Breaking News! Mears Connect. Formerly DME.

[Lewisc]

Right. That's the distinction I was trying to point out.

There's no question that the rideshare companies are playing the pandemic against both their customers and drivers. What they are currently doing doesn't run afoul of Florida's price-gouging laws, but they're certainly taking advantage.

Some parts of the country dynamic pricing is capped at double the basic fare.

Uber can no longer claim the purpose of surge pricing is to get more drivers on the meter. No longer true. No longer called surge pricing. Its price gouging, even if it isn't considered price gouging by a friendly government.

 

[JimMIA]

Some parts of the country dynamic pricing is capped at double the basic fare.

Sure. Some parts of the country have all sorts of laws. It's not capped in Florida under our current laws.

Uber can no longer claim the purpose of surge pricing is to get more drivers on the meter.

Absolutely true. What would improve driver saturation would be higher pay rates for the drivers in some form. Neither Uber nor Lyft are going to do that. They've NEVER turned a profit, are nowhere close, so they have no wiggle-room to pay drivers more.

No longer true. No longer called surge pricing.

Again, true -- and I think savvy consumers should know that, although I'm not sure how many would actually care.

For those who don't know what "surge pricing" really is, both companies formerly used a multiplier applied to the normal prices. If there was a 1.4X surge, the rider paid 1.4X what they would normally pay because of increased demand. Likewise, the drivers would be paid a multiplier, usually about the same as the company was getting. So if a $10 ride which formerly paid $4 to the driver was 1.4X surge, the customer would pay $14 and the driver might get $5.60 instead of $4. Sometimes, of course, the surge was way more than 1.4X -- like 3.0X, 5.0X, etc and drivers did very well.

Both Uber and Lyft stopped those surge pricing schemes a couple of years ago. They now pay a certain extra "bonus" during busy periods. So the rider might pay $30 for that $10 ride, but the driver might only get $2.50-$3.00 extra. And now, as Lewis pointed out, pricing is "dynamic" so it can vary upward a great deal without the driver actually receiving a penny extra.

 

[goofy4tink]

Here's the issue, as I see it. Yes, you can book a car service, but they are now more expensive than ever. Why? Because everything else is so high. Rent a car? I'm seeing almost double what I used to pay for the same time period, length of stay. Again, because they can get away with those prices. Uber/Lyft? Many visitors just aren't comfortable booking this way...they have never used it at home, they hear all the 'horror stories' on the news, and even Uber/Lyft are getting pricier.
Disney has created a nasty situation. No more DME, so find your own way to WDW resorts. Fine. There was the time before DME that we all managed quite nicely, but we've become spoiled. They've already started charging for parking at resorts. Why? Because they can. They made no changes to the parking lots, security wasn't increased...zero difference. Industry standard? Sure, but it has been the standard for a very long time. Why change it now other than as a blatant money grab. Resort fees? You have to justify those with things like free wifi, newspapers, bottles of water, etc. Disney already gives you free wifi. I doubt guests are going to be happy with an addtl $10 a day to get a bottle of water and a newspaper.

Hopefully, Mears will return to providing shuttle service that is reasonable, like the old days. If they charge more than $10-15 pp, they are going to lose family business. Figure a family of five will pay $50 or more, each way, to get to their resort. For a bit more, they can have someone meet them at baggage claim, help with the luggage, get a grocery stop if wanted and head directly to their resort.
Something has got to give....I'm just not sure what it's going to be.

 

[Lewisc]

I'm no going to quote goofy4tinks post
Mears was $40 r/t precovid (Swan Dolphin) I can't see them charging less.

What makes you think Disney is going give you a bottle of water if Disney charges a resort fee? You're living in fantasy land if you think, IF Disney decides to charge a resort fee it will only be $10

 

[joelkfla]

Resort fees? You have to justify those with things like free wifi, newspapers, bottles of water, etc.

I think there are many hotels that charge resort fees and offer no such amenities, other than perhaps weak & spotty wifi.

Why? You said it yourself -- because they can.

 

[Reepicheep]

I signed up to receive email updates from Mears, and a few minutes ago I received the following:

We are currently building the new reservation site and connections (pun intended). Everything is almost ready for your reservation experience. We are excited to share more, soon. Be on the lookout for details to reserve your trusted transportation solution for your 2022 Orlando getaway.

You will be the first to know!

More Coming Soon!

Yours truly,
The Mears Connect Team

 

[Nebraska_Disney]

For our family, this has been the last straw for staying in the Disney "bubble" . Everything that now has a fee or cost more as well as those items that went away completely, we see no benefit of staying onsite anymore. Zero. Our kids are older (HS and college) and we have done many trips inside the bubble. Now, if we do go back to Orlando, it will be off site, trips to Universal, trips to the beach, trips to Disney, all included. Before, we would go and stay in the bubble for 9-10 days and the Mouse got all our money. We are done with that approach and will go back to exploring other parts of FL or even other parts of the country. No reason to only do Disney trips now.

