Disney World Ending Magical Express Airport Shuttle
Walt Disney World is ending its Magical Express shuttle service to resorts from Orlando International Airport. This comes after the company “temporarily suspended” Extra Magic Hours, FastPass+, the Dining Plan, and more.
All of this is still top of mind for many Walt Disney World vacation planners, which is clear to us based on the number of questions we receive asking when the Disney Dining Plan, FastPass+, Extra Magic Hours, etc. will be brought back. In most cases, our expectation is that Walt Disney World will restore these things this spring and summer.
When it comes to resuming normalcy at Walt Disney World, it’s clear that this won’t be a simple matter of reverting to the status quo, pre-March of last year. Instead, Walt Disney World will use this period of abnormal to retire and transition away from various offerings to new things, and offer a “soft reset” on the guest experience. We now have our next glimpse of what that means for later in 2022…
Walt Disney World will end the Disney’s Magical Express service for airport transportation starting with arrivals on January 1, 2022. Disney has attributed this to the expansion of options for guests, including the rise of Uber and Lyft. “Vacationers have more options to choose from than ever for transportation, including ride-share services that save time and offer more flexibility to go where they want, when they want.”
Disney’s Magical Express will continue for arrivals and departures through 2021, but anyone planning a Walt Disney World vacation in 2022 will need to rent a car or plan on using Uber, Lyft, or whatever other options are out there. (Although not yet confirmed officially, it’s entirely possible that Minnie Vans have been permanently retired.)
Note that complimentary transportation options within Walt Disney World — such as buses, monorails, boats, and the Skyliner gondolas — will continue to be available without changes. This only impacts Disney’s Magical Express, the airport-to-hotel transportation service, and does not have any bearing on internal or resort-to-park transportation.
It’s worth noting here that the Disney’s Magical Express airport shuttle service is operated by Mears, not Disney itself. Mears is a transportation company with coach buses and taxis that enjoyed a virtual monopoly on the Orlando market for years…before Uber and Lyft debuted.
Last year, Mears furloughed 83% of its workforce and ended up permanently laying off nearly 200 workers. Even prior to that, the company had run into trouble–Mears has been extensively involved with ride-share lawsuits and other litigation over the past few years.
It’s also possible that the relationship between Disney and Mears soured when Minnie Vans were rolled out a couple of years ago. Up until that point, some guests were reticent to use Uber and Lyft due to horror stories, and still opted for the overpriced Mears taxis. From then on, Walt Disney World had a monopoly on overpriced private transportation–it made almost no sense to pay triple the price of ride-share for a taxi when Minnie Vans offered a more polished and “magical” experience.
This is all to say that there might be more to this story than meets the eye. Disney could see the writing on the wall for Mears, or the relationship between the two companies might’ve been irreparably damaged to the point that they could not negotiate a new contract once the current one ends.
Basically, we have a tough time taking this cut at face value–or being entirely due to the reasons given by Disney. As discussed in our Guide to Disney’s Magical Express, the “free” service is incredibly valuable to Walt Disney World because it makes tourists a captive audience, less likely or able to dine off-site, visit other theme parks, or spend money elsewhere.
Long ago, Walt Disney World determined that the increase in average per guest spending with Disney’s Magical Express plus the perceived convenience and goodwill obtained from offering the service outweighs the average per guest cost of offering the service. It’s unlikely that has changed, especially as on-site food prices have increased and Central Florida theme park competition has become more fierce.
Beyond that, this change is being announced at a time when hotel occupancy at Walt Disney World is abysmal–and that’s even with several resorts still closed. With no convention business, minimal outside events, and a travel recovery expected to take until 2023, cutting Disney’s Magical Express will only exacerbate that problem.
We’ve been discussing Walt Disney World’s Disappearing On-Site Advantage for years now, and the elimination of Magical Express only makes that worse. The airport transportation service has been routinely cited by on-site advocates as one reason to still stay in a Disney-owned hotel. Uber and Lyft are great, and we’ve taken them instead of DME several times, but this is still a big blow for consumers.
