Mears Connect - a Joke if Small Kids

[runnsally]

Out of curiosity, just looked at the price for Mears Connect for a January trip and checked out the FAQ for car seats…

“Car seats will not be offered with the Mears Connect service…service may be on a motor coach, shuttle van or small vehicle. If a guest has a personal car seat, they are welcome to use it.”

So I’m supposed to schlep two cars seats in case my Mears vehicle requires them? What a joke. Non-starter.

 

[runnsally]

You can reserve and schedule exactly what you want and need, just not with Mears Connect. There are many car and van services in the area that will give you exactly what you want.

Of course there are and that’s what makes Mears Connect such a half-baked offering.

 

[MickeyCB]

We just left Disney on Oct 27th. And we were expecting a Magical Express bus pick up outside of Baylake and a yellow Mears van showed up looking for us. Totally unexpected and weird.
It ended up working out as it was just my husband and me, but if you had small children it would not have worked at all.
(I don't give a hoot about the Florida law that says it's ok to not have a kid in a car seat, that's cracker jacks).

 

[DisneyJoe]

Of course there are and that’s what makes Mears Connect such a half-baked offering.

Disney's Magical Express was just as half baked re the car seat issue.

 

[runnsally]

Disney's Magical Express was just as half baked re the car seat issue.

Conan the Contrarian

 

[BillyGr]

I no longer have kids in the car seat stage.... but I can see where this is troublesome.

If Mears tells me I am riding in a van - no complaints I will bring the car seats.
If Mears tells me I am riding in the coach bus - no complaints I will leave the car seats at home.
If Mears doesn't really give me any info, but it could be a bus or a van - and I bring the car seats and don't need them because we ride the bus, I am annoyed but doesn't really impact my vacation at all.
If Mears doesn't really give me any info, but it could be a bus or a van - and I leave the car seats at home assuming it will be a bus, but it ends up being a van..... this does impact my vacation. I now have paid for a van I can't use and I also have to find an alternate means to get to my hotel or purchase a car seat if available.

This could all be avoided by communication! Just tell me when I book if I will be riding in a bus or a van so I know what I have to bring with me!

Simple enough - if a non-bus shows up, point out that (whoever) has kids that require a bus since no car seats are provided, then they either send said bus or give you your money back to buy other transportation.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Tee Hee... I had my small children a generation and a half ago. You know, back there when life was harder but we all took chances and most of us survived. That car seat thing was always amazing to me. Yes, we had car seats for infants and toddlers, but that booster one for kids until they were tall enough (whatever that was, I don't remember now). What I do know is that my mother legally would have been required to use a car seat when riding in a car. She didn't and probably would have thrown a fit if anyone had even suggested it. When my kids were small, the seatbelt thing was a new law and many older vehicles (my first three to be exact) had no seat belts at all.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Sorry -- this is off-topic, and you probably already know this, OP, but just in case: Tiffany Town Car, and undoubtedly dozens of other Orlando services providing private ground transportation, can and will provide car seats, some at no charge, and others for a small fee. (They generally tell you so right on their websites, so a Google search would help you narrow it down.) Those services might cost a little more than Mears -- but not much, and you can leave as soon as you're ready (and the driver will meet you in Baggage Claim and help you with bags.)

 

[allknowingeye]

Out of curiosity, just looked at the price for Mears Connect for a January trip and checked out the FAQ for car seats…

“Car seats will not be offered with the Mears Connect service…service may be on a motor coach, shuttle van or small vehicle. If a guest has a personal car seat, they are welcome to use it.”

So I’m supposed to schlep two cars seats in case my Mears vehicle requires them? What a joke. Non-starter.

When did Magic Express offer kid's car seats? Never as far as I know.

 

[Weather_Lady]

When did Magic Express offer kid's car seats? Never as far as I know.

You're absolutely right - DME didn't provide car seats, but then again, it was a "free" service.

I think people's expectations have gone up, since Mears Connect is a paid shuttle service, and at least some comparable services (e.g., SuperShuttle), do offer car seats.

 

[Diamond Dot]

Did the Magical Express supply car seats?

I don't recall ever seeing car seats on any DME bus.

 

[Goofyernmost]

You're right - it didn't, but it was also "free."

I think people's expectations have gone up, given that Mears Connect is a paid shuttle service, and at least some comparable services (e.g., SuperShuttle), do offer car seats.

No that's not the reason. Buses or Coaches if it makes it seem more important do not have seat belt systems that will secure a child car seat. There was a time, apparently that has changed now, that airlines required car seats. I remember people dragging them around. Perhaps that finally figured out that a crash situation with a plane would just be in the way and have no redeeming value at all. But they will put them in the baggage compartments under the bus flooring. Bringing them would be a bit of an inconvenience but not really that much nor would it really make that much of a difference anyway.

 

[networkpro]

Vote with your dollars. Disney is the one who decided to stop paying for the airport to resort service. Mears is offering a service at a price point that they can generate a profit. There's a shortage of bus drivers if you didn't know, so they are using what they have available.

 

[networkpro]

Yes, but Mears Connect isn't just buses. It also includes vans and smaller vehicles for which a car seat is needed.

