With Disney’s Magical Express being discontinued at the end of 2021, many are wondering how they’re going to get from the airport to Disney World.
Magical Express
The Magical Express provides free transportation for Disney resort guests between the Orlando International Airport and Disney property. The service is operated by Mears, who confirmed they would be continuing to provide transportation services even after the Magical Express is gone! And now, the service is LIVE!
Mears Connect will debut on January 1st, 2022! It will connect the Orlando International Airport to the Disney Resort area and you can make your reservation RIGHT NOW!
Mears bus
There are two options to choose from when booking, Standard, which is shared, uses large vehicles (buses), and has monitored wait times. There’s also Express (previously called “premium”), which has a limited wait time and direct service.
Orlando International Airport
Note that pricing may vary based on date, number of people, and location. But here’s what introductory pricing looks like for the Standard service…
©Mears Connect
…and the Express service.
©Mears Connect
Guests using Mears Connect should expect things like quick access to Mears Connect once you land, an arrival souvenir, limited stops to your hotel/resort, and entertainment for you and your party while you ride.
Mears bus at the Swan
It is also wheelchair accessible, has enhanced technology that will offer you real-time info about your transportation, and there is no surge pricing.
Mears bus
You can reserve your spot now and save money with Mears Connect’s introductory rate on MearsConnect.com. Stay tuned to DFB for more details like pricing!
Click here to read more about Magical Express being discontinued
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Looks like Saratoga Springs isn’t listed right now
I have no idea what is going on with their pricing but I tried to make a reservation for the “standard” service and round trip was $300. No thanks.
Disney is taking all the magic away. There’s a charge for just about everything. What is the draw to stay at a Disney resort if you have the same charges as other hotels in the area. For the prices Disney charges to stay in their resorts I thought some the freebies were built in. Now they want to charge extra! That’s ridiculous!
So is there no plans by Disneyworld to gave any sort of transportation for guest?
To which ages does child pricing apply? Is it like Disney, 9 and under?
Dan, Mears’ site says 3-9 years old.
Fraulein, at present it appears that’s the case.
Ivy, we experienced the same. We expect this is a glitch, and today we’re not seeing that $300 price when we check on it.
Seems just a little pricey. Does each bus go to every hotel?
Lonnie, as long as you’re okay with a response that amounts to a very pleasant #sorrynotsorry, I would send a Guest Communications e-mail (https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/help/email/). I still think it is important that Disney be made aware of opinions like yours. I think it is an entirely valid opinion and I agree with you. Perhaps if they hear enough feedback that can be summarized as “It stinks that you’re making us pay for what used to be free,” they’ll reconsider their plans.
Between charging for resort parking, continually increasing admission and resort prices, a half hour of early entry down from an hour of extra magic hour, extra evening theme park time available only to Guests staying in a deluxe resort, the whole “signature portfolio” nonsense, and eliminated airport/resort transportation among many other changes (not even delving into the decreased value in the high and ever-increasing if not downright exorbitant cruise fares), I feel, in a best case scenario, like I’m being “nickel-and-dimed,” and in a worst case scenario like I’m being looted or pick-pocketed.
I’m in Arizona right now, heading to Disneyland tomorrow. I have always wanted to stay at the Disneyland Hotel. I’m staying at the Tropicana on Harbor Blvd instead. For the same stay, Disney wants an additional $900 for a standard view. The amenities are reduced (is there a table service location now that Steakhouse 55 is closed?), there is no Early Entry benefit, and the hotel is farther from the gates than Tropicana (my wife has a chronic condition and we need to be as physically close to the parks as possible). I cannot find even an iota of value that is worth an additional $900 for the same stay. The total price for three nights is more than double my rate at the Tropicana. Do I expect to pay more to stay in a Disney hotel? Sure! But DOUBLE? With, truly, no tangible benefit other than being able to say, “I’m staying at the Disneyland Hotel?” Nope. Hard pass.
I’ll get off of my soapbox now. Long story short (too late), I agree with you and I would let them know. 😊
It’s a bummer you can’t make a reservation without flight numbers! Not everyone has flights booked for next year!
What are the current alternative options and costs for a family of 4 – 2 adults, 2 kids under 9, and 4 suitcases – to travel from MCO to WDW, not on the Magical Express?
