Alright, it’s time to get it out there. I’ve got BEEF with the Orlando Airport, and it needs to be addressed.

If you’re going to Disney World soon, you’re probably either driving or flying there. And if you’re flying, there’s a good chance you’re flying into the Orlando International Airport (MCO). Because I live pretty far away from Orlando, I usually fly, and I always go through MCO. Over several times going through that airport, I’ve developed two major gripes with it, and I need to tell you about them so that you’re not caught unaware.

Here are the two reasons why I have BEEF with the Orlando Airport.

Reason #1: Teleportation Doesn’t Exist

So I guess it’s not technically the Orlando Airport’s fault that teleportation doesn’t exist yet. But the fact that I can’t just snap my fingers and appear at my Disney World hotel means that I must instead rely on one of the transportation options to get from the Orlando Airport to my hotel. And each of those transportation options presents its own issues and struggles.

Mears Connect

Mears Connect is the replacement service for Magical Express. Magical Express used to be a free shuttle between the airport and Disney World hotels, but now this service goes by the name Mears Connect and is (1) no longer Disney-themed and (2) no longer free. 

The same folks who ran Magical Express back in the day now run Mears Connect, so they certainly know what they’re doing, but I miss the days when it was free. Now, it costs $13 each way for kids and $16 each way for adults for the standard service. For the express service, you’ll pay $238.10 roundtrip for up to four people and an additional $52.38 per person for five or more people. That express service gets you roundtrip, direct service to your hotel and back to the airport with limited to no wait time.

Mears Connect offers 24/7 services at the MCO main terminals and C terminal, and it goes to both Disney-owned and non-Disney hotels. One of its big advantages over rideshares like Uber and Lyft is that there’s no surge pricing — the price is always the same, no matter the time of year or day. Sometimes they even offer seasonal deals so you can get an even better price.

Possibly the biggest disadvantage, however, is that the buses make a lot of different stops around Disney World (unless you get the express service, which is much more expensive), so it might be over an hour until you actually get to your hotel. There have also been some reports of buses just not showing up at all for the ride from your hotel back to the airport, though those seem to be somewhat rare. Still, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan since it has happened.

Another advantage that I’ve observed is that the Mears Connect drivers are very friendly and helpful. On one occasion, my mom and I had booked a stay at the new-ish Drury Plaza Hotel near Disney Springs. When we realized that Mears Connect doesn’t stop there, we booked our stop at B Resort & Spa, which is just across the street, and planned to walk over.

On the way to the hotel, our driver asked us if we were actually staying at Drury. Apparently, a lot of people had had the same idea as us! Rather than having us walk over, the driver just dropped us off at Drury, which was very kind of him. Obviously, this might not be the case or even be possible all the time, but it was a good example of the excellent service provided by Mears Connect.

Step-by-Step Guide: How To Get to Disney World from the Orlando Airport

Lynx Shuttle Route

Why pay $16 when you could pay just $2? You can take the public Lynx bus from the airport to Disney Springs (this new route just debuted recently and is called Link311), and it literally costs $2. It runs seven days a week, every 30 minutes between 5AM and 11PM. The drop-off/pick-up point at the airport is outside the main terminal on the lower airport arrivals level.

But there are a couple of issues you should know about before you go this route.

First, the bus takes you to Disney Springs rather than to your hotel, which means you still have to get from the Springs to your hotel. The drop-off/pick-up point is the Westside bus loop at Disney Springs. So you will either need to take a Disney bus to your hotel or use a rideshare like Uber or Lyft. That rideshare will likely cost between $7 and $12, depending on the time of day.

If you brought luggage, you need to take that into account, too. You might not be able to get on a Disney bus with that luggage. I’ve seen people get mixed results when they’ve tried to bring a suitcase on a Disney bus, but technically (at least sometimes) suitcases are not allowed. You’ll also need to bring that luggage through security if you’re transferring from the Lynx bus to a Disney one, which might mean your bags will be searched (adding more time to your trip).

