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Minnie Vans

Nov 6, 2015
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1,806
Bleedingcool.com said:
Announced at the D23 Expo was a brand new transportation option for the Walt Disney World Resort,yes, you guessed it. We can all ride in an Uber-like service with Minnie Vans. No, they are not all vans, but they are all painted to evoke your fondest memories of Disney’s best mouse.
Vans are starting to show up on property over the past few days and current cost $20 a ride

 
You can tell they'd been playing with how this would work for a while.

In December I rope dropped MK to buy something and left before 9am. I was offered a Mini Van ride for free, the driver had a form with all sorts of route options and pooling options too.
 
I mean it's a Disney service and if you want to get to say an ADR at another resort and trying to do it via buses would be a nightmare why not use what is available onsite I like it !
 
I mean it's a Disney service and if you want to get to say an ADR at another resort and trying to do it via buses would be a nightmare why not use what is available onsite I like it !

An Uber on average will be half the price still though.

I wonder if we'll see a ban on Uber pickups at resorts!
 
It wouldn't surprise me if they did, I know Uber is probably cheaper but how long does it take for an Uber to get to you ? Then compare it to the Minnie Van people generally pay for convenience as I would guess the Minnie would get to you a lot quicker.
 
So my question would be, where does it drop you off at the parks? For MK especially, if it was near the resort bus area this would be a definite plus versus going back to TTC. Wonder how many will be in circulation? Guess they can see based on demand and scale it from there.
 
Part is also where does the Minnie Van pickup/drop off? Uber is very limited by Disney in the areas they are allowed to pickup and drop off in my experience.
 
I know Uber is probably cheaper but how long does it take for an Uber to get to you
Always less than 5 mins in my experience

Uber is very limited by Disney in the areas they are allowed to pickup and drop off in my experience.

Not had any issues myself, both in Parks and resorts, always allowed in the same area a Mears Cab would go.
 
An Uber on average will be half the price still though.

I wonder if we'll see a ban on Uber pickups at resorts!

I'm guessing that is the main idea here. Uber is already banned from most airports, including Orlando, and I have a good feeling that Disney didn't want to ban anything until they offered a proper alternative.

$20 is a lot considering most parks are less than a 10 min drive from most of the resorts.
 
I'm guessing that is the main idea here. Uber is already banned from most airports, including Orlando, and I have a good feeling that Disney didn't want to ban anything until they offered a proper alternative.

$20 is a lot considering most parks are less than a 10 min drive from most of the resorts.
You can get an Uber both to and from MCO now :) - Request Uber at Orlando International Airport (MCO) | Uber

I've also got them to and from LAX, JFK and Newark
 
Considering how some things are priced on Disney property, I don't find $20 to be a lot for this.
 
Is this $20 one-way trip? Regardless of people (that fit in the van safely of course)? Could be nice to split between couples, or of course a family of 4-5 $20 to get quickly to Polynesian for an Ohana ADR isn't too bad.....but $40 is crazy
 
That's strange, I've heard the opposite.

Whoever told you was not wrong, change was made in the last month or so. (Tho drivers were finding loopholes for a long time before.)

What I find interesting is this is being done by regular CMs with normal driver's licenses--no chauffeur endorsement. Uber has the fig leaf of its app to side-step taxicab laws; I'm not sure the State will be so kind to WDW.
 
Whoever told you was not wrong, change was made in the last month or so. (Tho drivers were finding loopholes for a long time before.)

What I find interesting is this is being done by regular CMs with normal driver's licenses--no chauffeur endorsement. Uber has the fig leaf of its app to side-step taxicab laws; I'm not sure the State will be so kind to WDW.

As someone who sells auto insurance to commercial fleets, the entire Uber/Lyft craze and the governments inability to force any kind of regulation on them is baffling.
 
Whoever told you was not wrong, change was made in the last month or so. (Tho drivers were finding loopholes for a long time before.)

What I find interesting is this is being done by regular CMs with normal driver's licenses--no chauffeur endorsement. Uber has the fig leaf of its app to side-step taxicab laws; I'm not sure the State will be so kind to WDW.


I have a feeling the State of Florida won't exactly throw the book at its biggest tourist money maker....they'll work something out
 
Genius move by WDW. Incredible to think they didnt think of this years ago though.
$20 isn't too bad. When it comes to time and family vacations, individuals will value their time more than price almost every time and WDW knows this. If they can get a few Chevy Express's for larger groups or a few Chevy Sparks for couples, they may can have an entire fleet of Minnies.
 
I was trying to figure out why people would use this over Uber.

Then, I remembered a Facebook post from some hometown friends about Uber. The article was about an Uber rider who had a violent encounter with the driver. It's rare, but very sad. The comments were half sympathy for the victim and the other half questioning how Uber is ever safe. After all, you're getting into a strangers car.

For people in more suburban areas that don't have / use Uber or public transit, I think there's a lot of distrust towards the ride share concept. The drivers aren't seen as people doing a job, but just strangers. The whole thing can feel sketchy and unsafe.

That's why the Minnie Vans are kind of brilliant. It's the exact same concept as Uber. But, the drivers will be seen as Disney employees, not randos.

As long as Disney doesn't try to block Uber + Lyft rides on property, I really don't care. It'll make the roads feel a little more interesting too with all the Disney cars around.
 
I was trying to figure out why people would use this over Uber.

Then, I remembered a Facebook post from some hometown friends about Uber. The article was about an Uber rider who had a violent encounter with the driver. It's rare, but very sad. The comments were half sympathy for the victim and the other half questioning how Uber is ever safe. After all, you're getting into a strangers car.

For people in more suburban areas that don't have / use Uber or public transit, I think there's a lot of distrust towards the ride share concept. The drivers aren't seen as people doing a job, but just strangers. The whole thing can feel sketchy and unsafe.

That's why the Minnie Vans are kind of brilliant. It's the exact same concept as Uber. But, the drivers will be seen as Disney employees, not randos.

As long as Disney doesn't try to block Uber + Lyft rides on property, I really don't care. It'll make the roads feel a little more interesting too with all the Disney cars around.

Disney has also employed shady people who have done bad things, but I do think there are Disney people who will use it because they trust Disney implicitly (same crowd never to rent a car and use Magical Express, won't visit UOR or SW).

Question I haven't seen answered, is there a constant stream of the vehicles like a taxi or will you have to order one like Uber/Lyft?
 
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