Hi Debbie,
Welcome back to planDisney! I’m glad to see my pal Jessica’s initial guidance around
Disney’s Minnie Van Service was helpful and you’ve returned for more details. Your visit to the
Walt Disney World Resort is just around the riverbend, so let’s dive in!
I adore Minnie Van Service as a personalized, private transportation option when moving around the vast property of the Walt Disney World Resort.
This service currently begins running at 6:30 A.M. daily, through 12:30 A.M., which of course is always subject to change. This service is
reserved through a partnership with the Lyft rideshare app, where you make the reservation for a ride through that app on your own mobile device. I just did some tests for you to confirm my understanding on a few things for you.
While Lyft has a feature to reserve a ride up to 30 days in advance, the Minnie Van vehicle type is not included in this advance reservation workflow. You must reserve a Minnie Van when you’re ready for it that day and will see the cost, time of arrival, and trip duration at that time in the app. Since their service is advertised as beginning at 6:30 A.M., you could begin requesting the vehicle close to that time in the morning for a theme park drop-off. This should allow for plenty of time to request the vehicle, enjoy the ride, and arrive at your planned theme park well in advance of the opening time.
Each Minnie Van can seat up to six people and that includes two car seats, Debbie. You’ll receive a direct, private ride to your destination from a Disney Cast Member who can answer many questions or share stories about their own Disney careers and park experience. I love the many themed playlists, videos, and simple comforts provided such as phone chargers. Every Minnie Van experience has always been efficient, kind, and comfortable. Just last week I requested one after a long day when I just couldn’t walk any more, and the prompt ride back to my resort was a welcome relief!
I love to “rope drop” and arrive at the theme parks for
Early Theme Park Entry if staying on site, or just before park opening if not. In my experience, you can plan to be at the gates about 30 minutes in advance of either opening time and know you’ll be one jump ahead of the crowds for a special start to your day. You can practice the reservation process in the Lyft app from home to see travel times from your resort to a theme park for forward planning; please be sure not to finalize that ride to avoid a fee for not showing if you’re still at home learning the steps.
I hope this helps you have peace of mind and know what to expect for you upcoming adventures! Please let us know how else we can help you make the most of this amazing vacation.
Wishing you a magical stay,
Amy