Disney ending Magical Express airport bus service, Extra Magic Hours being replaced with early entry

I wonder if Disney is considering implementing some kind of (optional) centralized resort check-in, perhaps near the rail stop, where you can check in, drop your luggage, pick up anything you would pick up, and get on with your day. Your bags go to your room, and you start your vacation, not even going to your resort until the room is ready.

Says the guy who has never “done” Disney in the prescribed way...

—Dave Althoff, Jr.

That's actually kinda what I was thinking. Offer (for an upcharge) a baggage/room checkin at Disney Springs. You drop your bags off into a secured climate controlled room and it is delivered to your hotel room.

Of course the check in side of that may not be as needed with mobile checkin now but the bag drop off could be handy.

Of course there is the small issue of Disney Springs does not connect directly to any of the parks with Disney Transportation. You either have to stop at a resort first or take a taxi or ride share as the busses don't go directly to the park. Probably to keep people from parking for free and bussing over.

Are park-Springs lines still one way? It used to be that you could only go to the resorts, since obviously they don't want people parking for free at Springs then going to a park.

Jeff said:

Are park-Springs lines still one way? It used to be that you could only go to the resorts, since obviously they don't want people parking for free at Springs then going to a park.

Back in November, we were at AK and were heading to Springs for dinner and there was no direct bus service from AK to Springs.....so I'm assuming that might be the case for all the parks. You have to transfer at a resort.

We just ended up Uber'ing to Springs.

If the main entry point to the resort for air travellers is Disney Springs, I have to believe they'll change the bus routes to include parks. Unless they won't take your luggage off your hands and you have to deposit it in your room yourself.

I guess it's not a hard problem to solve... just prove you have a room reservation.

I guess whatever they do for EMH, they could do the exact same thing for transport from Disney Springs to a park. Though it's a lot weirder to say, "Umm..there is a bus going where you want to go. But because you don't have an on site reservation, you need to take two busses to get to the exact same place."

I often wonder what they would do differently if they were starting from scratch again. I love being able to take a break or walk between the parks at Disneyland or Universal Orlando. Tokyo Disneyland was somehow almost worse than DisneyWorld in that there was nothing central and a weird monorail that you have to pay for that travels in a continuous circle around the property.

I don't find City Walk to be materially different from being in the parks. Under normal circumstances, it's just more crowded places to walk through.

Better food. Better beer. In Disneyland's case... actually beer.

I really wonder if the TTC/Monorail/Ferry entrance to MK would still exist if they could find a way to eliminate it. It's sort of cool the first time. Kind of "meh" the second time. And then it becomes a giant pain in the butt every time after that.

As a local, Magic Kingdom is a tremendous pain in the ass to visit. Back when I lived on the west side of town, I could get from the front door of my apartment to the entrance to Spaceship Earth or Tower of Terror in 20-25 minutes. Sometimes it takes longer than that just to get from the TTC parking lot to the MK entrance.

I get the whole "let's transport ourselves away from the reality of the highway and the parking lot to get to the park" but in the 12 years I've worked here there are countless examples of when I really wanted to go to Magic Kingdom but opted not to simply because of the hassle. And I never stay until fireworks/park close to then have to deal with the hour or so it can take to get from exit turnstile to car.

My first thought was...awe shucks. We actually really liked this service; simple, convenient, and no hassle of finding transportation to the resort (not to mention the luggage service). As a guest, there was less for me to do, and with two little girls in tow less-to-do = better. I'm honestly not sure what there wasn't to like about it.

That said, taking a high-speed rail train directly to Disney from the airport sounds fun.

BrettV said:

...there are countless examples of when I really wanted to go to Magic Kingdom but opted not to simply because of the hassle.

Same. And honestly at this point the only people I will let into Magic Kingdom is family and when I do it's difficult not to abuse privileges and park at the park to keep from having to travel across the lagoon. Talk about a pain when you are going just to walk someone in and then turn around to go home.

Will pile on. MK is a pain in the ass, while Epcot is easy peezy. And it's where the drank is.

Jeff said:

I'd like to see them do more VIP assholder events

I'm sorry to detract from the conversation, but I lol'd at this typo...

My wife and I Ubered to the Magic Kingdom from Universal in October. It's really not a great experience.

bjames said:
but I lol'd at this typo...

It's not a typo.

ApolloAndy said:

I really wonder if the TTC/Monorail/Ferry entrance to MK would still exist if they could find a way to eliminate it. It's sort of cool the first time. Kind of "meh" the second time. And then it becomes a giant pain in the butt every time after that.

I don't think they've replicated the "big reveal" experience at any of the later castle parks---maybe because of land costs, but maybe because yeah it's a pain.

Jeff said:

It's not a typo.

With this pass does someone hold your ass or do you get to hold someone else's ass? Or do you just hold your own ass?