 

[JimMIA]

For our family, this has been the last straw for staying in the Disney "bubble" . Everything that now has a fee or cost more as well as those items that went away completely, we see no benefit of staying onsite anymore. Zero. Our kids are older (HS and college) and we have done many trips inside the bubble. Now, if we do go back to Orlando, it will be off site, trips to Universal, trips to the beach, trips to Disney, all included. Before, we would go and stay in the bubble for 9-10 days and the Mouse got all our money. We are done with that approach and will go back to exploring other parts of FL or even other parts of the country. No reason to only do Disney trips now.

"There's more to life than mice."

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm no going to quote goofy4tinks post
Mears was $40 r/t precovid (Swan Dolphin) I can't see them charging less.

What makes you think Disney is going give you a bottle of water if Disney charges a resort fee? You're living in fantasy land if you think, IF Disney decides to charge a resort fee it will only be $10

I think there are many hotels that charge resort fees and offer no such amenities, other than perhaps weak & spotty wifi.

Why? You said it yourself -- because they can.

I based my 'bottle of water' on the S/D plan....bottle of water and the newspaper. Oh boy. Other resorts say it covers parking, etc. There are many ways to justify charging a resort fee. Same with parking fees. I can understand places that charge a parking fee where it is congested and land is at a premium...Anaheim for example. But, Disney deciding to charge for parking is a blatant money grab. They changed nothing..no improvements, no addtl security. Just pay to park. Disney would have to be able to justify resort fees....I can't imagine (well, actually I can) them telling guests that they will get access to transportation and free wifi with a resort fee. I don't think they would offer anything new to justify the cost.
Mears charges? My issue is that yes, they charge about $40 to get to the S/D. I've used them to get there many times. But, the number of families that stay at the S/D as compared to the WDW resorts is small. Of course, there are families that stay there. And I doubt they use the Mears shuttle at $40 pp. A family of four would cost $160...they can get a car service for about that. I just can't see anyone saying that they will use Mears now that DME is gone, and pay that kind of money.

So, all in all....I certainly hope Disney doesn't decide to add a resort fee. People's heads will explode. And hopefully, Mears will offer something affordable to WDW guests.

 

[notatallmagic]

The whole elimination of Magical Express is so sad for me. Years ago, as a single parent with two toddlers, it let me "escape" and jump right into that Disney bubble. Even now, my teenagers love it. We had two non-themed buses at Spring Break this year, and it was kinda sad.

We have Annual Passes that will expire in early 2022, so likely one trip without ME. There are only three of us, so we COULD Uber, but never had (small towners here). The big, generic buses were depressing. Not sure what to expect, and don't want the extra hassle or cost of it. I see Swan/Dolphin being much more likely for us then - if I'm paying for a shuttle, why pay for a Disney Resort?

 

[Lewisc]

Hilton Bonnet Creek charges a $45 a night resort fee. Hotels in cities are starting to charge a "destination" fee. Some of the low rates hotels are charging resort fees of a few dollars per night.

$40 R/T was the Mears charge to all hotels, not just S/D. Almost any city, 3 or more passengers do better booking private transfers. DME was the exception. 3 passengers paid the same fare as 2 FREE.

 

[corpcomp]

So Disney cancelled ME because, and I quote, of a "change in consumer demand". OK so when did consumer demand shift from "free" to "you are on your own at whatever cost is being charged"? I was expecting ME to start charging years ago and would have accepted a reasonable rate to start. My DS loved traveling on the bus with the movies. So to all you happy people coming to the Happiest Place on Earth - pay up or stay home cheapskates. Oh and for 2022 - that bottle of water - $10, light saber - $200 (yes they really cost that much now and more), room towels - $5, Mickey Masks - $25.

 

[seashoreCM]

Other issues:
1. Going home, time from resort appointment to airport dropoff is so volatile. Some guests sit at the airport for over an hour. Others have to run for their plane. It is to Disney's advantage to take its name off of the shuttle service so as not to have to suggest travel times and so guests don't complain to Disney about it.
2. Uber and Lyft and similar services became popular several years after Magical Express debuted so as to be a game changer. Setting a new price point lower than ordinary taxi service, Uber, Lyft, etc. took DME guests off site which guests would have been expected to be a captive audience for Disney's shops and restaurants.
3. Contracts have to be signed and fulfilled. Disney might not have wanted to commit to operating the DME welcoming area at the airport or investing in a new batch of buses for Mears, perhaps at greater cost than before.