It’s also potentially going to be detrimental to Walt Disney World. We’re anticipating a ton of negative feedback about this change–likely on par with the addition of resort parking fees a few years ago. As with that change, we can’t help but wonder if Disney will come to regret this move as being one that pushes more guests off-site and ends up costing Disney money in the long run.
We’ve also long been asking Is Walt Disney World Eroding Fan Goodwill? with previous decisions like this. We maintain that they have, but the booming economy has insulated Disney from the negative short-term consequences of so many cuts and guest-unfriendly decisions. Unfortunately, the current hotel woes are pretty easy to hand-wave away given all that’s happening in the world. But we nevertheless question whether occupancy remains low even as park attendance is rising because more guests have already determined staying on-site is simply not worth it.
Finally, while some Walt Disney World fans might point to the Brightline train station at Disney Springs being the eventual replacement for Disney’s Magical Express, that’s still several years away. (The South Florida to MCO link has a scheduled 2022 opening date, but that does not include the Disney Springs station.)
Moreover, that route from the airport to hotels will be convoluted and time-consuming, so it’s not really a viable alternative. To the contrary, the whole reason the Brightline station is being built at Disney Springs instead of the more logical location by the ESPN Wide World of Sports is because Disney did not plan on the train serving as airport transportation for many guests.
We still would not be surprised if Walt Disney World announces a replacement for Disney’s Magical Express before 2022. This just seems like a really ill-advised and short-sighted decision. As discussed above, it’s also potentially a decision that’s out of their hands…
In other breaking news, Walt Disney World announced a permanent replacement for the temporarily-suspended Extra Magic Hours, and has confirmed that EMH will not return. Dubbed Early Theme Park Entry, the new perk will allow Walt Disney World resort guests to enter any of the four theme parks 30 minutes early each day.
Disney indicates that the new Early Theme Park Entry benefit helps better spread visitation across all four theme parks, while providing added flexibility by giving guests extra early park time on each day of their vacation and in the park of their choosing. Please note that guests need valid admission and a park reservation made via the Disney Park Pass system to enter a theme park.
The new Early Theme Park Entry offering will debut later in 2021 and will be promoted as part of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary offerings. No specific start date has been provided; our assumption is that move is deliberate. Walt Disney World can hold off on rolling it out until hotel occupancy and attendance levels dictate, with the latest debut date being October 1, 2021.
While we’re incredulous about the Disney’s Magical Express news, this announcement we do take at face value. In that same “Disappearing On-Site Advantage” article, we derided Extra Magic Hours as a mostly illusory benefit. Prior to the closure, we actively avoided Evening Extra Magic Hours due to the noticeable spike in crowds as compared to non-EMH evenings.
There are a number of reasons this has happened, but is primarily because the pool of Extra Magic Hours-eligible guests continues to increase. Walt Disney World has cut deals with third party hotels and also built several new Disney Vacation Club properties and otherwise added to its hotel room inventory.
For us, the jury is still out on this new Early Theme Park Entry benefit. We have every reason to believe this will do a better job of spreading out crowds, and could end up being a net positive for guests. Thirty minutes per day is obviously less than than the previous hour, but it’s better than nothing.
There’s also the reality that 30 minutes times 4 parks is a total of 2 hours per day across all of Walt Disney World, which is a net gain as compared to Extra Magic Hours. Obviously, a single guest without the resources for time travel cannot take advantage of that 2 hours, but the point is that this may not be a simple cost-cutting measure by Disney.
It could end up giving on-site guests more time before the wave of crowds hit–or it could amount to being pretty similar to the current unpublished policy of quietly opening the turnstiles before official park opening time. We’ll withhold judgment on this one until experiencing it ourselves.
While the specifics here are not exactly what we anticipated, that Walt Disney World would choose now to make these announcements is not unsurprising. As we covered months ago in What Will Replace FastPass+ at Walt Disney World? we expected these “temporary suspensions” to be a natural transition to new systems.
