Rumor Higher Speed Rail from MCO to Disney World

J

joelkfla

Well-Known Member
the.dreamfinder said:
It is. It needs high volume throughout to be a superior replacement to current DME and in the future.

You’re not just building these systems for today, but for many years into the future.
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Brightline is building this system, and they're building it to carry people between the Orlando area and South Florida, and later to Tampa and perhaps Jacksonville. WDW is just another stop in the Orlando area, to attract more riders.

If Disney decides they want to use the line to transport Guests from the airport, and if Brightline decides they want to enter that market, then that will be on top of the line's primary purpose. But I still don't see a need for 5-10 minute headways. I've never used DME, but from what I've read here, guests leaving the airport are accustomed to waiting 20 minutes for a bus. Guests going to the airport know what time they want to be there, and will know exactly when a train is scheduled to leave and how long the trip will take. They just have to make sure to get themselves to the station in time. If they're late or don't want to wait, they can use more flexible transportation, just as many do now when they don't want to wait for a bus or accept DME's schedule.
 
nickys

nickys

Premium Member
joelkfla said:
Brightline is building this system, and they're building it to carry people between the Orlando area and South Florida, and later to Tampa and perhaps Jacksonville. WDW is just another stop in the Orlando area, to attract more riders.

If Disney decides they want to use the line to transport Guests from the airport, and if Brightline decides they want to enter that market, then that will be on top of the line's primary purpose. But I still don't see a need for 5-10 minute headways. I've never used DME, but from what I've read here, guests leaving the airport are accustomed to waiting 20 minutes for a bus. Guests going to the airport know what time they want to be there, and will know exactly when a train is scheduled to leave and how long the trip will take. They just have to make sure to get themselves to the station in time. If they're late or don't want to wait, they can use more flexible transportation, just as many do now when they don't want to wait for a bus or accept DME's schedule.
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Well yes.

However, DME buses leave every 20-30 minutes perhaps, but aren’t on a schedule. They leave when they’re full for the 3 or 4 resorts that particular bus is serving. But if people are waiting for more than 30 minutes typically, the bus will be dispatched regardless.

There can be six or more different routes, so in an hour maybe 12+ buses mostly filled - around 600-700 people. That’s a lot of people to board a train mid route.

And going back to the airport is more risky if you can’t physically get on the train due to space limitations.

Which is why I don’t see this as being Disney’s DME replacement. Disney currently pretty much guarantee you will be at the airport in time, or will pay for your airfare and overnight accommodation if you miss your flight.
 
homerdance

homerdance

Well-Known Member
A few things to remember-

The distance traveled between Disney Springs and MCO will be less then 20 miles, so realistically it should be from departure to arrival about 15 minutes. (more depending on possible others use of the tracks and not including station time)

While the Brightline system will be from WDW(maybe Tampa) to Miami, it is very unlikely that there won't be at least some local and long distance trains running, both on the north segment and the southernly segment. The north/south portion, while important, won't have the potential demand as the east/west routes do(per Brightline's projections)

Considering over 2 million people ride MDE a year, even if 1/2 were diverted to use the train, that would both make a significant impact on I-4 and the carbon footprint, it would make Brightline a good amount of money.

There is no rule that would preclude Disney from utilizing the tracks to get other deliveries, including luggage, via the new tracks.

This all could just be a negotiation ploy by Disney to get a better long term contract from Mears and may never happen.

Even if the train runs as almost exclusively as a shuttle between MCO and DS, the logistics of getting from DS to your hotel will still suck and would most likely be on par with the DME experience.
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
halltd said:
is this a real thing? deets?
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More images of the monorail, PeopleMover and Multi Modal Station at what is now Disney Springs.
sites.google.com

THE ORIGINAL E.P.C.O.T - Lake Buena Vista Village

After Walt Disney's death in 1966, the whole "Disney World" and E.P.C.O.T concepts were in a kind of jeopardy and only the Magic Kingdom and Seven Seas Lagoon hotels were developed as planned and very close to Walt Disney's vision about this area. The E.P.C.O.T project however, despite having been
sites.google.com sites.google.com
 
bpiper

bpiper

Well-Known Member
lazyboy97o said:
More images of the monorail, PeopleMover and Multi Modal Station at what is now Disney Springs.
sites.google.com

THE ORIGINAL E.P.C.O.T - Lake Buena Vista Village

After Walt Disney's death in 1966, the whole "Disney World" and E.P.C.O.T concepts were in a kind of jeopardy and only the Magic Kingdom and Seven Seas Lagoon hotels were developed as planned and very close to Walt Disney's vision about this area. The E.P.C.O.T project however, despite having been
sites.google.com sites.google.com
Click to expand...
That Multi Modal Station looks familiar. 🤔

I got it. The Bar on legs.....

