Mears Connect Review: What It Was Like Taking the Shuttle to Disney World

If you’re trying to figure out how to get from Orlando International Airport to Disney World, Mears Connect is probably one of the first transportation options you’ll come across.

It’s a paid airport shuttle that takes guests from MCO to Disney World resorts, and for many families, it feels like the closest current option to the old Disney’s Magical Express.

I recently took it round trip from Orlando International Airport to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort with my 3 year old. Overall, we had a good experience, but I still prefer paying more for the convenience of a direct ride to my resort.

Here’s what the shuttle was actually like for us, including how booking worked, how much we paid, how long we waited, and whether I’d use it again.

My Honest Mears Connect Review

I’ll be honest. It was fine.

Nothing went wrong. The booking process was easy, the drivers were helpful, our return pickup was right on time, and we got where we needed to go without any major issues.

For what it is, I think it was a good experience.

But I also realized pretty quickly that shared transportation is just not my favorite way to start a Disney trip.

We waited for a while at the airport, boarded a bus that was already very full, stopped at other resorts before ours, and had to work around the pickup time assigned to us for the return trip.

None of that was terrible. It’s just part of using a shared shuttle.

Would I use it again? Yes, probably, if I were traveling with just 1 child like I was on this trip and wanted to keep the transportation cost lower.

If I were traveling with both of my kids, a lot of luggage, or a bigger group, I would compare the total price against a rental car or a private transfer before booking. I already know from looking at all the ways to get from Orlando International Airport to Disney World with kids that I’m usually willing to pay more for convenience, and a direct ride still feels easier to me.

So my short answer is this: the shuttle worked well for us, but it is not automatically the best choice for every family.

What Is Mears Connect?

Mears Connect is a paid shuttle service between Orlando International Airport and Walt Disney World resort hotels.

It is not operated by Disney, but Mears is the company that previously operated Disney’s Magical Express, the former free airport shuttle Disney used to offer resort guests. That is why Mears Connect feels like the closest current option to the old Disney airport shuttle experience, even though it is not free and it does not have the same Disney feel.

The standard service is shared transportation.

That means you may ride with other guests, wait for a bus to arrive or fill, and stop at other resorts before getting to yours.

That is the biggest thing to understand before booking. It is not a private transfer. It is a shared shuttle, and your experience will depend a lot on timing, how full the bus is, and where your resort falls in the stop order.

Is There Still a Free Shuttle from Orlando Airport to Disney World?

As of June 2026, there is no free Disney shuttle from Orlando International Airport to Disney World resorts.

Disney’s Magical Express ended in 2022, so families now need to choose their own airport transportation.

The main options are usually:

• Mears Connect
• Uber or Lyft
• A rental car
• A private transfer
• Minnie Van airport service, if available for your resort

This is one of those planning details that sounds simple until you start thinking through the actual logistics.

Are you bringing car seats? How much luggage do you have? Do you need room for a stroller? Are you landing late? Do you care more about saving money or getting to your resort as easily as possible?

That’s why I created my free Disney Arrival Planning Kit. It walks through the main ways to get from Orlando International Airport to your Disney World resort so you can decide what will work best for your family before you land.

How Booking Worked Before Our Trip

I booked our ride online before the trip, and the process was very straightforward. I followed the steps on the website and entered our personal information, flight information, resort information, and payment information.

The pickup and drop-off times were determined automatically based on our flights. I did not get to choose a specific pickup time. For our return trip, the pickup was calculated to be about 3 hours before our flight.

About 23 hours before each ride, I received an email with our boarding pass. I also received a text message about 30 minutes before both rides. I really appreciated that because the communication felt clear the whole time. I didn’t have to search back through old emails to check our ride status or figure out where to find our boarding pass.

I also noticed a sign at the airport by the check-in desk saying same-day reservations were available. So if you land at MCO and still need a way to get to Disney World, that may be an option.

Personally, I would still rather book ahead when traveling with kids. Arrival day already has enough moving parts.

How Much We Paid for the Mears Connect Shuttle

For our June 2026 trip, I paid $31.90 one way for 1 adult and 1 child. Since we took it both ways, our total was $63.80 round trip.

At the time, the posted Standard Service pricing showed:

• Adult airport to resort: $17.60 total
• Child airport to resort: $14.30 total
• Adult round trip: $33.60 total
• Child round trip: $27.30 total

There was also a notice on the website saying a 3% fuel surcharge would be added to all reservations until further notice, which is included in the above pricing.

Pricing can change, so I would always check the current rate directly before booking.

For just me and my daughter, the price felt reasonable. It was much less than I would usually pay for a private transfer.

But this is where family size really matters.

The shuttle is priced per person, so the total can add up quickly if you have a larger family. Once you are paying for 4, 5, or more people, it is worth comparing the full cost against Uber, Lyft, a rental car, or a private transfer.

For a small group, Mears may still be the cheapest option. But for a larger family, the total can get close enough to other transportation options that it is worth asking whether you would rather pay a little more for a direct ride.

What It Was Like Finding the Shuttle at the Airport

We arrived at Terminal C at Orlando International Airport.

The boarding pass I received ahead of time included instructions for where to go after landing, and the directions were clear. We followed them through the airport and they brought us right to the check-in counter.

Once we checked in, we were directed to wait inside in a lobby area with chairs until the bus was ready. When it was time to board, they sent us outside to the shuttle.

