Everything You Need to Know About Mears Connect

We just got back from Walt Disney World a couple of weeks ago, and I’m excited to share about our trip! First up, let me share with you everything you need to know about Mears Connect.

If you’ve stayed in a Disney resort at Walt Disney World before, Disney’s Magical Express was probably a part of your experience. Magical Express provided transportation between Orlando International Airport and WDW, and if you were staying in a Disney resort hotel it was included in the cost of your stay. Pre-COVID they even picked up your luggage for you and delivered it straight to your hotel room. We all loved Magical Express! Unfortunately, Disney discontinued Magical Express service at the beginning of 2022. 😭

Airport Transportation Options

Now it’s up to you to find your way from the airport to your hotel. You have lots of options, from Uber/Lyft to hiring a private car service. There are also two bus services. One of those just debuted—Sunshine Flyer, which is a 1920s train-themed bus service that promises your trip will be under 60 minutes. We haven’t had a chance to try this one out yet, but it looks fun!

The other option most-closely resembles the Magical Express and is even operated by the same transportation company Disney used to contract with—Mears Connect.

(You could also rent a car, of course, but if you go that route keep in mind that Disney resorts do charge a fee for parking per night of your stay. And for me personally, I love the break from driving that staying in a Disney resort provides!)

How to Book Mears Connect

Booking Mears Connect couldn’t be easier. Just visit their website to get started! You will need your flight information (including flight number and airline) and the name of the resort where you’re staying. We booked the Standard service for our trip in January 2022, which means you’ll share the bus with other groups and the bus might stop at a few other resorts before you get dropped off.

The Standard service is $32 per adult and $27 per child (ages 3–9) for a round trip. Depending on the needs and size of your family, this may or may not be more economical than an Uber or Lyft for you! It will really depend on your individual situation.

Checking In

The day before your flight, Mears will send you an email with a QR code in it. When you arrive at MCO, you’ll have to pick up your own bags and then take them down to where Mears Connect check in is (there will be plenty of signs to follow in the airport). If you’ve used Magical Express in the past, it’s in the exact same spot!

When you get to the check in, show them your QR code. After scanning it, they will direct you to a numbered line for your resort. (Very similar to the way Magical Express operated.) We hardly waited in line at all before we were directed onto the bus. The driver loaded our luggage into the bottom of the bus for us, and we waited about 10 minutes for a few other groups to join before we were on our way. Our bus made one stop before ours. It was exactly one hour from the time we boarded the bus to the time we got dropped off at our resort.

Don’t forget, masks are currently required inside the busses!

Return Trip

Same as on your arrival day, Mears will send you an email with a QR code the day before or morning of your return trip. I also received a text with a link we could use to track our driver if we wanted to. Our driver arrived very close to the pick up time we were given. There may have been a slight mishap with our QR code (when the driver scanned it, we weren’t on his list or something), but he just said, “You’re going to the airport? Yep, get on.” So it was fine! Both drivers we had—arrival and return trip—were extremely friendly and helpful.

We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to do everything we needed to do before our flight, including grabbing a bit to eat!

Overall

We had a great experience using Mears Connect. In my opinion, it’s as close to Magical Express as you can get! Except, of course, that you have to pay for it. 😅 Cost aside, everyone we interacted with was very nice and helpful. Both of our rides were direct and quick. It got us where we needed to go and back! The busses were clean and comfortable, and the drivers were excellent.

On our arrival day, out flight got delayed by 3 hours, so we didn’t arrive at MCO until 10:30pm. This might have been why it wasn’t crowded at all when we checked into Mears Connect. The good news is if your flight gets moved or delayed, you don’t have to worry about your transportation! Your QR code is good for 48 hours before and after your original arrival time. That definitely took some stress out of the equation when our flight got delayed! 🙌

I also loved that they had Orlando-based trivia on the screens inside the bus—our kids (my son and my niece) loved it and it helped keep them occupied during the drive. We also received free sunglasses for everyone when we checked in, which was a fun touch!

We want to check out some of the other transportation offerings in the future. I’d like to see what Sunshine Flyer is like (it’s currently very similar in cost)! But we will definitely use Mears Connect again as well.

Have you used Mears Connect yet? How was your experience? Share in the comments below! ❤️

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