Debating Mears bus vs Uber for trip from MCO to Beach Club...

[LoveToDisney]

We’ve been the 6th stop at BCV and BLT if you count terminal C stop, as well. We finally budgeted GearFusion ride service for the 2 of us next visit (can’t do Uber/Lyft because of needing help with scooter). I had enough waiting an hour to get a Mears bus and another hour+ on the bus. It was pretty clear that the value resort buses fill up and head out quickly so they are fine, but to go to a deluxe resort you have a strong chance of many mod resorts on the way including some non-Disney resorts before reaching your stop.

 

[AnnaS]

I don't have a problem with Mears. Always have the first flight in the morning. Get there early/no rush to be anywhere. Visit WDW two/three times a year It's all part of the trip just like using Disney Transportation once there. Have not been heavy park goer for a few years. Have AP.

Years ago, if we flew, we would rent a car. When we did drive, we only used the car to get to dinner at different resort. Sometimes a quick ride to Publix. Last few years, we flew and used Mears. No issues. Sometimes you wait 5 minutes, sometimes 20. Sometimes the bus is half full, sometimes it's empty.

Now that I will be flying solo many times moving forward, Mears will do. Not a fan of getting in an Uber alone. We had an issue once where we were picked up 20 mins late to get to the airport. Mears picks up so early, we were not worried.

Last trip, we were nine (kids/grandchildren). I offered a private van. They said, no. Mears is fine. They have taken it multiple times also.

 

[paults]

We never did use Uber until my older son and daughter talked me into using Uber last Oct. when they are with me we always use Uber now.

 

[twinklebug]

In the past we always took the bus to the resort hotel. Under Disney's contract Mears operated Magical express and they had stats to keep, which meant even if a bus had only one person on it and it waited more than a few minutes it had to leave. From what the driver told me it was in their agreement with Disney to not make folks wait. (Didn't always work this way, but most often it did.) Back then it seemed there were more buses too.

This last trip I had a mears bus booked. Grabbed my checked luggage from the A side, went up, across and down to Mears Connect.

At the Bus pickup they seemed to be packing everyone for all the Disney hotels into one line that when I arrived was already wrapped around the corner almost to the desk. I was at the end of that line so clearly there were people who had been there waiting much longer than I had. Over the next 1/2 hour no busses were coming or going. One bus was there, but must have been broken down. Kids were wound up with energy from the long plane rides and running about screaming. I knew I'd not be on the next bus, there were far too many folk so went upstairs for an Uber/Lyft. I waited 15 minutes for my ride and as we departed I noted we were in front of the Mears Connect bus. My ride total to AKL came to just under $55 including a generous tip. Well worth it for my sanity. Would have been even more valuable had I had my family with me.

I chose to cancel my Mears ride back to MCO and took another Lexus SUV with a wonderful driver back to the airport with drop off right at the terminal A counters.

I don't think I'll ever use the bus again, not unless it goes back under a Disney contract with luggage service included.

 

[squeezeplay101]

I've booked a ride service last few trips (family of four). Sometimes a little more than Uber, sometimes probably significantly more. I find it worth the cost. They track your flight, meet you at baggage carousel (and are parked right outside it), provide a roomy and clean SUV...I could go on.

Basically, we went from using Mears, then Uber, and now use ride service. All (including renting a car) are fine for their own reasons, and not suitable for their own reasons as well - all in how people find value in terms of cost against convenience.

 

[DebbieB]

What airline? SW pax have to collect their luggage, go back up to level 3, schlep to the opposite corner of the terminal then down to level.

I fly Southwest, that’s why I avoid Mears. It’s so much easier to go right out the door to Lyft.

 

[dez1978]

uber/lyft every time. Quick, it's only us and with the 4 of us, it's not really any more expensive than mears.

 

[Nick6300]

Personal preference, but the cheaper rate at Mears would win for me most times. Interestingly, we intended to book an Uber XL from MCO to our offsite, 1 night motel, since we had a ton of luggage for 3 plus a stroller/car seat. It would have been $73 ish for the Uber, instead I decided on Mears Connect to nearby Sports, which was 3 miles from our motel, but we weren't staying at Sports until the next day. I was able to convince Bell Services to store my luggage for a few hrs while we took a HS bus, activated our APs, rode 2 rides, then picked up half of our luggage just for the night (i.e. leaving our stroller), to uber a standard to our nearby motel. Then we ubered back to Sports in the am after our free hot breakfast buffet, to store our bags again and hop on an AK bus. This saved us some $, but in retrospect I probably would have just booked an extra night at Sports even though it was a flight night.

Our Mears did stop at Coronado Springs before going to Sports, but often it's zero other stops or 1 stop before. The Mears drivers do go what seems like 45 mph, may be an exaggeration, but it's is like a 40-45 min (it was 43 for us including that stop) ride that takes an Uber like 28 min.

 

[miksicnarf]

Is there anyone who does not have a disappointing story about a trip involving Mears?

I must be the luckiest person in the (Disney) World, and I hope I don't jinx it, but Mears has always been just fine if not fabulous for me. More than half the time it's almost like personal service--I've been the only passenger or one of just a very few. Always on time, never a long wait. I stay at either OKW or SSR and they're usually the 1st and 2nd stops. I generally visit WDW twice a year and have used Mears Connect since it started, when Magical Express ended. Definitely thumbs up from me!

 

[Lumpy1106]

I must be the luckiest person in the (Disney) World, and I hope I don't jinx it, but Mears has always been just fine if not fabulous for me. More than half the time it's almost like personal service--I've been the only passenger or one of just a very few. Always on time, never a long wait. I stay at either OKW or SSR and they're usually the 1st and 2nd stops. I generally visit WDW twice a year and have used Mears Connect since it started, when Magical Express ended. Definitely thumbs up from me!

Truly, good for you. I would take this thread as a "heads up" that there are other options and things can go not-so-well with Mears. For 1 or 2 people it's definitely an economical choice, for my family of 4, we ran the numbers, a rental car is barely more, if not less. We also get the convenience of being able to leave the bubble to get groceries or drive to the parks that only offer bus service - and we don't have to leave hours earlier to accommodate the bus and its multiple stops getting back to the airport.

Now if I could just figure out the toll roads so I don't end up on a Waze adventure taking the Orlando back roads to the airport...