is there a chance that the Magical Express will come back?

[Eric Graham]

Driven may times and never countered 4 wrecks

maybe i just made it up...who knows..that's me i just make things up...

 

[Eric Graham]

happened the past two times we've driven down in florida, especially on the turnpike...

 

[John park hopper]

maybe i just made it up...who knows..that's me i just make things up...

never implied you made it up

 

[MissingDisney]

I guess google makes things up too...Anytime you drive on a Florida turnpike, you run the risk of accidents and serious injuries. High speed limits, exit and entrance ramps, and other possible hazards on turnpikes and highways can cause a driver to lose control and collide with other vehicles or to run off the road.

Don't we all run the risk of accidents and serious injuries driving on any road, not just the Florida Turnpike?

Google actually does, sometimes, makes things up. It is reliant on human input after all and humans are sometimes confused, and sometimes they just lie.

 

[Goofyernmost]

It's all good until you wind up sitting through 4 wrecks on the way down there...

I've been making that trip to Orlando just about every year for the past 40 years, always on I-95 and I-4, sometimes more than once a year. So far I have been delayed once for a short time because of an accident in Georgia (half hour tops) and the second was because of a case of poor timing by arriving at the entrance of I-4 about a half hour after the finish of the Daytona 500. (very poor timing)

 

[Goofyernmost]

Don't we all run the risk of accidents and serious injuries driving on any road, not just the Florida Turnpike?

Google actually does, sometimes, makes things up. It is reliant on human input after all and humans are sometimes confused, and sometimes they just lie.

Statistics also report that you stand a much bigger chance of seeing or being involved in an accident within 50 miles of your home. So, like you said, yes indeed, the minute we set out on a highway we run the risk of being held up by something, be it an accident or construction, but that is part of the fun and excitement of a road trip. Love me a road trip! I guess that no one was ever delayed by air travel or so it seems.

 

[networkpro]

I guess google makes things up too...Anytime you drive on a Florida turnpike, you run the risk of accidents and serious injuries. High speed limits, exit and entrance ramps, and other possible hazards on turnpikes and highways can cause a driver to lose control and collide with other vehicles or to run off the road.

I make quiet a few round trips every year between Middle Georgia and Orlando on I-75 and the Florida Turnpike. While we do see the occasional accidents, I dont think we've seen 4 on one trip yet, but the poor driving habits I observe the longer haulers exhibiting it wouldn't surprise me during peak travel periods. During the Spring break period, its not unusual for the MTS shows (Murder, Theft, Scandal aka "news") to have some horrific vignette of a van packed full of vacationers crashing with multiple fatalities. Long drive times with insufficient rest, excessive speed, impatience... it all adds up to road carnage.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I’m on Mears for the first time right now.

I only used ME a few times because we usually drive rather than fly.

The experience seemed almost identical - go to the dedicated area, board the bus, it left pretty quickly, and it’s a nice bus.

The only thing different to me is there’s no TV with the intro and the cartoons.

As far as the cost, it’s a matter of perspective. You can be mad that it’s not free, or you can be glad it’s half the price (or better) of an Uber or Lyft.

I found it very easy and convenient. I probably would have waited longer if I had arrived 5 minutes later. The bus started right after I boarded.

 

[NelleBelle]

I’m on Mears for the first time right now.

I only used ME a few times because we usually drive rather than fly.

The experience seemed almost identical - go to the dedicated area, board the bus, it left pretty quickly, and it’s a nice bus.

The only thing different to me is there’s no TV with the intro and the cartoons.

As far as the cost, it’s a matter of perspective. You can be mad that it’s not free, or you can be glad it’s half the price (or better) of an Uber or Lyft.

I found it very easy and convenient. I probably would have waited longer if I had arrived 5 minutes later. The bus started right after I boarded.

Curious how many stops at other resorts it made before you got to your resort? I could potentially see using it if my mom decides to bring her personal scooter rather than rent; maybe use it to WDW? But wohld never want to use it returning to MCO. I hated using DME back to MCO because of the pick-up times. I like to return to MCO on my schedule.

 

[MissingDisney]

Curious how many stops at other resorts it made before you got to your resort? I could potentially see using it if my mom decides to bring her personal scooter rather than rent; maybe use it to WDW? But wohld never want to use it returning to MCO. I hated using DME back to MCO because of the pick-up times. I like to return to MCO on my schedule.

