Rumor Higher Speed Rail from MCO to Disney World

the.dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
Little more involved pushing a higher speed rail through a populated area than driving spikes across the great plains
Yes, wasting billions on inadequate, soon to be obsolete technology.

That sounds familiar.
Disney-MagicBands-Rainbow-Colors.jpg
 

Disone

Well-Known Member
Which was mainly about getting people from south Florida to Disney, not about shuttling people between Disney and MCO.

Again, I'm not saying they don't want that business. They will be happy to have it. But if their actual main goal was to shuttle a bunch of people between Disney and the airport their plans would almost certainly be different from what they've announced.
It's very much about both. In their own words....

“Brightline will offer a car-free connection to the millions of visitors from around the state and the world who plan to make Walt Disney World Resort part of their vacation plans,” said Patrick Goddard, president of Brightline. “Our mission has always been to connect our guests to the people and places that matter, and Walt Disney World Resort is a tremendous example of this.”

So while Brightline may not be interested in being a regional transportation service for the central Florida Orlando area they are very much interested in providing service to and from WDW. Disney is not just a nice bonua it is part of their business plan. Personal guess of mine: the segment between the Orlando Airport and Walt Disney World will be the busiest segment brightline has in Florida.

Link to the full story here.

 

joelkfla

Well-Known Member
It's very much about both. In their own words....

“Brightline will offer a car-free connection to the millions of visitors from around the state and the world who plan to make Walt Disney World Resort part of their vacation plans,” said Patrick Goddard, president of Brightline. “Our mission has always been to connect our guests to the people and places that matter, and Walt Disney World Resort is a tremendous example of this.”

So while Brightline may not be interested in being a regional transportation service for the central Florida Orlando area they are very much interested in providing service to and from WDW. Disney is not just a nice bonua it is part of their business plan. Personal guess of mine: the segment between the Orlando Airport and Walt Disney World will be the busiest segment brightline has in Florida.

Link to the full story here.

I think you're saying "from around the world" implies visitors arriving at MCO. But one could argue that the phrase "part of their vacation" in the same sentence refers to visitors whose plans include multiple destinations, and need transport to WDW from another part of the state.

Again, a Brightline VP told the CFX board that Brightline is not suited to local transportation because they intend to provide hourly service. That would also be inadequate to move the bulk of visitors arriving at MCO.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Again, a Brightline VP told the CFX board that Brightline is not suited to local transportation because they intend to provide hourly service. That would also be inadequate to move the bulk of visitors arriving at MCO.
Also, they’re unlikely to want to run empty carriages for the whole route just to cater for the demand between MCO and WDW.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Also, they’re unlikely to want to run empty carriages for the whole route just to cater for the demand between MCO and WDW.
That’s not something that would be required. It would be possible to run more trains on just that segment and that is their current plan between Meadow Woods and the airport, but it would be SunRail offering the more frequent service (if SunRail ever actually ever offer consistent frequent service). I don’t think Brightline would object to a SunRail service between Walt Disney World and the airport.
 

TrainsOfDisney

Well-Known Member
When the WDW Station opens, brightline will be running MCO to WDW shuttle trains for a few years until Tampa opens.

If Sunrail wants to serve the WDW station, the station will need to be designed with sunrail in mind. Brightline and sunrail stations are not compatible.
 

joelkfla

Well-Known Member
That’s not something that would be required. It would be possible to run more trains on just that segment and that is their current plan between Meadow Woods and the airport, but it would be SunRail offering the more frequent service (if SunRail ever actually ever offer consistent frequent service). I don’t think Brightline would object to a SunRail service between Walt Disney World and the airport.
What Brightline would like is to have SunRail run all the way to the airport, sharing the tracks to Meadow Woods. (Maybe thats what you said, but I didn't read it that way. :))There is already a trackway at the airport Multimodal Facility designated for SunRail.

Local officials also want SunRail to serve the airport. What they're apparently not completely sold on is running to WDW while bypassing I-Drive. And, of course, there's the matter of funding for additional rolling stock and operations.

There's a joint study in progress on track sharing and cost sharing, but I don't know whether that includes WDW service or just to the airport.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
They could. I suppose they probably will to provide a one-seat ride from Miami, etc.

I just meant the trains will be running from MCO to Disney and right back to MCO from stub end station to stub end station in a shuttle mode for a few years.
Unless it has changed, MCO is a through station and not a stub end. Trains from Miami will enter from the north and then continue south towards Walt Disney World/Tampa.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
What Brightline would like is to have SunRail run all the way to the airport, sharing the tracks to Meadow Woods. (Maybe thats what you said, but I didn't read it that way. :))There is already a trackway at the airport Multimodal Facility designated for SunRail.

Local officials also want SunRail to serve the airport. What they're apparently not completely sold on is running to WDW while bypassing I-Drive. And, of course, there's the matter of funding for additional rolling stock and operations.

There's a joint study in progress on track sharing and cost sharing, but I don't know whether that includes WDW service or just to the airport.
Right, Brightline is okay with sharing track to enable the more frequent service they will not be offering. While the current study might not include Walt Disney World, I don’t see why Brightline would have an issue with continuing the track sharing to Walt Disney World. It’s more fees they can collect from SunRail for a service they are not presently interested in offering and may not be allowed to offer.
 

joelkfla

Well-Known Member
Here's an aerial shot of the station. There are 3 run through tracks going into and out of the station.

View attachment 540602
Brightline is building their heavy maintenance facility (i.e. main shops) south of the MMF. So even before any service is run to WDW or Tampa, they may be running through the station and turning the trains at their maintenance facility.
 

Lilofan

Well-Known Member
Oh interesting! Learn something new everyday.
Unless it has changed, MCO is a through station and not a stub end. Trains from Miami will enter from the north and then continue south towards Walt Disney World/Tampa.
That's a good option from South FL residents to travel to Orlando and or WDW instead of driving. The FL turnpike is clear sailing at high speeds but cops love to catch the ones driving 90mph and higher.
 

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