Ultimately, we expect plenty more announcements in the coming months about other, similar changes. As discussed in that article, we’d be shocked to see FastPass+ return without any changes. We’re also expecting the Disney Dining Plan and other experiences will have modifications once they return later in 2021. Then there’s the potential transition from My Disney Experience to Disney Genie (or whatever it ends up being called) which is another can of worms. In short, brace yourself for plenty more changes announced between now and October 2021…
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think about Walt Disney World ending Disney’s Magical Express? Upset that you’ll have to rent a car or use Uber/Lyft, or did you find DME too inefficient, anyway? Thoughts on Early Theme Park Entry v. Extra Magic Hours? Disappointed that the amount of time is being cut, or optimistic that it’ll be less crowded during that time? Other thoughts on this? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
We are in the same boat. Our 2020 was canceled and I was hoping by 2022 the masks would be gone and we would return, but this is the last straw. I would have been willing to pay an extra amount to have the Magical Express. Too much of hassle having to worry about bags, rental cars, on-site parking fees at Disney resorts,etc. I think between this and no EMH at night, they have finally made it so there is not enough MAGIC left to make me want to return. So sad! 2020 would have been our families 7th year in a row. Guess there won’t be a number 8. Also having the Magical Express is what made this destination very appealing. Once you get on it, everything is done FOR YOU! If I have to work at it, then I might as well go see something new somewhere else.
I am kind of astonished at how many replies there are here, all expressing disappointment. Even the removal of the dining plan had some for (or at least, some accepting of it under the circumstances) and some against, but this is pretty universally opposed. Hope disney really listens to its customers on this.
I do remember coming back from my very first Disney trip in 2016. We had three kids all under the age of 5, and I remembered having a call with my mother and gushing about how nice it was to go somewhere that really thought about how hard it is to travel with kids and made it easier for parents. The first thing I raved about was the MDE and luggage delivery service–not having to mess with car seats, or wrestle with luggage while pushing two strollers was a godsend. Then I talked about how nice it was to the have the free magic bands–made it so much easier to pay for things or hotel room door while juggling a squirmy baby on your hip! And best of all was fastpass–so nice for small kids who have a hard time waiting and/or need potty breaks if they are in line for more than 20 mins. Last of all I raved about the child care center at the Poly and how nice it was for my DH to finally get a night out to ourselves on vacation.
Sad–all gone now.
My guess as to why people or more upset by this than the removal of the dining plan is because this was essentially pre-paid when you rented your on-site hotel for your stay, where the dining plan was something you paid extra for. I do remember a lot of people being upset when Disney rebooked them multiple times during the Covid mess and they lost free dining. Again it’s because it was supposed to be a perk or thank you for staying on site and dealing with all of the changes of plans. If this had been a service that everybody always paid $50-$100 for each way there would probably be less complaining because there would of course be someone who would step in and fill that gap. I’m guessing Disney isn’t going to cut hotel rates as compensation for losing ME or EMH so that is why so many are livid in my opinion. I know it’s why I’m mad. 🙁
Well, this is just plain crazy!! I understand that Disney has had a bad year, but who hasn’t?? Staying at the Disney hotels offered a few perks and we were glad to pay the extra cash. With the diminished extras it makes one wonder if there is an advantage to the extra cost?
Who can we write to and express our unhappiness with all of this ? Maybe they won’t care so much, but I will at least let them know that they can STOP now!! Enough!!
Losing Magical Express for international visitors (whenever we are allowed back) is massive. We’ve been to Disneyworld 3 times, once staying off site and twice onsite. As we’re over for a 2 week holiday we bring a lot of luggage which isn’t the easiest to fit into your standard Lyft or Uber. When onsite we don’t like to hire a car unless we have to simply because of the cost involved and the minimal use we tend to get. It’s simply easier to book an Uber or Lyft and get around that way.
As for the extra hours, we did make use of them quite a bit in our last trip but I don’t think that’s as much of an issue as the Magical Express. Here’s hoping against hope that they come up with another way of getting people to the hotels.
very disappointed to hear Disney is stopping the magical express. we use it every time we visit. It was one of the perks for spending extra money to stay on property. Getting on the jet flying to Orlando and not having to worry about bags for 4 adults and 2 children was always worth it. This will turn around to cost Disney more in the long run then I think they will be willing to omit to. Once we got off the jet at Orlando our vacation had started it will surely be missed. Planning a vacation with family for our 45th wedding anniversary next July but this has thrown a wrench into the a pleasant journey also adding the added transportation charges for 6 adults and 2 children. This is a decision Disney will regret. More people will stay outside the park and also go elsewhere. Walt Disney must be rolling over in his grave. Not all decisions should be made on profits alone but to make the adventure as smooth and as enjoyable to those that take it.
