Ever wish you could just hop on a train from Orlando International Airport or even from Miami, Florida, and ride right over to Disney World?
Disney Springs
A high-speed rail service is currently being built from South Florida to Orlando International Airport. Last year, there was some talk about Disney World potentially getting a direct train from the Orlando airport, and now a deal has been reached that will make that a reality!
According to a press release issued by Disney today, Brightline and Disney have reached a deal on building a near-high-speed rail station at Disney Springs! In its press release, Disney also confirmed that “Brightline’s expansion from West Palm Beach to OIA is on track to be completed in 2022.” Disney’s agreement with Brightline is conditioned, however, on “Brightline’s satisfaction of certain obligations including obtaining all necessary government approvals.“
Virgin Trains
The design concept for the proposed station at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World includes a lobby on the ground level, passenger facilities and an upper-level train platform. The proposed location would be in close proximity to Walt Disney World Resort’s four theme parks, two water parks, and more than 25 hotels.
©Brightline
Patrick Goddard, Brightline’s Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement to Spectrum News Monday, “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 a part of their vacation plans…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.”
©Brightline
Brightline is targeting to have the train from South Florida to Central Florida completed by 2022. This rail link will be anchored by a station at the new Terminal C in Orlando International Airport. Once that line is complete, Brightline will offer near-high-speed rail service from Orlando International Airport (OIA) all the way down to Miami, Florida, with a few stops in between including West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and other cities.
©Brightline
Brightline is also working on a route that will run from Orlando to Tampa. According to the Brightline website, the Disney Springs station would serve as a stop on this expansion route.
©Brightline
This new rail line will ideally provide incredibly convenient transportation for millions of guests straight into Disney Springs. Jeff Vahle, president of Walt Disney World Resort, said “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”
Disney Springs
In addition to the work in Orlando, Brightline West, a Brightline affiliated company, is working on a train line that will connect the 260 miles between Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
©Brightline
Wondering what the Brightline train experience will be like? According to the Company’s website, they will be the first fully ADA-accessible train in the country with easy access from their stations to their trains. The seats on the train will be large, hand-stitched leather seats, which recline for comfort, and are located alongside full windows. There will reportedly be two ways to ride — Smart and Select. Smart is a business-class option with a variety of food and beverage options available for purchase. Select is a first-class experience with all-inclusive amenities.
©Brightline
Some items will be available for both classes — like complimentary onboard Wi-Fi and power & USB outlets at each seat, while other features are only available for Select passengers, or are included in Select passengers’ fare, while only available for an additional cost for Smart passengers.
©Brightline
Brightline’s website also indicates that their trains will be pet friendly and will have space for bike and carry-on storage. Brightline will also provide guests with the ability to check their luggage before they board. There will be drinks and beverages on board, and state-of-the-art restrooms with an “innovative hands-free experience.”
©Brightline
In terms of your experience at the Brightline stations, the website notes that you’ll be able to book rides online and within the Brightline app, there will be smart turnstiles, Wi-Fi available, and a “variety of provisions to complement your travels.”
©Brightline
We’ll continue to keep an eye out for more information regarding this train station at Disney Springs and exactly where it would be placed, when construction would begin, and other updates. Stay tuned for all the latest.
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What do you think about this? Would you use the Brightline train to travel to Disney World or elsewhere in Florida? Let us know in the comments!
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An incredibly complex concern for all. Moving guests and luggage in an out of Disney Springs from the 20 or so Disney resorts plus the local community will be a Herculean task. I question if it will be too much for DS to absorb, and then there is the question of where. DS is already wedged in between I-4 and the Sassagoula lake…
While this is a welcome announcement and great news for Disney it is rather sad that the US is 30+ years behind the rest of the developed world with respect to mass transportation. Just another failure of government and our pathetic elected officials.
What about getting from Disney Springs to your actual resort? You’d still have to take other transportation unless you’re actually staying at Disney Springs.
Your luggage gets delivered to your room and families can go straight to Disney Springs for shopping! Sounds amazing!
This is great news. I’ve been thinking that this is what will happen as soon as I saw the construction of the train station at Orlando Int’l.
Any news/thoughts on where exactly in Disney Springs the station will be located?
Any news yet how this will impact Magical Express operated by Mears? Could we see travellers reaching Orlando International Airport to have to use new high speed train and transfer at Disney Springs to standard bus service (and handle their luggage themselves as well as compete with other guests for space)?
Very disappointing news.
Virgin/Richard Branson already pulled out.
The route structure instead follows the beach thru some beautiful coastal towns adding unprotected dangerous crossings with 32 daily trains reaching speeds of up to 100MPH. This route is an existing old freight line designed for trains moving at a maximum of 60 MPH.
The route structure is a hap-hazard approach in that it detours to the Cocoa Beach area and then makes a turn Westbound towards Orlando. That defeats the purpose of a so-called high-speed concept by adding another 33 minutes to the route. Ideally, the tracks should have followed The Florida Turnpike to MCO.
Ridership will never be justified with 32 movements a day. The State Of Florida (Florida taxpayers) will have to subsidize these near-empty train sets until the system fails and freight traffic takes over which is indeed the real goal anyhow.
Any word if this will supplement or replace DME bus service?? Any idea on cost? So very thrilled to hear this!!!
Fantastic. Elevated like up North? Extend it to the First Coast area please>
Nancy, I don’t believe we have information about cost, but as far as I know, this would not supplant DME.
ES, not that I’ve heard.
Please make it that every train stops at the station otherwise you will get suicides at disney and that you don’t want. If all trains stop then the drivers can stop but at over 100mph they cannot
I think it will b good if guests have the option to choose either the train or the bus transfer.
Worked at Disney back in 1989 when they wanted this – shot down then. Lots of pushback from the Taxi and bus services and you are taking their livelihood away. I’ll believe it when I see it. Been 30+ years and seen nothing. Florida already shot down high speed rail MANY times because of the taxes they would have to pay, whether they rode it or not.
Magical Express is the very best way to get to WDW from the airport. I hope this new train will not take over the absolute convenience of Magical Express. It would be very inconvenient to have to get another bus or taxi or ride from the Springs to your resort .
I prefer the door to door service to the resorts and back, plus not schlepping my luggage through the terminals and being able to check bags in at the resort are things I will miss.
Some interesting comments, but as previously mentioned, the logistics of moving guests and luggage off the plane, to terminal C at OIA, then on the train with as many as 3 stops to Disney Springs, then transfer to bussing to the specific resort will make this journey a long and tiring experience. The Magical Express is FREE and the convenience of airport to resort is hard to beat. I do not think this will provide the convenience and time savings to the guest that is presented. I prefer to drop my bags at my departure city and pick them up in my room when I am already at my resort at the pool vs. waiting in line at Disney Springs for the next leg of a long journey. I still do not see we’re it would station at Disney Springs. The only in-occupied property is between there and Old Key West, and you still have to get over I-4 to get to Disney. A long walk 9f you plan on shopping in the middle of the day when you could be sipping a cool beverage at the pool.. Oh well, one can only hope that the mistake of the small plane airport that was located next to the Monorail line between the transportation Center and Epcot. That only lasted 2 years when it opened back in 71’