Recently, Disney announced that they were going to be ending the complimentary Magical Express bus service at the end of the year, which left many Disney fans devastated.
One of the biggest perks about staying on-property at Walt Disney World Resort is that once your plane lands at Orlando International Airport (MCO), Disney’s Magical Express transports you and your luggage directly to your Disney Resort Hotel, all while Disney cartoon shorts and theme park footage played on a TV screen in front of you.
The Magical Express also currently brings Guests back to the airport at the end of their vacations, which for many Guests is a stress-reliever, as no planning is involved regarding transportation when you visit Disney World.
Many Guests have been wondering what will happen once there is no more Magical Express service. It seemed that renting a car, which would be costly, or waiting for an Uber or Lyft was the only solution. Now, though, that has changed!
Credit: ITM Rebekah Barton
Mears — the third-party company that operates Magical Express — has just announced “Mears Connect”, a new shuttle service that will begin as soon as Magical Express ends, in January 2022.
The service is said to “connect the airport and Disney Resort area” with the “same reliable, safe, express service”. Although not too much has been said about the new service, it seems that as of May 2021, Guests who are traveling in 2022 can begin booking their round-trip shuttle rides.
Credit: ITM Rebekah Barton
Since Mears is the current Magical Express operator, when they use the word “same” they likely literally mean it — Guests may not experience much of a change in regard to service!
That being said, the website has no Disney branding on it, and since Disney is detaching from the service, it does not seem likely that the Disney aspect will still be featured on these transportation shuttles. These buses may be generic Mears buses instead of Disney-themed ones. However, nothing has been confirmed about this aspect of Mears Connect.
When Magical Express ended, Mears issued a statement noting:
“Walt Disney made us aware of their decision,” Mears spokesperson Roger Chapin said. “While we are disappointed Disney will no longer offer this service, we intend to continue offering transportation services between the airport and all area theme parks and hotels to meet the demand of our visitors now and in the future.”
Credit: Screenshot Disney Parks Blog
