Using Minnie Vans at OKW?

[SL6827]

A possible trip next December, staying at OKW. I am seriously considering using the Minnie Vans in the mornings to get to the parks. We will be a party of five. That would be the only times I think we would really appreciate them enough to spend that extra money.

So has anyone else ever utilized them for transport just in the mornings to get to the parks, and to avoid a lengthy ride at the resort your staying at? We would gladly use the busses coming back to the resort. Or is there a better way?

 

[cedricandsophie]

I’ve looked into the Minnie vans which appear to be thru Lyft. When I compared the price for a trip from wilderness lodge to animal kingdom to what Uber would charge Uber was cheaper by $5. So I don’t see the advantage.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

A possible trip next December, staying at OKW. I am seriously considering using the Minnie Vans in the mornings to get to the parks. We will be a party of five. That would be the only times I think we would really appreciate them enough to spend that extra money.

So has anyone else ever utilized them for transport just in the mornings to get to the parks, and to avoid a lengthy ride at the resort your staying at? We would gladly use the busses coming back to the resort. Or is there a better way?

We used the Minnie Vans in October and loved it. Pre-Minnie Van, I would commonly use taxi or uber/lyft, especially in the mornings. For things like Rope Drop, PPO ADRs, etc, it can sometimes be very useful to have more 'control' over your timing vs. being at the mercy of other Disney transport options. Obviously that convenience comes with a cost, but it works for us.

 

[SL6827]

I’ve looked into the Minnie vans which appear to be thru Lyft. When I compared the price for a trip from wilderness lodge to animal kingdom to what Uber would charge Uber was cheaper by $5. So I don’t see the advantage.

Well we will be a party of five, so I would have to use Uber XL. When we have had three people, Uber has worked well, but with five, I guess I'll just go with Disney's version. But do you tip with the Minnie's vans?

 

[JimMIA]

Well we will be a party of five, so I would have to use Uber XL. When we have had three people, Uber has worked well, but with five, I guess I'll just go with Disney's version. But do you tip with the Minnie's vans?

Minnie Van is $20. According to Ride Guru, Uber XL or Lyft Plus would cost you about $17 to Animal Kingdom -- the farthest park from OKW. You don't tip with Minnie Van, so with a tip for your Uber/Lyft driver factored in, you're looking at about the same cost to AK.

Obviously Uber/Lyft would save you a little going to other locations.

You might have availability problems with Minnie Van early in the morning, and in those situations Uber/Lyft is a good alternative.

If you need car seats for kids, ALL Minnie Vans carry two. Uber has some XL vehicles with one car seat; Lyft has none.

 

[joelkfla]

Has Minnie Van eligibility been extended to OKW? Last report I saw here was that the DVC-only resorts were not included, unless you had already gotten access during a stay at a deluxe resort.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Has Minnie Van eligibility been extended to OKW? Last report I saw here was that the DVC-only resorts were not included, unless you had already gotten access during a stay at a deluxe resort.

Yes, it has.. OKW was just added. It was announced sometime in the last week or so, so it's very new.

 

[SL6827]

I do think budgeting for at least 8 trips using Minnie Vans will be money well spent. I would use Uber if we weren't going to be a party of five, but we will need the extra space and a booster seat. I just like the idea of being picked up at OKW and not having to go through multiple stops there before heading to the parks in the morning. And I'm betting there will be a few times at the end of the night that it will be a life saver.

 

[clippers6]

IMO, unless you absolutely hate the bus, you are better off using the busses in the morning. The bus service at OKW is very good in the morning when they know lots of people are trying to get to the parks. Just budget an extra 15-30 minutes for the internal loop. You would probably wait just as long or longer waiting for a Minnie Van since availability is so limited at this time. Save the Minnie Vans for coming back from the parks when you’ll be tired and won’t want to wait for a bus.