If you opt for the rideshare option to get to your hotel, you can avoid any potential luggage issues. Plus, the rideshare pick-up and drop-off area is located on the same side of Disney Springs as the Lynx bus stop, so you don’t have to deal with security since you won’t actually need to walk through the Springs. So although the Disney bus option is free, it might be worth the extra cost to use a rideshare in this situation.

The Lynx bus our reporter rode was clean, comfortable, and air-conditioned, and the trip between the airport and Disney Springs took about an hour.

2 Reasons the $2 Bus from the Orlando Airport to Disney World Isn’t the Hack Everyone Thinks It Is

Rideshare

Skipping the buses altogether, you might want to use one of the rideshare services, like Uber or Lyft. But these can come with their own set of headaches.

The biggest downside of rideshare services is surge pricing. Sometimes the price to get from the airport to Disney World is less than $40 (which means it could be cheaper than Mears Connect if you’re sharing the car with a few other people and splitting the cost), but other times I’ve seen it soar well over $60. During busy times, like around lunch or rush hour, those prices go way up.

The only way to get around this problem is to plan your arrival and departure times so they’re not during a busy time of day for traffic. Keep an eye on the rideshare prices around Orlando before your vacation so you can get an idea of the best times to book.

If you plan on using a rideshare service, make sure you have the app downloaded and your account created before you arrive at the airport in order to avoid delays.

Rideshares are very convenient for a few reasons. For one thing, you get to go straight to your own hotel without other stops in between, so they’re usually faster than Mears Connect or Lynx. You also don’t have to share your vehicle with other passengers (unless you choose the carpool option), which is nice.

Get more details about how to Uber to Disney World here!

Reason #2: It’s WAY Too Easy To Get Lost

If I had a nickel for every time I got lost in the Orlando airport, I’d have at least a handful of nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happens so many times even though I travel there so frequently. I will be the first to admit that I’m notoriously bad with directions, but in this case, I think the airport has to take some accountability, too.

The Orlando airport is HUGE, and if you don’t know where you’re going (or even sometimes if you THINK you know where you’re going), you can get lost very easily. I’m used to the Louisville, KY, airport, which is absolutely tiny compared to MCO.

You’ll need to navigate a few different floors and possibly different terminals. Here’s a quick look at the Terminal A/B building…

…and another at Terminal C.

Once you get to the airport from your destination, you’ll need to take the Gate Link (a Monorail-type transportation service) from the gate buildings to one of those Terminal buildings. The Gate Links typically come every few minutes, and the ride only takes about a minute, so it’s not a big time suck.

You’ll arrive on Level 3 of the terminal A/B building. From there, you’ll need to go down to Level 2 for baggage claim and then Level 1 for ground transportation.

Rideshare transportation is located on Level 2 (along with private car transportation if someone you know is picking you up), but rental cars, shuttles, taxis, and Mears Connect are on Level 1. For Mears Connect, you’ll need to walk all the way down the hallway on Level 1, past the Starbucks kiosk and rental car desks, to reach the buses.

On the way back home, after you go through security, you’ll be taking that same Gate Link Monorail thing to your gate. Make sure you get on the right one! Check the signs over the Gate Link stop to make sure your airline is on there. I have definitely taken the wrong shuttle and had to go back and get on the right one. It didn’t take a ton of time (because it’s such a quick trip between the gates and the main Terminal building), but it was annoying.

When in doubt, you should always follow the signs you see around the airport. Don’t hesitate to ask an employee for help if you’re really lost.

I Encountered 5 Annoying Problems Getting from the Orlando Airport to Disney World — Please Learn from My Mistakes

I hope info this helps as you plan your upcoming trip! Stay tuned to DFB for more updates on the latest Disney news and tips to help you make your next Disney vacation run as smoothly as possible.

If you want some extra help planning your trip, talk to our friends over at Small World Vacations. Their travel agents have years of experience planning Disney World vacations, and their services are completely free!

Watch Out: We Experienced a MAJOR Problem with a New Baggage Process at the Orlando Airport

 

What’s your favorite way to get from the Orlando airport to Disney World? Let us know in the comments!

The post 2 Reasons WE HAVE BEEF With the Orlando Airport first appeared on the disney food blog.