We’ve used ME 5 of the six times we’ve been to DW in the last 14 yrs. Flying in from Boston it made the trip easier. We rented a car once and it was a pain in the butt. The car rental isn’t even at the airport. We had to take a shuttle to get to it and I believe it was about 20-30 min ride. I’ve always looked forward to boarding the ME bus because that’s when the trip to Disney for me was real. The magic begins right then. I’m not a fan of taxis and never used a ride share service. It’s to bad Disney is making a trip for people to far to drive more difficult. I can’t image not visiting Disney ( we love it so much) but if we have to rent a car we’ll be staying off sight and eating out side the parks. Guess it’s not gonna be the same Magical experience we’ve come to love. Thanks for letting me rant
Tom, I just heard on a video blog that a rumor was going around that Disney will be phasing out magic bands in the next couple of years. ( I had also seen on a video of a resort stay where a guest tried to open the door with her phone app, but it didn’t work and she used her magic band instead. I wonder if someone had told her to use the app for check in and she misunderstood or is it the coming of an app key on your phone maybe?) Have you heard anything about this? Is it credible?
My biggest issue with this, if true is the ride photos. We were so disappointed when we paid for Photopass on a one-day trip in 2019, but I had forgotten all of our magicbands at our offsite hotel and by the time I realized, it was too late to turn around and get them. Getting in and around the park was fine since they issued us the cards instead, but found out at the end of the day that we were unable to get some of our ride photos for the rides that need to read the RFID chip in the bands.
Disney has offered the option to use your phone to unlock your room door for about a year (??) now. Heard it’s kind of hit or miss on working but it’s been an option in MDE for awhile now.
@Aryn, it’s been about 2 years since my last visit. Thanks for the info. I guess they’ll have key cards too? I don’t bring my phone everywhere (like at the pool) and not everyone has a phone. Also, what if it dies while you’re there? Just wondering what options they’ll have if true. The girl on the video tried multiple times to open the door with the app Mickey circle “thing” and the door wouldn’t respond. Using her magic band she was in within 2 seconds. If they do choose to use something else, I hope they make it more reliable.
We are AP holders from upstate NY and one of the benefits traveling to Disney with our older teens and adult children was the ME service. We often travel 2-3 times year and arrive depart at different times than our family. Once we got to the airport it was the start of the vacation! No worries! Mears was ‘Disney’ as far as we were concerned and we entered the bubble. It adds another layer of aggravation in planning and if we now have to rent car or pay for lyft it isn’t the carefree Disney vacation. Hate driving and for a 2 week trip with 6 kids / 3 Disney rooms- it adds up. We may shorten trip and do split with universal – travel to beach etc – never have because we wanted the return trip to MCO.
We’ll be going to Universal in 2022 instead.
This will not be a popular response. If you get offended easily scroll on.
My last visit WDW was November 2019. We have only used ME one time in the 20 or so years that I can remember it existing and it was an ok service. We usually drive. I can see where it is a tremendous help for families, but a huge problem for “Disney” in the last few years. I was in the hospitality house at our resort as a family came in by ME. And let me tell you, the adults were not having a “magical” time, nor was anyone else on that ride! The luggage was late coming to MCO. As stated by said adults, Disney was at fault for the luggage as well as the driver for not waiting for their group to take the time to file the report with the airline, so they had to wait for next bus. The poor cast member trying to check them in was also verbally abused for not doing anything about it. I understand why Disney is stopping the service. Same reason why Disney changed to a preferred vendor for scooter and stroller rental, under the heading of “too many Karen’s” and “ not Disney’s fault your scooter died in the park and your provider of said scooter won’t come and retrieve it”. We can’t expect Disney to be enthused to provide these services when it has caused more headaches that they have no control over. Luggage lost? Berate the airline, Disney didn’t lose your luggage. Scooter died? Did you charge it? Tell scooter company to buy Annual Passes for employees so they can breeze through the turnstiles anytime they need to visit the parks. And Karen? Please stay home, you are bursting my magical bubble. We can rent cars or find our own transportation after we sort out arrival. Drive under the new Welcome arch and let Disney do what they do. Soapbox complete.
