Mears Connect and the Sunshine Flyer Join Forces

D

DCBaker

Premium Member
Original Poster
Press release below - the new service will begin August 1, 2023.

Mears Connect and the Sunshine Flyer today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which the companies will merge two complementary services into one combined entity to provide exceptional guest transportation from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Walt Disney World® Resorts. The new service, Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine, will continue to provide guests with safe and reliable transportation services to and from the airport with enhanced booking capabilities, guaranteed 24/7 service, greater operational efficiencies, and a hassle-free experience to and from their preferred Walt Disney World® Resort.

Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine will provide superior guest service, while also enhancing the guest benefits through combined operational capabilities, best practices, aligned marketing efforts and the best possible experience that guests have come to know and love from Mears Connect and the Sunshine Flyer.

“While we have been competitors in the past, we have always shared the same goals to provide guests with safe, reliable, cost effective, stress-free travel between the airport and Walt Disney World resorts”, said Rebecca K. Horton, Chief Operating Officer of Mears Transportation. “By merging operations, sharing ideas, expanding services, collaborating on what’s best for the guest, we believe we can provide an even better guest experience given the challenges and opportunities in today’s travel market.”

“As partners, we will be able to bring even more features and benefits to our guests,” said Mark Sherman, General Manager of the Sunshine Flyer. “Whether it is 24/7 service, express options, or a private trip to ease guests’ minds the minute they step off the plane, together, Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine is delivering more to our guests. We are confident that our collaborative efforts will promote a creative atmosphere and will allow us to focus on the customer experience and kick off the magic of a Walt Disney World® vacation the moment they touch down in Orlando.”

Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine is the only 24-hour shuttle servicing both A/B and C Terminals for both arrivals and departures and is fully wheelchair accessible and ADA-compliant for both standard and express services.

Updates & Quick Tips from Our Customer Care Team:

  • The new service will begin August 1, 2023.
  • A dedicated hotline is available 24/7 to answer questions and assist guests regarding new reservations: (407) 423-5566
  • For all existing reservations, unless otherwise provided, please contact the customer care team on your confirmation email.
  • Guests may also email during business hours: mearsconnect@mears.com.
  • Mears Connect guests will not be impacted and reservations will remain the same.
  • Sunshine Flyer guests traveling between July 14 and July 31 will receive an email using the email linked to the original reservation to confirm all travel instructions.
To learn more about Mears Connect Drive by Sunshine, click here.

sunshineflyer.com

Mears Connect and the Sunshine Flyer Join Forces - The Sunshine Flyer

Menu FAQs Manage Reservations Reseller Login Book Now – Dev Mears Connect and the Sunshine Flyer Join Forces </h1 > ORLANDO, Fla. – July 13, 2023 – Mears Connect and the Sunshine Flyer today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which the companies will merge two...
sunshineflyer.com sunshineflyer.com
 
Sirwalterraleigh

Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
Splash4eva said:
So much for Disney realizing bringing back ME would be a nice gesture and great PR move for them.....
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That was never happening

Neither is free universal fastpass

It’s all fantasy…when the customers don’t hold the line and withhold business in response, any modern business will build fees on that “acceptance”

I warn people how they think/price because of some dated familiarity of the thought process…
It’s not going to change as the whole ship steers more and more to the right. Only intensify.

None of us should go 3x a year, buy upsells, buy timeshares, etc when the price goes up and the reinvestment/yield goes down.

I’m guilty…so no shirking the blame there.
 
S

Splash4eva

Well-Known Member
Sirwalterraleigh said:
That was never happening

Neither is free universal fastpass

It’s all fantasy…when the customers don’t hold the line and withhold business in response, any modern business will build fees on that “acceptance”

I warn people how they think/price because of some dated familiarity of the thought process…
It’s not going to change as the whole ship steers more and more to the right. Only intensify.

None of us should go 3x a year, buy upsells, buy timeshares, etc when the price goes up and the reinvestment/yield goes down.

I’m guilty…so no shirking the blame there.
Click to expand...
I truly felt they could have found a way to bring back ME and with my same "free" FP logic this to me was an easier way to hide the fees and still charge guests w/o them knowing
 
SaucyBoy

SaucyBoy

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
Sirwalterraleigh said:
You know Disney used to pay for that, took it away, blamed Uber, and increased your prices since?

Just for context
Click to expand...
Yes, I’m aware. But unlike you, I don’t run around a fan forum whining and repeating the same boring talking points every chance I get. I adapt, budget for changes, and continue enjoy WDW visits as an AP/DVC much to the chagrin of people like you.
 
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Lil Copter Cap

Lil Copter Cap

Well-Known Member
SaucyBoy said:
Yes, I’m aware. But unlike you, I don’t run around a fan forum whining and repeating the same boring talking points every chance I get. I adapt, budget for changes, and continue enjoy WDW visits as an AP/DVC much to the chagrin of people like you.
Click to expand...

