Mears Transportation Announces Replacement For Disney’s Magical Express

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 8, 2021

 

Disney guests have known for some time now that the previously free perk known as “Magical Express,” included in their on-site hotel reservations, would be disappearing at the end of this year. It caused quite the conundrum for some families as they tried to figure out how they would make it from Orlando International Airport to their Disney hotel.

 

Disney’s Magical Express was a free shuttle service provided by Disney for their onsite guests. In advance of guest’s arrival, Disney would send special luggage tags that would identify the guest’s hotel, and guests could check their luggage at their home airport, and not touch it again until they arrived in their Disney hotel room.  Cast members would handle the bags for you at each step along the way, pulling your luggage off your flight, sorting it, and loading it onto trucks to the hotels before magically making the suitcases appear in your room several hours later. 

Parents with families in tow found the service especially helpful, as they could get right off their plane and onto the hotel shuttle without stopping at baggage claim to wrangle luggage, kids, car seats and strollers along the way. You didn’t even need to be in your room for the suitcases to be delivered. You could be starting your fun in the parks while cast members handled the heavy lifting!

 

While the shuttles were Disney branded with happy Disney characters painted on the side of the bus, and Disney programming and music playing on the overhead monitors along your journey, the buses were actually contracted with Mears Transportation for the Magical Express.  It has been rumored since Disney announced they were abandoning the Magical Express that Mears would step in to fill the void. (The Brightline trains slated to take guests from Orlando airport to a Disney Springs station won’t be operational for years yet – perhaps not until 2026.)

 

Mears has announced that they will be offering a new shuttle service, called “Mears Connect” beginning January 2022, when Disney’s program ends. Mears says they will be offering “the same reliable, safe, express service” that Disney guests have already relied on in connecting the airport and the Disney Resort area.

 

Mears will begin accepting reservations for the new service in May 2021 for service at the start of the new year. Prices have not yet been released, but guests can sign up for advance notification of the reservation service at the Mears Connect site.  You can also call (407) 422-4561 for additional information. 

 

Mears has been in business since 1939, and provides more than just shuttle buses in dozens of cities throughout the United States. They also offer taxi services, transportation to cruise locations, and bus charters, along with private town car, limo, and luxury transportation services.

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

 

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