Mears Connect

[Mle8308]

A few of the popular Disney blogs have been monitoring Mears Connect the past few days and reporting on experiences. They showed a sign displayed so you can book when you arrive at MCO, it has a QR code to scan for day of reservations. It is in the area where you would pick up Mears Connect.

 

[CarolynFH]

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

Thanks. I was wondering whether Mears was slacking off, trying to blacken the name of Disney’s Magical Express and planning to make Mears Connect a much better service in comparison. But if they already had the Mears logos on the buses, I guess not — sounds like you’re not associating the name Mears with excellence in transportation!

 

[acpalmer]

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...

I understand your bigger point, but there's no way you are fitting six people in an economy rental car. So you'd need to price a rental that fits six to really compare apples to apples.

 

[J-Dog]

I understand your bigger point, but there's no way you are fitting six people in an economy rental car. So you'd need to price a rental that fits six to really compare apples to apples.

You're right, 6 people would require a SUV, which Costco travel listed at $479 vs. $360 for 6 people in a Mears Connect.

An economy rental car is listed for 5 people. So it would be $319 for the car compared to $305 for 5 people in a Mears Connect van.

So, for 6 people, it's going to cost about $140 or so (including gas) more for a car. For 5 people about $40-50.

Considering that a car can be used at any time to go anywhere with no waiting, compared to a shuttle that picks you up and drops you off and nothing else, I guess each person needs to decide what that cost is worth to them. YMMV, but to me it's a no-brainer.

 

[Uh_Oa]

We just booked a rental car for our trip next month. We were going back and forth and ultimately decided on the remark car for a few reasons. The cost was about $100 more then Meats Connect or Sunshine Express. We won't have to share space on a bus. We can stop at the grocery store on the way to the resort so we'll save some money compared to using Instacart. We may drive to some parks or DS too. It just made sense for us.

 

[DonMacGregor]

We just booked a rental car for our trip next month. We were going back and forth and ultimately decided on the remark car for a few reasons. The cost was about $100 more then Meats Connect or Sunshine Express. We won't have to share space on a bus. We can stop at the grocery store on the way to the resort so we'll save some money compared to using Instacart. We may drive to some parks or DS too. It just made sense for us.

Adding to my prior post, having a car makes our departure day much less stressful. We check out and either store our luggage with Bell Services, or just stick them in the trunk of the car and we're free to get back to MCO at our leisure. No worrying about what bus to take, how long the bus will take, etc. Sometimes we jump back into a park, sometimes we just stay at the resort, sometimes we take a little side trip (drove to KSC/Cocoa Beach for lunch once, just for the heck of it).

 

[RoseGold]

A few of the popular Disney blogs have been monitoring Mears Connect the past few days and reporting on experiences.

The one I follow was definitely getting a kickback. I'd take this with a few grains of salt.

 

[RoseGold]

You're right, 6 people would require a SUV, which Costco travel listed at $479 vs. $360 for 6 people in a Mears Connect.

Uber XL is showing about $60 one way on the website estimator to the Grand Floridian. I think that's 5 people.

 

[J-Dog]

Uber XL is showing about $60 one way on the website estimator to the Grand Floridian. I think that's 5 people.

Although I've never used Uber or Lyft, those services seem like a viable alternative to renting a car, as far as cost and convenience.

Mears Connect, however, does not seem like a viable alternative to renting a car.

 

[mustinjourney]

Although I've never used Uber or Lyft, those services seem like a viable alternative to renting a car, as far as cost and convenience.

Mears Connect, however, does not seem like a viable alternative to renting a car.

If (for some reason) you have to pay for parking, I’d say Uber/Lyft is a no brainer over current rental car rates. Uber Rates onsite going from hotel to parks is usually around $10-$20, which makes it fairly cheap and easy to get around if you don’t want the hassle of messing with buses.

 

[DonMacGregor]

If you have to pay for parking, I’d say Uber/Lyft is a no brainer over current rental car rates. Rates onsite going from hotel to parks is usually around $10-$20, which makes it fairly cheap and easy to get around if you don’t want the hassle of messing with buses.

But parking is free...

 

[Meglen]

But parking is free...

Only of you are dvc. Everyone else pays to park at the resorts but that counts as parking at the parks also.i know this is dvc thread but sole people might not notice

 

[DonMacGregor]

Only of you are dvc. Everyone else pays to park at the resorts but that counts as parking at the parks also.i know this is dvc thread but sole people might not notice

My response was based on DVC, because it is a DVC thread, and anyone staying at a DVC resort on points does not pay for parking, and I don't want someone coming here because it is a DVC thread thinking parking is not included (if you are staying on points).

 

[J-Dog]

My response was based on DVC, because it is a DVC thread, and anyone staying at a DVC resort on points does not pay for parking, and I don't want someone coming here because it is a DVC thread thinking parking is not included (if you are staying on points).

Yes, again I agree. Obviously, parking costs have to factor in. But since this is a DVC forum, I thought free paring was assumed.

 

[BamaGuy44]

You're right, 6 people would require a SUV, which Costco travel listed at $479 vs. $360 for 6 people in a Mears Connect.

An economy rental car is listed for 5 people. So it would be $319 for the car compared to $305 for 5 people in a Mears Connect van.

So, for 6 people, it's going to cost about $140 or so (including gas) more for a car. For 5 people about $40-50.

Considering that a car can be used at any time to go anywhere with no waiting, compared to a shuttle that picks you up and drops you off and nothing else, I guess each person needs to decide what that cost is worth to them. YMMV, but to me it's a no-brainer.

You're not getting 5 people and their luggage into an economy car. 6 people and their luggage in an SUV would be a stretch, unless they travel very light. So the comparisons are not really apples to apples. But I agree $250 for 4 people is outrageous for a shared shuttle bus. You can easily get a private van that picks you up right outside the luggage area, and goes directly to your hotel with no wait, for less.

 

[J-Dog]

You're not getting 5 people and their luggage into an economy car. 6 people and their luggage in an SUV would be a stretch, unless they travel very light. So the comparisons are not really apples to apples. But I agree $250 for 4 people is outrageous for a shared shuttle bus. You can easily get a private van that picks you up right outside the luggage area, and goes directly to your hotel with no wait, for less.

Fair enough. But none of these comparisons are ever apples to apples - there are too many variables.

It depends on your tolerances. Personally, I would pay a decent amount more for my own ability to go wherever I wanted. And be in-control of my own vacation, rather than waste time waiting for a driver. And as Don said, much less stress, especially on check-out day.

I would only pay for a bus/shuttle if it was cheap. And now that MDE is gone, there are few other cheap options left.

 

[RoseGold]

And now that MDE is gone, there are few other cheap options left.

There are cheap options left. I just did it. $39 Lyft from TTC to MCO.

 

[mustinjourney]

My response was based on DVC, because it is a DVC thread, and anyone staying at a DVC resort on points does not pay for parking, and I don't want someone coming here because it is a DVC thread thinking parking is not included (if you are staying on points).

That is why I qualified the entire premise with “if you have to pay for parking.” I suppose I could have further clarified, but I was typing on phone.

 

[J-Dog]

There are cheap options left. I just did it. $39 Lyft from TTC to MCO.

Well, yes. If you only go from MCO to WDW and back, that's cheap. If you want to go to Wal-mart, and then CityWalk, and then I-drive, etc during your stay, then those things add-up. But as was stated earlier, that's not really apples to apples - depends on what you're plans are.