So what's the verdict on Mears Connect?

Queen of the WDW Scene

Queen of the WDW Scene

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
Is it still reliable service like DME was?
I just booked a last minute trip for next week and decided to give it a try.
Give me the good, the bad, the ugly.
It will be 2 adults late flight in and very early flight 0ut.
Carry on luggage only.
 
Figments Friend

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
Yes, they are.
It is essentially exactly the same as Magical Express which Mears was contracted by Disney to provide the bus service.
Naturally you don’t have the Disney branding and luggage service, but as far as getting on a bus and getting to your resort it is pretty much the same thing.

As with Magical Express, there will be a few stops at different hotels during the route.
You will have a scheduled time for pick up from your hotel just as before with Magical Express, just not left hanging in your doorknob.
Info will be emailed directly to you.

I used the service this past September and it went very smooth.
If it wasn’t for the fact the buses didn’t have Disney themed paint jobs, I wouldn’t have really noticed the change.

Any specifically questions, feel free to ask.

-
 
Z

zappy

Active Member
We usually get a car service to the hotel and take Mears back to the airport.

Last trip in September (day before hurricane hit) we had a 9am flight so 6am pickup from Swan and Dolphin and the driver was right on time. On departure day you’ll also receive a link to track the bus so you‘ll be able to anticipate the arrival of your pickup pretty well.
 
pdude81

pdude81

Well-Known Member
I've taken it directions on 2 different trips and found it highly efficient. You can book ahead of time if you want, or just walk up to the desk when you're down there. You can book yourself return trips to the airport even the day before online. And they will send text or email to let you know all the needed data for return along with who your driver should be for pickup. Late at night you may well end up with one of the 10 passenger vans instead of a bus depending on how many others are going to your area at a given time.
 
Riviera Rita

Riviera Rita

Well-Known Member
I used them in November because it's impossible to book The Sunshine Flyer without a US phone number from the UK.
I found the Mears Connect very good both ways and will use them again for my August trip.
 
H

hibbsofep

Member
Queen of the WDW Scene said:
Is it still reliable service like DME was?
I just booked a last minute trip for next week and decided to give it a try.
Give me the good, the bad, the ugly.
It will be 2 adults late flight in and very early flight 0ut.
Carry on luggage only.
Click to expand...
My son used Mears last week and hated it.
They were picked up in dirty passenger vans, the one driver kept spitting out the window, neither driver made any conversation or were pleasant in any way.
On the trip back to the airport, with the speaker turned way up on the radio, several of the drivers were having an animated discussion about how they disregarded management’s directions on being upbeat and friendly with the customers, while the customers couldn’t help but listen!
The only positive was they were picked up on time.
Such a drastic change from DME where you felt like the vacation started at the airport. 🥲
 
Riviera Rita

Riviera Rita

Well-Known Member
hibbsofep said:
My son used Mears last week and hated it.
They were picked up in dirty passenger vans, the one driver kept spitting out the window, neither driver made any conversation or were pleasant in any way.
On the trip back to the airport, with the speaker turned way up on the radio, several of the drivers were having an animated discussion about how they disregarded management’s directions on being upbeat and friendly with the customers, while the customers couldn’t help but listen!
The only positive was they were picked up on time.
Such a drastic change from DME where you felt like the vacation started at the airport. 🥲
Click to expand...
Have they contacted Mears about this? I would have filmed them and sent the video to Mears. I'm not usually a tattle tail, but, this behaviour is unacceptable.
 
muddyrivers

muddyrivers

Well-Known Member
Riviera Rita said:
Have they contacted Mears about this? I would have filmed them and sent the video to Mears. I'm not usually a tattle tail, but, this behaviour is unacceptable.
Click to expand...
Agreed! I took Mears Connect from MCO to WDW last April and it was a great experience. I was on a former DME coach bus and the driver was super nice. Made announcements before departing like "Sit back and relax, and in about 20 minutes we will arrive at the gates of Walt Disney World." The driver even slowed down and got into the middle lane so we could all take pictures of driving under the arch (he even sprayed the windshield with washer fluid to let us get clean shots 🤣

Based on that experience, I would not hesitate to book Mears Connect again!
 
esskay

esskay

Well-Known Member
Using them next week for the first time. From the reviews they seem about as decent as you'd expect, basically the same as MDE without the branding.

You'll see negative reviews but obviously as with everything more people post about negative experiences than positive.
 
Nunu

Nunu

Wanderluster
Premium Member
esskay said:
Using them next week for the first time. From the reviews they seem about as decent as you'd expect, basically the same as MDE without the branding.

You'll see negative reviews but obviously as with everything more people post about negative experiences than positive.
Click to expand...
You should be fine. I've used it several times with no issues. Very satisfied with the service provided. Have a nice trip!
 
Stellajack

Stellajack

Well-Known Member
Our family party of 5 used Mears Connect last Oct. 2022 and were extremely pleased. Actually, after retrieving bags we walked through the ground transportation area and never even stopped (except to verify booking) until seated on our bus. Our wait time at MCO was the least we have ever experienced. Still, we miss DME for the ambience. Plans are to book Mears Connect again for our coming trip in
March '24.
 
B

BWW

New Member
muddyrivers said:
Agreed! I took Mears Connect from MCO to WDW last April and it was a great experience. I was on a former DME coach bus and the driver was super nice. Made announcements before departing like "Sit back and relax, and in about 20 minutes we will arrive at the gates of Walt Disney World." The driver even slowed down and got into the middle lane so we could all take pictures of driving under the arch (he even sprayed the windshield with washer fluid to let us get clean shots 🤣

Based on that experience, I would not hesitate to book Mears Connect again!
Click to expand...
This has been my experience with them, too.
 
pdude81

pdude81

Well-Known Member
One thing I'll note is that they seem to be putting people for a number of different resorts on the buses these days. When this first rolled out it seemed like they had defined loops for certain resorts that were near each other. Now your bus may go over by DS hotels and resorts before dropping off near MK. Still much cheaper than a lot of alternatives, but no longer quick unless you're an early stop.

And on the way home if you're the first stop your pickup time may be earlier than anticipated.
 
DrAlice

DrAlice

Well-Known Member
Is Mears still the preferred method? What about Uber or a Taxi? We're a family of 3 with minimal luggage, so paying for a trip vs. per person seems like the cheaper way to go. Also uber/taxi is direct door to door.
Am I missing something? Why Mears?
 
NeverEnufDisney

NeverEnufDisney

Active Member
It depends on what your priorities are. There are limousine or van services that are direct, but can be more pricey. Mears bus service will tend to stop at 3 or 4 resorts and it depends on how lucky you are with their routing. It tends to do the more expensive resorts before the value resorts. I find it not a problem to wait as each unload is about 5 minutes and then it is on to the next.
 

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