What is the advantage of Minnie van over Uber?

deedubb

Always Grumpy, except when at Disney!
Joined
Feb 12, 2017
Seems like it would be more expensive and can't think of any advantage. Planning to use one or the other this trip. Never used either of them.
 
Biggest advantage is 2 infant/child car seats always included.

As per PP, they can also pick up & drop off right at MK, and also at FtW Pioneer Hall. I would guess they can also get into CSR beyond lobby and SSR Treehouses, but not positive about those.

Disadvantages:
  1. Usually higher priced
  2. Limited availability & longer waits at busy times
 


Seems like it would be more expensive and can't think of any advantage. Planning to use one or the other this trip. Never used either of them.

Some random pros that come to mind...

- Disney CM driver and Disney vehicle (some folks that don't use Uber often find comfort in this vs a ‘stranger’ with their own personal vehicle)
- Size of the vehicle and number of passengers that it can hold (the price of UberXL can be close to comparable to Minnie Van pricing)
- Car seats for the kids, if applicable, installed by someone properly trained (getting an Uber with a car seat can take awhile, is also comparable in cost to Minnie Van, and I’ve seen some very questionable installations)
- As @Ensusieasm noted, being dropped off and picked up at the MK bus station vs the TTC is a big benefit
- The CM drivers I’ve encountered have been AWESOME - full on enthusiasm, very helpful, actually know Disney, etc

So yes, some people find value in the the above, some won’t. We’ve used both at different times depending on circumstances and our needs at that moment.

Hope that helps!
 
The only real differences are that there are 2 car seats and it can drop you off right at the gate at MK.

There is also the presumption that the background checks for the drivers are more stringent, but I'm not sure if there's any actual evidence of that.
 
We used both this week. The Uber we got had a strong smell of Fabreeze, kind of disgusting. We enjoyed the Minnie Van even though it cost more. CM was very nice and talked about how she became a driver, One thing - they don’t accept tips, so if you regularly tip Uber or Lyft that makes the difference less. She said the Lyft app still pops up the tip request but they don’t get it, they are hourly.
 


Question: other than MK, are the pick-up / drop-off sites the same in the other parks? I mean in the actual same section as the Uber and regular lyft cars?
 
Question: other than MK, are the pick-up / drop-off sites the same in the other parks? I mean in the actual same section as the Uber and regular lyft cars?
  • They're now in the same place at Epcot.
  • At AK, Uber seems to be a bit closer.
  • I don't know where MV picks up at DHS.
 
Some random pros that come to mind...

- Disney CM driver and Disney vehicle (some folks that don't use Uber often find comfort in this vs a ‘stranger’ with their own personal vehicle)
- Size of the vehicle and number of passengers that it can hold (the price of UberXL can be close to comparable to Minnie Van pricing)
- Car seats for the kids, if applicable, installed by someone properly trained (getting an Uber with a car seat can take awhile, is also comparable in cost to Minnie Van, and I’ve seen some very questionable installations)
- As @Ensusieasm noted, being dropped off and picked up at the MK bus station vs the TTC is a big benefit
- The CM drivers I’ve encountered have been AWESOME - full on enthusiasm, very helpful, actually know Disney, etc

So yes, some people find value in the the above, some won’t. We’ve used both at different times depending on circumstances and our needs at that moment.

Hope that helps!
I agree with all of this. The other great thing I would add about MV is the ECV-accessible vehicles they have. I know they only have a few, but if someone uses an ECV those would be a huge plus.

I also think the pricing is actually more competitive than many realize. If you need car seats for kids, or have more than 4 people, Minnie Van may actually be less expensive than Uber...depending on your pickup and dropoff points.

We always drive to WDW, so we don't use either Uber or MV.

If we didn't have a car, I think I would probably use MV once for the experience (pretty cool) and Uber the rest of the time. My reasoning is simply that Uber would be more available, quicker pickups, etc. The MV fleet is still pretty small, so there can be availability problems. And Uber goes offsite where dining is better.
 
  • They're now in the same place at Epcot.
  • At AK, Uber seems to be a bit closer.
  • I don't know where MV picks up at DHS.
I’m pretty sure the drop point at HS is at the bus stop now. Not sure of the number
It’s 11 at MK
At the end of the last stop at AK
The drivers have told me they want to move Epcot to the bus area eventually
 
As to cost comparison, if you need the size up vehicle, to a comparable size to Minnie Van, you may find the cost is almost the same once you add a tip
 
I’m pretty sure the drop point at HS is at the bus stop now. Not sure of the number
It’s 11 at MK
At the end of the last stop at AK
The drivers have told me they want to move Epcot to the bus area eventually

Yes, HS pick-up/drop-off was in one of the bus loops in October (can't remember the number off the top of my head) - it was super convenient and one of the stops the was a pretty short walk to the main gate.

