Yes, it’s been nearly a year and a half since Disney’s Magical Express Service ended. And yes, we’re still just a tad bitter about it.

The Magical Express provided a free way to get from the airport to your Disney World hotel — and you didn’t even have to pick up your baggage at the airport baggage claim. It just “magically” showed up at your hotel. Now you have to pay to get to your hotel — either by rideshare, taxi, a shuttle bus, or a rental car. And that’s why we were SO EXCITED when a new public bus route made it easier to get from Disney World to the Orlando Airport (and vice versa) for the fare of just $2 each.

But that bus route? Well, it isn’t *quite* the hack you may think it is. Let’s get into it!

First of all, some disclosures: Do I live 15 minutes from Disney World? Yes. Did I spend a weekend afternoon taking this bus route when I needed to go to neither the Orlando Airport nor any Disney World hotel? Also yes. Why did I do that? FOR YOU, of course! I’m a frequent traveler who is always testing travel hacks. So, for the sake of science I tried out the new bus route to bring you all the info you might need to take it.

New Bus Route Basics

Lynx, the public bus system in Orlando, recently added a route that runs from Disney Springs to Orlando Airport without you needing to transfer to a different bus. The new route is called Link311, and it runs 7 days a week, every 30 minutes between 5AM and 11PM. The fare is $2 for the ride.

The Disney World drop-off/pick-up point is the Westside Bus Loop in Disney Springs, and the Orlando International Airport drop-off/pick-up point is outside the main terminal — on the lower airport arrivals level.

The bus I rode had great air conditioning, and was clean and comfortable. There were rules against eating and drinking on the bus — so keep that in mind and finish your coffee before you board.

I got to the airport and back to Disney Springs without any major problems. The actual bus trip took about an hour in each direction — and that’s about the same time you could expect on Disney’s Magical Express since it stopped at multiple hotels. (And it’s the same thing you’ll experience now on the Mears Connect shuttles available from the airport.) But the trip was not “easy” and may not work for everyone for two big reasons. Let’s take a look.

You Have to Work to Get to the Drop-off/Pick-up Points

As I said, the Lynx bus Disney Springs pick-up/drop-off is at the West Side bus loop. You’ll need to get from there to your hotel after taking it from the airport. So how are you going to do that? Either by taking a Disney bus from Disney Springs or by taking a rideshare like Uber or Lyft. So there you go — already potentially adding more money to your cheap $2 fare. From point to point on Disney property at most times of day (providing you’re not trying to travel at rope drop or right after fireworks), you can expect a rideshare to cost $7-$12. 

Now if you pay and take that rideshare, you can get picked up at the West Side Bus Loop, so you’ll be right there to catch the bus. This is easier to do with Lyft than Uber, because you’ll find that West Side Bus Loop as a destination in the app. You’ll have to maneuver your drop-off pin on the map in Uber to order your ride, making it a bit more difficult. But what if you opt for the free option — a Disney bus from Disney Springs to your hotel?

You’ll need to go through security from the West Side Bus Loop to enter Disney Springs. Then you’ll need to walk from the far west end of Disney Springs — past Cirque du Soleil — to get to the middle of Disney Springs where the Disney buses pick up. Depending on the line at security, this could add 10-20 minutes to your trip.

And now, let’s talk about that airport drop-off point.

You will be dropped off (or picked up, depending on which direction you are going) at a spot on the lower “arrivals” level of the airport, outside the main terminal. From there, you’ll take an escalator or elevator up to the departures level, and you’ll be right in front of the Southwest Airlines check-in counter. This is a convenient spot if you have bags to check and you’re flying out of Terminals A or B. BUT, if you’re departing (or arriving) out of Terminal C, you’re going to have about a 20 minute trip to the Terminal C check-in counters.

The path is clearly marked, and you’ll walk part of it and take a train between some of the buildings. But just know that’s gonna take time, and if you have a bunch of luggage with you, you won’t be able to check it until you get over to Terminal C, so you’ll have to pull or carry and otherwise manage it on the trip.

And that brings me to the second reason this trip isn’t the hack you might think it is…

Baggage Could Be a Big Problem

I packed a suitcase for this experiment. Did I need anything in it? Nope, because I wasn’t traveling, but I did it FOR SCIENCE. And taking luggage with you on this journey could present a number of problems.

First off, you may not be able to get on a Disney bus to or from your hotel with your luggage. Your mileage could vary on this — but we know that at least sometimes suitcases are not allowed on the Disney buses. In addition, you will need to take your suitcase through security at Disney Springs if you are transferring from a Lynx Bus to a Disney Bus. The day I did this bus trip with my packed suitcase, I used a standard rollaboard size suitcase. And when I went through Disney Springs security, they opened my suitcase and handled everything inside. But I have also witnessed suitcases just being sniffed by a security dog and allowed to pass through. So, your mileage may vary here, too. In any case, if someone opening your suitcase and handling your unmentionables is going to be anxiety-inducing, keep in mind that it can and does happen.

Both of these issues can be avoided by taking a rideshare to/from your hotel to Disney Springs. But there’s also the issue of taking your luggage on the Lynx Bus. There’s nowhere to store it, and you will have to carry it up and on to the bus, and then keep it at your seat. On the weekend afternoon I rode the bus, it was not at all crowded, and I didn’t experience an issue keeping my suitcase next to me at my seat. But if the bus is full, you would likely have to hold your luggage on your lap in your seat with you. And that would be nearly impossible with a large suitcase or multiple bags.

So, there you have it — this $2 cheap and easy bus ride isn’t as easy (and maybe not as cheap!) as it sounds. So, who should take the Lynx Bus from the Orlando Airport to Disney World?

I am a very frequent traveler, and I’m often looking for ways to travel on a budget. I also am usually traveling solo. And in those cases, this bus could be a very good option for someone like me. A typical trip for me probably involves flying a no-frills, budget airline, and packing in a backpack or other “personal item-sized” bag with no checked or even rollaboard luggage. In that case, the reasons this trip isn’t convenient pretty much melt away. I don’t mind some extra walking to save some pretty big bucks (probably $20-$50 each way with a shared shuttle or rideshare), and I don’t travel with luggage that would be banned from a Disney bus or be hard to manage on a Lynx bus.

But if you have a checked suitcase or multiple bags, or this all just seems like more hassle than it’s worth, my best advice would be to spend more money and take an easier route. If you’re traveling with other people, they may not share your budget traveler ways, in which case this whole thing could seem really aggravating. And if you’re traveling with several people who can split a rideshare fare, that’s definitely the better way to go.

In the end, it’s about choosing the route that fits your needs and your budget the best — and in some cases that’s just not the cheapest way. We’re all about testing new strategies for your Disney World trip, so keep following us here at DFB for more!

Would you try the public bus route from the Orlando Airport to Disney World? Let us know in the comments below!