According to Florida laws, chauffeur-driven transportation does not require the use of car seats. This exemption includes taxis, limousines, vans, and buses.

 

[runnsally]

When did Magic Express offer kid's car seats? Never as far as I know.

Missing the point…

 

[Momwdw]

Parents of young children DO NOT USE MEARS! Just got back from WDW Jan 2022. We used Mears Connect and thought we were going to be on a bus like DME. When my husband booked there wasn't even an option to add an infant and information on exactly what to expect was either too hard to find, confusing or non existent. What we were told was that it was Magical Express, operated by the same company but without Disney providing it so, not free.

When we arrived in Orlando at midnight, completely exhausted from flying all the way from Alaska, we found that we had to travel to baggage claim, collect all our luggage and then hoof it all the way to a completely different terminal with all the bags and four kids including a two year old and a 3 month old. This sucked. But we were shocked to find that the bus there was not taking us. Instead we were being taken in a taxi van. That sounds great on paper because we were going directly to our resort. However, the car seat that the driver provided us with was not appropriate for a 3 month old. It didn't recline and had zero head support for a baby not able to hold his head up/sit unassisted. Driver argued with us that when he bought it a few days ago it said it was for infants between 0 and 50lbs. No mention of age. Clearly he did not understand the phsical differences between a very young infant and a child of 50lbs. At that point it was 1am and we had zero other options. We ended up using what was clearly a toddler car seat and putting one of our travel neck pillows around our baby's head to support him. This was not magical and not safe.

We figured it was a fluke because of a clueless driver. Nope, same thing on the way back. Drivers literally don't care that they are seriously endangering the smallest and most vulnerable passengers. If there had been some sort of disclaimer when we signed up for the service then we would have brought the appropriate seat. However, this service is new and there was no info about it when we booked other than that it was supposed to be DME but not through Disney. It absolutely isn't. Next trip we will either rent a car or book a car service that cares about the safety of all their passengers like we have previously. It is absolutely scandalous that a professional service would operate in this way. Bottom line, I would pay more to have the appropriate safety restraints for travel.

 

[runnsally]

Parents of young children DO NOT USE MEARS! Just got back from WDW Jan 2022. We used Mears Connect and thought we were going to be on a bus like DME. When my husband booked there wasn't even an option to add an infant and information on exactly what to expect was either too hard to find, confusing or non existent. What we were told was that it was Magical Express, operated by the same company but without Disney providing it so, not free.

When we arrived in Orlando at midnight, completely exhausted from flying all the way from Alaska, we found that we had to travel to baggage claim, collect all our luggage and then hoof it all the way to a completely different terminal with all the bags and four kids including a two year old and a 3 month old. This sucked. But we were shocked to find that the bus there was not taking us. Instead we were being taken in a taxi van. That sounds great on paper because we were going directly to our resort. However, the car seat that the driver provided us with was not appropriate for a 3 month old. It didn't recline and had zero head support for a baby not able to hold his head up/sit unassisted. Driver argued with us that when he bought it a few days ago it said it was for infants between 0 and 50lbs. No mention of age. Clearly he did not understand the phsical differences between a very young infant and a child of 50lbs. At that point it was 1am and we had zero other options. We ended up using what was clearly a toddler car seat and putting one of our travel neck pillows around our baby's head to support him. This was not magical and not safe.

We figured it was a fluke because of a clueless driver. Nope, same thing on the way back. Drivers literally don't care that they are seriously endangering the smallest and most vulnerable passengers. If there had been some sort of disclaimer when we signed up for the service then we would have brought the appropriate seat. However, this service is new and there was no info about it when we booked other than that it was supposed to be DME but not through Disney. It absolutely isn't. Next trip we will either rent a car or book a car service that cares about the safety of all their passengers like we have previously. It is absolutely scandalous that a professional service would operate in this way. Bottom line, I would pay more to have the appropriate safety restraints for travel.

This is exactly what I was worried about when I read the Mears description…thanks for posting. Hope rest of the trip was great.

 

[RememberWhen]

Parents of young children DO NOT USE MEARS! Just got back from WDW Jan 2022. We used Mears Connect and thought we were going to be on a bus like DME. When my husband booked there wasn't even an option to add an infant and information on exactly what to expect was either too hard to find, confusing or non existent. What we were told was that it was Magical Express, operated by the same company but without Disney providing it so, not free.

When we arrived in Orlando at midnight, completely exhausted from flying all the way from Alaska, we found that we had to travel to baggage claim, collect all our luggage and then hoof it all the way to a completely different terminal with all the bags and four kids including a two year old and a 3 month old. This sucked. But we were shocked to find that the bus there was not taking us. Instead we were being taken in a taxi van. That sounds great on paper because we were going directly to our resort. However, the car seat that the driver provided us with was not appropriate for a 3 month old. It didn't recline and had zero head support for a baby not able to hold his head up/sit unassisted. Driver argued with us that when he bought it a few days ago it said it was for infants between 0 and 50lbs. No mention of age. Clearly he did not understand the phsical differences between a very young infant and a child of 50lbs. At that point it was 1am and we had zero other options. We ended up using what was clearly a toddler car seat and putting one of our travel neck pillows around our baby's head to support him. This was not magical and not safe.