We've used Mears several times since the end of DME. We've only had one bad experience going to the resort and it was right after magical express ended. We stopped at five resorts and of course we were the fifth. It was terrible. But every trip since then has been fine with only two or three stops.
On the return, while the three hours prior to the flight timeframe seems a bit harsh, the last three times we literally made it to our gate with about 15-20 minutes to spare as security lines at MCO are so horrible. If I would've waited to the last second, like I am prone to do, we would have definitely missed our flights.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

We've used Mears several times since the end of DME. We've only had one bad experience going to the resort and it was right after magical express ended. We stopped at five resorts and of course we were the fifth. It was terrible. But every trip since then has been fine with only two or three stops.
On the return, while the three hours prior to the flight timeframe seems a bit harsh, the last three times we literally made it to our gate with about 15-20 minutes to spare as security lines at MCO are so horrible. If I would've waited to the last second, like I am prone to do, we would have definitely missed our flights.

Maybe it makes sense with one or two people, but I think families are better off with Uber(or renting a car!).

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Curious how many stops at other resorts it made before you got to your resort? I could potentially see using it if my mom decides to bring her personal scooter rather than rent; maybe use it to WDW? But wohld never want to use it returning to MCO. I hated using DME back to MCO because of the pick-up times. I like to return to MCO on my schedule.

I’m staying at a value, so I expected to be low priority.

Our bus was for a few resorts. There were maybe 12 people on the whole bus. We stopped at Coronado first, then both Animal Kingdom Lodges, then All-Star Music, which was my stop. It wasn’t bad, but it took longer than a Lyft, and that may have bothered me more if I were in a big hurry to get to a park at a certain time.

I remember looking at the time as I was walking to the Mears area at the airport, and it was 1:30. Figure I got there a few minutes later, quick and easy check in, board the bus, wait a few minutes…I think it was about 1:45/1:50 by the time we got going. We arrived at the resort about 2:35/2:40. So almost an hour.

You mentioned the return time, and yes, I checked the email and my pick up time is 5:30pm for a 9:05pm flight. I have no bags, so that’s very early for me. Plus you’re supposed to be there 15 minutes early.

I looked at scheduling a Lyft in advance (which is usually cheaper than ordering one right when you need it) and the lowest priced option (for 7pm) was $59, nearly 4 times the price of Mears. So I’m sticking with Mears, but their pick up times are just as “Tragical” (@Tuvalu ) as the ME.

One good thing is you can pick where they drop you off and pick you up. So I chose for them to pick me up at the Grand Floridian because I want to have a (very early) dinner at a monorail resort and see the Easter display at the GF. It would have been a pain in the neck for me to have to bus back to All Star Music just to get the ride back to the airport.

 

[Ayla]

I’m staying at a value, so I expected to be low priority.

Our bus was for a few resorts. There were maybe 12 people on the whole bus. We stopped at Coronado first, then both Animal Kingdom Lodges, then All-Star Music, which was my stop. It wasn’t bad, but it took longer than a Lyft, and that may have bothered me more if I were in a big hurry to get to a park at a certain time.

I remember looking at the time as I was walking to the Mears area at the airport, and it was 1:30. Figure I got there a few minutes later, quick and easy check in, board the bus, wait a few minutes…I think it was about 1:45/1:50 by the time we got going. We arrived at the resort about 2:35/2:40. So almost an hour.

You mentioned the return time, and yes, I checked the email and my pick up time is 5:30pm for a 9:05pm flight. I have no bags, so that’s very early for me. Plus you’re supposed to be there 15 minutes early.

I looked at scheduling a Lyft in advance (which is usually cheaper than ordering one right when you need it) and the lowest priced option (for 7pm) was $59, nearly 4 times the price of Mears. So I’m sticking with Mears, but their pick up times are just as “Tragical” (@Tuvalu ) as the ME.

One good thing is you can pick where they drop you off and pick you up. So I chose for them to pick me up at the Grand Floridian because I want to have a (very early) dinner at a monorail resort and see the Easter display at the GF. It would have been a pain in the neck for me to have to bus back to All Star Music just to get the ride back to the airport.

DME also grouped 3-4 resorts together when picking up and dropping off.

