From MCO to the Magic: Which Disney Transportation Option is Right for You?

Let’s talk about transportation.

When you land in Orlando at MCO, you’re excited—but you’re also probably tired from traveling. You just want to skip the part where you have to figure out how to get from the airport to your resort so you can start the magic already. (My son keeps asking when they’re going to invent teleportation, and honestly, I’m with him.)

When it comes to getting from MCO to your Disney resort, there are a LOT of options, with a pretty wide range of prices. It can be overwhelming trying to figure out which one is right for your family.

The More Affordable Options

On our first Disney trip, we used the Mears Connect bus, and it worked totally fine for us. We went to the check-in area, waited in line for our resort, and hopped on the next available bus. Our resort happened to be the first stop, which was a nice bonus.

The bus was climate-controlled and comfortable, but there were no Disney movies or music playing for entertainment, despite seeing some people say that has been provided on their trips.

For our family of four, the round-trip cost was $121.80.

We also did a split stay that trip, and there were no issues being dropped off at one resort and picked up from another.

While this option worked perfectly well, for our second trip we decided to splurge a little and try private transportation.

After a lot of searching and reading recommendations from other Disney families, I chose Orlando Magical Rides. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a great experience with them and would choose a different option in the future. That said, I’m including them here because other families have had positive experiences with their service.

For our return trip, we ended up taking a Lyft, which cost us $71.68.

So What Are Your Options?

If you’d rather skip the shared bus and have a private vehicle take you directly to your resort, there are quite a few companies to choose from.

Here are some of the options I found, along with approximate one-way pricing for a family of four:

Keep in mind: Prices can vary based on the size of your family, the amount of luggage you have, the type of vehicle you need, and the company you choose. These are approximate prices for one-way transportation and should be scheduled in advance.

So, Which One Should You Choose?

Honestly, I don’t think there is one right answer for every family.

If you’re looking to save money and don’t mind sharing a ride with other Disney families, a shuttle service may be all you need. If you have younger kids, a lot of luggage, or simply want to get to your resort as quickly and easily as possible after a long travel day, private transportation may be worth the extra cost.

For us, I think our first trip taught us something important: “fine” and “best for us” aren’t necessarily the same thing.

The Mears bus got us where we needed to go, and it did so for a reasonable price. But on future trips, I’d rather spend a little more for the convenience of getting off the plane, grabbing our bags, finding our driver, and heading directly to our resort.

After all, your Disney vacation starts the minute you land in Orlando. If paying a little more means getting to the magic faster—and with a little less stress—it might be money well spent.

Now, if someone could just invent that teleportation machine my son keeps asking for, we’d really be in business.