Train could pass though Disney World

[Mr. Drauer]

So I just learned tonight, although it is not NEW new (first discussed last October that I can see), that Brightline has been talking with SunRail to study sharing the corridor between Disney and somewhere east of MCO (possibly Innovation Way), giving SunRail access to the airport and an East-West corridor. I mention this because SunRail is a commuter system - their railcars have twice the capacity of Brightline. While luggage would still be a problem, the capacity needed could potentially come from SunRail.

This about the Meadow Woods Sunrail station which is a little west of the airport. However, it is not meant to use the SunRail cars to do anything, just shared use of the tracks and station for Brightline. Just last week, FDOT gave Brightline a final notice that they need to get moving on negotiations with all the shared use entities and put a deadline on it or else they will not continue with any discussions to use FDOT ROW. At this time, it still all just a pipe dream to connect OIA to Tampa (and WDW).

 

[doconeill]

For all those who picked the Over on when Brightline might make it to WDW...

The route to Disney from Orlando International Airport would cost $1.03 billion-$2.1 billion, depending on which alignment is selected, and the company hopes to start service on the segment as early as third-quarter 2026. The full Tampa extension could start service by 2028 or 2029...

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando...ne-expects-2022-orlando-route-completion.html

 

[Mr. Drauer]

For all those who picked the Over on when Brightline might make it to WDW...



https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando...ne-expects-2022-orlando-route-completion.html

Yes, I’ve been saying this. These things come across my desk.

 

[chasgeese]

For all those who picked the Over on when Brightline might make it to WDW...



https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando...ne-expects-2022-orlando-route-completion.html

While it’s a good sign that Brightline is back on or even ahead of schedule for its first major expansion, that’s still not making it to WDW, only to MCO. The WDW stop would be part of the expansion to Tampa, which could be delayed depending on how the Miami to MCO expansion does once it’s up and running.

 

[chasgeese]

change your mind? Disney seems to think it’s a replacement.

No. Disney has nothing to do with Brightline. To the extent a Disney Springs stop is being planned that was because it was only slightly off the planned route between Orlando and Tampa which was basically going to track with the I-4. To the extent Disney is involved it’s probably only cooperating on building a station and granting easements to Brightline if the route needs to go through Disney property.

Even if Disney subsidized some extra trains, the Brightline rails are not being set up to provide the sort of frequent shuttle service between WDW and MCO that a DME replacement would need. That would require and entirely separate set of tracks different from the MCO to Tampa route. The Brightline stop at Disney would be targeting FL residents on the line who don’t want to drive to Disney and to the extent they are stopping at MCO that’s more because it’s a logical place to turn towards Tampa and it will probably generate business from people who live on the Brightline route and want to use it as a way to get to the airport.

Long story short, Disney’s decision to get rid of DME has nothing to do with Brightline.

 

[brewcrew]

As someone who lives in Orlando, I wish our local train (SunRail) would extend to MCO (which is planned), Disney, Universal and Seaworld. That would solve the MDE issue and allow locals to get to Disney without driving down i-4