by We review the Minnie Van service, the pros and cons of Disney World’s rideshare transport.
Years after the successful launch of app-based rideshare services, Walt Disney World started their own signature transport. The Disney Minnie Van service works around the entire resort and can take guests to any location within Walt Disney World or the airport! Shortly after its launch, we took the Minnie Van out for a test run to discover its usefulness.
How to Use the Minnie Van Service
To request a Minnie Van, you’ll need to use the Lyft phone application when you’re on property to summon the vehicle. If you don’t have the app, it’s free to download for iPhone or Android (afterward, you’ll need to create a free account and add your credit card to charge). Guests can also get a Minnie Van from the airport by prebooking it along with their reservation on WaltDisneyWorld.com. If you need an accessible vehicle, call (407) 828-3500.
How Much is the Minnie Van Service?
Things have changed since the Minnie Van’s launch and it’s no longer available for a flat fee. The ride service runs about $25-$35 to travel from the Epcot or Hollywood Studios area to the Magic Kingdom. However, it can be more depending on availability and traffic. Traveling from Orlando International Airport to Walt Disney World is a flat $155 fee each way (tip not included).
Our van took 10 minutes to get to Disney’s Beach Club and cost about $31 to travel at 9:30am to the Magic Kingdom. We arrived in 12 minutes to the theme park, and the Minnie Van dropped us off where the buses unload. While the Minnie Van is more expensive than a standard Lyft ride (about double the cost, though the Minnie Van holds about 6 passengers), the standard rideshare drop off location is much further, so getting to the park was a lot easier with the Minnie Van.
Is the Minnie Van Worth the Cost?
Overall, the ride was stress-free. The car was spotlessly clean and new (a Chevy Traverse). The driver was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the parks. He gave us tips for to avoid crowds and asked us Disney trivia. The car was comfortable and played Disney music on the radio.
The only downside was the price. We would use the Minnie Van more often, but $30 from place to place is undoubtedly a premium upcharge! Still, it’s nice that it’s there as a last-minute option.
We can see the Minnie Van being useful for days a traveling family might be late. Say you have breakfast reservations at the Be Our Guest Restaurant and only 30 minutes to get there from a distant hotel. Taking the Disney bus system can be unreliable. Buses often skip stops or information shows up incorrectly at the pick-up location. Taking Lyft will get you there cheaper, but you’ll still have to travel a bit via the monorail. The Minnie Van solves this issue.
Disney realizes that there is a transportation issue at the Walt Disney World Resort. The crowded, unreliable buses shouldn’t be the only way to get to Animal Kingdom or the Magic Kingdom. Even the monorail system gets backed up on crowded days. It seems that the Minnie Van fixes this issue for people who can afford the premium. For everyone else, taking a standard Lyft is the best price. It’s about half as much as a Minnie Van, but doesn’t drop off as close. From the airport, standard Lyft is also a much cheaper as you’ll only pay $30-45 each way.
However, we love that Disney is offering new and innovative ways to transport guests around its huge Walt Disney World Resort. The Minnie Van, while expensive, is certainly a magical experience with excellent customer service. Hopefully in the future we’ll see even more amazing modes of transportation like driverless vehicles! In the meantime, we might pay for the Minnie Van again if we need to get some where in a hurry.
For more details about the Minnie Van service, click here.
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