Mears Connect and Sunshine Flyer Merger

There is big news in the Disney World Airport Transportation front today. Mears Connect and the Sunshine Flyer have joined forces.

They are now operating as Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine. The Sunshine Flyer website is still active but the content has switched over to match the Mears site.

This means that the 2 Disney Magical Express replacements will be operating as a single company moving forward. One of the companies obviously acquired the other (probably Mears bought the Sunshine Flyer).

Combined operations will begin 1 August 2023.

Press Release

Sunshine-Flyer at Orlando International – Note Staff Uniforms

Here is the release sent today (14 July 2023) by Mears:

We wanted to let you know first that Mears Connect and The Sunshine Flyer are joining forces!

What does this mean for you?

• The new service will begin transitioning today! 
• Your current & future guests reserving with Mears Connect will NOT be impacted and reservations will remain the same.
• Sunshine Flyer guests and travel agents will be communicated with by Sunshine Flyer with some guidance on how this affects their service and both teams are on standby to assist guests.
• On August 1^st, or sooner, all guests, both previously reserved Sunshine Flyer guests, and Mears Connect guests will be instructed to arrive and go to Mears Connect in the Terminal B or C reception areas and we will process all guests through the Mears systems. Similarly, all departing guests, regardless of the original reservation company, will depart with Mears Connect equipment, based on our resort schedules.
• We will continue to:
• operate 24/7.
• operate from both terminals B & C.
• use all current Mears Connect systems and dispatch methods.
• service all listed resorts on our website.
• manage all customer service-related items. 
• The experience will be enhanced in the coming weeks and months, more to come!

The new service, Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine, will continue to provide guests with safe and reliable transportation services to and from the airport with enhanced booking capabilities, guaranteed 24/7 service, greater operational efficiencies, a hassle-free experience and more enjoyment added soon.

As always, Thank you for your support!

Your Mears Connect Team

Important Details

• The new service will begin August 1, 2023.
• A dedicated hotline is available 24/7 to answer questions and assist guests regarding new reservations: (407) 423-5566
• For all existing reservations, unless otherwise provided, please contact the customer care team on your confirmation email.
• Guests may also email during business hours: [email protected].
• Mears Connect guests will not be impacted and reservations will remain the same.
• Sunshine Flyer guests traveling between July 14 and July 31 will receive an email using the email linked to the original reservation to confirm all travel instructions.

Specifics?

The specific details of how this will all play out are unknown today, though Mears has stated that the Sunshine Flyer military discount for trips to Shades of Green will not continue post merger..

Each company offered slightly different services beyond the basic bus ride, Mears offered a group van direct to you hotel from the Mears loading area, while the Sunshine Flyer offered a superior private limo to your hotel with baggage claim pickup by your driver. So whether they offer just one of these options or both (unlikely) we will just have to wait and see.

• Mears Connect
• Sunshine Flyer

Gone will be the inferior greeting and loading area of the Sunshine Flyer as operations will move to the Mears area. We’ll have to see what happens tp the Sunshine Flyer buses, which looked awesome on the outside, but were pretty rough on the inside. The FLyer’s schtick was they supposedly emulated turn of the century train service. The buses were painted like trains, but the staff wearing the advertised period train engineer and conductor uniforms never materialized.

Bare Wire Sunshine Flyer At Seat

What are you thoughts on this merger?

• Back to Basics Posts - A great place to start, offering basic topics!
• Disney Veteran & Military Discount Eligibility Guide
• The Military Family’s Walt Disney World Comprehensive Vacation Planning and Preparation Guide 
• Military Disney Tips Disney Packing Checklist 
• Disney Military Tickets – Your Start-to-Finish Guide

• Resorts/Hotel Overview Page
• Dining Overview Page
• Transportation Overview Page
• Technology Overview Page
• Shades of Green, WDW’s Military-Only Resort

The Mouse Experts is a travel booking company specializing in Disney vacations. Military family owned and operated! They know all the ins and outs of Disney military discounts!