The thing I don’t see mentioned is if there is luggage service, or do you retrieve your luggage and then proceed to Mears Connect? Does anybody know?
Will Disney have a service to transport your luggage from the airport or will guests have to do that on their own?
Get prepared Disney visitors. It won’t be long and we are
Going to be charged for the Disney bus service from the resorts to the parks ! It’s coming I’m sure.
We are supposed to leave Disney World on Jan 1st. Is magical express going to at least take us back to the airport?
I put info in for 4 adults with 4 bags arriving on a Saturday and leaving on a Wednesday in January. It was $128 total. When I put just 3 adults it was $96. So, $32 a person based on people, bags, dates and times (arriving at 4:17 pm (Spirit) and departing at 6:15 pm (SW). I actually just used my flight numbers from a trip that I am going on in November and surprisingly, it worked. But when I tried to do it again, it said the flight info was not correct or the date was too far out. The extra cost is really disappointing. It will be hard for all of us who knew how it used to be. As more and more new people come, they won’t even know any better. We will be the ones who are like….”I remember back in the day when resort parking was free, when we got free magic bands, free Disney Magical Express…” And as they take more away, that list just grows longer. I really hope they don’t make it so we have to pay for Fast Passes. Someone mentioned that it’s taking away part of the magic and I agree. For me the magic starts when I book the trip online and the balloons float up on the screen. I love getting the envelope with my “xxx Family” name and resort name in it. Are they still sending those? It might seem silly, but getting that envelope was also part of the magic for me. Does Disney realize how magical it was to get the free personalized magic bands in the mail? Coming home from work and finding that in the mailbox would put a smile on my face. I’d then save it to open with kids. I know I can still do that…I just have to pay for it now. I understand that it is not “needed/required” with access to stuff on our smartphones. It was just really special. When at the airport, just seeing the signs for Disney Magical Express was special and seeing the busses as I waited to get on them made me giddy. Riding it was like the start our vacation. Like I said, it’s just disappointing. This is my first comment ever about anything related to Disney. With the loss of the free magic bands and the Disney Magical Express, I just had to share my disappointment and share what I found from the Mears website. By the way, I just love DFB. This summer I have starting seeking out the daily DFB email. and look forward to all the info. The format of the info on that email is the best! AJ almost feels like a celebrity to me….I think “wouldn’t it be so cool if I got to see her at Disney some day?” Thanks to DFB for all the wonderful info on emails and videos. I love them! It feels magical reading and watching it all! Maybe when I retire from teaching I can get involved in something like this. The tasting part would be really fun!
It is very disappointing that the cost of the transportation isn’t included when your staying in a Disney Resort hotel. The Magic Express was always very organized and great when traveling with kids. Its also nice when your entire family is coming and you can all get on the same bus and travel together. With all the other changes with Covid it would have been nice to still have this included.
Lisa, I would hope so, but I don’t know that Disney has addressed this specifically. I would recommend calling Disney to get a confirmation from them.
Yaffa, no word from Disney on a service to transport luggage.
Sean, I don’t think Mears has clarified this yet.
Michele, options include taxis, rideshares, limos and car services, Mears. There may be others, but these are the ones that spring immediately to mind. You’ll want to crunch numbers to see what works best for you.
I will write in Spanish…my native language.
Es terrible lo que hace Disney, si así lo sienten quienes residen en EUA…pues imaginen quienes vivimos fuera y no tenemos el mismo estándar socio-económico.
Se está perdiendo la magia y en una época de Pandemia resulta más decepcionante que una empresa como Disney que no “pierde” (porque esa emoción por los emails, el magic band, el Magic Express, Fast Pass lejos de disminuir nuestros gastos, hacía que gastáramos más en otros productos), pero se niegan a dejar de “ganar mucho”. Y, no es cierto que los nuevos ingresos serán compartidos con quienes nos hacen vivir la magia (trabajadores) sino que responden a los intereses de los inversionistas (que no están “al pie del cañón”).
Comprendo y no comparto las nuevas políticas elitistas de una empresa que pretende decir una cosa, pero hace otra…
I am not really looking forward to this Disney trip! Always loved going now going bc I was going to loose money and everything just keeps going up or like the transportation getting cancelled. Walt must be turning in his grave…
Yes I agree. It’s getting more expensive and there taking away the perks! Not worth it anymore.