Disney Bus Driver Leaves Guests Speechless

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Disney Cast Members are truly some of the most incredible people on earth. We love the rides. We adore the food, but honestly, the Cast Members make Walt Disney World the Most Magical Place on Earth! Sometimes though, a Cast Member goes above and beyond to make a guest’s day. We call that “pixie dust.”

Pixie dust can be very specific (randomly giving a child a balloon for free) or very general (randomly leading an unplanned group activity). The keyword there, though, is random. Most of the time, pixie dust is unpredictable and a one-off sort of event.

For one Disney bus driver, though, making magic is a way of life. Meet Rhyan Lynch. Rhyan is a bus driver at Walt Disney World, and he spends his days making magic happen on every route he drives. 

Singing Disney Bus driver rhyan lynch

In a viral video on TikTok, Rhyan not only told jokes and kept the guests on his bus entertained, but he also revealed a hidden talent: the man can SING!  He serenaded guests with an incredible rendition of  “A Whole New World” that was so good Guests ended phone calls and stopped conversations in order to listen! 

TikTok user @Cristelleatx caught much of it on camera and posted it to the social media platform with her own thoughts.  “Aside from making funny jokes along the ride to keep us entertained after a long day, he said he wanted to add one last bit of magic to our day,” she said. 

People tagged the official Walt Disney World TikTok account in the hopes that they would notice Rhyan’s incredible talent. Many said Disney should give him a raise. Others suggested Disney move him into a performance role. We’ve got to admit, after hearing him sing, he absolutely would excel as a performer.  

In her video, Cristelle commented, “Keep in mind that he only gets paid to drive, but went out of his way to make everyone’s day.” This is the sort of magic that separates Disney from other locations. In a role that doesn’t require a lot of people interaction, Rhyan goes out of his way to bring smiles to people’s faces. That, not freebies, is what pixie dust is really about. You can view Rhyan’s incredible performance here. 

Disney World Monorail Will Soon Be Forced to Shut Down

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Disney World is a popular tourist location seeing thousands of Guests daily. Walt Disney World Resort is known as “The Most Magical Place on Earth.” Being the most magical, Guests have high expectations of Disney World.

uests heading to Disney World can explore their different parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Each Disney Park includes something for all Guests. Walt Disney World Resort is also home to two water parks, called Blizzard Beach (temporarily closed) and Typhoon Lagoon.

Since Disney has so much ground to cover for Guests heading to the Disney Parks or resorts, Guests can take advantage of using the skyliner, buses, ferry boat, or the most popular way of travel, the monorail.

Disney Skyliner

Disney’s Monorail allows Guests to ride high in the sky and connects Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, and select Disney Resorts by just minutes. The Walt Disney World Monorail System has three separate lines that travel throughout Walt Disney World Resort.

The Resort Monorail makes the following stops:

  • Magic Kingdom Park
  • Disney’s Contemporary Resort
  • Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
  • Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
  • Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC)

The monorail opens thirty minutes before opening and one hour after closing for Magic Kingdom. Guests using the monorail for EPCOT should know it opens thirty minutes before opening and two hours after closing.

Monorail EPCOT

Ashley Carter recently tweeted that the bill that would allow the Florida Department of Transportation to oversee inspections of the monorail has now passed.

The Florida Senate has passed SB 1250, a transportation bill that includes an amendment that would allow the Florida Department of Transportation to oversee inspections of Disney World’s monorails. The bill passed 26-14.

In recent months, Disney World Guests have noticed that the monorail has started showing structural damage. With this bill, the Department of Transportation will be able to inspect that. This is part of Disney’s ongoing feud with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

Disney is suing DeSantis, but the recently-appointed Central Florida Tourism District also announced a countersuit.

With this new bill in place, it would seem to be almost guaranteed that Disney will have to shut down its monorails at some point as the Department of Transportation conducts an inspection. The question, really, is how long the Disney monorails will have to be closed when this inspection does take place. Then, once the DOT conducts its search, how long will it be before Disney is able to reopen them?

Of course, this is all pending and up in the air as the lawsuits come forward.

Monorail beam

Using the monorail is simple. Just wait at one of the convenient and well-marked pickup points throughout Walt Disney World Resort. Your ride will then arrive—usually within minutes—ready to transport you to a variety of destinations. Keep in mind that certain destinations are not direct; you may be required to take a connecting mode of transportation to reach your destination.

Just for you to know glass containers of any type are not permitted on the monorail. Medical strollers for Guests with disabilities will be treated as wheelchairs.

And remember: If you’re staying at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa or Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, you can enjoy convenient access to all monorail lines, right from your Disney Resort hotel. This is one of the great perks of staying at a Disney Resort.

Florida Senate Takes Over Disney’s Monorails

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

The Florida Senate has passed a bill that gives them some control over Disney’s monorail system.

This afternoon, May 2, 2023, the Florida State Senate passed SB 1250. While this is a standard transportation bill, it includes an amendment that would allow the Florida Department of Transportation to oversee inspections of Disney World’s monorails. The amendment states that “any governmentally or privately owned fixed-guideway transportation systems operating in this state which are located within an independent special district created by a local act which has boundaries within two contiguous counties.” The bill passed 26-14.

