Rumor Higher Speed Rail from MCO to Disney World

Ripken10

Well-Known Member
Sounds expensive - 30 cents per mile. How many miles are they projecting the journey will be from Orlando to Disney via this train?
 

BubbaQuest

Well-Known Member
Will WDW be direct from Miami, or will you have to take the train from Miami to Orlando airport and then transfer to another train to WDW?

Also does this possibly kill or replace the proposed light rail from Orlando airport to the convention center? Sure would be great to do a cruise, Uni, and WDW with a single point of transit.
 

homerdance

Well-Known Member
Cost of tickets, frequency of service and “last mile” connections are all hurdles that will protect the taxis. It doesn’t really make sense to take a train to Disney and then take a taxi to your hotel off US 192 or I-Drive.
Yes. This is true. But if the train is as fast as advertised and they have a decent drop off spot in Disney it could damper a lot of the mears revenue when it will cost less then $20 round trip (depending on the final route). And Uber will likely not be geofenced around the train station.
 

dclfan

Well-Known Member
I am so excited about this news. I just hope they start building the Tampa extension sooner rather then later. The quicker I can get off I-4 and avoid paying the new parking fees at Disney Hotels the better. I was so frustrated when they implemented parking fees because as a local Florida resident I had no Choice but to drive my car into property. I would love the opportunity to jump on the train and her dropped off in the “bubble”. Does anyone know how fast these trains will travel. I loved traveling by the bullet trains in Japan. Hopefully it’s sometning similar here.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Yes. This is true. But if the train is as fast as advertised and they have a decent drop off spot in Disney it could damper a lot of the mears revenue when it will cost less then $20 round trip (depending on the final route). And Uber will likely not be geofenced around the train station.
There is not enough distance for the top speeds to radically impact the average speed and travel time (this was the huge flaw with the state's Orlando-Tampa plan). Even a fare under $20 will grow when multiplied for all members of the family and there is still the need to get from the station to the hotel.

I wonder where on property the rail would end? There is such dense development abutting WDW.
Likely near the terminus of FL-417 as the desired route would have the train follow FL-417 to I-4 to Tampa.
 

ryguy

Well-Known Member
Keep in mind these tracks were made for slow moving freight trains. The community is used to slow trains creeping through town. There is a learning curve here for all parties. Many of the communities which will be affected have older populations with poor vision and slow reaction times. So you can see the potential problems. Once the trains start rolling through towns with no service you will see major protest. I would imagine they will have to add some stops to appease the mob. Because why would any town want 24 high speed trains a day passing through its borders with no positive effect for the community. Certainly when there are viable tracks west of 95 that could be used. The idea of this project is to get south Florida to the attractions quickly. The more stops you add the longer the trip which is a deterrent to use it. And why Virgin isn't stopping between Palm Beach and Orlando. So why not use the tracks west of 95? I am all for the train, especially Tampa to Orlando. Palm Beach to Orlando is more of a stretch and only time will tell if Floridians want use it. Having a stop at Disney will certainly help. But if the communities along the route don't get a benefit, why should they be happy about this project?

Here is an excerpt from the Miami New Times about safety concerns:

It happens every week in Florida, the second deadliest state after California for deaths on the tracks. In 2017, 76 people were killed here, a seven-year high. Most of those deaths occurred in South Florida. Some came on the Tri-Rail tracks, where Lee Schaller was struck, but the new Brightline train has also become problematic recently as faster passenger trains have set off on tracks that have been used by slower-moving freight trains for years. Since Brightline began test runs in the summer of 2017, 15 people have been killed on its tracks. At least ten others have been seriously injured.

All of the Brightline deaths involved pedestrians, while several of those injured on both lines were in their cars when hit. Many of the casualties were caused by a fatal miscalculation: The victims believed they had enough time to cross the tracks before the train arrived. Others were suicides; although the number is unclear, last year, Tri-Rail placed signs along its rail corridors reminding people that help is available and life is worth living.

Tri-Rail, whose tracks run mostly parallel to I-95, is considering expansion into more densely populated areas such as downtown Miami. Brightline, which passes through downtowns from Miami to West Palm Beach, will soon travel through Orlando, Tampa, and, perhaps one day, Jacksonville.

