Express Transportation to Be Discontinued

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

http://www.wdwmagic.com/transportation/express-transportation/news/14aug2017-express-transportation-service-to-be-discontinued.htm

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Not surprised it's ending.  

[caveat lector 181]

Not sad it's ending

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

Not sad and not surprised. Instead you can take a Minnie van.

[slices 16]

Not surprised, although as I understand it Minnie vans won't be able to bypass bag check like this did.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Another scheme that I have to shake my head at how poorly it was executed.  The concept is a good one, but they did a poor job advertising and promoting it.  We've had a few resort stays and many park visits during the time the direct bus service was offered, but never saw any signage or promotion of the service in the parks and in the resorts.

Every single report I've read from guests who used it stated how nice it was that they were often the only guests on the bus.  Great for the guest, but that meant Disney was running empty buses from park to park.

Had this been promoted and priced right, the buses would have been full, and the service would be continuing, at a nice profit for Disney.  Instead, they lost money, and we will probably never see this offered again.

TCD

[Travisma 1,317]

22 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Another scheme that I have to shake my head at how poorly it was executed.  The concept is a good one, but they did a poor job advertising and promoting it.  We've had a few resort stays and many park visits during the time the direct bus service was offered, but never saw any signage or promotion of the service in the parks and in the resorts.

Every single report I've read from guests who used it stated how nice it was that they were often the only guests on the bus.  Great for the guest, but that meant Disney was running empty buses from park to park.

Had this been promoted and priced right, the buses would have been full, and the service would be continuing, at a nice profit for Disney.  Instead, they lost money, and we will probably never see this offered again.

TCD

Gee, maybe they should've started with vans, and then if it became popular moved up to a bigger vehicle.

I think I saw a mention of it on the Disney Blog page when it first started, and of course posts here and on certain FB pages.

But you are correct, there was no signage or pamphlets promoting it that I ever saw.

And all it did was take buses and drivers away from other routes that were probably overcrowded.

[keith_h 420]

I'm not sure that the patterns of park hopping would fit buses anyway. I see park hopping as a lot of small groups of people spread across the full day. This wouldn't work well for a large vehicle like a bus. As has been mentioned I think they would have better results if they had used passenger vans and dropped the price some.

[Travisma 1,317]

6 minutes ago, keith_h said:

I'm not sure that the patterns of park hopping would fit buses anyway. I see park hopping as a lot of small groups of people spread across the full day. This wouldn't work well for a large vehicle like a bus. As has been mentioned I think they would have better results if they had used passenger vans and dropped the price some.

and dropped the price some.

Disney has just banned you for life for spouting such rhetoric!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

This talk about dropping prices and possibly cutting the cost by using smaller vehicles is the kind of logical stuff that is lost on current Disney management.  Schemes like this are not about making things nice for the guest and making a fair return on the investment. These schemes have only one purpose- to drop a lot of dollars into the bottom line.

That's why we are seeing a proliferation of dessert parties, pre-park opening hard ticket events and tours- these things are almost pure profit.  No matter what they do, the express bus service would never have profit margins like a dessert party.

TCD

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Another great idea, with poor execution.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Just curious but where in the parks did the bus pick you up?  And drop you off?

[keith_h 420]

1 hour ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

No matter what they do, the express bus service would never have profit margins like a dessert party.

Unless for an extra $45/child and $75/adult you get dessert on your ride to the next park.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

1 hour ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

No matter what they do, the express bus service would never have profit margins like a dessert party.

TCD

Agree. However it wouldn't take much to make it profitable. 

They could have advertised it more and better. 

"Disney's park to park express service.  Go directly from one park to another.  While skipping security lines and front gate lines.

we will pick you and your group up inside the park and take you directly to the park of your choosing.   Save time and enjoy more time in the parks.  Tickets can be purchased in advance online and linked to your magic band. Or scan your MB when you get on the express shuttle and have it charged directly to your account. 

All day unlimited passes are $9.95/ person. Or you can purchase a one way pass for just $4.95.    Etc, etc..."

 

 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

30 minutes ago, h2odivers...Ray said:

Just curious but where in the parks did the bus pick you up?  And drop you off?

All of the locations were backstage.  At MK, it was the castmember parking lot that is hidden behind the wall next to the Buzz attraction; at Epcot, it was behind the wall right across from Spaceship Earth; at DHS, it was way in the back of the park past RNRC, and at AK, it was behind the Tusker House restaurant.  Pick up and drop off was in the same location in each park, and there was a set schedule, which they never published for guests to use, but they had it posted at each of the backstage locations.  One big limitation is that they would cut it off right at park close, so you could not use it after one of the night time shows to hop out of the mad rush to another park.

14 minutes ago, h2odivers...Ray said:

Agree. However it wouldn't take much to make it profitable. 

They could have advertised it more and better. 

"Disney's park to park express service.  Go directly from one park to another.  While skipping security lines and front gate lines.

we will pick you and your group up inside the park and take you directly to the park of your choosing.   Save time and enjoy more time in the parks.  Tickets can be purchased in advance online and linked to your magic band. Or scan your MB when you get on the express shuttle and have it charged directly to your account. 

All day unlimited passes are $9.95/ person. Or you can purchase a one way pass for just $4.95.    Etc, etc..."

The pricing is what kept me away.  They gave a big discount to someone who wanted it for seven consecutive days, but no other discounts.  Why not sell a pass good for 7 non-consecutive days, or fill up the bus with someone who was willing to pay $5 (I probably would pay $10 in certain situations) to hop just one time?  They didn't try any of that.   In a normal business, the market sets your price.  If buses were running empty, then the price was too high.  Disney didn't make any adjustments.  They had their predetermined price point, and that was it.  It's crazy that they've stayed in business as long as they have.  It seems like these days a little profit isn't enough.

TCD

[fotofx....Steve 34]

I used it about a month ago on a one night trip. I had a 6:30pm fast-pass at Magic Kingdom, hopped over to Epcot for dinner, and then off to Animal Kingdom to see Pandora.

Near empty buses, fast, and no security re-screening. Was done with Pandora by 10pm. I would definitely have used it again but it clearly was not making money for them. In addition to the buses and drivers, there had to be several cast members at each stop because they were back stage. There was a cast member that stayed by the bus stop, a cast member inside to scan your magic band before having another cast member escort you out to the bus stop.

Honestly what I really liked was checking out the backstage areas. Not so much at MK because I have done Keys To The Kingdom, but at Epcot and Animal Kingdom.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

6 minutes ago, fotofx....Steve said:

I used it about a month ago on a one night trip. I had a 6:30pm fast-pass at Magic Kingdom, hopped over to Epcot for dinner, and then off to Animal Kingdom to see Pandora.

Near empty buses, fast, and no security re-screening. Was done with Pandora by 10pm. I would definitely have used it again but it clearly was not making money for them. In addition to the buses and drivers, there had to be several cast members at each stop because they were back stage. There was a cast member that stayed by the bus stop, a cast member inside to scan your magic band before having another cast member escort you out to the bus stop.

Honestly what I really liked was checking out the backstage areas. Not so much at MK because I have done Keys To The Kingdom, but at Epcot and Animal Kingdom.

That sounds like fun.  If this service had continued, I would have liked to plan a day based on a lot of park hopping to take advantage of the quick access.  But, I honestly wouldn't want to hop that much over multiple days.

TCD

[LONE-STAR 370]

I wonder if it was more of a pilot program to test the waters for the Minnie Van service.