Upcharge Express Transportation

[jpeden]

Im seeing on the WDWMagic boards that Dinsey will start letting guests with park hoppers pay $15/guest for single day tickets and $24/guest for multi-day tickets to add express bus transport that will take them park to park via backstage entrances. @rteetz you got any news on this? I'm hoping this is flat out wrong info.

 

[HopperFan]

Disney says ...

Walt Disney World Resort is introducing a special, add-on service associated with the park-hopper ticket called Express Transportation. This new option enables Guests with park-hopper tickets to travel more conveniently than ever between theme parks by whisking them from inside one and transporting them straight into another.

After initial entry into a theme park, Guests will be picked up and dropped off by Disney buses from directly inside the parks. By traveling between backstage locations, Guests can spend even more time experiencing the magic with their families.

This feature will be available when purchasing Park Hopper tickets online or upgrading at Vacation Planning or Guest Relations. For single-day service, Express Transportation can be added onto a Park Hopper ticket for $15 per person. For multi-day service, it is $24 per person.

Express Transportation is available at all four Walt Disney World theme parks from 10 a.m. until park close beginning Dec. 7.

I am trying to find more info, and as soon as I do I will update this first post

http://www.disboards.com/threads/ne...starting-dec-7th.3563694/page-2#post-56814328

 

[Moliphino]

That's intriguing. And only $24 for a whole trip of express park-to-park transportation isn't that bad.

 

[huskies90]

While the price is not bad, the only way this really makes sense is if it is more like a taxi service - meaning, there are several busses on the routes waiting to take guests almost immediately. The two things people hate about the buses is 1) waiting and 2) over crowding. For hopping park to park, the busses are rarely crowded. So if you go to this special location and still have to wait 30 mins for a bus, I don't see much difference.

 

[Josh Hendy]

Will the product be called the "Magical We Don't know how to use Uber Express" ?

 

[HopperFan]

While the price is not bad, the only way this really makes sense is if it is more like a taxi service - meaning, there are several busses on the routes waiting to take guests almost immediately. The two things people hate about the buses is 1) waiting and 2) over crowding. For hopping park to park, the busses are rarely crowded. So if you go to this special location and still have to wait 30 mins for a bus, I don't see much difference.

Agree but I think what might be a perk here is the avoiding the security checks again.

And in places like Epcot, a potentially long walk from the bus to the park and if you are trying to get to WC, all the way back there.

That said, I doubt I would pay extra for it, just not that big a deal between parks.

 

[dlavender]

sorry if I missed this was already posted but I thought it was interesting.

Walt Disney World introducing “Express Transportation” option


I especially found the statement "once guests have entered a park, they will be picked up and dropped off by Disney buses from inside the parks. By traveling behind-the-scenes," interesting as that it takes you behind the scenes which I know they tend not to want to do with kids (i.e., you have to be a certain age to do the Keys to the Kingdom tour)

Not sure how much it will take off at an extra $24 per person for a mutli-day period on top of park hopper cost but seems interesting

It never ends.....

The upsells at checkout are going to be ridiculous.

Would you like to add dessert party?
Would you like to add exclusive m&G?
Would you like to add extra magic hours?
Would you like to add Memory Maker?
Would you like a cabana?
Dining plan?
Express transportation?

When did WDW become Ruby Tuesday or Applebee's?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It never ends.....

The upsells at checkout are going to be ridiculous.

Would you like to add dessert party?
Would you like to add exclusive m&G?
Would you like to add extra magic hours?
Would you like to add Memory Maker?
Would you like a cabana?
Dining plan?
Express transportation?

When did WDW become Ruby Tuesday or Applebee's?

the one thing I fear is that these "up-sales" result in the standard offerings going down in quality. So thinking about this new transportation - will this result in fewer buses for the rest of us? Or will the up-sell customers get the newer buses and the "regular guests" get the older ones?

It's one thing for people who pay more to get extras (I mean, go back to when there were ticket books for rides - people who could afford more tickets could ride more rides) but another if this results in a negative impact to the standard experience

 

[ChipnDale79]

Havent dug much into this one, but it seems like every week a new "add on" is added.

 

[HopperFan]

UPDATED INFO:

Walt Disney World Resort is introducing a special, add-on service associated with the park-hopper ticket called Express Transportation. This new option enables Guests with park-hopper tickets to travel more conveniently than ever between theme parks by whisking them from inside one and transporting them straight into another.

After initial entry into a theme park, Guests will be picked up and dropped off by Disney buses from directly inside the parks. By traveling between backstage locations, Guests can spend even more time experiencing the magic with their families.

This feature will be available when purchasing Park Hopper tickets online or upgrading at Vacation Planning or Guest Relations. For single-day service, Express Transportation can be added onto a Park Hopper ticket for $15 per person. For multi-day service, it is $24 per person.

Express Transportation is available at all four Walt Disney World theme parks from 10 a.m. until park close beginning Dec. 7.