We waited about 35 minutes from the time we arrived at the counter until we boarded the bus. It felt like a long wait, especially after already getting through the airport, but I appreciated having comfortable seating in a nice air-conditioned building while we waited.

That was one of my biggest takeaways from the whole experience. The shuttle might be a great price for a smaller group, but larger families should think about the seating piece too. If you have little kids who need to sit next to a specific adult, or if sitting together matters to your family, there is a chance that could be harder on a full bus.

The ride itself was completely fine. We didn’t have any issues once we were on the road, and it was nice to just sit down and let someone else handle the drive.

Our resort was the third stop, with 2 other resort stops before we arrived at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.

That was the part where I really felt the difference between taking a shared shuttle and booking a direct ride. Nothing about it was bad, but after waiting at the airport, boarding an already full bus, and then stopping at other resorts first, I was definitely aware that this was the slower, less convenient option.

That is not necessarily a reason to avoid it. It’s just the tradeoff to understand before you book.

For shared transportation, that felt reasonable. Nothing went wrong, and I didn’t feel like the process was unusually slow. But it also reminded me why I usually prefer a direct ride.

With private transportation, a driver is usually waiting for you, helps get you to the car, and takes you straight to your resort. That would have easily shaved time off this experience, especially since we would have skipped the airport wait and the extra resort stops.

How long the shuttle takes can vary a lot depending on:

• Which terminal you arrive at
• Whether a bus is almost ready when you check in
• How long the bus waits before leaving
• How many resorts are on your route
• Whether your resort is the first stop or a later stop
• Traffic between the airport and Disney World

So while our total time was about 1 hour and 18 minutes, another family could have a faster or slower experience depending on timing and resort order.

Taking the Mears Connect Shuttle Back to the Airport

Our return trip was a little smoother.

Mears automatically calculated our pickup time based on our flight, so for our 4:35 PM departure, we were scheduled to be picked up from Caribbean Beach at 1:15 PM. The bus arrived almost exactly on time, which I really appreciated on an airport day.

The driver took our luggage and put it under the bus again, then double checked our airline and terminal before we boarded. I was glad he confirmed it because Orlando International Airport can be confusing, especially when Terminal C is involved.

The bus was already very full when we got on, so it had clearly picked up guests at other resorts before arriving at Caribbean Beach. Since there were only 2 of us, we were still able to find seats together. If we had been traveling with a bigger family, though, I think we would have had to split up.

For us, the airport drop-off worked out really well. The shuttle stopped at Terminal C first, which was especially convenient because we ended up being the last pickup and the first drop-off.

I’m not sure if Terminal C is always first on the route, so I wouldn’t count on that happening every time. But for our trip, it made the return feel easier.

Who I Think Mears Connect Makes Sense For

After using it both ways, I think this shuttle makes the most sense for smaller families or smaller travel groups who want to keep the cost lower and do not mind a little extra waiting.

For us, it worked because it was just me and my daughter. We did not need a whole row of seats, we did not have a tight plan after arrival, and the cost was low enough that the tradeoff made sense.

There were also things I genuinely appreciated. Booking was easy, the emails and texts were helpful, we had a comfortable place to wait at the airport, and the drivers handled our luggage and stroller both ways. I also liked not having to think about car seats or installing anything after landing.

But I would look at it differently for a larger family or a trip where convenience mattered more.

The full buses were probably my biggest hesitation. We were able to find 2 seats together, but if I had been traveling with both kids or a bigger group, I do think we would have had to split up. The resort stops also added time, and on the return trip, I did not love having the pickup time chosen for us.

None of those things were dealbreakers. They are just the normal tradeoffs that come with shared transportation.

So I would consider this option if you have a small group, want to keep costs lower, and are okay with waiting or making other resort stops. If you have a larger family, a lot of luggage, tired kids, arrival-day plans, or you really want a direct ride to your resort, I would compare the total cost against Uber, Lyft, a rental car, or a private transfer before booking.

For a family of 4 or 5, the per-person price can add up quickly. And if the total gets close to a more convenient option, I would personally choose the direct ride.

Other Ways to Get from Orlando Airport to Disney World

Mears is only one option for getting from Orlando International Airport to Disney World.

You can also use Uber or Lyft, rent a car, book a private transfer, or use Minnie Van airport service if it is available for your resort.

Each option has its own tradeoffs.

Uber and Lyft can be faster and more direct, but car seats can be tricky if you have young kids and are not bringing your own.

A rental car gives you the most flexibility, but it also means dealing with the rental car process, car seat installation, parking, and driving during your trip.

A private transfer usually costs more, but it can be the easiest option with kids because the vehicle is reserved for your family and often includes car seats if you request them ahead of time.

Minnie Van airport service can be convenient and very Disney-feeling, but availability and pricing may not work for every family.

This is why I don’t think there is one best answer for everyone.

The right choice depends on your family, your budget, your luggage, your car seat situation, and how much energy you want to spend on transportation after a travel day.

Planning Your Disney Arrival Day

Getting from the airport to your Disney resort sounds like a small part of the trip, but it can set the tone for your whole arrival day.

When you land at MCO with kids, you are usually managing more than just transportation. You are thinking about luggage, snacks, bathroom breaks, tired kids, strollers, car seats, check-in time, and whether everyone has enough patience left to make it to the resort.

That is why I think it helps to make this decision before you land.

Because the first hour of a Disney trip can feel a lot easier when you already know how you are getting to your resort.