During our most recent trip to Disney World we decided to try out the new Minnie Van service. We wanted to be at the parks early and this helped us get there faster than waiting for the bus.
To start with, this is a partnership that Disney has with Lyft. So, in order to us the Minnie Van service you will need to download the Lyft app on your phone. Once it’s downloaded, and you have entered a credit card, you can start using the service.
The first time we used it we were not sure if we needed to set a time or just book when we needed a ride. We waited until we were ready to leave and I booked our ride. I did not see any option to set a specific time for pick up, so we just made sure we were ready to go. Once the ride was booked they were at the cabin in 10 minutes or less.
During this trip my husband and kids were with me, so I loved the fact that each Minnie Van has two child car seats in the back. It didn’t take long at all for the car seats to be put in the car either; the Cast Members installed the seats quickly and properly.
Another important factor is that these Minnie Vans are driven by Cast Members. We had the pleasure of chatting with Nathan during our first ride and Erika during our second ride. Both Cast Members chatted with us during the drive to the parks and gave us tips and information about Disney World. Both Nathan and Erika have been with Disney for a while and have experienced different jobs in the parks. So it was interesting to hear about their different experiences working at Disney World.
When we used the Minnie Van service we were staying at a Moderate Resort. There were multiple bus stops in the resort, so it can take a bit of time just leaving the resort before heading to the park. This was another reason why I liked the Minnie Van service. We didn’t have to worry about getting a seat on the bus or making a bunch of stops before getting to our destination.
More Details
- There are now about 68 Minnie Vans on Disney World property.
- The Minnie Vans will go anywhere on Disney World property.
- The cost is $25 per ride.
- You can leave a tip through the app once the ride is complete.
Using the Minnie Van service is definitely more expensive than taking a cab or using Uber or Lyft, but we found it to be worth the cost. The drop-off and pickup locations at the parks are closer than if you took other non-Disney transportation and the time from when we booked the car to when they showed up was very fast.
The whole service was so easy and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to get to the parks fast. It’s also great if you have reservations at one of the Disney Resort hotels, because you don’t have to go to a park to catch a resort bus. The Minnie Van service helps you cut out the need to use the parks as a transfer station to get to a resort, which saves a lot of time. Plus, the Minnie Mouse polka dot design of the cars is really cute!
Not only is this service fast, but you get to have a friendly and informational chat with a Cast Member! Seriously, I can’t say enough good things about Nathan and Erika.
Have you tried the Minnie Van service? If so, what did you think?
Thanks for reading!
*Liz*
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Liz
I love all things Disney, but my main love is for Disney World and I'm always planning for the next trip. Before becoming a Disney blogger, I was a radio DJ, so I guess I'm just continuing in the communication industry, just in a different form. I love talking Disney and I could talk about Disney all day. That's why I started blogging and created the Facebook group. The Disney community is full of friendly, helpful, and happy people...and I love being a part of it! If there is any Disney subject you would like to see covered just let me know! Need help planning your Disney vacation. Feel free to contact myself or Melissa at Never Stop Dreaming Travel Co. We love helping people plan their trips! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy! Don't forget to check out our Countdown to Disney app! Feel free to email me with suggestions of things you would like to see in the app :-)
Hi Liz,
Thanks for the info about Minnie Vans. Do you know what times they operate please? Just thinking this might be a good way to get to MK for an early breakfast reservation at Be Our Guest…
Many thanks!
Hi Eve!
The pamphlet I picked up at Fort Wilderness says that they start operating at 6:30 a.m., so you should be fine to use them for an early morning breakfast. We used the service to get to Epcot and Magic Kingdom for morning Extra Magic Hours and it worked out great. It was seriously 10 minutes or less from when I booked to when they showed up at the cabin.
Will this service go on my Disney app instead of lyft
Hi Gary!
As far as I know, you can only book the van and see the reservation on the Lyft app. It doesn’t sync with the My Disney Experience app.
We usually travel in a bigger group. How many people can fit in the van?
Hi Kelly!
It can fit 6 people in addition to the driver. You can always have two people book Minnie Vans at the same time if you need more space. The response time was really quick when we used them, but it was also early in the morning.
Hi Liz,
Do the Minnie Vans take guests that have the transport scooters? 2 of our party use the scooters in the parks, but CAN walk short distances. I’m considering using the Minnie Van from the Contemporary to dinner at Sanaa when we’re there in a few months. The Van would be so much easier than taking the bus to AK, then catching another bus to Kidani Village!
Thanks
Hi Sue!
The van that picked us up both times would not be able to fit the scooters. It might be able to fit a wheelchair if it folds up, but it’s not big enough to fit scooters. I would check with the front desk when you check in and see if there are other Minnie Van options available. When I booked the van it automatically sent the nearest van, there was no choice of vehicle type (other than Minnie Van).
The Minnie van we went in from Grand Floridian to the Animal Kingdom Lodge was a Chevrolet Traverse. It had two bucket seats in the front, bucket seats in the middle and a bench in the back that seats three. The Minnie van also totes car seats around so there is very little in the way of room for baggage( we had ours transferred by the luggage transport in our split stay) The Minnie Vans are very efficient otgerwiseand the drivers are friendly and kind!
We tried the Minnie Van service when we were there last November, and it was amazing. I highly recommend! We took it from Boardwalk to the Poly for dinner and then back again. It was well worth the $25 each way (although I think at the time it was $20 each way). The ease of having the car seat installed and fitting my family of 5 was wonderful. Each Cast Member was so incredibly nice, we’ll definitely use them again for our next trip! Now if only they could take you to and from the airport, that would be a dream!
Hi Caroline!
Glad you enjoyed the Minnie Van service too! I believe they have started service at least one way to the airport. I’m not 100% positive, but I thought I heard it would be around $150. It’s definitely worth calling and asking Disney.
Is there room to bring a double stroller in the van?
Hi Deb!
There should be room in the trunk (once both car seats have been removed), but I would ask at the front desk of your hotel before scheduling a pick up time. With all the people in Disney World that use strollers, I can’t imagine that they would not be able to accommodate families with double strollers.
Do they pickup at the campsites at the fort?
Hi Debbie!
They picked us up at right at our cabin, so I imagine they would pick up at the campsites as well.