Once you land in Orlando, there’s one last leg of your trip to sort out – getting from Orlando International Airport to Disney World. We’ve got a full list of transportation options from MCO to your Disney resort below. But more importantly, we’ve got the pros and cons to help you decide, plus tips on making the (sad) return journey at the end of your vacation.

To get oriented, here’s a convenient summary of all the airport-to-Disney World alternatives, divided between shared rides like Mears Connect and private transfers where it’s just you and your crew in the car. Off-peak, the drive takes about half an hour. Average transit times below assume a non-rush hour ride and include any wait after arriving at your pickup point.

Shared Vehicle
Option	Price (one-way)*	Transit Time	Car seats Incl?
Lynx 311 Bus (to Disney Springs only)	$2 / person	1-1.5 hours	N/A
Mears Connect Standard	$17.60 / person	1-1.5 hours	If needed
Mears Connect Express**	$125 up to 4	45 min	If needed
Private Vehicle
Option	Price (one-way)*	Transit Time	Car seats Incl?
Rental Car	N/A	30-40 min	With surcharge
Uber/Lyft	$35-65 per car	30-40 min	Max 1, surcharge
Taxi	$65-85 per car	30-40 min	No
Car Service	$95-$125 per car (more for 4+)	30-40 min	Usually
Minnie Van***	$211 up to 6	30-40 min	Max 2
*Prices are estimates that include taxes and required fees, but not tips **One-way price shown, but Mears Connect can only be booked round-trip ***Minnie Van is only available to guests at Disney World Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts

Shared Vehicle Rides

There are two options for airport to Disney World transfers where you’ll share a vehicle with others. The Mears Connect shuttle offers direct service from the airport to your hotel. The Lynx bus is the public transportation option, and it goes to Disney Springs instead of your hotel.

Lynx 311 Bus Route

Lynx, a part of Orlando’s public transportation network, runs an express bus route from Terminal A to Disney Springs; the fare is $2 per person. You can pick up the bus between 5 am and 11 pm in either direction (full schedule here), and the ride takes about an hour. You don’t need car seats to ride. But there are some challenges you might not be looking for.

There’s no luggage storage; while it is allowed, you’ll need to keep it with you at your seat. And the bus only goes to Disney Springs, not to your hotel. Disney does provide buses from Disney Springs to its hotels, but you can’t bring luggage on board. If you’re staying at a Disney Springs hotel, then you might be able to hoof it.

⭐ Still, this can be a cheap and reasonably convenient option for those who are traveling light. Or if you’re coming to Disney World a few days after the rest of your family who already flew in with all the luggage.

Mears Connect Shuttle

Mears Connect Overview

If you are a party of one, Mears Connect is the cheapest way to get from the airport directly to your Disney World hotel. The Mears Connect shuttle runs 24/7; you can reserve in advance or simply walk up on arrival. Mears Connect serves all Disney World hotels, plus several Disney Springs and off-site hotels. There are a few options for your transfer; some that you pick and some that Mears picks for you.

There are two tiers of Mears Connect shuttle services, Standard and Express. Both offer in-terminal boarding; Terminal B if you’ve arrived in A or B, and Terminal C if you’ve arrived there by plane or train.

• Express guarantees that your hotel will be the first stop at Disney World; Standard may stop at a few other hotels first.
• Express must be booked round-trip; Standard can be booked one-way in either direction.
• Express promises a minimal wait, whereas Standard promises that your ride will depart in 20 minutes or less.
• Both Standard and Express have options for handicapped guests.

There are also two types of Mears vehicles: motorcoach and shuttle van. The motorcoaches have in-ride screen-based entertainment and bathrooms, and you don’t need a car seat. Shuttle vans do require car seats, and Mears can provide them or give you an alternate vehicle. There’s no in-ride entertainment, and as you might expect of a small van, there are no bathrooms.

Both Standard and Express may find you sharing your ride with others, and either may have you on the motorcoach or the van. Let’s say you booked Express to Pop Century. If you show up right before a motorcoach departs, and it is heading to Pop Century first, then Mears can put you on that motorcoach with minimal wait and a direct transfer to your hotel – exactly what you paid for. In reality, it’s more likely that you’ll be sharing the van, and you may even have the van to yourself. But there is no guarantee. And if it’s not busy, you might find you are on the van even if you booked a standard ticket.

Speaking of tickets, let’s look at the pricing as of October 2025. Prices below include all fees, tolls, and taxes. They do not include tips. If you’re just hopping on and off tips are optional, although many do, but if the driver is handling your luggage, you should tip $2-3 per piece. And yes, strollers and carseats count as luggage.

Service	Adult	Child
Standard, One Way	$17.60	$14.30
Standard, Round Trip	$33.60	$27.30
Express, Round Trip	Up to 4 people: $250 $55 each additional passenger

Mears Connect Pros and Cons

From the airport to Disney World, Mears Connect has several things going for it. It’s inexpensive, and it gets the job done. It runs 24 hours, so flight delays are no issue; your “boarding pass” is good for 48 hours. If you have kids in car seats, you won’t have to worry about bringing your own. But unless you pay for Express, the trip can take an hour or more as you wait to board and then make stops at other resorts. And if you have more than two people in your group, a private vehicle might be cheaper.

From Disney World to the airport, the biggest ding on Mears Connect is that many people find the departure time absurdly early. Your resort departure will be 3 hours before your flight if it’s domestic, and 4 hours if it’s international. This is true even if you booked Express. For car seats, you’ll need to call and make that need clear to avoid a snafu where a van shows up without one.