So its true, the Imagineers do recycle ideas.....
 
halltd

halltd

Well-Known Member
lazyboy97o said:
More images of the monorail, PeopleMover and Multi Modal Station at what is now Disney Springs.
sites.google.com

THE ORIGINAL E.P.C.O.T - Lake Buena Vista Village

After Walt Disney's death in 1966, the whole "Disney World" and E.P.C.O.T concepts were in a kind of jeopardy and only the Magic Kingdom and Seven Seas Lagoon hotels were developed as planned and very close to Walt Disney's vision about this area. The E.P.C.O.T project however, despite having been
sites.google.com sites.google.com
Click to expand...
Whoa! This is awesome! Such vision back in the day. And we ended up with typical suburban sprawl instead. Cry. It makes me really sad sometimes when I think what could have been if Walt hadn’t died so early. His Epcot vision what the potential to change the world.

It would’ve been so awesome if even Team Disney had been some type of high rise block like in these images and then linked to Orlando with a commuter rail that followed I4. They could’ve put all of the various divisions in it like WDI, FAM, safety, team Disney, IT, etc.... That would’ve cut so much traffic from the highway. Local visitors and cast could use it. Drop the AP/CM free parking for free transit instead.

Then they could’ve combined the station with Brightline to bring in out of town tourists as well.
 
J

joelkfla

Well-Known Member
lazyboy97o said:
More images of the monorail, PeopleMover and Multi Modal Station at what is now Disney Springs.
sites.google.com

THE ORIGINAL E.P.C.O.T - Lake Buena Vista Village

After Walt Disney's death in 1966, the whole "Disney World" and E.P.C.O.T concepts were in a kind of jeopardy and only the Magic Kingdom and Seven Seas Lagoon hotels were developed as planned and very close to Walt Disney's vision about this area. The E.P.C.O.T project however, despite having been
sites.google.com sites.google.com
Click to expand...
The monorail in that layout doesn't go thru SSR; it runs up BVD past SSR. And the Multi Modal Station is above BVD about where the current DS bus depot is located.
 
D

DCBaker

Premium Member
"Brightline has set a potential timetable for the completion of its Walt Disney World Resort connection.

The Miami-based intercity rail provider in its November monthly ridership report said it wants to start revenue service on the connection during the second half of 2023. The company announced in November a joint agreement with Disney that it would develop, build and operate a station at the Disney Springs shopping, dining and entertainment complex at the resort.

A specific location has yet to be revealed for the project, but the timeline is dependent on "right of way acquisition, permitting, final design and engineering," according to the company's report.

"The station at Disney Springs will provide a fast, convenient and enjoyable alternative to driving or flying for the millions of trips made by guests traveling between South Florida and Orlando to visit the Walt Disney World Resort each year," the company wrote. "As part of a future planned extension to Tampa, the station at Disney Springs could also serve the millions of annual visitors to Disney and Orlando originating from the Tampa area."

Brightline expects to fund the Disney connection with a combination of equity, grants, subordinated obligations and up to $200 million of Permitted Additional Senior Indebtedness. The company added that it expects the station to have "significant potential" to increase its ridership, revenue and EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization).

The company first commenced engineering and design work for the proposed Disney station this past February. The company entered a memorandum of understanding with Disney in November 2019.

“We’re excited to work with Brightline as they pursue the potential development of a train station at Walt Disney World Resort, a project that would support our local economy and offer a bold, forward-looking transportation solution for our community and guests,” Jeff Vahle, president of Walt Disney World Resort, said in a prepared statement on the partnership.

Brightline is currently on track to complete its 170-mile, $2.7 billion expansion from West Palm Beach to Orlando International Airport in late 2022. During a November update with the Central Florida Expressway Authority board, company officials said the project was roughly 45% complete at the time.

The Disney station would serve as the fist phase of a proposed Tampa expansion, which would come after the Orlando expansion."

 
LovePop

LovePop

Well-Known Member
Just read some more news talk about the train, so it's still on! Can't wait to take the train to Disney World, that would be so cool! Once I get to Disney Springs, I can uber. Ubering from MCO sounds much harder, plus I don't get to be on a train.
 
T

TransportationGuy

Active Member
At this point, convenience and feasibility from a safety perspective are my biggest question marks. For at least the next several years. JetBlue is expected to be the only airline in terminal C and getting to the intermodal station from there requires some (to be determined) form of transportation. From existing A/B, you have to find your way from your flight, over a sky train to the terminal, get off of that and find the next people mover to get you to the intermodal terminal.

*Presumably Disney could take your bags and do something with them while in the terminal, but that would require going down to the first floor, drop bags, and back to the third to get the peoplemover. Mind you right now, people currently get lost constantly trying to find the 1st floor on B Side.*

Next, you’ve waited for your train and now have to board (maybe with, maybe without luggage)

*The intermodal terminal is publicly accessible meaning any bags coming over would presumably need to be security screened.*

After your scenic tour of Meadow Woods, twenty minutes later you arrive at DS. There you have to disembark on the elevated platform, get your little ones and whatever bags you have with you down to the ground level to pick up your Uber/bus/undisclosed next means of transport. With Disney Traffic and depending on resort or park you’re going to, you then have a 10 (Sarasota/Port Orleans) to 20 (All Stars, MK resorts) to 30 (AK resorts) trip to your hotel.

While a train will definitely be ‘A’ option, I think it’s far from a silver bullet and will be unimaginably inconvenient. Thus, you’re left with all of that, an Uber, a taxi, a rental car, or the Mears Shuttle for anything that’s remotely convenient.
 

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