Minnie Van Service

Not sure if this is the correct area to post, as this is planning related, accommodation related and transportation related.

Have any of you guys used the Minnie Van Service during your stay at WDW?

This upcoming trip we are flying in and using ME to get to our resort. As with everything at Disney TIME = MONEY so as I do not normally mind using the standard transportation system bus or boat. We found out during our last trip using the bus system to navigate from the WL to Typhoon Lagoon and back IS a painful process with stops as Disney Springs and other destinations. SO this time I am looking into alternative means to speed up our arrival and departure.

From reading I hear it works with a Lyft style app on your phone, but would like to hear real world experiences to know what to expect as this transportation may be needed to go to stores during our stay that are off property.

Let's hear your experiences!

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Originally Posted by Davy Crockett

Not sure if this is the correct area to post, as this is planning related, accommodation related and transportation related.

Have any of guys used the Minnie Van Service during your stay at WDW?

This upcoming trip we are flying in and using ME to get to our resort. As with everything at Disney TIME = MONEY so as I do not normally mind using the standard transportation system bus or boat. We found out during our last trip using the bus system to navigate from the WL to Typhoon Lagoon and back IS a painful process with stops as Disney Springs and other destinations. SO this time I am looking into alternative means to speed up our arrival and departure.

From reading I hear it works with a Lyft style app on your phone, but would like to hear real world experiences to know what to expect as this transportation may be needed to go to stores during our stay that are off property.

Let's hear your experiences!

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Unless money is no object, I would only recommend MV when it actually offers something unique (vs taxi/ride share) like the drop off points for Magic Kingdom and Fort Wilderness.

It depends on your travel party but you can save a lot of time AND money by hiring something else. If you have four people or fewer who don't need car seats then it seems that Uber/Lyft will get you just about anywhere for less than $10. We had 5 people and needed one seat so we used a taxi several times. Our most expensive ride was $20 Pop to Poly, with most rides being in the $11-15 range. We did take MV to the MK and it was well worth the extra $5 (assuming the taxi would have also been around $20 like to the Poly) to get dropped off at the actual park.

The MVs were very nice and the driver was fantastic- if I didn't care about the extra money then I would just go with them all the time.

We pay for transportation for all prepark open ADRs so that we don't have to add on the extra 20-30 "in case we just missed a bus" time to our wake up call :) And also often to go from resort to resort (unless we make the transportation part of the adventure- usually when there is a boat ride involved :) )

I don't think you can take the MV to any off-site locations except for the airport.

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We have used Minnie vans the last two trips. I liked the ease of using them. After dinner at the Contemporary when MK was closing it was a quick easy way back to the resort. In January we took a taxi and found it no cheaper to the Beach Club than using a Minnie van. Since we don't use it for all our transportation I don't mind spending the money for the ease of getting from restaurants to the resort. Ut was also a help one morning when we missed the bus to AK and were trying to get there by park open. Hopped a Minnie van and were there with time to spare!

We've never used it but I'll definitely be eyeing it up for a trip over to DS. Bus transportation between MK resorts and DS. Takes. So. Long. Both coming and going. They could throw a couple more lights and some fake thrusters on the bus and call it Mission to Mars. I think the DME gets back to MCO quicker!

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Originally Posted by baldburke

We've never used it but I'll definitely be eyeing it up for a trip over to DS. Bus transportation between MK resorts and DS. Takes. So. Long. Both coming and going. They could throw a couple more lights and some fake thrusters on the bus and call it Mission to Mars. I think the DME gets back to MCO quicker!

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Onboard an imperial shuttle?

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Originally Posted by BMacDonald

Unless money is no object, I would only recommend MV when it actually offers something unique (vs taxi/ride share) like the drop off points for Magic Kingdom and Fort Wilderness.

It depends on your travel party but you can save a lot of time AND money by hiring something else. If you have four people or fewer who don't need car seats then it seems that Uber/Lyft will get you just about anywhere for less than $10. We had 5 people and needed one seat so we used a taxi several times. Our most expensive ride was $20 Pop to Poly, with most rides being in the $11-15 range. We did take MV to the MK and it was well worth the extra $5 (assuming the taxi would have also been around $20 like to the Poly) to get dropped off at the actual park.

The MVs were very nice and the driver was fantastic- if I didn't care about the extra money then I would just go with them all the time.

We pay for transportation for all prepark open ADRs so that we don't have to add on the extra 20-30 "in case we just missed a bus" time to our wake up call :) And also often to go from resort to resort (unless we make the transportation part of the adventure- usually when there is a boat ride involved :) )

I don't think you can take the MV to any off-site locations except for the airport.

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BMacDonald Money is always an object :) but spending over an hour to get to a destination and sometimes longer to get back is not always an option. As the use of one of these services whether MV or Taxi would be sparse at best I guess it is going to come down to which can get to us most efficiently. Waiting 15 or 20 minutes for a taxi or Uber to arrive is just as bad as waiting on a bus.