That's how companies lessen their quality and services over time to make an inferior product and turn profit.

I don't blame you for loving WDW. I'm also an AP/DVC member and as a local, I do not need to use ME (but have enjoyed it in years past). But there is something to be said about taking away services and charging the same (or more) and consumers adapting to that change.

Again, I do not blame you for loving the experience still! And I genuinely hope you continue to enjoy it for years to come. (Especially with that DVC contract.) I just wish Disney would make more consumer-favorable changes, much like they did with their recent re-introduction of free overnight parking at hotels.

But I know that's not how business works. And, thankfully, things like this are cyclical in nature. I'm just annoyed we happen to be on the less-than-stellar side of the circle at the moment.

P.S. - The last year or so of operation for Magical Express turned into a Disney+ advertisement-filled journey and without direct-to-room luggage service in those final months. So even the experience of Magical Express itself was lessened before getting the chop. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I just wanna vibe and be happy with my Disney vacation—and there is choice in that, don't get me wrong! It's difficult to choose that happiness thoughwhen you know the services and experiences are objectively different. (And, subjectively, inferior.)
 
Drdcm

Drdcm

Well-Known Member
Lil Copter Cap said:
That's how companies lessen their quality and services over time to make an inferior product and turn profit.

I don't blame you for loving WDW. I'm also an AP/DVC member and as a local, I do not need to use ME (but have enjoyed it in years past). But there is something to be said about taking away services and charging the same (or more) and consumers adapting to that change.

Again, I do not blame you for loving the experience still! And I genuinely hope you continue to enjoy it for years to come. (Especially with that DVC contract.) I just wish Disney would make more consumer-favorable changes, much like they did with their recent re-introduction of free overnight parking at hotels.

But I know that's not how business works. And, thankfully, things like this are cyclical in nature. I'm just annoyed we happen to be on the less-than-stellar side of the circle at the moment.

P.S. - The last year or so of operation for Magical Express turned into a Disney+ advertisement-filled journey and without direct-to-room luggage service in those final months. So even the experience of Magical Express itself was lessened before getting the chop. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I just wanna vibe and be happy with my Disney vacation—and there is choice in that, don't get me wrong! It's difficult to choose that happiness thoughwhen you know the services and experiences are objectively different. (And, subjectively, inferior.)
Click to expand...
This is going to sound weird, but it’s sort of what it feels like to me.

It’s like how families do Christmas together every year, and then someone dies. There’s like this hole and the sense that something is missing. That’s sort of what flying into MCO and Disney has felt like since then.

Obviously I’m not actually comparing the loss of ME to the loss of a family member. But theirs is a sense that something is off (although to a much lower extent).
 
SaucyBoy

SaucyBoy

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
Lil Copter Cap said:
That's how companies lessen their quality and services over time to make an inferior product and turn profit.

I don't blame you for loving WDW. I'm also an AP/DVC member and as a local, I do not need to use ME (but have enjoyed it in years past). But there is something to be said about taking away services and charging the same (or more) and consumers adapting to that change.

Again, I do not blame you for loving the experience still! And I genuinely hope you continue to enjoy it for years to come. (Especially with that DVC contract.) I just wish Disney would make more consumer-favorable changes, much like they did with their recent re-introduction of free overnight parking at hotels.

But I know that's not how business works. And, thankfully, things like this are cyclical in nature. I'm just annoyed we happen to be on the less-than-stellar side of the circle at the moment.

P.S. - The last year or so of operation for Magical Express turned into a Disney+ advertisement-filled journey and without direct-to-room luggage service in those final months. So even the experience of Magical Express itself was lessened before getting the chop. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I just wanna vibe and be happy with my Disney vacation—and there is choice in that, don't get me wrong! It's difficult to choose that happiness thoughwhen you know the services and experiences are objectively different. (And, subjectively, inferior.)
Click to expand...
I never used ME because we always drove and then for five years I was a local, so I guess I’m just nonchalant about it’s demise. But I can see how it’s a major loss to many folks, especially if you have children.
 
Sans Souci

Sans Souci

Well-Known Member
I was wondering when this would happen. I took Sunshine Express back in September, it was mostly out of curiosity. It was a bit chaotic, compared to DME. There was nowhere to line up and no indoor area to wait. People were just milling around outside. You had to wait outside and they would shout when your bus arrived. The employees were very friendly and the overlays on the buses are cute, but I am sticking to ride share the next time I go down.
 
esskay

esskay

Well-Known Member
I can see this making sense. Two competing services in a niche market with one of them being backed by an experienced transport provider, it was very clear that Sunshine Flyer wasn't doing as well as Mears.

That name is awful though.
 

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