Pretty sure is a money move by bean counters and not about rude visitors.
If Disney’s reason for getting rid of ME is “Karens” then they are going to have to shut down the whole place.
@Jo – ahahahahaha!!! Yup.
The point is Disney is the one acting entitled. They charge astronomical amounts high above other hotels in the area without amenities or services to hack it up, and continue to decrease perks without decreasing prices. I went on vacation right before Covid hit. We spent time at Universal and time at Disney. I paid less than half the cost for the Universal pirtion if the trip and got double the amenities, services, and enjoymeant.
Like Jo said, if Disney got rid of everything someone complained about it would go back to swamp land. And then people would complain about that haha! I’ve taken the magical express every trip since it started and never heard one person complaining. It’s the loss of more perks that is the issue here. It really makes the question “Why stay onsite and pay those ridiculous prices?” a very very hard question to answer…
Amen! Don’t act like you are doing us a favor by getting rid of it because other services are available!
Totally agree, Susan! Don’t try to word it as if you are doing me a favour by making me retrieve my luggage (so time at the airport will now be far longer) and then paying to rent a car or hail a rideshare. Time is money and they’re adding an additional hour or two at the beginning of your trip to be allocated at the airport instead of in the parks or en-route to the parks. This was not a smart decision.
The DME was always a big selling point for me and my family. The already expensive vacation will now cost more as families will be forced to pay for Ubers, Lyfts, etc. Part of the Disney experience was being treated “special” starting from your departure from the airport. Disney was treating their visitors like they were special. This is a huge disappointment. As the vacation planner in the family, I will now have to plan these additional two steps (to and from) – I trusted the buses. I don’t particularly care for Ubers/Lyfts/taxis. Disney is losing the magic. It’s just becoming an overpriced amusement park. Wonder what Walt would want?
I agree whole heartedly.
Tom, you really think the train isn’t planned as a replacement of the DME? Then why have a train that connects to the airport anyway?
I think the train could work if it runs frequently enough, especially during busy times. The luggage can be hauled by Disney. Once people make it to DS, they can then catch the hotel bus, which can then run more frequently to make sure that people don’t have to wait long. I just don’t know how close the train station is to the bus station, hopefully not far.
It will be more complicated, but might save time in the long run, being that people often wait for more than half an hour for the DME. This way, the wait can be spent on getting to DS.
I don’t know that this is how it’s going to be, but I’m hoping.
The only way the train could work is if Disney goes back to handling luggage. It isn’t a viable option if guests have to lug bags on train to DS, only to lug them around to find a bus to the resort.
I think the train is the same idea as having many rides let visitors off at the gift shop. I can hear it now in the boardroom, “When they get to the airport or leave from the airport, we have a Disney Store at the airport. So when they get on or off the new train system, we’ll put them at the Disney Springs (shopping) depot. Even if it’s not an angle, it just feels like it.
Also, when I called Disney to inquire about the end of the DME, the rep did mention the train. I think the reps are desperate because they are getting tons of calls. We need the board members on the phone. They need to deal with the aftermath. Imho.
“Mears Transportation, which operates Magical Express, sent the following statement regarding Monday’s announcement.
“Walt Disney made us aware of their decision,” Mears spokesperson Roger Chapin said. “While we are disappointed Disney will no longer offer this service, we intend to continue offering transportation services between the airport and all area theme parks and hotels to meet the demand of our visitors now and in the future.””
https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/attractions/2021/01/11/disney-world-to-end-magical-express-bus-service-
Yes, it sucks that Disney keeps chipping away at the benefits they used to provide, that somewhat justified the much higher rates they charge for their hotels, and it feels like they are doing all they can to discourage us from visiting.
However, there will continue to be a similar bus service offered by Mears. Not free, maybe not as magical, but it will still get you there.
To be honest, I can see Disney taking ME in house. They already run one of the largest private transportation vehicle fleets in the world. It wouldn’t be hard for them to add a bunch of cruiser coaches to the fleet to replace the Mears operated busses. The infrastructure is already there to handle regular maintenance and repairs.
