Is a Fee for Magical Express Coming Next?

Will WDW start charging for Magical Express transport within the next few years?

  • Yes, given the way things are headed it seem likely.

    Votes: 170 56.9%
  • No, it's still too important to them to try to keep guests on property.

    Votes: 125 41.8%
  • No, Disney execs won't want to burden guests with any more fees.(Threw this one in just for laughs.)

    Votes: 4 1.3%

  • Total voters
    299
I think convincing more people to fly and use DME is the main reason they instituted the parking fees.

DME stays complimentary.

If that is the case they should perhaps try to improve their transportation system. Try taking a bus from Boardwalk to a waterpark; you lose an hour each way if you are lucky instead of a 3 minute drive. I rent a car each trip because the transportation is so inefficient.
 
I’m really put off by all this nickel and diming. Right now, I don’t think Disney will charge for ME only because if they do, people will use other avenues to get to their resort, like a driving service. Heck, with a driving service at least you get a stop at a grocery store. I do think however, once the newness of the resort parking fees wears off, a fee to use ME will be implemented.

As far as paying a parking fee at other hotels, we’ve only paid one when staying in a city. This summer we paid $49/night to park in Boston. On that same trip, we visited Ogunquit and Bar Harbor, ME and Plymouth, MA. I did not pay a parking fee at any of those hotels.

We have a trip to Disney this summer that we are still taking, but DH and I already decided our money is going elsewhere next summer. I really want to return for my 40th birthday in 2020, but that is looking less and less likely. We are leaning towards another Disney cruise because that’s so much more affordable. :crazy2:
 
Last month I paid to get from MCO to a Universal property, and it killed me to fork over $$. But I did. I had no choice. But I also won't be going back to Universal--many reasons that add up to "they don't treat you the way Disney does."

I'm dreading Disney charging for DME. I expect they will. Because they can. And I expect I will pay for transportation to and from the resort when we come. Because I have to.

But I won't have to choose Disney transportation AND I will take that money out of my vacation fund. So I will buy one or two fewer Disney meals, or one less Disney tour, or many fewer Disney souvenirs.

Disney will lose that money they want to charge me for DME.
 
I hope they do. I mean if I have to pay more because I drive (and I never move my car from the first day) the services that actually cost Disney money should pay more. It is using the diesel fuel for the bus and extra personal to drive and deliver luggage. That would make more sense to charge for than me parking my car in the parking lot that doesn't move for a week.
What about parking at MCO and taking ME to WDW? I haven’t looked into prices, and know that bigger cities charge more to park than the smaller airport I use. But I pay about $7/day for parking at my home airport.
 


What about parking at MCO and taking ME to WDW? I haven’t looked into prices, and know that bigger cities charge more to park than the smaller airport I use. But I pay about $7/day for parking at my home airport.
I think DME is connected to incoming flights.
 
I think DME is connected to incoming flights.
You can walk up to the desk with just your disney resort confirmation number and get on. Or reserve in advance with a fake flight. They have no way of knowing if anyone really flew. Then choose a fake flight home so you can take DME home.
 
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I think convincing more people to fly and use DME is the main reason they instituted the parking fees.

DME stays complimentary.
What they are trying to do and failing to do IMHO. Is to keep people on site. A bit like the Truman show. In a bubble. So having a fee for DME would be counter intuitive to the goal and mission. But knowing cooperate America anything is possible. After all. You pay to go to any other resort. Is DME a loss leader?
 
But the question is... would people still rent a car ($$) and pay for parking at their resort ($$) just because DME started charging? Or would they just suck it up and pay for DME? If Disney thinks most would do the latter, rather than grabbing an Uber or booking a towncar, they'll start charging.
If they started charging for ME, I would definitely take an Uber.
 
No it isn't.
I misunderstood the part in Disney's description where it says, "Disney's Magical Express can be booked with any new package or room-only reservation. Disney will need to be provided with the originating/connecting city into the Orlando airport, the departure destination, the airline carrier and flight numbers." I didn't realize it's information they don't really need or check up on.

Edit: it's not even Disney that provides that info, but part of Disboards!
 
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I misunderstood the part in Disney's description where it says, "Disney's Magical Express can be booked with any new package or room-only reservation. Disney will need to be provided with the originating/connecting city into the Orlando airport, the departure destination, the airline carrier and flight numbers." I didn't realize it's information they don't really need or check up on.

Edit: it's not even Disney that provides that info, but part of Disboards!
You do need to set up Magical Express with Disney & they'll ask for your flight info, so you're right about that.

However, they will never check if you were on the flight or if your actual arrival time at the airport matches your previously stated arrival time. You just show up at ME & board the next available bus to your WDW resort. So someone driving in from out of town absolutely could give WDW info for a flight they won't really be on, park at the airport, then use ME to get to & from their resort.

They would have to schedule an actual time to be picked up for the return flight (the rides to MCO are scheduled, unlike the rides to WDW), but again, no one, and I mean no one, will ever check up and see if you're actually booked for that flight.
 
I drive twice a year. It's a five hour car ride. I don't even think I could fly if I wanted I"m so close. But if I have to pay to keep my car IN ONE SPOT for 24/7, why should ME be charged too? I'm NOT going off-property to eat/drink. It's very unfair. Very sorry for ME to have to pay (my kids fly down and use ME) but the resort parking is super unfair.
 
I still don't understand the tiered parking costs. Both value and moderate parking lots are similar; why don't they pay the same thing? Deluxes might have closer parking at some of the resorts, but it is also often harder to park there because of usurpers from the outside taking up the parking places. And then there are the resorts like WL and AKL where the parking lot is one big spot and you park a mile away. They are already charging more for valet parking, so why charge more for self parking? I know the Gaylord is notorious for charging for parking. Swan and Dolphin both charge for parking, but they also charge every guest who parks there. If you dine at the Swan or Dolphin, you get a credit on your parking fee. In New Orleans, parking at the hotels is really high, but they also have no space for parking there. Every space is filled with buildings or parks and they usually have to pay to either lease a space or buy a space for customer parking.

If Disney is going to charge the guests who are staying at the resorts for parking, they need to charge every guest who parks at the resort and give them credit for meals and shopping with a limit on the hours that can be credited. They also need to standardize the parking fee to the same at each resort. Limit it to $12 a night.

Parking lots don't require a lot of maintenance and the initial cost might be the only cost incurred by Disney. DME is very expensive and probably continues to go up in cost with the contract. If DME is included in the cost of the hotel room, then guests who have their own vehicle are getting charged double - once for the cost of DME and once for parking said vehicle at the resort.
 
I don't think they will, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did....
 

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