Don’t Forget! The Way You Get to Disney World from the Orlando Airport Is CHANGING This Week!

Things are CHANGING for those traveling between Orlando International Airport and Disney World.

Previously, you might have hopped on Disney’s Magical Express to get to and from your hotel and the airport, but that service no longer exists. In its place came 2 new services — Mears Connect and the Sunshine Flyer. But now, things are changing and those two services are becoming ONE.

In mid-July, Mears Connect and the Sunshine Flyer — which had been competing services — announced that they would be merging into ONE service called Mears Connect Driven By Sunshine.

The updated service will still take people between the airport and their Disney World hotels and will offer enhanced booking capabilities, along with guaranteed 24/7 service.

According to the press release shared about the merger, Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine is the only 24-hour transportation service in both A/B and C Terminals at MCO for arrivals and departures. It is also fully wheelchair-accessible and ADA-compliant for all services.

The new service will officially begin on August 1st, 2023, so mark your calendars for that date.

Mears Connect guests shouldn’t be impacted and their reservations will stay the same. If you had booked an August trip with the Sunshine Flyer, you should be automatically transitioned into the new system. You will take your trip with Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine.

If you need to get additional tickets, look at updates, or make a cancelation, you can visit the Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine ticketing portal. There is also a dedicated hotline available 24/7 to answer any questions — call them at (407) 423-5566. You can email them (during business hours) at [email protected] as well.

It’s important to note that one of the fun aspects of the Sunshine Flyer appears to be going away. Sunshine Flyer buses were themed to old trains. But it appears Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine will NOT have themed transportation. That’s just something to keep in mind.

If you were planning to use one of these services in the future, just know that starting August 1st they will be one and the same. Don’t want to opt for a bus service? There are other alternatives to getting to/from the airport including renting a car, taking a taxi, using a rideshare service, or opting for a private transport.

Whatever you choose to do, be sure to budget for that additional cost to and from the airport. We’ll keep an eye out for more news and share that all with you!