When the Minnie Van service was first announced, I was pretty excited. Having another option to renting a car or taking the bus was something I had been hoping for. I love that Disney has so many transportation options, but it isn’t always the most comfortable at the end of a long night when I just want to get back to my room.
I had the opportunity to try the Minnie Van service when it first launched and I could not have been happier. I didn’t just try the service once, I loved it so much I used it 8 times in 4 days! My poor rental car stayed in the parking lot for 4 days untouched!
Once you download the Lyft app and have the Minnie Vans activated, you will see all of the options for cars – and one clearly marked “Minnie Van” (with ears of course!)
You select the Minnie Van as the car you want – and then ‘Request Minnie Van Service’. It will show you if any vans are in your area. Mine was so close because it was literally parked outside while I was requesting it!
You’l be able to see on your app the car number, the licence plate as well as the estimated time of arrival. You can watch the car on the map as it’s coming and will get a text message (if enabled) when the car arrives.
The app itself takes care of the payment using the credit card you entered when you set up the app.
After your ride you do have the option to tip the cast member if you choose.
The vans are large and comfortable vehicles that can seat up to 6 passengers. Each Minnie Van has 2 car seats in the trunk if you need them for the little ones! There are vans that also service guests with special needs such as wheelchairs or ECV’s, those can be arranged by calling 407-828-3500.
Minnie Van Car Seats
Minnie Vans are available at all Walt Disney World resorts and anywhere on property.
There are many reasons to use the Minnie Van service, you can read about my top 5 here.
Now the big question is – what does a Minnie Van cost? Read my post here
How much does a Minnie Van cost? Well, like most transportation services – it depends on where you’re going and how busy it is.
When Disney launched this service as a pilot in 2017 it was $20 USD for a trip anywhere on Disney property. I was a big fan of the Minnie Vans and have used them on multiple trips. The service is so easy to use and has become a permanent fixture on property. As the program has evolved over time, so has the pricing. What started out as a flat rate has now changed to a different pricing structure and a lot more expensive.
There is no specific calculations for pricing that I can offer to give you the total cost. What I can do is share the screen shots from within the Lyft app when comparing a Minnie Van to the other types of Lyft options. I have shared them through this article. They are at different times of the day (peak times and not) going to/from different locations. What is clear is the DIFFERENCE in the total price between a Minnie Van and a regular Lyft ride.
My love of the Minnie Van service had me ordering them for years, even if it was more money than the ride-sharing services. In my mind the benefits of using Minnie Van over the others were worth the price difference, but that was when it was a flat fee or the average cost was comparable. Now that there is such a big difference in the price that I struggle to justify it to myself vs ordering a standard Lyft. Especially with the “wait and save” option from Lyft.
I was willing to wait a little bit – look at what I saved!
With all of the transportation options offered around Walt Disney World property (Monorail, Disney buses, Skyliner, boats etc) – why would you need any of these services? Sometimes it comes down to convenience as Disney transportation does not always have a route for where you want to go (say from hotel to hotel).
For each person the benefits of Disney’s Minnie Van service will have a different value to consider. Minnie Vans include complimentary car seats for the kids, something that is not required by other services. It’s important to note that you also have an option for an accessible Minnie Van if you require one.
Minnie Van Car Seats
The Minnie Van benefit of dropping you in more convenient locations around Walt Disney World and at the parks can give you a little extra time in your day. For example – Minnie Van drivers can drop you right in the bus stalls at the Magic Kingdom, other ride services must drop you at the ticket and transportation center. Being so close to the park entrance is a bonus when you start your day but even bigger bonus when the day ends! The pick-up location requires a lot less walking at the end of a long day in only SOME of the parks. Make sure you note where the pickup location is before determining if the Minnie Van is going to save you steps.
So do I use Minnie Vans like I used to? No – but would I use them again? Yes. For me it depends on so many different things but it all comes down to convenience. The ability for a Minnie Van to pick me up closer to where I am and avoid extra walking on a hot or rainy day can be worth it. If I just need a lift from Disney Springs (because I don’t want to walk back to the bus stops) then Lyft or Uber work fine since the pick up is in the same location, the extra cost isn’t justified for me.
After a long day at Epcot I walked to the Beach Club to get a ride to Old Key West after the fireworks
I used to think that having a friendly cast member to chat with was such a huge plus, but I feel like I would be doing a disservice to the fantastic Lyft drivers I have had during my stays. I tend to use Lyft more than Uber while I’m on my Walt Disney World vacation and I have had some of the most interesting and fun conversations with the drivers. Many of them prefer to stay on property and drive between the resort hotels and parks, but they have been just as lovely when taking me to the Orlando International Airport. Given I’m Canadian, the Mears service picks me up EXTRA early for my flight departures home so I rarely use it going back. I have used Lyft to take me to Universal Studios from my Disney resort as well.
At the end of this I feel like I’ve written an article on why you should use Lyft instead of the pricing of the Minnie Vans, but I had to give my honest opinions.
What do you think? Would you use a Minnie Van vs the rideshare services? Let me know in the comments.
When the Minnie Van service was first announced, I was pretty excited. Having another option to renting a car or taking the bus was something I had been hoping for. I love that Disney has so many transportation options, but it isn’t always the most comfortable at the end of a long night when I just want to get back to my room.
