One of the most talked-about decisions Walt Disney World travelers are making right now is ground transportation! Since the discontinuation of the complimentary Magical Express, guests are now forced to pick between a few paid options that will transport them from Orlando International Airport to their Disney resort, and back again. Previously, we used the Mears Connect transportation; you can read our review on that right here.
Before we get too deep into this, we want to say that the overall shuttle experience to and from the airport on both days was satisfactory, on time, with minimal waiting. However, we did encounter a few letdowns that we want to make note of so that you can pick the best mode of transportation for your group!
When we retrieved our luggage we went down to the first level on Terminal B of the airport. The confirmation email from the Sunshine Flyer states that they are located “outside towards bus bays B5-B9.” Now, the bus bay signs are very small and outside on parking poles; they are very difficult to see from inside the airport. We walked quite far in the wrong direction on level one, due to there being NO signs in the airport for the Sunshine Flyer. (If you are familiar with where Magical Express, now Mears Connect, is located, Sunshine Flyer is at the complete opposite end of level one.) It wasn’t until we walked almost all the way to the door, that there were 2-3 people holding iPads that said Sunshine Flyer. Just imagine a whole family with kids and all of their luggage walking all over the airport trying to find the shuttle. They really need to add signs throughout the airport, like Mears Connect has, guiding you the right way.
Once checked in at the host stand outside, we only waited about 5 minutes before being boarded onto our shuttle. While we appreciated the low wait time, we wanted to note the several things we noticed that were missing from our experience. On the Sunshine Flyer website, the company advertises buses that are made to look like locomotive trains, however, we were placed in a white, unmarked small bus. There was no entertainment (small televisions, etc.) no bathroom, and no staff members dresses like conductors, rail workers, etc. These are all things promised to their customers according to the Sunshine Flyer website. While we didn’t necessarily mind these discrepancies, the theming of this transportation is a huge selling point for families with children; we certainly wouldn’t want you to book based on the train theme and be disappointed upon arrival.
When planning for your return transportation, the Sunshine Flyer does not email your pick-up time until the day before leaving. (Mears Connect gave us our pick-up time immediately upon booking, which made planning that last day much easier in advance.) When the confirmation email came, the wrong flight number was listed, which means the pick-up time was also wrong. We had to call three times before we got through and had the error corrected. The issue was fixed and we were picked up on time once we were able to speak to a Sunshine Flyer representative. When we shuttled back to the airport, we were in fact picked up by a “locomotive train” bus as promised on the website with all the bells and whistles that were missing the first time.
Overall, our transportation experience was acceptable and did get us where we needed to go. Both of our drivers, in particular, were very friendly and outgoing to guests. Will we use the Sunshine Flyer again? Likely not, due to our previous experience with Mears Connect being a more smooth and efficient process from start to finish. We have read many positive and negative reviews regarding both methods of transportation, however, overall we will opt for Mears Connect next time based on personal experience. It’s important to keep in mind that both services are still very new, and could still be ironing out some of these kinks we mentioned. Maybe after a few more months, we will give the Sunshine Flyer another try!
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