Upcharge Express Transportation

[Sybernova]

Bleeding people Dry...
Get your Nickels and Dimes ready folks... hope you got Lots of them...

The tours are great...I did one as a perk for a class my DS took years back. We both enjoyed it!

So SOME upcharge things are ok? This is by no means required and from the sounds of it hinders nothing towards your experience. Some people want overpriced dessert and fireworks, some people want to get to parks quicker, some people want to poke around at stuff behind the scenes. Disney is just providing access to those means.

 

[skier_pete]

Interesting reading those posts. Of many of the recent upsells, I can see reason to maybe do this. However, I doubt it is something we would do. We usually hop very, very little, of our 10 trips in the last 10 years, I think we've only had the hopper option for 3 of them, and even when we do we don't usually hop more than 3 times a trip. Last trip we had non-hoppers and didn't miss them. I just looked back at our August/September 2015 Itinerary when we had hoppers - while we hopped 5 days during the trip, each time we went back to the hotel for several hours between switching resorts. I was the only one that travelled park-to-park, and only once. So, for us, I just don't see spending the money on it.

The exception is we've often talked of doing 4 parks in one day. I might do it for something like that. For folks that love to hop between parks, I could see this making a ton of sense.

As pointed out - figure it could save you about 20-40 minutes per hop depending on where in the park you are. Factor in the timing and your location in the park versus the front - let's call it 30 minutes on average that it saves you per hop. Let's say you use it once a day on average. Save you 3.5 hours across the length of your trip - that might be worth $24 a piece.

 

[Madonna3]

Interesting reading those posts. Of many of the recent upsells, I can see reason to maybe do this. However, I doubt it is something we would do. We usually hop very, very little, of our 10 trips in the last 10 years, I think we've only had the hopper option for 3 of them, and even when we do we don't usually hop more than 3 times a trip. Last trip we had non-hoppers and didn't miss them. I just looked back at our August/September 2015 Itinerary when we had hoppers - while we hopped 5 days during the trip, each time we went back to the hotel for several hours between switching resorts. I was the only one that travelled park-to-park, and only once. So, for us, I just don't see spending the money on it.

The exception is we've often talked of doing 4 parks in one day. I might do it for something like that. For folks that love to hop between parks, I could see this making a ton of sense.

As pointed out - figure it could save you about 20-40 minutes per hop depending on where in the park you are. Factor in the timing and your location in the park versus the front - let's call it 30 minutes on average that it saves you per hop. Let's say you use it once a day on average. Save you 3.5 hours across the length of your trip - that might be worth $24 a piece.

Ya know, what you said here got me thinking about a few things along with the live review that's occurring now over at the theme park tips and strategies board. In addition to saying you no longer hop, or hop less frequently, I recall in an article I had read a few weeks ago, there was a recommendation that people NOT buy park hoppers and I wonder if the draw here is to get people to purchase park hoppers if they had an easier way to get to the park. Perhaps security has stopped people from park hopping. I know I'm not one of those people, but I can't speak for everyone. Another thing that piqued my curiosity however, is if that were true, then why wouldn't Disney have tested this in a "free" state. Perhaps that's also part of the test - to see if people would pay for something like this.

 

[rteetz]

Ya know, what you said here got me thinking about a few things along with the live review that's occurring now over at the theme park tips and strategies board. In addition to saying you no longer hop, or hop less frequently, I recall in an article I had read a few weeks ago, there was a recommendation that people NOT buy park hoppers and I wonder if the draw here is to get people to purchase park hoppers if they had an easier way to get to the park. Perhaps security has stopped people from park hopping. I know I'm not one of those people, but I can't speak for everyone. Another thing that piqued my curiosity however, is if that were true, then why wouldn't Disney have tested this in a "free" state. Perhaps that's also part of the test - to see if people would pay for something like this.

Considering you don't get screened when you use this system at each park this is also essentially having people pay to get out of security screening.

 

[Madonna3]

Considering you don't get screened when you use this system at each park this is also essentially having people pay to get out of security screening.

I mean that's certainly one way of looking at it, but since you have to get screened at the first park, it's more like letting them pay in order to not be rescreened.

 

[sachilles]

The more I think about it, the more I think we'd use it.
We usually go to our resort for a mid day break, then another park in the afternoon, which this doesn't help with. However, if there is time we have gone to an early close park like AK, then go from their directly to MK if they are open late to finish up the night. In that scenario, this would really be a boon.