Although there's a lot of work going on in that parking lot right now so this could have changed recently.
 
I used Lyft 4 times this weekend. My prices are rounded to the nearest dollar since I use the option to donate the change to a charity.

Trip 1: waited 30 minutes for a bus from OKW to MK for the Christmas party and none arrived. Ended up using a Minnie Van which arrived around the time the bus finally did, but at least we got to leave immediately and not complete the OKW loop. Great driver; we talked Disney the whole time. Traffic on the road between the MK bus area and Contemporary was bad so the driver took an alternate route behind MK. Total cost $18 thanks to a $2 promotional code.

Trip 2: early morning trip from OKW to GF for a breakfast ADR. Figured there was no advantage to a Minnie Van so got a regular Lyft. Very nice, but non-aggressive driver that was hesitant to pass slower traffic. Got a little anxious since we were running late for the ADR. Total was $14 ($11 ride + $3 tip).

Trip 3: Went to see the gingerbread display at the Contemporary and purchased some cookies to take home. The plan was to go to AK after, but we decided to make a stop at OKW to drop off our purchases. Wanted a Minnie Van since it is flat rate, but couldn’t get one. Ended up getting a regular Lyft to OKW and editing the destination upon arrival, with the driver’s knowledge and approval of course. Total cost $25 ($20 ride + $5 tip since the driver had to wait while we ran to room).

Trip 4: plan was to get out of AK and try to get to DS in time to see the drone show. Set DS Marketplace as the drop off point which caused the driver’s GPS to suggest an odd route that took us around Sarasota Springs and end up at one of the parking structures which I’m pretty sure is not an official drop off area. Didn’t make it in time for the show, although I am sure we would not have even with a more direct route as it took awhile to get out of the AK parking lot. Total cost $16 ($13 ride + $3 tip).

After my experiences I think a mix of normal Lyft and Minnie Van is still the best for my needs (I also just took the bus plenty of times). With a larger group or needing car seats, the Minnie Van is the better deal. However, they’re in such short supply right now I don’t see them as a reliable method of transportation yet.
 
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We used a Minnie Van last month and will do it again if we need/can. Our driver was there in less than 2 minutes. He was so kind and helpful. He drove us from BC to AKL for our Sanaa lunch. He got out and walked us to the restaurant after we told him we had never been there before. His vehicle was spotless, had plenty of space and chargers for various phones. He was really enthusiastic about his work and we appreciated it. We had very few CMs who really "stood out," but he was one of them.

We did get the $5 off promo, since it was our first Lyft ride. I do think it's worth the $20, though.
 
I'd love a Minnie van for a group of 4 or more. Have only taken one but it was a good experience. It's just too expensive over regular Lyft for a smaller group.
 
Also, aren't Minnie vans only available for deluxe resorts? So those staying at moderates or values shouldn't even bother?
 
Also, aren't Minnie vans only available for deluxe resorts? So those staying at moderates or values shouldn't even bother?
They are only added automatically for guests of Deluxe resorts. Once the vehicle option is added to your Lyft account anyone can use it, no matter where you are staying (provided it's a Disney resort of course, not off site)
You can ask when you visit a Deluxe resort to have the service added to your Lyft app. They may or may not accommodate you. No harm in asking.
 
I'd love a Minnie van for a group of 4 or more. Have only taken one but it was a good experience. It's just too expensive over regular Lyft for a smaller group.
True, but it depends on where you are going, and when you go there.

Minnie Van is $20, period. Uber/Lyft vary by distance and also by demand. As we approach the holiday season, Uber or Lyft could be in higher demand at times, which could make them more expensive (maybe MUCH more expensive) than MV.

My suggestion to everyone is to have both the Uber and Lyft rider apps on your phone and check both prices. Demand is never the same for both companies, nor is driver supply -- so they do NOT surge at the same time, or to the same degree. You may see one charging 3x the normal fare and the other charging regular fare -- so be a smart consumer.
 
I;m confused on just How to call for a Minnie Van? I am older and don't have a smart phone. Can you still tell concierge or the valet service that you want a Minnie Van? This is the main reason we would not use Lyft, but have used regular cabs before with no complaints.
Thanks in advance:)
 

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