News Disney's Magical Express to end after 2021

[LittleBuford]

Right, like I said, I understand it more if you're a solo traveler or single parent with children. The bus full of people would certainly feel safer (and likely is safer, if only slightly). I was talking more about families/groups (which I would guess is the vast majority of Disney travelers flying into MCO), and also the Mears private car option. I can't see any reason to ever use the Mears private car when an Uber/Lyft is the same service for less.

I do think one takes a greater risk with Uber and Lyft. Most drivers are great, but some aren't, and once you're in the car with them, it's very difficult to do anything about it. Several times, I've had drivers who were holding their phones in their hands and looking down as they navigated. I couldn't for the life of me understand why, if they were doing this for a living or even as a side gig, they hadn't invested in a phone mount. These were otherwise very nice, courteous drivers. Only once did I manage to conquer my embarrassment and end the ride: it was snowing, and the driver had only just picked me up. He reacted surprisingly well when I explained why I didn't feel comfortable continuing in his car.

Again, in practical terms, I agree with you: as someone who doesn't drive or stay in Disney hotels, I always used Uber and Lyft upon my arrival in Orlando. But I certainly understand why others prefer the option of a bus.

 

[UNCgolf]

I do think one takes a greater risk with Uber and Lyft. Most drivers are great, but some aren't, and once you're in the car with them, it's very difficult to do anything about it. Several times, I've had drivers who were holding their phones in their hands and looking down as they navigated. I couldn't for the life of me understand why, if they were doing this for a living or even as a side gig, they hadn't invested in a phone mount. These were otherwise very nice, courteous drivers. Only once did I manage to conquer my embarrassment and end the ride: it was snowing, and the driver had only just picked me up. He reacted surprisingly well when I explained why I didn't feel comfortable continuing in his car.

Again, in practical terms, I agree with you: as someone who doesn't drive or stay in Disney hotels, I always used Uber and Lyft upon my arrival in Orlando. But I certainly understand why others prefer the option of a bus.

That's all understandable -- you're certainly less likely to be seriously injured in a bus crash than a car crash. It's still an incredibly small risk either way, though. It's really a psychological thing because of how tiny the percentages are.

Regardless, it still means the Mears private car pricing makes no sense. There's absolutely no reason to think you'd be any safer in it than an Uber/Lyft.

 

[Jon81uk]

Regardless, it still means the Mears private car pricing makes no sense. There's absolutely no reason to think you'd be any safer in it than an Uber/Lyft.

Are the Mears drivers employed directly by Mears? Uber don’t employ their drivers and that is probably the main reason why a directly employed driver would feel safer.

 

[UNCgolf]

Are the Mears drivers employed directly by Mears? Uber don’t employ their drivers and that is probably the main reason why a directly employed driver would feel safer.

Probably, but I don't think that makes any difference. Uber and Lyft drivers still have to go through a background check before they're allowed to drive for the company; I don't think there's any reason to believe they'd be more likely to commit a crime than a Mears driver. Uber/Lyft also still insure passengers against any injuries etc.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

Probably, but I don't think that makes any difference. Uber and Lyft drivers still have to go through a background check before they're allowed to drive for the company; I don't think there's any reason to believe they'd be more likely to commit a crime than a Mears driver. Uber/Lyft also still insure passengers against any injuries etc.

Just from bad personal experience, I avoid rideshares. I wasn't in any danger from the driver, just stranded outside AT&T Park in San Francisco at night because the driver couldn't find the stadium and eventually stoppedansweringmy calls and dropped the fare. I would trust a Mears driver to know the area and not get lost headed to a major destination like a baseball stadium or WDW. That peace of mind is worth the extra money to me, although I'm more likely now to rent a car and not have to worry about it. If I don't get a rental then the private car from Mears would be my first choice.

 

[UNCgolf]

Just from bad personal experience, I avoid rideshares. I wasn't in any danger from the driver, just stranded outside AT&T Park in San Francisco at night because the driver couldn't find the stadium and eventually stoppedansweringmy calls and dropped the fare. I would trust a Mears driver to know the area and not get lost headed to a major destination like a baseball stadium or WDW. That peace of mind is worth the extra money to me, although I'm more likely now to rent a car and not have to worry about it. If I don't get a rental then the private car from Mears would be my first choice.

I get that, but I honestly wouldn't trust a Mears driver to know what they were doing any more than an Uber/Lyft driver. I'm not at all surprised by your Uber/Lyft experience, though -- I don't use them much but I've had similar things happen.