Yep! I am anticipating another announcement from Disney.
Thanks for sharing the link! One of the perks of using the bus is that we don’t have to bring a car seat and booster seat. I will gladly pay Mears for bus tickets to and from our hotel!
Agreed. I have to imagine that Disney will be making an announcement in the next few months of their ‘new and improved’ service.
I’m still waiting for their announcement about a new night time parade at the Magic Kingdom. I wouldn’t hold my breath for a ME replacement coming anytime soon. The cuts these days are all about money, less staff, and less stuff to be responsible for and hear complaints about. They just solved a big headache. Now millions of visitors can deal with their own luggage and transportation issues. The thing that is the biggest bummer for me is that EMHs at night have been disappearing and are now gone. Some of my best memories are in a near empty park late at night. It seems the only way to be in a park late is to pay for an event.
Are there any perks left to stay property?
Not many. Right now, park pass priority, resort-to-park buses, free parking at the parks, room charging privileges, ADRs for length of stay … oh, and 30 extra minutes in the mornings.
Also having any souvenirs you may buy sent right to your resort, that’s a nice one!
Replying to Shannon: that perk (delivery of in-park purchases to resort) has been discontinued as well.
When Disney instituted the parking fee for private and rental vehicles of vacationers, I was sure their reason was to lesson traffic around Disney, keep guests on property, and encourage use of Disney transportation on-site. Now I question the motive for the parking fee. I foresee a hike in rental car rates in Orlando. (By the way, I always rent a vehicle. Started when we used to take my dad, in his late 80’s into his mid 90’s, with his wheelchair, because it was just more convenient than any other form of transportation in Disney. We became spoiled and continued to rent vehicles after his death.) I foresee more traffic. I foresee more accidents because out-of-staters and not-so-frequent visitors will have a hard time navigating their way around, especially since the roadways change every time one visits Disney recently. I still love and defend Disney, but it keeps getting harder to state why. I’ve been a DVC member since 2008 and have three home resorts, but I just can’t justify adding on to any at this time.
I am another very disappointed Disney fan. I rely on the ME to relieve my stress after long flights from upstate NY. I’ve made the trip once with the family not using the luggage service or the ME…what a nightmare. My family doesn’t pack light for the week, 8 bags to drag around. Always a treat to figure out how to fit those bags in the trunk of an Uber! I really hope these are scare tactics for Disney to negotiate with Mears in the future………………if not another good memory down the drain. Hey maybe Universal will see an opportunity and start a bus system. I might be inclined to change where we go!
Disney says, “Vacationers have more options to choose from than ever for transportation, including ride-share services that save time and offer more flexibility to go where they want, when they want.”??? Of course, we’d rather lug our luggage and pay for an Uber than get the Magical Express which is free. They must think we’re pretty stupid.
Truly. And the other thing they don’t mention is that before a large family would all be getting on the same bus, together. If you have more than 3 people in your party there is no chance you are getting in one Uber. You’ll have to split up into multiple parties, therefore increasing the cost. If the Uber can even find you.
The magic continues to disappear. DME wasn’t perfect. We had delays and other issues, but not dealing with luggage was a huge plus. Once you stepped on the bus, the magic began with the introductory videos. It built the anticipation.
We had a summer 2020 land and sea vacation cancelled. Hoping to get on the cruise this summer, but this has all been so discouraging. It just keeps getting worse.
Disney could have just bumped the price of each person/package by $50-$75 and nobody would know the difference.
We had our 2020 vacation at WDW cancelled by COVID and we were thinking of a late 2022 visit. Not any more. The simple beauty of not having to fuss about luggage, finding a taxi or other ground transportation, having our bags delivered (which never took more than two hours after arriving on-site) was a joy.
I get it. They lost BILLIONS this year, but this is starting to feel like death by a millions paper cuts. What’s next?
I specifically stay in disney resorts for the transportation benefits and a MAJOR one of them being transport via the magical express. I’m a single mom with three kids who often takes multiple suit cases on and NOTHING else makes sense. We’re avid Disney goers- 1-2 visits per year and often for two weeks at a time. This is a HUGE turn off.