Rumor Higher Speed Rail from MCO to Disney World

[jt04]

Mission space g forces on passengers?

What is the point?

The need for speed?

 

["El Scorpion"]

Disney is going to love that. Give On-Property guests a way to get to Uni without a car. I'm all for a stop near ICON/Convention Center/Epic. Hopefully Uni can connect it from there through Endless and on to Studios and IoA.

 

[Lilofan]

The need for speed?

Better place the vomit bags by the head rests.

 

[jt04]

Disney is going to love that. Give On-Property guests a way to get to Uni without a car. I'm all for a stop near ICON/Convention Center/Epic. Hopefully Uni can connect it from there through Endless and on to Studios and IoA.

Right idea but I'm convinced two separate systems are necessary due to capacity. Too many people and too many stops for one service/system.

Think of the MK monorail loop without the ferry and bus services. Just wouldn't work effectively. IMO.

Imagine the stressed out riders who are running late for their flight home at a slow loading stop. Not fun.

 

[joelkfla]

The desire to make it go through I-Drive (Convention Center/Epic Universe station) is heating up

Does anybody truly believe that Universal is concerned about getting convention-goers from the airport to the Convention Center?

NBC-Universal, stay out of my local politics! You already got the county to build a road to your new park for free.

If an independent company thinks it's beneficial to them to have their trains stop at WDW, that's their prerogative. To have the county strong-arm them to also go to Universal, and maybe even pay for it, is something entirely different.

 

[corran horn]

If an independent company thinks it's beneficial to them to have their trains stop at WDW, that's their prerogative. To have the county strong-arm them to also go to Universal, and maybe even pay for it, is something entirely different.

I imagine Disney gave somebody a suitcase full of cash at some point.

 

[jt04]

Does anybody truly believe that Universal is concerned about getting convention-goers from the airport to the Convention Center?

NBC-Universal, stay out of my local politics! You already got the county to build a road to your new park for free.

If an independent company thinks it's beneficial to them to have their trains stop at WDW, that's their prerogative. To have the county strong-arm them to also go to Universal, and maybe even pay for it, is something entirely different.

I'm sure Uni would love convention goers to have easy access to their parks. What is confusing is that pressing for the same system to connect to WDW and Uni runs the risk of the mouse dropping out. Uni just shooting itself in the foot here. They'd be much better off with a separate transportation 'ecosystem' that they share with interests along I-Drive and likely Sunrail.

The reason government likely would be involved is to not have to widen I-4 again. Possibly ever.

All my opinion.

 

[joelkfla]

I'm sure Uni would love convention goers to have easy access to their parks. What is confusing is that pressing for the same system to connect to WDW and Uni runs the risk of the mouse dropping out. Uni just shooting itself in the foot here. They'd be much better off with a separate transportation 'ecosystem' that they share with interests along I-Drive and likely Sunrail.

The reason government likely would be involved is to not have to widen I-4 again. Possibly ever.

All my opinion.

Yes, but IIRC in the linked article the Uni rep gushed about how great it would be if convention-goers could take a train to the Convention Center. I-4 doesn't enter into the equation talking about MCO to OCCC.

If Orange County wants a link from the airport to the OCCC, and wants to finance it with the hotel tax, that's fine. But there's no need to burden intercity rail with an additional stop, or for either the county or Brightline to pay an additional $1B if there's a less expensive option.

Now that SR-528 has express lanes, if there really is enough demand to justify service, perhaps activating the up-to-now deferred extra tolls coupled with a simple express bus makes the most sense.

 

[jt04]

Yes, but IIRC in the linked article the Uni rep gushed about how great it would be if convention-goers could take a train to the Convention Center. I-4 doesn't enter into the equation talking about MCO to OCCC.

If Orange County wants a link from the airport to the OCCC, and wants to finance it with the hotel tax, that's fine. But there's no need to burden intercity rail with an additional stop, or for either the county or Brightline to pay an additional $1B if there's a less expensive option.

Now that SR-528 has express lanes, if there really is enough demand to justify service, perhaps activating the up-to-now deferred extra tolls coupled with a simple express bus makes the most sense.

Yes busses are certainly a solution. A couple dedicated flyovers near EU and I-Drive for the busses is the cheapest option. Not claiming there are only easy answers. Just don't want to see the entire solution get scuttled because Uni won't think creatively. If Uni connects to MCO easily than anyone using Brightline can transfer at the airport to get to the I-Drive area including Universal. I'm not seeing where the mouse benefits substantially over Uni here by having a station on property.