Last time I was in NYC we had a car with a livery service (it wasn't Mears but similar) and the driver could not figure out how to get to our hotel in the Bronx (was going to a wedding there). We drove past the same golf course 4 times just going in circles until he finally made it. I also had a car with a livery service in Toronto once that just didn't show up at the airport until 45 minutes after the scheduled time.

It's strange for me to be defending Uber/Lyft because I think they are terrible companies for a variety of reasons, but I just don't see the value in paying more when the experience is likely to be the same.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

I get that, but I honestly wouldn't trust a Mears driver to know what they were doing any more than an Uber/Lyft driver.

Last time I was in NYC we had a car with a livery service (it wasn't Mears but similar) and the driver could not figure out how to get to our hotel in the Bronx (was going to a wedding there). We drove past the same golf course 4 times just going in circles until he finally made it. I also had a car with a livery service in Toronto once that just didn't show up at the airport until 45 minutes after they were supposed to be there.

It's strange for me to be defending Uber/Lyft because I think they are terrible companies, but I just don't see the value in paying more when the experience is likely to be the same.

On my WEDDING DAY, our limo driver knew there were more than 1/2 dozen cars from out of town following us. The church was several towns away from my house.

Did he just hop on the highway around the corner from our house like a normal human?!?

NOPE. He took back roads and lost the cars behind us within 5 miles of my house.

Not only were the cars following us late, but the ride made ME 45 minutes late to my own freaking wedding.

ETA: And the bleeping bleep also drove off with a bottle of Dom in the trunk.

 

[note2001]

Are the Mears drivers employed directly by Mears? Uber don’t employ their drivers and that is probably the main reason why a directly employed driver would feel safer.

I've felt far safer taking a Lyft with a very plesant gentleman who was talking about immigrating to the US and his daughter wanting to go to college here (for which he feared for her saftey) verses a Taxi or a system bus.

If you've ever been the last one left on the M.E. bus being dropped off you'll know what I mean by it's not a comforting feeling being alone. Which brings me to:

Just from bad personal experience, I avoid rideshares. I wasn't in any danger from the driver, just stranded outside AT&T Park in San Francisco at night because the driver couldn't find the stadium and eventually stoppedansweringmy calls and dropped the fare. I would trust a Mears driver to know the area and not get lost headed to a major destination like a baseball stadium or WDW. That peace of mind is worth the extra money to me, although I'm more likely now to rent a car and not have to worry about it. If I don't get a rental then the private car from Mears would be my first choice.

Quick, true story and you may feel differently: we were the last family, a single mom with two kids, on the Magical Express bus as it sat in the parking lot of Fort Wilderness. It was about 10 at night. The driver kept insisting we were at Wilderness Lodge despite my telling him it was a campground and not the hotel. Disney called his dispatcher who called him to ask if that was him sitting in their lot. He denied it and when I tried to get off to head into the station to ask for directions he started the bus and shortly there after proceeded to pull two U Turns across median strips on the road nearly tipping the bus as he panicked.

Safe? Hardly.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

I get that, but I honestly wouldn't trust a Mears driver to know what they were doing any more than an Uber/Lyft driver. I'm not at all surprised by your Uber/Lyft experience, though -- I don't use them much but I've had similar things happen.

Last time I was in NYC we had a car with a livery service (it wasn't Mears but similar) and the driver could not figure out how to get to our hotel in the Bronx (was going to a wedding there). We drove past the same golf course 4 times just going in circles until he finally made it. I also had a car with a livery service in Toronto once that just didn't show up at the airport until 45 minutes after the scheduled time.

It's strange for me to be defending Uber/Lyft because I think they are terrible companies for a variety of reasons, but I just don't see the value in paying more when the experience is likely to be the same.

I assume you aren't currently posting from prison after killing that driver. If I'm right, you deserve an award for your self-restraint.

 

[skypilot2922]

I'd like to know what would happen in the following scenario, because knowing Mears at some point it will happen:

A family of 4 (parents and teens) books the premium service, round trip for $200 (plus tax and tip?) but the car is late. Very late.
When the driver arrives it's a 10 person van and they are piled in with a family of 3 with drop off at the other family's hotel first.

So essentially they had the bus service just in a smaller vehicle.

That one's easy the Mears driver will stop, look around and take off and tell the dispatcher that you never showed.

 

[TransportationGuy]

I can't see any reason to ever use the Mears private car when an Uber/Lyft is the same service for less.

The big difference is that a private car driver will meet you in bag claim and there will be no wait vs. having to locate your own car, wait a minimum of 10 minutes to show up. Standardized cleanliness between every trip

Are the Mears drivers employed directly by Mears? Uber don’t employ their drivers and that is probably the main reason why a directly employed driver would feel safer.

