New theme park competition coming for WDW in Florida!

jt04

Well-Known Member
We're getting All Aboard Florida, which is a fast conventional train to Orlando, and multi-billion dollar mega developments for downtown that will transform the look of the city to something right out of science fiction! Miami is gonna be hot in the near future!

I agree! Amazing stuff going on and Miami is attracting investment from around the globe. It has always been a diamond in the rough and investors seem to be getting that.

That said there are many projects like this that come and go but this may be legitimate with all the growth going on. There is also the possibility of a new theme park by the zoo. So I think these could provide competition to Orlando tourism. That is a good thing. Hope it happens.

Ultimately Miami will become a major global city in the manner of LA or London or Bejing etc. IMO.
 

CaptainAmerica

Well-Known Member
Where in the world did you ever get the idea Americans dislike trains, anyway?
Trains are for places with an impoverished population (cities, India), poor road infrastructure (cities again, Europe), or lack of affordable airfare. Places like Florida with a robust freeway system have no need for them. If the price of airfare weren't propped up artificially by taxes, fees, and collusion, nobody would ever take a train again.
 

jt04

Well-Known Member
Trains are for places with an impoverished population (cities, India), poor road infrastructure (cities again, Europe), or lack of affordable airfare. Places like Florida with a robust freeway system have no need for them. If the price of airfare weren't propped up artificially by taxes, fees, and collusion, nobody would ever take a train again.

I am guessing you have not driven the Florida Turnpike in south Florida recently. Not to mention I-95. The train will be a welcome addition to the current options.
 

CaptainAmerica

Well-Known Member
I am guessing you have not driven the Florida Turnpike in south Florida recently. Not to mention I-95. The train will be a welcome addition to the current options.
I've driven 95 from Miami to Maine. A train would only alleviate a tiny tiny fraction of that traffic. Know where 95 is the busiest? DC, New York, Connecticut, and Boston. That entire corridor is chock full of rail. Doesn't make a difference.
 

jt04

Well-Known Member
I've driven 95 from Miami to Maine. A train would only alleviate a tiny tiny fraction of that traffic. Know where 95 is the busiest? DC, New York, Connecticut, and Boston. That entire corridor is chock full of rail. Doesn't make a difference.

Fortunately the hyperloop is in the pipeline. No pun intended.
 

wm49rs

A naughty bit o' crumpet
Premium Member
I am guessing you have not driven the Florida Turnpike in south Florida recently. Not to mention I-95. The train will be a welcome addition to the current options.
Well, neither have you, but it's adorable how you're trying to find common ground with your fellow posters....
 
It's being built by the same company that owns the largest mall, which is in Canada. That mall has a water park and other attractions. This mall looks like it will play up the the theme park aspect of it even more. It's competition no matter how you slice it. This may be the reason why some families decide to spend an extra day in Miami versus Orlando when they plan their Florida vacation!
It might be a tiny bit of competition from Florida locals or people visiting realatives in Florida, but most people won't come from countries all over the world or from all over America just to see a mall. People visiting Florida with the intent of well, visiting Florida may see it as a draw, but they're not likely to stay at a place like Disney or Universal for more than a day anyway. Where as people visiting the Orlando area with the direct purpose of going to Disney or Universal are highly unlikely to make the trek all the way down to Miami for a mall when they're already spending money at the parks.
 

CDavid

Well-Known Member
Trains are for places with an impoverished population (cities, India), poor road infrastructure (cities again, Europe), or lack of affordable airfare. Places like Florida with a robust freeway system have no need for them. If the price of airfare weren't propped up artificially by taxes, fees, and collusion, nobody would ever take a train again.

Sorry, but poverty in India and poor road infrastructure in other (generally third-world) nations has absolutely nothing to do with the popularity of passenger trains in the United States. Indeed, long-distance train fare in this nation is often more expensive than flying. Trains are literally not competing on price (nor speed) with the airlines.

We do have very serious problems in this nation with both road and air infrastructure (and rail), but it centers around inadequate capacity and outdated or crumbling roads and bridges due primarily to lack of investment. Florida actually has a greater need for passenger rail simply because the roads are approaching (or exceed) capacity yet traffic volumes will continue to increase. There are practical limits to how wide you can build a freeway; Rail is far more efficient at moving large numbers of people. The Northeast has well developed air travel and an extensive network of highways, but would be gridlocked without rail.

So, again, if people hate trains so much why are they running full and sold-out so much of the time? Just because you can drive or fly from New York to Miami doesn't mean the train isn't perhaps a better choice.

And the at risk of straying (err, continuing...) too far off-topic, none of this is to suggest All Aboard Florida will still happen. It could...eventually...but maybe not as originally planned.
 

CDavid

Well-Known Member
Don't know much about the project, but haven't they already started building?

Work is primarily on tracks (Florida East Coast RR) which are presumably slated to see passenger train service whether All Aboard Florida happens or not.
 

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
It might be a tiny bit of competition from Florida locals or people visiting realatives in Florida, but most people won't come from countries all over the world or from all over America just to see a mall. People visiting Florida with the intent of well, visiting Florida may see it as a draw, but they're not likely to stay at a place like Disney or Universal for more than a day anyway. Where as people visiting the Orlando area with the direct purpose of going to Disney or Universal are highly unlikely to make the trek all the way down to Miami for a mall when they're already spending money at the parks.
You do realize that Miami is already a world class tourist destination. There is quite a bit more to Miami than a future mall.

Miami Beach and South Beach are fantastic vacation destinations.
 

LL2WDW

Well-Known Member
You do realize that Miami is already a world class tourist destination. There is quite a bit more to Miami than a future mall.

I believe that is the point. If you weren't already planning on going to Miami for any of the other draws it offers, a new mall certainly will not convince you to make the drive.
 

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
I believe that is the point. If you weren't already planning on going to Miami for any of the other draws it offers, a new mall certainly will not convince you to make the drive.
No, but if you are looking at adding a beach portion to your Disney trip, this may sway people that way instead of Cocoa Beach or Sanibel. The beaches in Miami are some of the best in the country.
 

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