A new year is right around the corner! If you are planning a trip to Disney World in 2022, then you’re probably preparing for all of the changes, including Disney Genie and Genie+, the 50th Anniversary Celebration, and much more!

However, if you’re accustomed to flying in and out of Orlando International Airport, then your Disney World trip may actually cost MORE starting on January 1st. That’s right, there’s a new line item in your vacation budget that you’ll now need to plan for starting in 2022: ground transportation.

That’s because Disney’s Magical Express will conclude its service to and from the airport, effective January 1st. Magical Express was a complimentary bus transportation system that brought guests to their Disney World Resort hotels, along with their luggage, which would “magically” appear in their hotel room just a couple of hours after arriving. For many families, Magical Express was one of those Disney World traditions that signaled the start and the unfortunate end (Tragical Express, anyone?) of their vacation.

With Magical Express gone, you may be wondering how in the world you’ll get to your hotel, especially if you’ve relied on this bus system for years! Well, there IS a replacement bus system coming, and it will launch the exact date that Magical Express goes away: Mears Connect.

Mears Connect will be the new “standard” way guests are transported to and from Orlando Airport when staying on property at Disney World, along with a few additional off-property hotels. Much like the Magical Express, guests will board motor coach buses at Orlando Airport and be transported to their Disney World hotel. At the end of the trip, guests will board the buses once again to be brought back to the airport.

Mears Connect, however, will NOT be complimentary like Magical Express was. In fact, Mears Connect will be a considerable new cost to budget for when planning your Disney World vacation. Mears is offering two price points for guests: Standard and Premium.

Standard will cost $32 per adult and $27 per child (ages 3-9) for round trip service. A one-way standard service trip right now costs $16 per adult and $13.50 per child. So, to do the math, a family of four (two adults and two children) would cost $118 roundtrip, while a one-way standard service trip would cost this family $59.

Premium, on the other hand, costs $200 round trip for up to four (4) people, with each additional guest costing $55 roundtrip. Instead of a bus, guests using Mears Connect’s Premium service would be taken to and from the airport in a smaller vehicle like a van or private car. At this time, only roundtrip service is available at the Premium price level.

Depending on how large your travel party is, choosing to ride on Mears Connect can cost as low as approximately $30 roundtrip if you’re traveling solo to hundreds of dollars roundtrip for the entire family. That is definitely something to keep in mind when making other plans, like your hotel reservations (the cost of Mears Connect can be equivalent to another night at your hotel), your overall dining budget, the number of days on your theme park tickets, and much more.

What about that Brigthline Train that was supposed to bring guests from Orlando Airport to Disney Springs? It’s still in the works, but updates have been few and far between, with several delays impacting when we’ll actually get to use the train. Even once it’s complete, we don’t know at this time exactly how much it will cost. Numbers have been tossed around but they could always change. 

For now, your primary options for getting to your Disney World hotel starting January 1st include Mears Connect, a taxi service or ride share service like Uber and Lyft, or a rental car. Unfortunately, none of these options are complimentary, so your 2022 Disney World vacation will likely have to factor in the cost of ground transportation.

If there are any changes or updates made to the Mears Connect bus system, we will surely let you know! Follow along for more of the latest updates and announcements from across Disney World as you prepare for your 2022 vacation.

Click here to read about what else is coming to Disney World in 2022!

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Are you planning a 2022 vacation to Disney World? Which ground transportation method are you considering using? Let us know in the comments!

The post Why Your Disney World Trip Will Cost MORE Next Year first appeared on the disney food blog.