One of the things my family takes into consideration when we are planning our days at the parks is "how are we going to get there?" Between water taxis, the bus system, the monorail, and walking, Walt Disney World® guests have plenty of options for going from resort to park or park to park, or even resort to resort. (In case you don't remember, you can read about my love of the water taxi here.)
My kids love utilizing each type of transportation during our trips. Sometimes we will use our Park Hopper Pass to walk from Disney's BoardWalk Resort®, through Epcot®, just to take the monorail over to Magic Kingdom®, even though we could more easily take a bus from our resort. But this post really isn't about all of those transportation options. It is about Walt Disney World's newest way to get around - Minnie Vans!
(Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog)
Minnie Vans are Minnie Mouse themed Chevrolet® Traverse® minivans, and the service is provided in collaboration with ridesharing service Lyft™. Minnie Vans can accommodate up to six passengers and include the use of two convertible car seats for children requiring a five-point harness rear-or-forward facing car seat, or a booster seat. The vehicles are also driven by Walt Disney World® Cast Members, so not only are you getting a safe driver, you are also riding with someone who knows all things Disney! Unlike other Walt Disney World transportation options, this service has a flat $20 fee regardless of point of origin and point of destination. This fee includes gratuity.
This service is still in roll out phase with availability limited to guests staying at Disney's BoardWalk Resort®, Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resort®, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge®, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge®, Copper Creek Villas and Cabins® at Disney's Wilderness Lodge®, and Boulder Ridge Villas® at Disney's Wilderness Lodge®. If you are staying at one of these resorts and want to use the Minnie Van service, follow these steps:
1. Download the Lyft™ app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
2. Visit the Bell Services desk in the lobby of one of the resorts listed above between the hours of 6:30 - 12:30, and ask them to activate Minnie Vans for you on your app.
3. Follow the prompts in the app to request your ride. You will tell it where you are, where you are going, and then you will choose the Minnie Van as a vehicle option.
4. Once you select the Minnie Van service, the app will give you an estimated time of arrival for your ride.
5. You pay for your ride right in the app, so make sure you add a credit card to the Lyft™ app. Magic Band purchases are not enabled for Minnie Vans.
So, when might you choose to use Minnie Vans over one of the other convenient, and free, transportation options at Walt Disney World? I can see our family of four using it when we stay at Disney's BoardWalk Resort® and want to spend the day at Disney's Animal Kingdom®. That bus ride can be long and it can make for anxious kiddos when stuck in a line of traffic trying to get into the park. I can also see us using it when we have a dining reservation at another resort, especially if we are running short on time. There have been a couple of occasions when we've just barely made our Chef Mickey's dinner reservation on time after navigating a walk through Epcot, onto the monorail, over to the Ticket and Transportation Center, and onto a second monorail into Disney's Contemporary Resort®.
Minnie Vans will continue to roll out to other resorts at Walt Disney World®, so contact your MousePros agent for an up-to-date list before your trip. The times that the service is available may also change over time, so be sure to check in with the Bell Services desk when you arrive at the resort to confirm availability. If you use a Minnie Van during your next visit to Walt Disney World®, please visit our Facebook page and share your experiences and photos!