There was a time when your Walt Disney World vacation might begin with a free shuttle ride aboard the Magical Express from Orlando International Airport to an official resort hotel. You’d be able to sit back and relax with your luggage in tow while overhead TVs welcomed you to Central Florida with Disney cartoons. Unfortunately, the Magical Express is one of several complimentary guest services that went away during the pandemic, never to return. Disney has since monetized other perks like FastPasses, which were replaced by the paid Lightning Lane system. However, a resort-sponsored ride from the airport to Disney World is no longer an option unless you’re a Club Level guest who can afford $200 for a polka-dotted Minnie Van.
The good news is, there’s still a way to shave off two zeros and get from Orlando International to Disney property for only $2. All you have to do is catch a ride on a Lynx bus. These buses, individually known as “links,” provide public transportation to Orange County and Osceola County, where the airport and Disney World are located. They charge a flat rate of $2 for one ride.
One ride on the Link 311 route is all you’ll need to make it from Orlando International to a bus transfer center in the Disney Springs shopping district. This route — which departs from Terminal A and makes five other stops along the way — began operating in April 2024. As of this article’s writing, it’s only been in service for a year, which may be why it’s still flying (or driving) under the radar as one of the best-kept secrets for budget travel at Disney World.
Take a Lynx bus to Disney Springs, then transfer
Other transportation options are much pricier
If public transportation like Lynx isn’t your thing, there are other options for an airport shuttle to Disney World. Mears, which once operated the Magical Express, now offers a paid shuttle service between the two places. It currently charges $17.60 per adult and $14.30 per child for standard service, one-way. A round trip will set you back $33.60 per adult and $27.30 per child. Multiply that by the number of Mouseketeers in your group, and it could really add up. The express round-trip for four carries a $250 price tag, with an extra $55.00 needed for each additional passenger when you have five or more.
Hiring Quicksilver or another transportation service to take you to your Disney hotel could cost anywhere from $125 to $220 for a town car or limousine, respectively. Per Orlando International, a cab ride from the airport to the Disney resort area runs approximately $52 to $68. Renting a car from an agency like Enterprise — which sponsors Tron Lightcycle/Run and other Disney attractions — could be even more expensive. A sample search on our end turned up prices starting at $81.62 for economy-size.
As for rideshare services like Lyft and Uber, the latter lists an average price of $47 or $48 for a 30-minute ride from Orlando International to Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin resorts. In other words, they’ll get you there in half the time at roughly 2,400 percent of the cost. A $2 ride on a Lynx bus, comparatively, may not be the fastest or comfiest option, but in the absence of the Magical Express, it’s probably the best deal you’re going to get.
