I just received notification that Sunshine Flyer and Mears are merging.
Press release:
Can look up info on how it affects upcoming reservations at this link:
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Interesting!
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They will untheme the Sunshine buses? I am kinda confused by this. To me (someone that has way too much experience with buses these days) the advantage of this would be the combination of buses and drivers. They will have to re-paint the train themed buses? That seems like a waste of time and resources.
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But now they can raise prices because they won’t have as much competition 
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I think if one raised their price, the other would have done it within an hour. Their true completion is Uber/Lyft and those few private services that are under $60 each way.
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Probably a good business move, since they were direct competitors. But the new name? Kind of a mouthful!
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I agree. Everyone will just call it Mears (Connect).
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They should be able to invrease profits from an operating efficiencies. One reservation system, one set of “welcome staff”, one lease with the airport. Hopefully the Uber/Lyft ceiling will keep the prices the same.
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When this was a free service, it made sense to put up with waiting and so forth. Now that you have to pay, it seems like the only times it makes sense is if you are concerned about “regular guy” drivers from Lyft or Uber and want a professional, or if you want/need child seats?
I am guessing the bulk of the business is families that have child seat concerns? We have 4 teen+, and i compare this to even a Lyft XL and i can’t justify it. Are there other advantages I haven’t considered?
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Yeah I got an email this morning as well
So does this mean that both services will now be twice as bad as before? I had a hard time recommending either one solidly because each one had challenges…
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Yes. As we took Uber to the airport we said how much faster this was. For $50 each way I’d still pay even if they brought it back for free. It was so fast and easy.
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I agree. Once ME stopped and I started using Uber and saw how much easier and faster it was, I’ll never go back to taking the bus.
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For only DS and I, it made it cheaper than Uber or Lyft even assuming no surge pricing, and we didn’t wait. I thought the service was excellent and will probably use it next trip too when I’ll be solo, though only for the return leg as I don’t think they go to UOR.
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No… I don’t think they do. I can tell you from many Lyft rides to & from MCO to Universal and back is typically $35 or less including gratuity. (Both solo & with family)
Hope that helps!
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I’m surprised that there’s no objection to Mears trying to own the entire transportation industry in Orlando.
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Hmm. I had a thought. Could this move be in preparation for Disney establishing some kind of formal relationship back. Perhaps not free, as DME was, but perhaps as an add-on you do through Disney’s system?
I don’t know. But with Iger trying to earn back guest trust, I could see something like to appease the masses.
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Interesting thought.
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Thanks, that’s about what I expected.
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As a solo traveler the price can’t be beat. I try to do my solo trips on a budget (so I can keep doing them) and the price is worth it to me. Uber and Lyft can get some pretty high surge pricing.
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that makes a ton of sense!
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