 

[sachilles]

I mean that's certainly one way of looking at it, but since you have to get screened at the first park, it's more like letting them pay in order to not be rescreened.

Ultimately, security is maintained at the same standard, and reduces the burden on security and reduces the lines for the masses. So it is also a net benefit there as well.

 

[Madonna3]

I

Ultimately, security is maintained at the same standard, and reduces the burden on security and reduces the lines for the masses. So it is also a net benefit there as well.

I'm not saying it's not beneficial to all, including Disney who gets to line their pockets or perhaps find a way to offset the cost for additional security. It's not me that has a problem with this. I was replying to someone else who said that one perspective is paying to avoid security.

 

[sachilles]

I

I'm not saying it's not beneficial to all, including Disney who gets to line their pockets or perhaps find a way to offset the cost for additional security. It's not me that has a problem with this. I was replying to someone else who said that one perspective is paying to avoid security.

I wasn't suggesting otherwise....just quoting your thought, that caused me to think of the next thing.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

The more I think about it, the more I think we'd use it.
We usually go to our resort for a mid day break, then another park in the afternoon, which this doesn't help with. However, if there is time we have gone to an early close park like AK, then go from their directly to MK if they are open late to finish up the night. In that scenario, this would really be a boon.

I wonder if that is it too a bit - obviously more you are in the parks more food and stuff you buy - if it is easier to hop over to a park that is open later it helps them too

 

[adisneyaunt]

So SOME upcharge things are ok? This is by no means required and from the sounds of it hinders nothing towards your experience. Some people want overpriced dessert and fireworks, some people want to get to parks quicker, some people want to poke around at stuff behind the scenes. Disney is just providing access to those means.

I don't think a tour is an UPcharge. ( and I'd recommend them
That's an add on to enhance ur experience ( not included in ur resort stay) same goes for dessert parties... yup, done that too.

I do however think it Is an UPcharge to now tell people that the once Included bus transport
Can be Bought ...
( apparently it wasn't quick enough to satisfy their guests...thus the many complaint, even entire threads here ... and if that wasn't the case...why would Disney even bother to offer the change/UPcharge)
I think Disney took advantage of a subpar service ... slow bus transport.. to actually make more money. It's Business I get it, ( kinda like taking the Furthest rooms and making them "princess" pirate etc) and UPcharging for those too.
Great marketing ..
Regardless, it's just my opinion of further nickel and dimeing people.

 

[shoreward]

Sorry if this link was already posted, but MDE has a page that answers all of the questions.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/express-transportation-options/

 

[LeeAndRobin]

Sorry if this link was already posted, but MDE has a page that answers all of the questions.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/express-transportation-options/

So this does clarify things a bit:

1) You can't pick and choose 7 days out of 10 as some implied. Looks like it is 7 consecutive days from date of purchase.
2) It appears those with an AP can buy 7 days for $24, instead of having to buy $15 one day passes.

I doubt we will use it on our upcoming trip. We always drive down from NC and stay offsite, and typically only hop after an afternoon break. However, I can see how it would be useful to some.

 

[skier_pete]

The more I think about this, the more I like it - as LONG as it doesn't affect the normal transportation routes - which Disney claims it does not. It's a service that would be useful to a certain group of people, to those people it seems to be reasonably priced for what they used, and for others it is certainly something that you can do without.

 

[circus4u]

I am all for this. It is worth it to my wife and I. Rather than having to leave a park, stand in line for a bus and then lines to enter another park, this would be a definite time saver and well worth $24 for us for 7 days.

 

[Spacedog1975]

This is one of the few upsells that appeals to me. I'm a dedicated park hopper, and it would be nice to do it more efficiently.

 

[ChallengerHK1]

Here's a question that I haven't been able to answer from the Disney lit: can you drop off and pick up wheelchairs at or near the bus stop?

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

There's nothing to complain about with this service. This is a great idea, and I'm glad the option is there for the future. If you don't want it, don't buy it. It's existence won't hinder your trip at all.

 

[rteetz]

Here's a question that I haven't been able to answer from the Disney lit: can you drop off and pick up wheelchairs at or near the bus stop?

You mean like wheelchairs that are rented at the front of the parks? My guess would be no because there is no space for that at these stops.

 

[ChasingLeslie]

I know this is new, but are they capping the amount of users at a certain number...?

I might consider this for our next trip, but not if there are so many people that we'd have to wait a cycle because a shuttle was already filled.