 

[jloucks]

I’m on Mears for the first time right now.

I only used ME a few times because we usually drive rather than fly.

The experience seemed almost identical - go to the dedicated area, board the bus, it left pretty quickly, and it’s a nice bus.

The only thing different to me is there’s no TV with the intro and the cartoons.

As far as the cost, it’s a matter of perspective. You can be mad that it’s not free, or you can be glad it’s half the price (or better) of an Uber or Lyft.

I found it very easy and convenient. I probably would have waited longer if I had arrived 5 minutes later. The bus started right after I boarded.

Wait wut? This is pretty cool. Don't care if it costs a little. I mean, included would be nice, but hey, works out.

I will for sure look for it next time I am there.

 

[jloucks]

Maybe it makes sense with one or two people, but I think families are better off with Uber(or renting a car!).

The problem there, and I speak with lots of experience, is the luggage.

A family of 4-8 (us) has a lot of square feet worth of luggage. A big ole DME (or Mears) bus is perfect for moving all the suitcases around.

You request an XL Lyft and somebody invariably rolls up in a Sante Fe. ...nope.

 

[Ayla]

Wait wut? This is pretty cool. Don't care if it costs a little. I mean, included would be nice, but hey, works out.

I will for sure look for it next time I am there.

It's been an option since the removal of DME.

 

[Laketravis]

I’m staying at a value, so I expected to be low priority.

Our bus was for a few resorts. There were maybe 12 people on the whole bus. We stopped at Coronado first, then both Animal Kingdom Lodges, then All-Star Music, which was my stop. It wasn’t bad, but it took longer than a Lyft, and that may have bothered me more if I were in a big hurry to get to a park at a certain time.

I remember looking at the time as I was walking to the Mears area at the airport, and it was 1:30. Figure I got there a few minutes later, quick and easy check in, board the bus, wait a few minutes…I think it was about 1:45/1:50 by the time we got going. We arrived at the resort about 2:35/2:40. So almost an hour.

You mentioned the return time, and yes, I checked the email and my pick up time is 5:30pm for a 9:05pm flight. I have no bags, so that’s very early for me. Plus you’re supposed to be there 15 minutes early.

I looked at scheduling a Lyft in advance (which is usually cheaper than ordering one right when you need it) and the lowest priced option (for 7pm) was $59, nearly 4 times the price of Mears. So I’m sticking with Mears, but their pick up times are just as “Tragical” (@Tuvalu ) as the ME.

One good thing is you can pick where they drop you off and pick you up. So I chose for them to pick me up at the Grand Floridian because I want to have a (very early) dinner at a monorail resort and see the Easter display at the GF. It would have been a pain in the neck for me to have to bus back to All Star Music just to get the ride back to the airport.

I've used Mears to/from WDW ever since the demise of ME and, like you, didn't notice much of a difference other than theming and my having to bring my luggage with me. It's never been more than two of us so the cost has been reasonable (around $67 r/t) but I can definitely see how that cost can rise considerably and open up other options for families.

Come to think of it, the Mears cost is roughly 10% of our trip cost coming up in May - we are also staying at ASM for three nights (less than $400) and our r/t airfare was $240. We have AP's so that comes to $660.

See how I'm thinking financially like Disney?

 

[Club Cooloholic]

The problem there, and I speak with lots of experience, is the luggage.

A family of 4-8 (us) has a lot of square feet worth of luggage. A big ole DME (or Mears) bus is perfect for moving all the suitcases around.

You request an XL Lyft and somebody invariably rolls up in a Sante Fe. ...nope.

We have learned to pack a little light, but we're never there for more than a week and a half. I must say to it helps if you're doing a DVC and you have access to laundry

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Wait wut? This is pretty cool. Don't care if it costs a little. I mean, included would be nice, but hey, works out.

I will for sure look for it next time I am there.

It would be really appealing if they did the luggage tags like the old one, where you drop the bags at your departing city and don't see them till you check into the room.

 

[mattpeto]

It's certainty not as efficient as a rideshare, but overall I'm a Mears Connect fan. It's what I use when I have my family (wife, two daughters 12/9). It's priced reasonable, feels safe and reliable.

Just know you'll probably get to your resort a little later than you want and you'll probably get picked up for the airport a little earlier than you want to leave.