How does it work? Express Transportation is a new transportation option that provides Guests with faster access when traveling between our theme parks. After initial entry into a theme park, Guests can board a Disney bus which will take them directly to another theme park.
By traveling between backstage location, Guests can spend even more time experiencing the magic inside our theme parks.
How can Guests get Express Transportation? Guests may add this option at Vacation Planning and Guest Relation locations throughout property as well as at the new Express Transportation kiosks in the four theme parks. For single-day service, Express Transportation can be added onto a Park Hopper ticket for $15 per person. For multi-day service, it is $24 per person.

Where will Express Transportation pick up and drop off Guests?
• Magic Kingdom Park
o Onstage kiosk location – near the exit of Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin in Tomorrowland
o Backstage location – Park 1
• Epcot
o Onstage kiosk location – East of Spaceship Earth
o Backstage location – Eastgate bus loop
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios
o Onstage kiosk location – Adjacent to the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Courtyard
o Backstage location – Behind “The Twilight Zone” Tower of Terror & Sunset Showcase
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
o Onstage kiosk location – Near Kilimanjaro Safaris entrance
o Backstage location – Vehicle Maintenance parking lot

How often will Guests be picked up? When will it start and stop each day? Guests will be picked up every 30 minutes. Service will begin each day at 10:00am Service will conclude at park close each night.
Will Guests be in backstage areas by themselves? No. Whenever stepping into a backstage area, Guests will be escorted by a Guest Relations Cast Member. Similar to the way we currently operate our VIP Tour Services and other experiences, Express Transportation will allow Guests limited access backstage with an escort. This includes no Guest photography in backstage areas.
Is this service available for Cast Members with Main Entrance Passes and Annual Passholders? Cast Members and Annual Passholders may purchase the $15 single-day option.

 

[ChipnDale79]

UPDATED INFO:

Why aren't they already doing this with the cost of the hopper? It doesn't sound like its that expensive, but its another add on.

 

[middlechild]

Reading through the discussion about cabanas and now transportation, the thought occurs about a different benefit. The cooperation with the disabled community would be greatly improved by each of these two additions. Reducing number of ECVs and sensory overload situations by offering accommodations could pay off in reduced liabilities versus cost savings in staffing, or whatever. Pay a little now to avoid some type of ADA lawsuit later because someone did not find a "quiet" park...

 

[HopperFan]

Why aren't they already doing this with the cost of the hopper? It doesn't sound like its that expensive, but its another add on.

Because if everyone had it then they wouldn't be able to handle that many in the Backstage Area, the extra CMs and buses it would take. Look at the reverse. If they added this to hoppers the price of hoppers would go up to cover it. I don't care about this service, so I would rather keep the lower priced hopper.

AND most Disney park guests stay off-property. They drive to the parks. When I drive to the parks, I hop with my car so this would be of no perk for me ... so I don't want to pay extra for it.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Why aren't they already doing this with the cost of the hopper? It doesn't sound like its that expensive, but its another add on.

my suspicion is they will view this almost as a test and see what interest is and if there is strong interest perhaps they add it to the park hopper and raise the standard price of the park hopper and market this as an extra feature

 

[loves to dive]

I would probably have taken advantage of it but I have an AP and it looks like we only get the $15 one day one, the $24 multi-day might have made it worth it but not $15 per day.

 

[skier_pete]

sorry if I missed this was already posted but I thought it was interesting.

Walt Disney World introducing “Express Transportation” option

I will have to see how this one works - is this really going to be that much faster than walking out of the park to the bus stop? You still have to walk from wherever you are in the park to wherever the backstage access point is. I actually could see it being really popular....$24 for the length of stay? Potentially a big money maker.

Though the first thing that occurs to me - how does it apply to AP holders?

 

[sachilles]

I think it's a cool idea. Not sure it would make sense for us, despite always getting park hoppers. We do one park until after lunch, go to our resort, power nap then go to a different park to finish off the day.
Sure would be nice, and now that the kidlet is older, we might be able to swing this without the nap....suppose we could just get a cabana for a nap if needed(kidding).

 

[Roxyfire]

I will have to see how this one works - is this really going to be that much faster than walking out of the park to the bus stop? You still have to walk from wherever you are in the park to wherever the backstage access point is. I actually could see it being really popular....$24 for the length of stay? Potentially a big money maker.

Though the first thing that occurs to me - how does it apply to AP holders?

My immediate thought was $24/pp/day, but that makes a lot more sense. I can see it being really useful for getting out of dodge on an EMH morning or quickly getting over to Magic Kingdom for nighttime entertainment.

 

[nkosiek]

I called it with the second post in this previous thread:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/transportation-changes-party-bus-lighting.3561601/

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

As someone who travels often and has an AP, my first thought was that this option would be great for $24 for multiple days! I then read that AP holders can only purchase the one day use at $15 a day. That won't make it worth it for me. They should apply the multiple day use to AP holders if they are staying on property for the amount of consecutive days that they are on property. Just a thought.