As deaths on the tracks have risen in recent years following a decades-long decline, train companies' expansion plans come with the risk of more casualties. But lawmakers, who are meeting now in Tallahassee for their annual session, have failed to pass potential solutions even while approving a greater volume of faster and more lethal trains.
 

tomast

Well-Known Member
Please NO!!, why does somebody will change the Bus that takes you from MCO to your hotel for free, and feel the Disney experience welcoming you right at the airport?

For paying a train that you will have to wait for long just to do some miles and leave you on a "Transportation and Tickets center 2" just to wait for bus (or maybe the dead-burning gondolas with luggage (?) ) to leave you at your hotel. And think the other way around. Leaving the hotel really early to get the bus that leaves you at the TTc2 to wait for the Train that leaves you at MCO.

And it could be worst if the luggage service is not longer includes as Disney might not have the possibility of transporting your luggage in the train.

Edit: And what happened if you are going to a Monorail Resort? Would you need to take the Train to TTC2 a BUS to actual TTC and then the Monorail to your resort???

From another point of view, it might be useful if it gets you from Miami Airport to Walt Disney Resort. As for international guests flying to Miami is way cheaper than flying to Orlando itself. Many do fly to Miami and rent a car to drive to Orlando as it's cheaper. But in this case I might see a loss for MCO airport.
 

Rich Brownn

Well-Known Member
Having a stop at Disney certainly makes this much more appealing, so I can see why they are getting the additional funding. As someone who lives in a town that will be directly effected by the trains, I am not really stoked about 100mph trains blowing through town 24 times a day. So it's not all good news for everybody. We don't even get a stop so zero benefit for Vero. Right now there are no plans for stops anywhere close to Vero. People here wish they would use the tracks west of 95 where there is less population. Especially if they are not going to have a stop nearby. Many towns along the line have been trying to get this stopped but have been unsuccessful. As it stands now we get all the hassle, safety concerns, and noise without any benefit. Oh by the way the town has to upgrade all the crossings for the new trains. So you can see why local governments aren't thrilled about the train.

My major concern is the safety aspect. Americans are not use to high speed rail. Since Brightline (now Virgin) opened down south there have been several deaths of pedestrians. Here in Vero the train will go through our busiest portion of town so I can see something bad happening along the tracks. Right now the train is out of sight, out of mind. But once these trains start blowing through town people are going to be up in arms. It's going to be interesting for sure.
Those same rails were used for cargo trains and guess what - they hit people too. People get hit by a train for one of two reasons - stupidity (I can beat the train) or suicide.
 

Rich Brownn

Well-Known Member
Keep in mind these tracks were made for slow moving freight trains. The community is used to slow trains creeping through town. There is a learning curve here for all parties. Many of the communities which will be affected have older populations with poor vision and slow reaction times. So you can see the potential problems. Once the trains start rolling through towns with no service you will see major protest. I would imagine they will have to add some stops to appease the mob. Because why would any town want 24 high speed trains a day passing through its borders with no positive effect for the community. Certainly when there are viable tracks west of 95 that could be used. The idea of this project is to get south Florida to the attractions quickly. The more stops you add the longer the trip which is a deterrent to use it. And why Virgin isn't stopping between Palm Beach and Orlando. So why not use the tracks west of 95? I am all for the train, especially Tampa to Orlando. Palm Beach to Orlando is more of a stretch and only time will tell if Floridians want use it. Having a stop at Disney will certainly help. But if the communities along the route don't get a benefit, why should they be happy about this project?

Here is an excerpt from the Miami New Times about safety concerns:

It happens every week in Florida, the second deadliest state after California for deaths on the tracks. In 2017, 76 people were killed here, a seven-year high. Most of those deaths occurred in South Florida. Some came on the Tri-Rail tracks, where Lee Schaller was struck, but the new Brightline train has also become problematic recently as faster passenger trains have set off on tracks that have been used by slower-moving freight trains for years. Since Brightline began test runs in the summer of 2017, 15 people have been killed on its tracks. At least ten others have been seriously injured.

