DCL Busses changing companies

[Sleepyluke]

Not sure if this has been reported, but as of last week DCL is in the process of changing to Academy buses rather than Mears. Our pick up was in an older not great shape Academy bus last week, no theming, dirty floors and older seats. DCL check in guy at the resort said he understood they would all be Academy within the next month or so and would be wrapping with something similar to what they are now.

It was very weird, an Academy dispatcher drove around right in front of the bus between resorts to get out and check people in.

But on the semi bright side, they picked us up at 8:30 and were 3rd family in line for testing.

 

[happycamper47]

They have been using Academy to transport the College Program students once it restarted after Covid.

 

[lanejudy]

They were (maybe still are?) using Academy buses as WDW park transportation when needing additional buses.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

We had the Academy bus service on May 16th pick-up. The bus was 20 minutes late and the driver just shrugged and said "traffic". It was just a bus ride in an older model vehicle. Same price, less quality.

 

[goofystitch]

We experienced the Academy bus to PC last month and it was very disappointing. Just another example of Disney cutting costs. What a shame.

 

[Sleepyluke]

Per cast member checking us in for our cruise last week, so you know the real truth...... Disney has been fighting with Mears due to the Brightline train and Mears wanting to transport from Disney Springs to Universal and other non-Disney reposts. Now not sure how truthful it is, but seems like a pretty good stretch to come up with if it is not semi true.

 

[happycamper47]

They were (maybe still are?) using Academy buses as WDW park transportation when needing additional buses.

That came about because WDW is short on Bus Drivers, probably the same reason they stopped using WDW buses for the college kids.

 

[lanejudy]

That came about because WDW is short on Bus Drivers, probably the same reason they stopped using WDW buses for the college kids.

Yeah, I guess my thought that I didn't clearly express was that possibly Mears is struggling with staffing as well and hence DCL has needed to contract some buses with Academy.

 

[shananigans]

We sailed to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral over Memorial Wknd and we had the usual bus. Interesting that some are getting the Mears and others are not?

 

[Cruising Engineer]

We sailed to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral over Memorial Wknd and we had the usual bus. Interesting that some are getting the Mears and others are not?

We had the Disney bus service from PC to MCO on our last cruise (May 20) but it was Academy from SSR to PC (May 16). Mears Connect is definitely doing the MCO to WDW.

 

[lanejudy]

"Mears Connect" is a paid shuttle service. It runs between MCO and WDW resorts, possibly some other Orlando-area resorts as well. It is one option in place of the former Magical Express.

DCL Transfers has used Mears employees, as did the former Magical Express service to/from MCO and WDW resorts. I know last year when there was a shortage of bus drivers, Disney also contracted with Academy to run buses. The recent use of Academy buses for DCL Transfers may signify a coming change in contracts, or may simply reflect another shortage of bus drivers.

 

[anricat]

We were actually on the bus with a DCL CM who works to coordinate buses from the resorts. She told us that currently resorts to PC are Academy, MCO to PC are Mears and PC to both resorts and MCO is Mears. She said she actually is preferring working with Academy. She said that the Mears stuff is a mess and has been really messy lately.

We took the Academy bus from resort to PC and it didn't really seem any different. It didn't have the DCL wrap, but otherwise was the same to me.

 

[Kwami]

We were actually on the bus with a DCL CM who works to coordinate buses from the resorts. She told us that currently resorts to PC are Academy, MCO to PC are Mears and PC to both resorts and MCO is Mears. She said she actually is preferring working with Academy. She said that the Mears stuff is a mess and has been really messy lately.

We took the Academy bus from resort to PC and it didn't really seem any different. It didn't have the DCL wrap, but otherwise was the same to me.

Did they play the same videos on the TVs?

 

[sugliac]

Not sure who was doing Miami to the port but would not use them again - an Uber is cheaper and faster from MIA.

 

[anricat]

Did they play the same videos on the TVs?

Yes, exactest the same. But on the Academy bus for some reason there was no sound. The DCL CM said that she was going to report it and look into it to determine if it was an isolated issue with that bus or all of them.

 

[Kwami]

Yes, exactest the same. But on the Academy bus for some reason there was no sound. The DCL CM said that she was going to report it and look into it to determine if it was an isolated issue with that bus or all of them.

Well, that's good, though. We had an Academy bus for a resort to MCO transfer in the fall before Magical Express was shut down and they didn't play the usual videos at all.