dpAccording to WDWMAGIC sources, Disney is preparing to permanently resume reservation verification for guests boarding Walt Disney World resort hotel buses at Disney Springs.
The move follows a successful test during the Easter period, where Cast Members scanned MagicBands at the Disney Springs bus loop to confirm guests had a valid resort stay, dining reservation, or recreation activity before boarding.
Our sources tell us the Easter trial was considered a success, with the verification process helping to free up capacity on the transportation system. It also addressed a longstanding issue of guests parking at Disney Springs and using Disney bus transportation to reach the theme parks, bypassing parking fees at the parks.
Based on information from WDWMAGIC sources, the verification process is expected to resume before the July 4 holiday week and will become a permanent, standard operating practice going forward.
To board resort hotel buses from Disney Springs, you will need one of the following:
- An active Walt Disney World resort hotel reservation
- A confirmed dining reservation at a resort hotel
- A confirmed recreation activity, such as a boat cruise
Current plans call for the verification to be in effect at Disney Springs only. However, Disney is also investigating the feasibility of expanding the process to other areas of the property and other forms of transportation at a later date.
Disney has not made any announcement about the change and has not confirmed any specific details. We don’t have an exact start date, and details could change before the official rollout.
Disney previously ran a similar verification process around New Year’s before the more recent Easter trial.