All of the Brightline deaths involved pedestrians, while several of those injured on both lines were in their cars when hit. Many of the casualties were caused by a fatal miscalculation: The victims believed they had enough time to cross the tracks before the train arrived. Others were suicides; although the number is unclear, last year, Tri-Rail placed signs along its rail corridors reminding people that help is available and life is worth living.

Tri-Rail, whose tracks run mostly parallel to I-95, is considering expansion into more densely populated areas such as downtown Miami. Brightline, which passes through downtowns from Miami to West Palm Beach, will soon travel through Orlando, Tampa, and, perhaps one day, Jacksonville.

As deaths on the tracks have risen in recent years following a decades-long decline, train companies' expansion plans come with the risk of more casualties. But lawmakers, who are meeting now in Tallahassee for their annual session, have failed to pass potential solutions even while approving a greater volume of faster and more lethal trains.
Must be an old article. They've been running in Miami for quite some time.
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Sounds good if the price is right (especially factoring in resort parking fees.

Typically those are people that are trying to "beat" the train by going around the gates or just aren't paying attention. There's only so much you can do to get someones attention (gates, bells, lights, etc.) that a several hundred ton hunk of metal is about to pass by them. However, whenever someone tries to knowingly "beat" the train through a crossing and loses...well...I really can't say I feel sorry for them.

I can. My husband’s cousin has been in the hospital for months with many surgeries after being hit in his car by a Brightline down here.

It’s not as simple as “trying to beat the train.” The theory in this case is the gates come down at a speed sufficient for regular cargo trains, but not fast enough for the much faster Brightline/Virgin train. That needs to be updated.
 

Disone

Well-Known Member
Sounds good if the price is right (especially factoring in resort parking fees.



I can. My husband’s cousin has been in the hospital for months with many surgeries after being hit in his car by a Brightline down here.

It’s not as simple as “trying to beat the train.” The theory in this case is the gates come down at a speed sufficient for regular cargo trains, but not fast enough for the much faster Brightline/Virgin train. That needs to be updated.
Virgin/Brightline trains currently do NOT travel faster then Amtrak trains which is 78 mph. They are not high speed trains and definitely not bullet trains. They are "higher speed" trains, however the higher speed sections haven't been built yet. For now they are not any faster then a Amtrak, Tri-rail or Sunrail.

Sunrail in Orlando had had similar learning curve of trains hitting traffic and pedestrians. That all said I hope yours husbands cousins recovers fully.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Please NO!!, why does somebody will change the Bus that takes you from MCO to your hotel for free, and feel the Disney experience welcoming you right at the airport?

For paying a train that you will have to wait for long just to do some miles and leave you on a "Transportation and Tickets center 2" just to wait for bus (or maybe the dead-burning gondolas with luggage (?) ) to leave you at your hotel. And think the other way around. Leaving the hotel really early to get the bus that leaves you at the TTc2 to wait for the Train that leaves you at MCO.

And it could be worst if the luggage service is not longer includes as Disney might not have the possibility of transporting your luggage in the train.

Edit: And what happened if you are going to a Monorail Resort? Would you need to take the Train to TTC2 a BUS to actual TTC and then the Monorail to your resort???

From another point of view, it might be useful if it gets you from Miami Airport to Walt Disney Resort. As for international guests flying to Miami is way cheaper than flying to Orlando itself. Many do fly to Miami and rent a car to drive to Orlando as it's cheaper. But in this case I might see a loss for MCO airport.
As of now, this is not a replacement for Disney Magical Express.
 

Trackmaster

Well-Known Member
Cost of tickets, frequency of service and “last mile” connections are all hurdles that will protect the taxis. It doesn’t really make sense to take a train to Disney and then take a taxi to your hotel off US 192 or I-Drive.

Wait, people still use taxis? Even old people are learning to use Uber and Lyft now.
 

SpoiledBlueMilk

Well-Known Member
High Speed Rail would often be slower than riding DME, and it would cost more. All times are in minutes -

View attachment 291765

I came up with some of this off the top of my head, but it's fairly accurate. If you can come up with a comprehensive "MCO to hotel" travel plan that makes more sense, go for it. Be honest with your times though and you'll find the same.