 

[homerdance]

If Orange County wants a link from the airport to the OCCC, and wants to finance it with the hotel tax, that's fine. But there's no need to burden intercity rail with an additional stop, or for either the county or Brightline to pay an additional $1B if there's a less expensive option.

I believe this is exactly why they called themselves an intercity vs. commuter/light rail. Having two stops that close together would make the train ride between DS and MCO twice as long, at least. If OCCC/UNI/City of Orlando want this to go to them, they should help pay/acquire right of way for a different solution that would be more of a light rail/commuter train that is set for more frequent stops and lower speeds. If the northern route was chosen, not only would it cost more, the timeline would be extended greatly because of the many more land owners that would be impacted, and obtaining ROW would just simply take longer with no government support, since private entities can't initiate eminent domain.

 

[lazyboy97o]

and obtaining ROW would just simply take longer with no government support, since private entities can't initiate eminent domain.

Railroads can.

“361.025 Right of eminent domain to railroad companies.—Any railroad company organized under the laws of this state, or organized under the laws of any other state and qualified to do business in this state, shall have the right of eminent domain to enter upon, for survey purposes, any land necessary for the construction, operation, and maintenance of its roads and required facilities and to appropriate the same or any part thereof upon making due compensation according to the procedures set forth in chapters 73 and 74”

Chapter 361 - 2019 Florida Statutes - The Florida Senate

www.flsenate.gov

 

[homerdance]

Railroads can.

“361.025 Right of eminent domain to railroad companies.—Any railroad company organized under the laws of this state, or organized under the laws of any other state and qualified to do business in this state, shall have the right of eminent domain to enter upon, for survey purposes, any land necessary for the construction, operation, and maintenance of its roads and required facilities and to appropriate the same or any part thereof upon making due compensation according to the procedures set forth in chapters 73 and 74”

Chapter 361 - 2019 Florida Statutes - The Florida Senate

www.flsenate.gov

Thanks for the correction, i didn't know that existed in Florida. I guess I learned something today, I had better take the rest of the day off.

 

[Rich Brownn]

Does anybody truly believe that Universal is concerned about getting convention-goers from the airport to the Convention Center?

NBC-Universal, stay out of my local politics! You already got the county to build a road to your new park for free.

If an independent company thinks it's beneficial to them to have their trains stop at WDW, that's their prerogative. To have the county strong-arm them to also go to Universal, and maybe even pay for it, is something entirely different.

Comcast is paying 50% of the new road.

 

[joelkfla]

Comcast is paying 50% of the new road.

Didn't know that.

 

[Lilofan]

Comcast is paying 50% of the new road.

That's good to know. In 2004 Comcast tried to buy Disney for $54B. The Disney Board told them the offer was too low.

 

[marni1971]

That's good to know. In 2004 Comcast tried to buy Disney for $54B. The Disney Board told them the offer was too low.

So they went elsewhere. And possibly for the better in the long run.

 

[Notes from Neverland]

 

[lazyboy97o]

I don’t understand what there is to discuss. If these other businesses want the more expensive route then they should pay for it and the SunRail connection to the airport.

 

[joelkfla]

Again, this is complete misdirection by Uni. Nobody is saying a transit link between MCO & I-Drive is not desirable. The issue is whether hourly service by a privately owned, financed, and operated inter-city rail service is the appropriate means of meeting that need.

And Gov. DeSantis' appointee to the CFX board is jumping on the bandwagon. Makes me wonder how much NBC-Comcast has contributed to DeSantis recently.

 

[Goulle Fatouille]

Again, this is complete misdirection by Uni. Nobody is saying a transit link between MCO & I-Drive is not desirable. The issue is whether hourly service by a privately owned, financed, and operated inter-city rail service is the appropriate means of meeting that need.

And Gov. DeSantis' appointee to the CFX board is jumping on the bandwagon. Makes me wonder how much NBC-Comcast has contributed to DeSantis recently.

I know it's not a big public topic, wrt Brightline stops, but I'm assuming in all of this, that Disney still doesn't want to participate in a mode of transportation that would take guests off property to any other area parks, or I-Drive. Do I have this right ?