In January, 1st, 2022, the western world will turn the page in a new calendar year. But for visitors to Walt Disney World, that date will also mark a significant change: the official closure of Disney’s Magical Express. Could this date be the end of the so-called “Disney bubble” forever?
Since the coronavirus pandemic last year, the phrase “Disney bubble” has become associated with the NBA bubble that was located on a Disney property. But before that, the “Disney bubble” used to refer to the totally immersive experience that some visitors chose to pay on trips to Walt Disney World. In short, for those staying at the Disney property, the park offered Disney-branded airport transfers, so guests could theoretically have exclusive Disney experiences from the moment they picked up their bags at Orlando airport.
This transport, called Disney’s Magical Express, still exists and will be operational until December 31, 2021. But, according to Attractions magazine, Disney’s Magical Express will go offline on January 1, 2022.
“As consumers’ needs and preferences change, we will no longer be offering Disney’s Magical Express service from 2022 arrivals,” a Walt Disney World Resort spokesman said in a statement. “At the same time, we are introducing new ways for guests to enjoy their visits, including early entry to the theme park for guests at Disney Resort hotels.”
After January 1, 2022, the “Disney bubble” will be officially punctured. There was no concrete reason for ending this service, but it seems strange for Disney to leave money on the table closing this – you would think the company would like to offer this complete immersion (and yes, take as much money from people as possible) in as many areas as possible. We have to assume that the pandemic was taken into account in this decision and, assuming that things improve significantly, I wonder if the bubble will be rebuilt in a post-COVID world. But for now, the dream of a totally immersive experience from the airport to the hotel and parks and back dies in 2022, and Disney fanatics will only have to take a taxi at the airport like all of us.
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