Disney World is ending the Magical Express Bus and Extra Magic Hours
It's hard to beat the uninterrupted magic when you stay at a Disney-owned resort hotel.
And there are also serious, tangible perks: Complimentary Magical Express bus transportation to and from the Orlando International Airport (MCO) and the ability to leverage Extra Magic Hours to enter the parks before (or stay later than) non-resort guests.
But both those perks, we've learned, are ending -- though it's not all bad news.
It's the end of the line for the Magical Express bus
As it works today, the Magical Express bus takes you -- and your luggage -- from the Orlando airport to a true Disney resort hotel (not nearby partner hotels) to start your trip without hassle. Then, at the end of your stay, you're assigned a time to board the bus at your Disney hotel and are brought back to reality with a final complimentary ride from Disney.
Related: Guide to visiting Walt Disney World
If you didn't plan to leave Disney property, this made renting a car an unnecessary effort and expense. It also meant you didn't need to shell out a minimum of $30 to $40 per direction for an Uber X from the airport to Disney property. An Uber Black car or SUV could cost closer to $100 each way.
But beginning on Jan. 1, 2022, the Magical Express bus is no more.
"Vacationers have more options to choose from than ever for transportation, including ride-share services that save time and offer more flexibility to go where they want, when they want," said the official Disney Parks blog.
Related: These are the best credit cards for Uber and Lyft
The Magical Express bus wasn't always perfect, of course, and sometimes took more time than the savings were worth.
You sometimes had to wait for the bus to arrive, and you could draw the short straw if your resort was the final drop-off stop. And for your return to the airport, you couldn't control the pick-up slot, which often left you with excess time to burn at the airport. But the price was impossible to beat.
Travelers who will be the most negatively affected by this change are likely those who require car seats or who have more complicated logistics with wheelchairs or other accessibility needs that were relatively streamlined with Disney-provided transportation. (Pro tip: While availability is never 100% guaranteed, do remember that there are Ubers with car seats available in the Orlando area.)
Also, remember that the Brightline train extension from the Orlando airport's South Terminal to Disney Springs is expected to come online in the coming years, providing an additional transportation method for travelers heading to the Most Magical Place on Earth once that construction is complete.
Extra Magic Hours will be replaced with a 30-minute head start
Before the pandemic changed much of how Disney World operates, Disney resort guests enjoyed Extra Magic Hours at rotating parks every day. You could potentially get in early or stay later than non-resort guests at the designated park of the day. This perk hasn't actually returned since Disney World reopened in July of 2020, and we now know that it's not coming back.
Instead, we learned that later this year, Disney resort guests (and guests of other select properties) will get a 30-minute head start for all four Disney World theme parks every day.
I'd argue this is actually better than traditional Extra Magic Hours, as that benefit had the unintended consequence of causing the park of the day to become more crowded — a disadvantage even for guests leveraging Extra Magic Hours.
Additionally, the introduction of Park Pass reservations, where you have to identify the first park you'll visit each day in advance, will be better aligned with this new structure.
Related: These are the best hotels at Disney World
Bottom line
“As consumer needs and preferences change, we will no longer offer Disney’s Magical Express service starting with arrivals in 2022," a Walt Disney World Resort spokesperson told TPG on the phone. "At the same time, we’re also introducing new ways for guests to enjoy their visits, including early theme park entry for Disney resort hotel guests.”
As it stands right now, the loss of the Magical Express beginning in 2022 is probably more significant than the end of Extra Magic Hours, as those have effectively been gone since last March anyway.
Without the complimentary bus rides, Disney resort hotel guests may need to budget at least $100 more, on average, to the total cost of a Disney World trip for families who historically used the service.
The elimination of the Magical Express bus, plus the already terminated Disney Magic Bands perk for Disney resort guests, may tip the scales for people when deciding whether to stay on- or off-site during a trip to Disney World.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
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Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.