⭐ Overall, Mears is a good option for parties of one or two who don’t mind taking a bit longer to get to Disney World from the airport. If you have more than two in your group, options where you pay per vehicle begin to be competitive in price.

Private Rides

All the options below are dedicated vehicles for you and your party. For each, a non-rush-hour trip from the Orlando airport to your Disney resort will be about 30-40 minutes, once you’ve connected with your driver. (Or in the case of a rental, picked up your car.) Also of note, tips are customary for all private transfers except rental cars. Standard is about 15-20% of the fare.

Rental Car

Very few people rent a car just to get from the airport to Disney World, but if you’re getting a rental, you can use it for the trip. Here are some useful things to know.

Terminals A, B, and C each have rental car garages attached to the terminal. If you’re renting from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Payless, Sixt, or Thrifty, you can walk out of the terminal and across to the garage.

If your loyalty program offers counter bypass, get your flight number right. That should guarantee you’ll find your name on the board in the garage of the correct terminal.

And you should also look into Visitor Toll Pass; it’s the cheapest way to manage the tolls. There are ways to avoid tolls completely on your drive to Disney World, but the most direct routes have them.

In addition to the major players with on-site access, there are a few dozen vehicle rental agencies that keep their cars off-site. These are accessible via a shuttle service from the airport.

Uber/Lyft

The cheapest private option from the airport to Disney World is Uber or Lyft. With prices starting at $35, even a group of two might find it compares to Mears Connect. For those traveling with the younger set, you can select a car with a car seat (at most one) for a surcharge. But “starting at” is carrying some water here; the typical cost for an Uber or Lyft from the airport to Disney World is $35 to $65. And therein lies the rub; not everyone is a fan of surge pricing.

⭐ If you don’t need more than one car seat, can absorb any surge pricing that might apply, and – most importantly – are fine with the range of driver experiences that you might encounter with Uber or Lyft, then it’s a good option for you. Otherwise, there are other choices that promise a consistent fare and perhaps a more consistent experience.

Taxi

Yes, taxicabs still service the Orlando Airport, and they will take you to Disney World. Follow the signs to the taxi stand and tell the dispatcher where you’re headed. You’ll pop directly into a car, and you won’t have to mess with an app or provide your personal information. But fares are typically $65-$85, depending on what resort you’re heading to, and those needing car seats will need to bring their own.

⭐ Best for: those who don’t want to plan their airport transportation to Disney World in advance, don’t want to use Uber or Lyft, don’t need supplied car seats, and don’t mind paying a little extra.

Car Service (Town Car or Limo)

There are many, many Town Car and Limo services that will pick you up at the airport and take you to Disney World. Popular options include Happy Limo, Tiffany Town Car, and Grayson Town Car.

A basic town car that holds 4 typically runs $95 to $125, depending on the company. It’s common to find car seats and a 20-minute stop for groceries or essentials included in the price. Look for charges for extra luggage or extra car seats when comparing prices and companies. Also consider policies around flight delays, flights arriving very early or late, and options for paying in cash.

Town car services can be a lovely experience; your driver will meet you, and you’ll often find snacks or water included with the ride. Where town car services really win is when you have more people or extra littles. As you move past a basic 4-person sedan, prices will increase. But many of these services offer cars for 5, 6, or more, up to 14-person vans, and can accommodate 3 or more kids in car seats.

⭐ Best for: Larger groups (especially with unique carseat needs), those wanting to stop on the way, or those seeking a quick trip with a little extra luxury.

Minnie Van

If you’re staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort or a Disney Deluxe Villa Resort, you can use Minnie Van transportation. Minnie Vans are Disney’s private rideshare; while they use Lyft to handle the tech side, the drivers are Cast Members employed by Disney.

Minnie Van transportation is $199 in each direction (with tax, it’s about $211). Standard Minnie Vans seat up to 6; accessible Minnie Vans seat up to 5 plus space for 2 mobility vehicles, and every Minnie Van arrives with 2 carseats. Call (407) 828-3500 to reserve up to 60 days in advance.

⭐ Minnie Vans are the most expensive per-person option on this list by a good bit. But if you value a no-fuss experience with Disney-vetted drivers and de rigeur carseats, or have accessibility needs, it might be a good choice for you.

Heading Home

Many of the options listed above can be booked as a round-trip between Orlando International Airport and Disney World. In general, there are no savings for booking the round trip; it’s simply a convenience. But we have a few tips for heading back to the airport, regardless of how you get there.

Important: don’t cut it close. Check-in and baggage drop at Orlando International Airport is frequently snarled for no reason that anyone can see. My husband is like “counter agents grovel” level of airline status (it’s not anything we do, they just see his status and instantly become super-solicitous), and we have still often been stuck in the line reserved for Very Special People for 30 to 40 minutes. On multiple airlines.

TSA is also famously slow at MCO. But there’s some good news here! First, there’s a dedicated lane for families with kids under 12, aimed at making it a smooth experience. Second, the Orlando airport has a “Lightning Lane” for TSA called MCO Reserve, where any traveler can book a time to go through.

Booking MCO Reserve is super-easy, but you’ll want to get your half-hour time window right. Unlike Lightning Lane, you’ll be asked to wait if you arrive early and not admitted if you arrive late. Super worth it though; you can breeze through the MCO Reserve lane in 5 minutes or less, including baggage scan. I’ve never seen it backed up.

Last but not least, if your plans have you at the airport for a while, but you don’t have lounge access through airline loyalty status, there is a public-access lounge at Orlando International Airport. For $55 per person, you can get a nicer place to wait, a bit of free food, and, if needed, a shower at the Club at MCO.

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