Mears Connect

[BcIcemen]

Do you have to book in advance or can you book when you arrive at Orlando airport?

 

[kes601]

You have to book in advance.

 

[BcIcemen]

You have to book in advance.

Do you know how far in advance? Sorry I should have asked that in my original post

 

[CarolynFH]

Do you know how far in advance? Sorry I should have asked that in my original post

The website is www.mearsconnect.com. It should answer all your questions, and then you can book through that website.

 

[corpcomp]

Mears Connect just raised their price for the Express Service from $200 to $250 for 4 people.

So much for Introductory pricing. Any guesses how long it will take before they raise the bus service??

 

[CarolynFH]

Mears Connect just raised their price for the Express Service from $200 to $250 for 4 people.

So much for Introductory pricing. Any guesses how long it will take before they raise the bus service??

The Sunshine Flyer starts February 1, and their price is $1-2 higher than Mears. Not sure what the competition will do to Mears price.

 

[J-Dog]

Seriously? $250, plus $55 per person more than 4, for what amounts to a shuttle to WDW - and what their website states has "limited wait time" and is "not considered private service"?

I just looked on Costco Travel. An economy rental car for a week in December - that you can pick up yourself with NO wait time, drive anywhere you want, and still park for free at a DVC resort, is $319.

If you had 6 people in the Mears van, it would actually cost MORE to sit and wait for a shuttle that only goes to a single place and back. Craziness...

 

[matt and beth]

We booked Mears less than 7 days out for marathon weekend. My daughter and I had an excellent experience. My wife and son who joined us had a terrible experience. If they boost that rate we are taking an Uber or Lyft because it is quicker and cheaper. They better watch the boosting.

 

[808blessing]

It is sometimes a very long wait at the rental car company. I wouldn’t do that if only for that reason because I stay close to the parks. I am going to give Mears, sunshine, and another pre-arranged private company a shot for their pricing. Lyft/Uber is not reliable with price surge for now but a good backup.

 

[J-Dog]

It is sometimes a very long wait at the rental car company. I wouldn’t do that if only for that reason because I stay close to the parks. I am going to give Mears, sunshine, and another pre-arranged private company a shot for their pricing. Lyft/Uber is not reliable with price surge for now but a good backup.

Most rental car companies now have online check-in. You literally walk to the car and the keys are in it. I have waited a total of 0 minutes for the last 3 cars I've rented at MCO.

I would consider Mears Connect if it was about $25 per person. But as it is now, I can have the freedom of my own car for less waiting and basically the same price. Even if I just parked the car on the DVC parking lot for the rest of the trip, the cost and and time savings are about a wash.

 

[808blessing]

^True! If you belong to the VIP clubs you can walk out. Also I think we had an arrival time that was common with a lot of flights (early Am). Do you recommend any specifically?

 

[DonMacGregor]

Seriously? $250, plus $55 per person more than 4, for what amounts to a shuttle to WDW - and what their website states has "limited wait time" and is "not considered private service"?

I just looked on Costco Travel. An economy rental car for a week in December - that you can pick up yourself with NO wait time, drive anywhere you want, and still park for free at a DVC resort, is $319.

If you had 6 people in the Mears van, it would actually cost MORE to sit and wait for a shuttle that only goes to a single place and back. Craziness...

We rent a car every time now. Yes, I am a National Emerald Club member, but with free days built up over the course of my business travel, I can usually get a Executive Aisle car (walk straight from baggage claim to the car nonstop) for around $400 for our typical 6-night / 7-day stay. I found that I was spending $200-$300 per trip on Uber/Lyft/Minnie Van service anyway because we can't stand a long bus ride after being in the parks all day (Uber back from any Epcot Festival though regardless!), and waiting to get TO the parks just eats into your day as well. For as much as we all value our Disney experiences, 30-45 minutes each way on a Disney Bus (and I think that is a very reasonable assumption as I've seen trips take over an hour before rope drop or after fireworks) can easily take an hour and a half or more out of your day. We also find that it gives us much more freedom and time on our last day and the trip back to MCO (we can even do a short half-day trip back into a park like HS or AK). For us, it's money well-spent.

 

[WIll C]

We booked a Blacklane vehicle and the round trip for the bigger vehicle is about the same as Mears Express Service. Very happy with them so far.

 

[J-Dog]

We rent a car every time now. Yes, I am a National Emerald Club member, but with free days built up over the course of my business travel, I can usually get a Executive Aisle car (walk straight from baggage claim to the car nonstop) for around $400 for our typical 6-night / 7-day stay. I found that I was spending $200-$300 per trip on Uber/Lyft/Minnie Van service anyway because we can't stand a long bus ride after being in the parks all day (Uber back from any Epcot Festival though regardless!), and waiting to get TO the parks just eats into your day as well. For as much as we all value our Disney experiences, 30-45 minutes each way on a Disney Bus (and I think that is a very reasonable assumption as I've seen trips take over an hour before rope drop or after fireworks) can easily take an hour and a half or more out of your day. We also find that it gives us much more freedom and time on our last day and the trip back to MCO (we can even do a short half-day trip back into a park like HS or AK). For us, it's money well-spent.

I agree with absolutely everything you said, except I don't get any free rental car perks.

 

[RoseGold]

My December Mears experience was an absolute nightmare. Never again. I gladly paid the Lyft surge pricing of $52, but my return trip was only $39. I had a car in less than a minute from the TTC.

Edit to add: surge pricing for Friday afternoon arrival. The airport was very busy!

 

[BcIcemen]

My December Mears experience was an absolute nightmare. Never again. I gladly paid the Lyft surge pricing of $52, but my return trip was only $39. I had a car in less than a minute from the TTC.

Does Lyft only go to the TTC? I have had Uber take me right to the resort

 

[RoseGold]

Does Lyft only go to the TTC? I have had Uber take me right to the resort

I was leaving from MK, so I went to TTC instead of Contemporary. I've had Lyfts take a few minutes to get to resorts to leave. TTC was very easy.

 

[BcIcemen]

I was leaving from MK, so I went to TTC instead of Contemporary. I've had Lyfts take a few minutes to get to resorts to leave. TTC was very easy.

thanks for te quick response. Trying to make a transportation plan for my Febuary trip

 

[CarolynFH]

My December Mears experience was an absolute nightmare. Never again. I gladly paid the Lyft surge pricing of $52, but my return trip was only $39. I had a car in less than a minute from the TTC.

Was your December experience with DME or a separate, specifically Mears transportation vehicle? It just seemed that I saw more complaints about DME as the end of that program got nearer. Of course, it’s not as if Mears Connect has gotten nothing but raves….

 

[RoseGold]

Was your December experience with DME or a separate, specifically Mears transportation vehicle? It just seemed that I saw more complaints about DME as the end of that program got nearer. Of course, it’s not as if Mears Connect has gotten nothing but raves….

At that time, it was DME, which always has been Mears staff and Mears vehicles. It even had the new Mears logos in December.