Let me tell you why Minnie Vans are awesome!
I’m talking about those red and white polka dot SUVs that you have probably seen around Disney World property. They are run by Lyft and to get one all you need to do is open the Lyft app. More on the how later.
Let’s have a little story time. Last week my son and I were at Disney World. About 4 days before our trip he came down with the stomach bug. It lasted two days and I contemplated cancelling our trip. The trip was only going to be three quick days and the day before our trip he seemed to be feeling much better. The morning of our trip we had to be at the airport at 5 AM. I think this was just too much for his little body to handle and he was a mess at the airport. He powered through the plane ride with the help of Disney+ and once we installed the car seat into our Uber he immediately fell asleep.
We dropped our bags and the car seat at Disney’s All Star Music resort and headed to the parks. We spent the morning at Hollywood Studios doing all the fun Toy Story stuff that he has been talking about since his last trip in September of 2022. However, he still had not eaten anything. I tried but he just didn’t want to eat. So we decided to hop on Disney’s Skyliner (the best transportation at Disney World) and head over to Disney’s Riviera Resort. This is my favorite thing to do when the crowds begin to be too much. Hollywood Studios gets really crowded mid morning/ early afternoon. My son LOVES the skyliner so he was more than happy to do this.
In my opinion the Riviera resort has some of the best quick service restaurant food on Disney property and anyone can go over there to eat. Also, they have an amazing coffee shop and the scent in the resort can’t be beat. I mobile ordered our food and we sat down and wait. When our food was ready I got excited! I was able to eat two bites of my delicious cheesy sandwich and he throws up all over his seat…. Now thankfully he hasn’t eaten anything so it was mostly water but I packed us up to head to the resort for a nap. Now is when the Minnie Vans come in to the story. To get back to our resort we would have had to get back to the skyliner, ride it back to Hollywood studios and then take a bus back to our resort. That could have easily taken an hour and he really needed to rest if we wanted to head back to the parks later.
So I opened up the Lyft App. This was our first time using Minnie Vans and I was incredibly impressed. It is a bit more expensive than a regular Lyft or Uber however it comes with two car seats and the cast members are trained to put them in. My son got buckled and the driver turned on cartoons for my son and he was instantly happy. Also there is a universal phone charger for me to charge my phone on the ride. It was just under $40 and took 20 minutes for the cast member to drive us back to All Star Music.
Cartoons!
Car Seats!
The universal charger
The cast member dropped us off at our section of the resort. If you have ever stayed at an All Stars resort you will know they are huge! Our room was in the section farthest from the bus drop off so being dropped off so close to our room was amazing. This would be especially helpful after a long park day!
Have you ever taken an Uber? The drivers never speak to you and it can be a very awkward drive. The cast members that drive the Minnie Vans are very personable and if you are feeling chatty (like say if you are on a trip with a grumpy 5 year old who won’t talk to you) they will be happy to carry on a conversation with you. We got back to our resort much faster this way and my son was able to get some much needed rest.
The next morning we were headed to Magic Kingdom and he asked if we could take the “polka dot car” again. We did. And this ride was just as nice as the day before. The cast member was even more helpful and chatty than the day before and we had a great start to our day. Normally when you use a ride share to get to Magic Kingdom they have to drop you off at the transportation and ticket center (the parking lot) and you ride the monorail or ferry boat over to the parks, but Minnie Vans drop you off right in front of the park where the buses would drop you off!
This information is directly from Disney World:
Minnie Van service provides service to and from select locations within Walt Disney World Resort, including:
Any hotel in the Disney Resorts Collection
Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
Shades of Green
Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
What to Expect – The Vehicle
Minnie Van vehicles are roomy, comfortable and playfully themed with a style inspired by Minnie Mouse. Each vehicle accommodates up to 6 Guests.
What to Expect – The Experience
Minnie Van drivers are friendly Disney Cast Members who are trained to whisk you off to where you need to be—with a smile. Each vehicle is equipped with 2 child safety seats that our Disney Cast Members can install for you. Lyft will also provide a fare estimate once you select a destination, so you know what to expect. Your payment will be processed directly through the app.
Pricing
Prices vary based on distance traveled from pick-up location to requested destination within Walt Disney World Resort.
Hours of Operation
Minnie Van service operates from 6:30 AM to 12:30 AM daily. Hours of operation are subject to change.
To request a ride:
Open the Lyft app within Walt Disney World Resort and enter your destination.
Confirm your pickup location. Lyft will provide a fare estimate, and your payment will be processed directly through the app.
Tap “Select Minnie Van”; if Minnie Van service is not the default vehicle type displayed, you will need to scroll through your vehicle options until Minnie Van service is displayed.
The app will display a map tracking the vehicle en route—along with an identifying vehicle number to help you spot your car.
I would definitely recommend using a Minnie Van. It was especially helpful to get back to the hotel quickly. I would also recommend it for Magic Kingdom days to be dropped off right at the front of the park. If we could afford it I would probably use it all day everyday but that could get a bit pricey.
Have you ever used a Minnie Van? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!
Let me help you with your next Disney trip! I go often and I stay up to date with all the new discounts and would love to help you navigate your next trip and make it as stress free as possible. My services are always free to you! Thank you for your support!
- Amanda