We figured it was a fluke because of a clueless driver. Nope, same thing on the way back. Drivers literally don't care that they are seriously endangering the smallest and most vulnerable passengers. If there had been some sort of disclaimer when we signed up for the service then we would have brought the appropriate seat. However, this service is new and there was no info about it when we booked other than that it was supposed to be DME but not through Disney. It absolutely isn't. Next trip we will either rent a car or book a car service that cares about the safety of all their passengers like we have previously. It is absolutely scandalous that a professional service would operate in this way. Bottom line, I would pay more to have the appropriate safety restraints for travel.

So sorry to hear that. This is what I was worried about as well, and why we booked a rental car for our trip in February. I’m not sure what we would have done in your shoes. Probably the same thing.

 

[JeffBostock]

It's a complete joke that Mears would not provide proper car seats for any child who should be in a car seat while riding in a van. This particular Mears service exists solely for the purpose of taking people from the airport to the theme park/resort areas. The majority of people are FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN! It's not like this shuttle service is taking people from the airport to a sports stadium where most people will be adults. It is stricly going to Disney or Universal property and they know there will be tons of kids being transported. You have to pay per person and when paying to transport children, they should be the ones to provide the proper safety seats. Especially when factoring in that they have to get on I-4 to take you there, which is the deadliest highway in the country!! https://www.fleetowner.com/safety/article/21165502/25-deadliest-us-highways-2021-edition

 

[jasminethecat]

I can see both sides of this but only so far as parents should know if seats will be offered with no liability for the company. Mears could have a literal pile of different car seats and allow parents to just pick one. The downside is car seats can wear out or be unreliable if worn out or not properly fastened. Do parents expect the driver of the vehicle to be responsible for picking out and attaching a safe and reliable car seat for every child passenger? And who should be liable in an accident? Are the parents of young children here just wanting a best effort, or would they "sue the life out of" the driver and company in case of an accident with injuries if there was a seat provided?

Florida law seems really clear on this issue - ride sharing services don't need to offer car seats, it is up to the passengers to seek their own safety measures especially for young children. That said, if the driver (on behalf of the company) does try to pick out and/or install a car seat then they might be on the hook legally. Good Samaritan laws can be strange in cases like this - meaning putting in a good faith effort to maintain someone else's safety may make you liable for the outcome.

Seems to me that if you're traveling with in infant and expect your baby to be kept perfectly safe (which is very reasonable) then you'd want your own trusted seat. And wouldn't you want a seat/stroller set-up on the plane and in the parks as well, or would you just carry your baby the whole time? Are you putting an infant into a disney parks stroller with zero protection for them getting bumped around by other strollers, people and mobility scooters? For older toddlers and younger children who just need boosters, it's up to your own propensity for risk, but if you're putting bigger kids on other disney transport and rides then a minivan doesn't seem over-the-top to just belt them in. And with covid (not to mention colds, flu and RSV), are you really strapping your little baby into a seat just used by other families?

My kids are too old now, but when i have grandkids I will follow my own advice - bring personal seats if i am that worried about their safety regardless of what might be offered.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

I can see both sides of this but only so far as parents should know if seats will be offered with no liability for the company. Mears could have a literal pile of different car seats and allow parents to just pick one. The downside is car seats can wear out or be unreliable if worn out or not properly fastened. Do parents expect the driver of the vehicle to be responsible for picking out and attaching a safe and reliable car seat for every child passenger? And who should be liable in an accident? Are the parents of young children here just wanting a best effort, or would they "sue the life out of" the driver and company in case of an accident with injuries if there was a seat provided?

Florida law seems really clear on this issue - ride sharing services don't need to offer car seats, it is up to the passengers to seek their own safety measures especially for young children. That said, if the driver (on behalf of the company) does try to pick out and/or install a car seat then they might be on the hook legally. Good Samaritan laws can be strange in cases like this - meaning putting in a good faith effort to maintain someone else's safety may make you liable for the outcome.

Seems to me that if you're traveling with in infant and expect your baby to be kept perfectly safe (which is very reasonable) then you'd want your own trusted seat. And wouldn't you want a seat/stroller set-up on the plane and in the parks as well, or would you just carry your baby the whole time? Are you putting an infant into a disney parks stroller with zero protection for them getting bumped around by other strollers, people and mobility scooters? For older toddlers and younger children who just need boosters, it's up to your own propensity for risk, but if you're putting bigger kids on other disney transport and rides then a minivan doesn't seem over-the-top to just belt them in. And with covid (not to mention colds, flu and RSV), are you really strapping your little baby into a seat just used by other families?

My kids are too old now, but when i have grandkids I will follow my own advice - bring personal seats if i am that worried about their safety regardless of what might be offered.

I think the problem is, many people when they book this transportation are probably expecting a bus. I really am surprised Mears wasn't able to just pick up the Disney Magical Service, bags and all and add it as an option. I think many people would be willing to do 20 a person if it meant not having to go to baggage and then getti g on those nice Disney buses, but the service offered now, just bring the car seat and Uber or taxi to resorts or rent a car.