Yes. 100% direct hire

That one's easy the Mears driver will stop, look around and take off and tell the dispatcher that you never showed.

That’s not how that works. Mears private car drivers actually don’t get paid a penny if you don’t show up

 

[skypilot2922]

The big difference is that a private car driver will meet you in bag claim and there will be no wait vs. having to locate your own car, wait a minimum of 10 minutes to show up. Standardized cleanliness between every trip

Yes. 100% direct hire

That’s not how that works. Mears private car drivers actually don’t get paid a penny if you don’t show up

WRT last - the question was if a partially full van shows up without enough seats for your party. what will it do, based on experience it will do exactly what I said. Because had that exact experience when I had a van scheduled to pick us up at Gaylord Palms.

my only positive MEARS experiences were when they were contracted to operate DME

 

[Lilofan]

I get that, but I honestly wouldn't trust a Mears driver to know what they were doing any more than an Uber/Lyft driver. I'm not at all surprised by your Uber/Lyft experience, though -- I don't use them much but I've had similar things happen.

Last time I was in NYC we had a car with a livery service (it wasn't Mears but similar) and the driver could not figure out how to get to our hotel in the Bronx (was going to a wedding there). We drove past the same golf course 4 times just going in circles until he finally made it. I also had a car with a livery service in Toronto once that just didn't show up at the airport until 45 minutes after the scheduled time.

It's strange for me to be defending Uber/Lyft because I think they are terrible companies for a variety of reasons, but I just don't see the value in paying more when the experience is likely to be the same.

I would have gotten out of the car and called another mode of transportation but since you were in the Bronx I would think twice about wandering those streets.

 

[UNCgolf]

The big difference is that a private car driver will meet you in bag claim and there will be no wait vs. having to locate your own car, wait a minimum of 10 minutes to show up. Standardized cleanliness between every trip.

In theory, sure, but don't hold your breath for that to happen. Especially with Mears. As I said, I've had multiple private car experiences where it didn't.

Beyond that, though, is that actually what Mears is offering? The fact that it could be a van shared with another party is not what you'd typically get with a private car service.

I'm not suggesting that Uber/Lyft is always the best option full stop, but based on the information that's been released thus far, it seems like a no-brainer choice for the majority of guests (over using this Mears service, that is) when you combine the cost/convenience factor.

 

[doctornick]

Question: do you need to have the app to use Uber/Lyft? Can you use those services in some other way?

I ask because there are indeed people without smartphones. Plus those from other countries who might not have internet. So that might explain a bit of the issue to pre book transportation or to just hop in a cab at a taxi stand.

 

[LittleBuford]

Question: do you need to have the app to use Uber/Lyft? Can you use those services in some other way?

I ask because there are indeed people without smartphones. Plus those from other countries who might not have internet. So that might explain a bit of the issue to pre book transportation or to just hop in a cab at a taxi stand.

You need the app. If you don’t have a smartphone, you could call a friend or relative who does and have them book the ride for you, but that could get a bit complicated.

 

[UNCgolf]

Question: do you need to have the app to use Uber/Lyft? Can you use those services in some other way?

I ask because there are indeed people without smartphones. Plus those from other countries who might not have internet. So that might explain a bit of the issue to pre book transportation or to just hop in a cab at a taxi stand.

Does the MCO have a taxi stand? I guess it probably does, but I doubt there are very many taxis available. I think the Atlanta airport has one somewhere but if 40 people got off a flight and all wanted taxis they'd be waiting a long time.

 

[TransportationGuy]

Does the MCO have a taxi stand? I guess it probably does, but I doubt there are very many taxis available. I think the Atlanta airport has one somewhere but if 40 people got off a flight and all wanted taxis they'd be waiting a long time.

MCO has taxis on both terminals level 1 & 2 from 6a-12a daily

 

[mdcpr]

Question: do you need to have the app to use Uber/Lyft? Can you use those services in some other way?

I ask because there are indeed people without smartphones. Plus those from other countries who might not have internet. So that might explain a bit of the issue to pre book transportation or to just hop in a cab at a taxi stand.

I have a feeling that people from other countries that are visiting WDW, do have cell phone connectivity and Internet. BTW, non-LAN lines have been more popular outside of the US for a while since some countries never had the infrastructure for LAN lines.

 

[Phicinfan]

Just got back from WDW and have to say there will seem to be no difference from Magic Express vs. new service. Busses we rode were NOT magic express marked busses, and service was very similar. Obviously we did not have to pay yet, but overall the experience was the same.