The latest word is that the Disney World Express Transportation Service is coming to an end without much notice. The Express Transportation bus service has allowed guests to pay for the convenience of Park Hopping for an additional fee since it first went into testing at the end of 2016. Now, Disney World guests only have a few days left to participate in this service.
The Express Transportation Service will discontinue after Wednesday, August 23rd. Guests can purchase a multi-day ticket for the service that is good for up to seven (7) consecutive days after date of purchase. Because of that multi-day ticket, the last day guests can purchase either a one day or a multi-day ticket is this Wednesday, August 16th.
Tickets for the Express Transportation Service are $19 for a single day or $29 for a multi-day tickets. Guest can purchase tickets through August 16th at several locations including:
– All 4 theme park ticket windows and Guest Relations
– Disney Springs ticket window
– Disney Resort hotel concierge locations
– Walt Disney World Swan Hotel and Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel ticket desks
– Kiosks at Express Transportation check-in locations
The Express Transportation Service was popular among guests as it allowed them to travel from any WDW Park to another on dedicated buses that both pick up and drop off from backstage areas. This meant that guest did not have to wait long periods for general use buses. It also meant that guest only had to pass through a security check at their first Park.
No Reason Provided for Express Transportation Service Ending
With such a popular transportation option, it is a mystery as to why Disney has decided to end it. One thought is that the recent addition of another transportation service has lead to the Express Transportation Service’s demise. The new Minnie Van service, which started testing last month, is coming into full operation.
Though guests were only able to use the new internal Disney Lyft Minnie Vans initially at the Epcot Resort Area Hotels, it was announced today that the Miinie Vans can now be found at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. It is expected that the Minnie Vans will continue to expand across more and more Disney World properties. Maybe there is only enough room in Disney World for one transportation convenience service.
Whatever the reason, Disney World guests wanting to enjoy the Express Transportation Service need to do so in the next few days. After Wednesday, August 23rd, everyone will be back on equal footing when it comes to Disney World Parkhopping.
Have you had a chance to use the Express Transportation Service? Will it being discontinue have any effect on your next Disney World visit?
I too was planning to use this for my trip. I know for sure it wasn’t advertised enough. Hey Disney how about offering a Park Hopper/ Express Bus package or better yet just add the Express bus to the Park Hopper ticket with a reasonable price increase to cover it?
The cost of this service was the best money we spent at Disney during out last trip. Had I known the service wasn’t going to be available for my next trip, I never would have bought the Hopper option.
With the bus service ending, how are you suppose to get around. It will cost you $20.00 every time you use a Minnie van. We buy park hopper tickets so we can take advantage of different things going on at different parks, at different times of the day. Also dinner reservations.
What was the reason for ending it? I think it would have been a success if they advertised more.
Why did they discontinue it? The real reason is that they want people to pay the $20.00 each time they ride in the Minnie van. If the relatively reasonable and cheap cost for 7 days of express transportation is not available, then they probably feel the Minnievans will be used more = more profit for WDW. Maybe I’m pessimistic but it seems this was started cheaply to test the waters, then the Minnievans are introduced and it is conveniently discontinued? Seems suspect. Also Lyft and Uber got too much of their money share, so that was a factor too.
Anyway I am disappointed, as many other posters, we were going to use it next trip.
I was going to use it as well when I come in October. My family and I felt it was a no brainer…..I am so disappointed that it is going away. Just the fact that it took you from inside one park to inside another park was fabulous. All the time saved waiting in the security line. From what I am reading the “Minnie Vans” won’t be doing that. With the amount of money it costs for a Disney vacation, any way to give you more time in the parks and less time waiting for transportation is a good thing!!!! Very sad!!!!!
Really disappointing!!!! Was going to use it in September. : (
First The Great Movie Ride, The Ellen Degeneres Universe of Energy and now this. : (
I agree, we all just found out about it and now it’s gone…. Hope they do something similar soon.
Argh! The service was awesome. We used it on our first trip to Disney last spring and even for newbies it was easy to use. It allowed us to get the most out of our park hopper tickets. The Minnie van is a poor substitute at almost the same price EACH RIDE as Express was for 3 or more days but I suspect that they hope to drive Express users in that direction. Will have to rethink 2018 trip now.
We used it in January and March and planned to use it again in September….like others now I need to redo our plans a bit….very sad this wonderful service is ending
We were going to use it when we went in September. Why is Disney getting rid of things or ways to help visitors. We have been coming there at times since it opened in 1971. and have seen a lot of changes over the years. Some good and some that were not good. This is one that is not good. In stead they should add more of this kind of service to keep visitors happy. After all isn’t this supposed to be the happiest place to good to visit.
I am SOOOO frustrated. Disney expects us to plan our trips 60 days out, which I did, in painstaking detail. The vast majority of my plans were based on using Express Transportation. Now 3 weeks before my trip, that is taken out of the equation, totally screwing all my planning. Really, REALLY upset right now.
Messed up our touring plans…arriving on 17th too late to buy a ticket. If they are still operating until 23rd they should stil sell single day tickets.
Disney did give a reason for suspending the service. Those that used it, loved it, but not enough of them used it.
But that’s not the reason it is closing
This is so disappointing! We are literally arriving on the last day of service and my sister and I have loved it so much that we were excited to share it with our husbands on this trip. It was truly an ingenious idea. I guess not enough people saw the value, but it was fabulous!
Very disappointed to hear this, we loved the service and would gladly have paid for it on every trip. Now I’m not even sure I can justify park hopper tickets. Such a shame when an idea this awesome gets squashed.
Can you link me to what this even is? I’m going this weekend and want to take advantage of it. I’m out of the loop.
You’d have to buy it by tomorrow
That is so rotten! We had planned to use it for our Christmas trip this year. So bummed that now we will have to retool reservations and schedule.
Oh no! I was planning on buying the multi-day ticket this Friday for my daughter and I. That stinks :(
It was fantastic! We used it to park hop on multiple days and especially catching late night events. Sorry to see it go.
It felt like one of those “insider-only” VIP hacks — we used it every trip. Maybe that was the problem — not enough people knew about it. But that’s on Disney. Sorry to see it go. Will the Minnie Vans take its place? I don’t think so.
I doubt that the Minnie Van will pick up backstage.
I’m so sad! We got Park Hoppers for our trip in September, planning to use this! Now I have to redo all of our trip planning. This sucks.
Aww – I was going to buy a one day for the 19th!!
Now.
No!!!! We were planning on using it this October. We know have to rethink our itinerary.
Eh. Not a frequent traveler to the world, but when I went I never had time to park hop anyway.
So bummed to hear this!! We are going in Nov and had planned on ising it….
Our party of 6 used it last month purchasing the 7 day pass. We didn’t use it each day, but the days we did, it was nice to be out of one park and in the next within 20 to 25 minutes. Arrived 5 minutes before departure and it left on time each time. Occupancy varied from a 1/2 full bus to just our party.
Express transportation allowed us to park hop to as many parks as we wanted without waiting in lines. (Went to HS several afternoons.) One night we left Epcot a few minutes before it closed to go to MK EMH. Everyone else was backed up, while our exit was effortless. It was really cool seeing the backstage areas also. I’m guessing it’s being discontinued due to low number of guests using it. There were no more than 4 other guests whenever we rode.
Boooooo! Hooooo! I loved the express transportation although it was too expensive when the 4 of us traveled but solo, it was fantastic!