Getting From the Orlando (MCO) Airport to Disney World (and back)

Ever since Disney’s Magical Express was discontinued at the start of 2022 one of the most asked questions has been, “How do you get from the airport to your hotel?” There are a few options out there and which you pick will depend on your travel group and your budget.

Bus

Rideshare

Car Service

Shuttles

Renting a Car

Cost Comparison

Bus

Two main bus options sprung up to replace the Magical Express. Mears Connect is run by the same company that used to run Magical Express, while on the other hand Sunshine Flyer is run by a group of companies that have banded together to compete with Mears. All of the buses can accommodate lots of luggage, children of all ages, and are typically handicap accessible. Round trip Mears is $32 per adult and $27 per child. Sunshine Flyer has a similar price point at $24 per adult and $25 per child. Buses are typically comfortable, but aren’t always the fastest option.

Both lines may have you wait on the bus while it fills up with other guests, which may take a long time. There is also the challenge of drop off. Both bus services will load guests from/for multiple hotels. Your time on the bus can vary wildly if you’re the first drop off or the last. When returning to the airport a similar problem can arise where you’re picked up first and need to ride the bus for a long time while it stops at other resorts.

Rideshare

Uber and Lyft are popular options due to their convenience and price. A normal ride on either will typically run you between $30 and $50 dollars each way, ($60-$100 round trip). The price will be close to double if you would like a luxury ride from these services. If you need a larger ride for your bags or 4-5 passengers (XL), expect to pay an extra 50%. A common concern is that families with small children will need to bring their own car seats or boosters. The advantage of ride shares is that they’ll take you directly to your hotel at usually the cheapest price of any option. Even at busy times you rarely have to wait long for pickup. But, if you have more than five in your party, a lot of bags, or small children it may not work for you.

Car Service

Whether a town car, SUV, or van, car services provide a premium option – typically at a premium price. In most cases, taking a car service means you’ll be met at the baggage carousel by a driver (who may help you retrieve your bags) and escorted to the car service parking tunnels at MCO. Car services come in many sizes to fit your party (often with a moderate price difference between a car, SUV, and van), including bringing car seats if you have small children. The cars are almost universally luxurious with experienced drivers and plush interiors. Car services have two downsides in that they are typically a more expensive option $200-$300 round trip and require booking ahead of time. If you’re traveling during a busy time it’s especially important to arrange a car service months in advance. 

Some car services also offer grocery stops on the way to Disney. This can save you the fee of a grocery delivery and help offset the cost of the service. It’s also worth noting that car services seem to be the most reliable options during times when Disney’s traffic is problematic such as race weekends. We’ve seen reports of both the bus and ride share services having issues during these times, when multiple roads might be closed and traffic creates long waits.

Shuttles

Mears and a few other services offer dedicated shuttles from the airport to Disney. These shuttles tend to be less luxurious than a car service for a similar price (or more). They also tend to have similar capacity for passengers and bags. They can accommodate small children without car seats, like a bus.

Renting a Car

Renting a car is almost certainly going to be the most expensive option. Pre-pandemic, a car might cost you $300-$500 for the week depending on model, however, now prices are often double that. On top of that, if staying on property you will need to pay for parking at the hotel (there is an exception for DVC members) and it varies by resort type. Parking is $15 a day for Values, $20 for Moderates, and $25 for Deluxe. This can easily add another $50-$150 to the cost of your rental.

The one upside to the parking cost is that it includes theme park parking, so if you do rent a car you can use it as an alternative to Disney’s transportation. You can select various models to accommodate your party size, but if you have small children you’ll need to bring (or rent) car seats. Lastly, you’ll need to fill the tank at least once, tossing another $50-$100 onto the bill.

Rough Cost Comparison

Below is a rough round trip cost comparison for families of various sizes. Car rental includes parking and gas, but not car seat rentals (if needed).

— Dave