique in the summer.

 

[Capang]

I don't even consider it "costly" if you wanted to hop. It would, potentially, cut your hop time in half - for $29/week.

I'd pay $60 a week just to bypass security (after my first pass, of course).

A lot of people seem excited about the Minne Vans, but Minnie is $20 per trip and you don't get to bypass security.

I meant costly in terms of shelling out $120 for a family of 4 to get something that is provided for free. That's money we could save to spend on something else. I agree the bypassing security was worth it. Getting dropped off with easy access to all the attractions was fantastic. Completely worth it which is why we decided we would do the express again. Bummed it is gone.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Can someone pass the kleenex!

Bleh, wish they hadn't had that music going on during the ride, would have liked to have heard the whole thing.

 

[Gastonecrosse]

News

Siemens Abruptly Leaves Spaceship Earth Corporate Lounge Before Contract End, Disney Taking Ownership Immediately

I have been out of touch and I came in to read about 60 pages of catch up material and hit this! Dang, this really is a bummer as we love that place, and now that we are parents we hoped to use it more than ever before

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Very disappointed that the express transportation is ending.

Do we know if it is gone and that's the end of it or gone but they may revisit it/tweak it in the future?

 

[rteetz]

Do we know if it is gone and that's the end of it or gone but they may revisit it/tweak it in the future?

It possible but I feel their focus will be on Minnie Vans for now.

 

[writerguyfl]

Could the service be ending due to construction backstage at Magic Kingdom and Epcot? Not sure how close the access point is to Universe of Energy but in my head it seems like they would have been close (the stop was behind guest relations in the park, right?).

This is an interesting thought. Disney probably could have moved the Epcot location somewhere away from the construction that will be happening at Universe of Energy. Perhaps using the access road on the east side of Spaceship Earth behind The Living Seas.

But, there aren't really any easy alternatives for Magic Kingdom. The location that is used for these buses in Tomorrowland only has one access point. And it's right where the construction of the new theatre will go. Juggling construction traffic with scheduled buses probably isn't worth the hassle.

Link to Bing Map: https://binged.it/2uX4ZoR

I'd bet these construction issues plus the overall lack of riders probably contributed to the end of this program.

 

[FoxC63]

Bleh, wish they hadn't had that music going on during the ride, would have liked to have heard the whole thing.

I agree. What got me was watching the CM's.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I'd bet these construction issues plus the overall lack of riders probably contributed to the end of this program.

Feels like lack of riders is enough of a reason to me. That, and I can imagine maybe people being annoyed -- like we were after paying ~$120 -- to find just how easily it closes due to weather. I can imagine a lot of complaints.

 

[LSLS]

I would think that's not the reason. I have to think they want to push Minnie vans instead or this wasn't as profitable as hoped.

I'm going Minnie vans. I have absolutely no evidence than my own personal thought, but $20 one way is a big time cost, especially when you could do this express transport for a week at nearly that price. My thought is (again, no evidence and I could be completely wrong) that Minnie vans aren't doing nearly as well as they thought and this is their way to try to push people to use them more. Or the other alternative is both are too expensive and Disney is starting to see that with all the increases in charges people just don't have the disposable income at the parks for things like this. At any rate, could be interesting

 

[preemiemama]

I'm going Minnie vans. I have absolutely no evidence than my own personal thought, but $20 one way is a big time cost, especially when you could do this express transport for a week at nearly that price. My thought is (again, no evidence and I could be completely wrong) that Minnie vans aren't doing nearly as well as they thought and this is their way to try to push people to use them more. Or the other alternative is both are too expensive and Disney is starting to see that with all the increases in charges people just don't have the disposable income at the parks for things like this. At any rate, could be interesting

I had the same thought about the vans. More profit for Disney. Just a bonus that they don't need to worry about weather complaints. Unfortunately, I think the lack of disposable income line has yet to be hit. I would love for it to happen, but don't think we're there yet. Some of the room rates people are reporting lately, though, might be getting us closer!

 

[MommaBerd]

@pepperandchips When you first mentioned construction as a reason, I kinda blew it off (sorry! ) but I also didn't really think it through. When @writerguyfl backed up your case, it really makes sense...in tandem with demand issues.

The wording was that the service will be "suspended" and the source with knowledge didn't rule out the possibility of Disney bringing it back in some other form or system. But, I wonder if they do bring it back, it won't be until after all the construction is complete.

I wish that they would have "bundled" it for a time - maybe even for free - with the Park Hoppers. You know, get people hooked on it, and then either charge for it OR raise the price of PHs and include it.

ETA: Didn't see a dedicated thread for this, so I apologize if I have "prolonged " the conversation!

 

[LSLS]

I had the same thought about the vans. More profit for Disney. Just a bonus that they don't need to worry about weather complaints. Unfortunately, I think the lack of disposable income line has yet to be hit. I would love for it to happen, but don't think we're there yet. Some of the room rates people are reporting lately, though, might be getting us closer!

I pretty much agree. I don't think there is a complete lack, but I think with the way some of these extras have been selling (thinking of the Halloween Party last year not selling out a lot of dates, or at least not until the last minute, the pay for extra hours that seemed to flop, the cabanas, etc.) they may be getting to the line. Like I said, I'm thinking it is the vans, but just throwing out what could be an alternative theory IF neither the express nor the Minnie vans have been selling well.