Would it be neat? Sure. Does it make any sense from a travel time or financial perspective? Nope.

Problem is, you're conjuring rates and times for a train system that doesn't exist. The Brightline already runs in Florida between Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Right now, a train from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale takes 30 minutes and costs $22 for a low end ticket and $35 for a select ticket. They have a good on-time rating.
 

Trackmaster

Well-Known Member
Problem is, you're conjuring rates and times for a train system that doesn't exist. The Brightline already runs in Florida between Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Right now, a train from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale takes 30 minutes and costs $22 for a low end ticket and $35 for a select ticket. They have a good on-time rating.

And people forget just how expensive driving is. People obsess over the cost of "gas" for some reason, but that's actually a small portion of the cost of driving. The IRS puts the cost of mileage at $0.545 a mile, and that excludes tolls. If you're traveling from Miami to WDW, the cost to use a motor vehicle is enormous. Plus, every time you step in a car, you're putting your life at risk, as well as your family's.
 

Ripken10

Well-Known Member
Keep in mind these tracks were made for slow moving freight trains. The community is used to slow trains creeping through town. There is a learning curve here for all parties. Many of the communities which will be affected have older populations with poor vision and slow reaction times. So you can see the potential problems. Once the trains start rolling through towns with no service you will see major protest. I would imagine they will have to add some stops to appease the mob. Because why would any town want 24 high speed trains a day passing through its borders with no positive effect for the community. Certainly when there are viable tracks west of 95 that could be used. The idea of this project is to get south Florida to the attractions quickly. The more stops you add the longer the trip which is a deterrent to use it. And why Virgin isn't stopping between Palm Beach and Orlando. So why not use the tracks west of 95? I am all for the train, especially Tampa to Orlando. Palm Beach to Orlando is more of a stretch and only time will tell if Floridians want use it. Having a stop at Disney will certainly help. But if the communities along the route don't get a benefit, why should they be happy about this project?

Here is an excerpt from the Miami New Times about safety concerns:

It happens every week in Florida, the second deadliest state after California for deaths on the tracks. In 2017, 76 people were killed here, a seven-year high. Most of those deaths occurred in South Florida. Some came on the Tri-Rail tracks, where Lee Schaller was struck, but the new Brightline train has also become problematic recently as faster passenger trains have set off on tracks that have been used by slower-moving freight trains for years. Since Brightline began test runs in the summer of 2017, 15 people have been killed on its tracks. At least ten others have been seriously injured.

All of the Brightline deaths involved pedestrians, while several of those injured on both lines were in their cars when hit. Many of the casualties were caused by a fatal miscalculation: The victims believed they had enough time to cross the tracks before the train arrived. Others were suicides; although the number is unclear, last year, Tri-Rail placed signs along its rail corridors reminding people that help is available and life is worth living.

Tri-Rail, whose tracks run mostly parallel to I-95, is considering expansion into more densely populated areas such as downtown Miami. Brightline, which passes through downtowns from Miami to West Palm Beach, will soon travel through Orlando, Tampa, and, perhaps one day, Jacksonville.

As deaths on the tracks have risen in recent years following a decades-long decline, train companies' expansion plans come with the risk of more casualties. But lawmakers, who are meeting now in Tallahassee for their annual session, have failed to pass potential solutions even while approving a greater volume of faster and more lethal trains.
Obviously even one life is important, but when you get down to it, the 76 people killed by trains is very low overall (without even taking out those that committed suicide from that 76). In Florida, 13,000 other people died from accidents not involving trains. Heck, deer account for over 100 deaths a year (did you know Deer kill more people than any animal...besides humans. And you were afraid of that Aligator). People's fear of being killed by a train is far greater than the actual risk (just like WDW forum members fear of dieing by Gondola). It is extremely rare, so rare, that every time it happens it is a news story. But it is not a newstory everytime someone dies from getting hit by a car or truck (heck I was hit while running by a truck that ran a red light and hit my at 50 mph...and there was no mention of it in the news the next day!)
 

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