For the past ten months, Disney travelers have been dealing with the constant and quickly changing environment at Walt Disney World. Mask requirements, no fireworks, limited park capacity and select resorts yet remaining closed as we push into 2021 are just some of the adjustments we have all been maneuvering through.
Well, Disney isn’t done yet. Today they announced as of January 1st, 2022 they will no longer be providing Magical Express transportation from or to the airport. Disney’s Magical Express has been making Disney resort guests’ lives easier since 2005. The transportation option has always been a free benefit for those staying on property, and in non-COVID pandemic times your checked baggage was collected for you and “magically” appeared in your room several hours after you arrived.
Without Magical Express as an option to get to Disney’s resorts, what will this mean for guests staying on property? The most obvious answer is that they will now need to find their own transportation to their resort, and pay to do so. This may be using Uber or Lyft, a cab service or private transportation, or renting your own vehicle for the duration of your trip. Orlando does have plans to construct a light-rail train as well, connecting MCO airport to the Disney Springs area, but this is not expected for completion until the end of 2022 (without any delays).
Some guests already do skip Magical Express, for a variety of reasons. It may be a comfort to have their own car readily available, and not being confined to only Walt Disney World property with Disney’s transportation. Guests will also try to squeeze as may hours as they can out of that last day on property, and therefore may choose to use a ride-share option instead of leaving 3-4 hours before their flight on the Magical Express to account for multiple resort stops.
Therefore, while a definite convenience is coming to an end, the end of Magical Express by no means equals an end to the Disney Magic. Planning for alternative transportation to your Disney vacation destination is not a difficult task, but another piece of your adventure that could hold some opportunities that you may not have considered previously.
In other Disney news…they have announced the introduction of Early Theme Park Entry. In the past, Disney resort guests could take advantage of Extra Magic Hours at the Disney theme parks. With EMH, on select days, a certain theme park may have either opened early or stayed open later for resort guests. Once the parks re-opened this past summer after the COVID shutdown, this perk did not come back with normal park hours.
Early Theme Park Entry is being described by Disney as part of the 50th Anniversary, which starts later this year, and will allow Disney resort guests access to ANY of the parks 30 minutes early EVERY day. This will be a great opportunity to get that jump start on the most popular rides for sure.
Disney has not announced a date in which Early Theme Park Entry will begin…only that it’s “coming soon.”
What is available right now is park hopping. Remember when we used to challenge each other to fitting all 4 Disney theme parks into one day? Running from park to park, and judging the quickest way to get from one park to the other? I once challenged my brother to hit up the biggest thrill rides at the parks, since he is not a fan of such things, and we bounced from Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom, to the Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios, to Everest at Animal Kingdom. He did them. And it was a fabulous day that we remember still.
Disney has brought back park hopping as of January 1st of this year, in an updated form. Guests still need to make an initial park reservation and enter that park, but after 2pm they may choose to visit another park based on availability. It is possible to once again visit all 4 theme parks in one day, if you’re strategic about it. It will also be great to once again plan dining at another park, or taste your way around the Epcot festivals, after spending a large portion of your day waiting for your boarding group to be called at Hollywood Studios’ Rise of the Resistance.
