Now that Disney World’s Magical Express service is gone (and we’re still not quite used to saying that), we’ve been thinking A LOT about the replacement service, Mears Connect.

And although Mears Connect won’t be the ONLY replacement (another is coming in February), we asked our readers if you’ve had a chance to use the Mears service yet. And here’s what you told us about their experiences.

It Feels The Same

Many of our readers feel that the standard Mears Connect service is about the same as Magical Express, except that Mears Connect is a paid service (and Magical Express was free).

One reader said, “Took a ME bus to DW on 12/25, plain white wrapper Mears bus back on 1/3 – it didn’t feel any different.” It makes sense that the buses seem so similar as Mears is actually the company that operated Magical Express for Disney World.

According to another reader, the experience was LITERALLY exactly the same: “My son used it yesterday. He was very satisfied short wait the bus was a Magical Express bus with a new wrap. The driver even played the Magical Express video lol.” So for those of you who enjoyed the Magical Express videos, you don’t have to give those up!

And one of our readers was one of the first to ride Mears Connect: “We took it on Jan 1, and our driver told us we were the first Mears Connect passengers on that bus. We thought It was pretty much the same as ME during the past year (get your own luggage). Waited about 15 min for a bus, and were the first of 4 stops on our route.” That sounds VERY close to the old Magical Express service.

Overall, most of our readers who have used the service feel it’s a good replacement. One reader said, “It was great. Arrived on a flight just before Midnight and didn’t have to wait for a Mears (15-20 minutes). Safe and pleasant bus driver.”

It’s Worse

Some of our readers, though, have taken the service and didn’t think it was as good as Magical Express. One reader said, “I took it yesterday (mid-day) to CBR. From getting in line to arriving at the hotel, it was about 90 minutes which just felt too long compared to my normal DME experience. They packed the bus full – ie every seat and some guests had to walk up and down the aisle looking for single seats. They showed a video which was just a bunch of commercials on a loop. I wasn’t expecting magic but I *was* expecting in seat chargers – and there were sadly none. There was a guy doing magic tricks for kids in line so that was nice.”

Another reader mentioned that the wait for the Mears Connect bus felt longer: “We used it last Saturday & it was ok. We never had a problem. It did take a little longer to get on the bus than ME.” We have to note that we saw far fewer comments from readers with negative experiences over positive ones.

Some Of Our Readers Used Mears Connect Express Service

There were a few of our readers that used the Mears Connect Express service, which offers direct service (at a higher cost) to your hotel and back to the airport, with a guaranteed first stop with a limited to no wait time. And those of you who booked the express service thought it worked out well for you and was worth the extra cost.

One reader said, “We did! Paid extra for the express service. Used it their first day and it was flawless. Hoping for the same experience on the way home.”

According to another reader, “Took the express service on Monday the 3rd. Waited 5 minutes before being loaded into a van with just our party of 4. Then straight to SSR. I received an email the day before with a QR code boarding pass.”

So if you’re looking for some real-world examples of what the new Mears Connect service is like and how it compares to Magical Express, there you go! And we’ll be sure to check in when the second bus service, The Sunshine Flyer, begins its services on February 1st. So stay tuned!

Here Are The Important Facts About the New Mears Connect Magical Express Replacement Coming to Disney World

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Have you taken Mears Connect yet or do you have reservations with Mears Connect for an upcoming trip? Let us know about it in the comments!

The post Our Readers Share Their Mears Connect Disney World Transportation Experiences first appeared on the disney food blog.