When Disney’s Magical Express ended their free transportation from and to Orlando International Airport at the end of 2021, guests visiting Walt Disney World found that they had quite a few options for airport transportation. Today, we’ll go through some of the most popular ways to get your Disney vacation started once you land at the airport.
Mears Connect
This service is run by Mears, which was the company who actually ran Magical Express for Disney, so they have seemed the most logical first choice for many guests. While they are located at Orlando International in the same location where Magical Express was, there are a few differences from Disney’s previous service. First, to point out the obvious, they (and every other option) are not free. The current cost to use Mears Connect is $16 for adults and $13.50 for children one-way. You’ll also need to book this in advance, which is easy to do via their website. As with Magical Express, you can expect that there will be several hotel stops along the way to your resort, although Mears also has an Express service which (not surprisingly), is a bit more expensive than Mears Connect.
Sunshine Flyer
This is a newer service that just began in February and is similar in both service and cost to Mears Connect. Their current cost is $17 per adult and $12.50 per child for one-way trips, and also needs to be booked in advance. One thing about Sunshine Flyer that has stood out to many guests are the fun “train-themed” buses which kids especially love – although it should be noted that as this service has grown over the past few months, more “plain” buses have been added, so not everyone gets to ride “the train bus”. While both Sunshine Flyer and Mears Connect are similar services, be aware that currently, Sunshine Flyer service starts at 4:00 AM and services flights starting at 7:00 AM. The last bus leaving the airport is at 11:00 PM – so if you have a very early or late flight, this may not be the best option for you.
Both Mears and Sunshine require guests to pick up their luggage upon arrival to Orlando International, prior to boarding their bus. Both will also generally pick guests back up from their resorts to take them to the airport three hours before domestic flights and four hours before international flights. I have personally used both services this year and found both to work well with friendly, on-time service, and have recommended both services to my clients.
Uber/Lyft
While not a new option for those visiting Walt Disney World, Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare services can provide guests “direct-to-hotel” transportation (meaning no stops), and in most cases there won’t be a long wait at the airport for a ride – just at a lower cost than Mears Express. The least expensive option with Uber is UberX — which can accommodate up to three passengers — and UberXL, which can carry up to five. It’s important to note that with any rideshare option, pricing can vary – and is hard to predict – because of surge pricing during busy times. As a rough estimate, the average roundtrip price for an UberX from the Orlando Airport to Walt Disney World is about $61, while UberXL will roughly average about $83 for the same roundtrip. This can make Uber or Lyft a more economical option for a family than either Mears Connect or Sunshine Flyer, however families who will require carseats or boosters should be aware that only Uber has carseat or booster availability, and not all vehicles will be equipped for more than one child requiring one. Families can, of course, bring your own, but this does, of course, require planning in advance to do so. (Pro tip: If you don’t need a carseat/booster, check pricing and availability for both Uber and Lyft, because the pricing between the two can vary – sometimes significantly.)
Car Rental
Many people choose this option for ease and flexibility. There are multiple car rental companies located at Orlando International Airport, and Walt Disney World has Enterprise, Alamo, and National all located at their Car Care Center (and they provide free shuttle pick up/drop off at your Disney resort). This brings up one thing to think about if you’re considering renting a car for your Disney vacation: Do you need it for the entire trip? Walt Disney World’s park transportation as a whole works well, so perhaps you may want to look at car rental pricing for just one day, one way, or even a few hours. We recently found on our Northern California trip that it was less expensive for us to rent a car for just a few hours to get us from the airport to our hotel, than it would have been to get an Uber. If none of the other options seem quite right for your family, this certainly could be an option for you to consider.
Private Car Service
Of course, there is always the option of reserving a private car service to take you from the airport to your Disney resort, and while a pricier option, this can be a great way to arrive for your vacation “in style” – especially if you’re celebrating a special occasion. There are many reliable car services in the Orlando area that specialize in transporting guests to Walt Disney World, and generally you can select the type of vehicle you want. Some will even make a grocery stop along the way if you want to pick up some things before you arrive at your resort.
No matter which transportation option you choose, the important thing is that your magical Disney vacation is beginning!
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