Thank you for your insight as it I would have not considered some of these other avenues. I have never used Uber or Lyft before, just old school and call a taxi. THANK YOU! :)

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Originally Posted by Davy Crockett

BMacDonald Money is always an object :) but spending over an hour to get to a destination and sometimes longer to get back is not always an option. As the use of one of these services whether MV or Taxi would be sparse at best I guess it is going to come down to which can get to us most efficiently. Waiting 15 or 20 minutes for a taxi or Uber to arrive is just as bad as waiting on a bus.

Thank you for your insight as it I would have not considered some of these other avenues. I have never used Uber or Lyft before, just old school and call a taxi. THANK YOU! :)

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We always pre-booked our taxis so they were waiting for us :)

As for the other- I think you will find Minnie Vans might be the hardest to get to you quickly because they are so popular. But my understanding (I was never the one using the apps) is that you can get arrival estimates during the booking process so if MV seems like a long wait just try Uber or regular lyft.

And I absolutely agree that it is worth spending the money sometimes- especially since for us it meant getting to sleep in those extra minutes, hehe :)

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Originally Posted by Zippy 1

We have used Minnie vans the last two trips. I liked the ease of using them. After dinner at the Contemporary when MK was closing it was a quick easy way back to the resort. In January we took a taxi and found it no cheaper to the Beach Club than using a Minnie van. Since we don't use it for all our transportation I don't mind spending the money for the ease of getting from restaurants to the resort. Ut was also a help one morning when we missed the bus to AK and were trying to get there by park open. Hopped a Minnie van and were there with time to spare!

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Zippy 1 when you do use MV how quickly do they arrive? The conversation with BMcDonald leaves some question to the efficiency of the service due to demand. Being I have never used a Uber or Lyft app I am unsure if you populate with a time to be picked up and if so how good are they to showing up when you request? There are only a couple of times during our stay that I can see the need, I just hate not having my own vehicle but not having to pay the $24 per day for the "NEW" parking fee makes me less apprehensive.
When you can let me know how you arrange these excursions and how close they are to target times.

THANK YOU! :)

Setting up in advance will be the way to go! We are not looking to grab and go like a NY Taxi so need is limited and as long as I know how each form operates and what to expect I am good to go.
I just do not like any form of automated payment systems tied to personal funds as too many groups are hacked way to often. I like the old world where you pay with CASH.

I've never booked ahead for a taxi at any of the resorts...I just ask the concierge and they call one over. I believe there are always taxis waiting right on property. Don't know how it works at the parks, though.

I find UBER much cheaper then the Minnie Vans. Priced them out a few times, and UBER came in way under the MV price each time.

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Originally Posted by Imalismom

I find UBER much cheaper then the Minnie Vans. Priced them out a few times, and UBER came in way under the MV price each time.

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:ditto:

From my January 2018 history
WL to Poly $7.00
WL to CR $6.10

From August 2017
WL to Swan $8.91

These were based on Uber X

Chiming in here to get advice.
Group of 11 that has 3 children who need car seats. Which would you use?

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Originally Posted by Cinderelley

Chiming in here to get advice.
Group of 11 that has 3 children who need car seats. Which would you use?

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I'm going to say two taxis. That is based on me pricing out an Uber for 5 people and 1 car seat being way more expensive than a taxi. Every time we have requested a taxi for 5 or 6 people and 1 or 2 car seats they have always sent a large van which was great because you could put the strollers right into the back without folding them up. Unless you are going to MK then I'd use Minnie Vans (and maybe also Minnie Vans if my taxi ride was going to be over $20 (you can get fare estimates online))

Not an expert- just my two cents.

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Originally Posted by Cinderelley

Chiming in here to get advice.
Group of 11 that has 3 children who need car seats. Which would you use?

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Just went in to confirm I'm not remembering things wrong:

Right now Uber app is quoting me $18.03 for 5-6 people and 1 car seat to go from Pop to Hollywood studios. Our taxi for 5 people and 1 car seat was $11 in March.

So you definitely don't want to go Uber as you'd need 3 cars to get 3 seats.

Minnie Vans have 2 car seats each so you'd only need two of those. We only needed 1 car seat this time in our taxi but our previous two trips we were able to request two so I assume you'd be able to get 3 seats from two taxis :)

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Originally Posted by BMacDonald

I'm going to say two taxis. That is based on me pricing out an Uber for 5 people and 1 car seat being way more expensive than a taxi. Every time we have requested a taxi for 5 or 6 people and 1 or 2 car seats they have always sent a large van which was great because you could put the strollers right into the back without folding them up. Unless you are going to MK then I'd use Minnie Vans (and maybe also Minnie Vans if my taxi ride was going to be over $20 (you can get fare estimates online))

Not an expert- just my two cents.

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Oh I didn't think about those strollers. Thanks for the expert advice. Maybe not an expert in taxis, but definitely an expert in kids.