The amendment was originally filed days after a press conference with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in which he discussed the state’s takeover and dissolving of the Reedy Creek Improvement District. Previously, the Governor has threatened to make major adjustments to Walt Disney World’s operations, including the possibility of raising tolls on roads leading to the property or building a prison next to Walt Disney World.

So what does this mean for Walt Disney World? To start off, the bill allows the state government to oversee inspections of Disney World’s monorail system, meaning they could close, modify, or disable it for any reason they see fit. This bill could also go on to apply to Disney’s Skyliner system, boat transportation, or bus operations, which would grant the Florida Senate major control over how Guests get around Walt Disney World.

While the bill may seem innocent enough, Governor DeSantis and the new Central Florida Tourism Oversight District have made it clear that they’re not pleased with Disney’s operations after the company spoke out against the Governor’s Parental Rights in Education Act.

In fact, the Governor has made his intentions of targeting Disney so clear that Disney recently filed a bombshell lawsuit against the Governor and the members of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District for violation of their free speech as a company. Yesterday, the Board voted to file a countersuit against Disney. Public opinion on the case is largely in Disney’s favor, but the Governor has commented that he believes Disney’s lawsuit has no merit.

While something as drastic as a permanent closure of the monorail system or any other transportation system is unlikely, the bill does give the Florida Senate (and in turn, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District) a lot of control. If Disney’s lawsuit is to be believed, that means they could use it to hinder Disney’s operations if they see fit.

Monorail’s Concrete Support Beams Crumble

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Disney Resorts

Disney fans have begun to panic after seeing some terrifying images surface on the internet. The photos show a major infrastructure concern that could potentially be extremely dangerous. With no sign of Disney doing any maintenance to remedy the situation, the public has begun to panic.

One thing to know about Walt Disney World Resort is that it is massive. The Resort sits on 43 square miles of the property, making it way bigger than Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. There is so much to see and do inside Walt Disney World Resort, but because everything is so spread out, navigating yourself can be difficult.

Driving your own car can be time-consuming with traffic and parking and getting an Uber or a Minnie van can be expensive. Luckily, Disney does offer some complimentary transportation options for Guests to use.

Guests can use Disney’s busses, ferryboats, water taxis, Skyliner, and monorail to get around the Resort. For many Guests, taking the monorail is the preferred option. The Walt Disney World Monorail System is an elevated transportation system that is used to take Guests to different areas of the Resort. The monorail is supported by concrete beams that extend up into the air.

Theme Park photographer @bioreconstruct snapped a photograph that showed some troubling “concrete problems” on one of the support beams for the monorail. The beam looks to be in horrible condition, and Guests are very concerned about the safety issue of the damage. The beam that is crumbling is on the EPCOT monorail track near The Seas Pavilion in Future World at EPCOT.

Guests have begun to panic over the safety of the monorail. One user comments, “Welp, guess it’s driving to EPCOT only for a while.” Many Guests wonder if the Monorail beam will be able to handle the heavy load for much longer. It is a shame to see the infrastructure of Walt Disney World in such bad shape. Hopefully, Disney gets to work and service this issue as soon as possible.

Brand New Transportation Option Available from MCO to Disney World Resorts

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Disney Resorts, Uncategorized

When Disney’s Magical Express ended in 2022, there was a gap in coverage between Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Walt Disney World Resort hotels. MEARS Connect seemed to be the frontrunner to replace the service (Disney’s Magical Express was owned and operated by MEARS). However, Sunshine Flyer emerged as a clear stand out.

Neither replacement options are free. Both are comparably priced, with MEARS being a tad cheaper ($32 per supersonic round trip as opposed to Sunshine Flyer at $39 per person round trip). It’s the theming that puts Sunshine Flyer over the top. The motor coaches are themed like Golden Age railroad cars, right down to train conductor uniforms for drivers. It’s just…FUN!

Now, though, they’ve begun a brand new offering: private direct transfers. If group transportation isn’t your thing, you can hire private car transport to and from the airport in advance from Sunshine Flyer. The experience is VIP from start to finish making this an excellent way to splurge on your Disney trip and begin the magic the moment you land.

Rather than traipsing through the airport for a specific meeting location, your driver will meet you at baggage claim and assist with your bags at the airport and your Resort. After that, you’re whisked off to your destination in stylish and modern vehicles that up the wow factor on the entire experience. Unlike with group transfers, your resort is guaranteed to be the one and only stop which cuts down on travel time and starts your fun that much quicker.

There’s also no surprise fees or surge pricing like you typically find with rideshare services. By booking in advance, you’ll also have peace of mind knowing that not only is the cost already taken care of (payment is due upon booking), but you’re guaranteed a ride, even if your arrival is during a peak time. With rideshare services, you often run the risk of lengthy wait times if there are no available drivers once you’re ready to go.

Sunshine flyer

The cars aren’t train themed like the buses but kids receive train themed freebies like conductor hats, stickers and games. Safety certified car seats are included at no extra cost which cuts down on the hassle of having to bring your own from home.

Like any VIP experience, pricing is a bit steep:

Sunshine flyer prices

For reference their website says a sedan will accommodate up to 3 people and 3 suitcases. A luxury SUV will accommodate up to 6 people and 6 suitcases. The Sprinter Van accommodates up to 10 people and 18 suitcases.

The website lists the hotels serviced by private transfer. All Walt Disney World hotels are included, including Fort Wilderness Campground and Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.