Mears Connect (Magical Express Replacement) is now live.

[dis_guy]

Just did a test of the new Mears Connect service for sample dates in January 2022. Return from the airport to CBR (in my example) for two passengers came out to $64. Better than I had expected.

 

[von Monster]

Disney Tourist Blog did a nice writeup and there's one here as well - New Direct Express Airport to Resort Service Announced for 2022 (wdwinfo.com)

Key takeaways

• One way trip is $16 per way for an adult, $13.50 for a child on the shuttlebus. Round trip is double (no discount). Supposedly no more than a 20 minute wait before departure, multiple stops as per the current service.
• The premium service (direct) is $200 for a round trip up to 4 passengers, with an added $55 charge per additional passenger.

I have no idea why anyone would use this as Uber or Lyft is barely more expensive than the shuttle (usually $40-$60 one way) with zero wait and no stops.

 

[hdrolfe]

Looks like "adults" matches with Disney, so 10+.

Seems like it would be convenient to book with them, but I also wonder if other local transportation will come up with plans as well, or does Mears have an exclusive deal with Disney?

 

[von Monster]

I believe Mears has an exclusive transportation arrangement with MCO so I doubt it.

 

[seashoreCM]

I kind of think you would want to leave for the airport earlier than you are used to with Magical Express. Like 4-1/2 to 5 hours before your flight for clearing customs in Orlando.. On the regular transportation forum there is a thread with a bunch of reports of DME failing to get guests back to the airport in time to get to the gate before the first few boarding zones are called.

Since there is no resort baggage checking, it takes longer to load up at the resorts since all the bags have to go under the bus.

And since this is not a Disney exclusive, there may be more stops, say in the Hotel Plaza area (Disney Springs) or in the Sea World area.

 

[samsteele]

Disney Tourist Blog did a nice writeup and there's one here as well - New Direct Express Airport to Resort Service Announced for 2022 (wdwinfo.com)

Key takeaways

• One way trip is $16 per way for an adult, $13.50 for a child on the shuttlebus. Round trip is double (no discount). Supposedly no more than a 20 minute wait before departure, multiple stops as per the current service.
• The premium service (direct) is $200 for a round trip up to 4 passengers, with an added $55 charge per additional passenger.

I have no idea why anyone would use this as Uber or Lyft is barely more expensive than the shuttle (usually $40-$60 one way) with zero wait and no stops.

Thanks for this and agree Tom Bricker does a great overview.

Many single women won't use rideshare for personal safety concerns and also liability/car crash coverage worries. I've been in enough cabs over the decades to know its no fun getting into a cab with a stranger after dark or in the middle of the night for a run to the airport.

For a single guest, the Mears shuttlebus is an OK choice. Per other posters in this thread, watching to see how they handle the slow load of luggage in the bus basement and if that impacts travel time even more. I'm used to the 4 hrs before pickup then sitting around MCO early in the morning. Yes its a waste of time and sleep but peace of mind to know I'm there for my flight.

 

[wdwmom3]

I kind of think you would want to leave for the airport earlier than you are used to with Magical Express. Like 4-1/2 to 5 hours before your flight for clearing customs in Orlando.. On the regular transportation forum there is a thread with a bunch of reports of DME failing to get guests back to the airport in time to get to the gate before the first few boarding zones are called.

Since there is no resort baggage checking, it takes longer to load up at the resorts since all the bags have to go under the bus.

And since this is not a Disney exclusive, there may be more stops, say in the Hotel Plaza area (Disney Springs) or in the Sea World area.

Several years ago we almost missed out flight because of using ME to go back to the airport . If we hadn’t of used resort baggage checking we would have.

ME was about 30 mins late picking us up. Then we stopped at 2 different resorts, people were slow getting on the bus. Then we hit a bit of traffic. Then we had a 45 min wait to get through security. We hit the bathroom (kids were younger and had been saying they needed to go since we got to the airport). We got to the gate just as they started boarding.

Since then I used ME to go to the resort (mainly cause of the luggage service) but would Uber back to airport.