Brightline train service to Walt Disney World via station at Disney Springs appears to be cancelled

Jun 28, 2022 in "Disney Springs"

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Brightline Disney Springs route

Posted: Tuesday June 28, 2022 10:26am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Brightline's rail service to Disney Springs at Walt Disney World appears to be cancelled as a result of changes to the track routing.

Disney spokesperson Avery Maehrer told Orlando Business Journal, "As many people who are involved in this project are aware, the new route configuration does not support a Disney Springs station and as a result, we don’t anticipate being part of this project."

The cancellation of the project should come as no surprise, as rail service to Walt Disney World has been discussed for decades and plans never come to fruition.

Brightline and Walt Disney World Resort announced in late 2020 that they had entered into an agreement to bring Brightline train service to Disney Springs.

Disney Springs overview

The service was to link Walt Disney World and Brightline stations at Orlando International Airport, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.

Brightline Disney Springs route

The design concept for the proposed station at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort included a lobby on the ground level, passenger facilities and an upper level train platform.

At the time of the original announcement, 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.”

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tommyhawkinsJul 04, 2022

What I was referring to in the first place: "IMO For FHSR, Universal's objective was more to killed the project completely. For the Brightline Project, Universals was willing to be the first theme park stop for the inbound traffic from S Florida." The point has always to bring a Trainline to the 528, businesses don't spend money on sabotaging competitors, it was a republican governor who killed the project both times before.

lazyboy97oJul 04, 2022

People were just discussing the Pacific Surfliner which stops at Union Station in Los Angeles.

DisoneJul 04, 2022

You're extremely hostile and it's not necessary. I made the statement that Brightline prefers to 417 route to the 528 route and you countered that that was patently false. Clearly it is not. That's all we're talking about. Here. Was my statement about bright line. That absolutely was true. I deleted the rest of my statement because honestly, you're just too hostile. I know you're going to fire back with some blah blah blah blah blah and how it is that you have superior knowledge of something that nobody else does. Nobody has time for that. Edit BTW:. The majority your statement I take not issue with, However, I still stand by my statements as well. But the statemebt that it's patently false: That bright line originally strongly preferred the 417 route and that Disney is not interested in having a train stop at Universal on the way to their property, those are not patently false and those were my points. You've brought up many other points and I have no qualms about. Maybe next time take the personal attacks out of it. I tried to make it light with a 🤪 but obviously you're not able to keep that. Dictionary.com? Really dude. Get over yourself.

tommyhawkinsJul 04, 2022

You could try dictionary.com for that "patent number" And I don't need to be BrightlineSplained, I've been covering this project for a long time now. Some of the info I have put out has been quoted in this thread. VHB represent the Idrive Chamber of Commerce of which UOR, SEAWORLD all the major hotel chains and DISNEY. The current situation falls down to Disney not wanting to spend money on finding a new location for the Station or having land that supports where the station would need to go. This notion they would try to kill the project out of spite is very silly, and the previous iteration was killed by another governor not Uni. I have covered why the former alignment going into springs would have never worked either way. No intercity trains do three point turns like Disney wanted. It's an incredibly complicated project and not a single news outlet I've seen have thus far managed to get a handle on explaining it's complexity similar angsty Disney Bloggers reporting with authority are bringing their own agendas and leaving out massive chunks of info. The odd conspiracy theories are entirely unhelpful

DisoneJul 04, 2022

VHB? Also, could you please share with me the patent number? 🤪 https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2021/08/25/businesses-want-to-bring-brightline-to-i-drive Brightline President stating that both Routes have merit but the 417 route is the preferred route because it is the cheaper route. Mayor Buddy Dyer saying that in order to get the 528 route, private businesses would have to foot the extra cost that brightline would incur. https://www.orlandosrightrail.com/ Right rail was the opposition to Brightline, trying to persuade Brightline to change from 417 to 528 and as of November of 2021, less than a year ago, they were still focused on that. The breakthrough deal was announced earlier this year. I don't know who VHB is, I looked VHB up and I see they have some involvement but they are not bright line.

tommyhawkinsJul 03, 2022

This is patently false. VHB were lobbying for the SR528. Perhaps you need to look up who they were representing, it might surprise you

AylaJul 03, 2022

Oh my gosh, I would love it if trains took the place of buses at WDW. I know it is completely impractical, but think of the possibilities!

TP2000Jul 03, 2022

It hasn't changed, it's exactly like flying on US airlines. If you purchase an Amtrak ticket from an agent, you must show valid government ID. If you purchase a ticket onboard from the conductor, you must show him valid government ID (or a passport for foreigners) before he will sell you a ticket. Amtrak has required valid government ID to buy a train ticket for 20 years now. It changed around '02 as part of the post 9/11 laws. You must show a valid government ID (driver's license or State issued ID card or DOD military ID card), but foreigners must show a valid passport in lieu of US government issued ID. I just checked their website, and it looks like Brightline doesn't have an ID requirement. Probably because they are intra-state only, and may be classified as a "local" commuter service?

TrainsOfDisneyJul 03, 2022

Amtrak requires ID to purchase tickets. So you would need a valid ID, not necessarily a passport.

RobbiemJul 03, 2022

I’m not sure now but when I visited California in 2004 as an ’alien’ I needed a passport to buy a ticket from Anaheim to Union station. I’ve never had to do that anywhere else in the world

SaucyBoyJul 03, 2022

Looking at the route map, most of it looks to be just inland from the coast. So while there likely isn't an ocean view, there will probably be a view of some rivers, swamps, and occasional grassland prairies. Most people find the prairies dull and bland but, while they're not Pacific Coast, I think they're a lovely part of Florida's ecosystem.

TP2000Jul 02, 2022

If you eat lunch late on the Coast Starlight it takes you up through Vandenberg Space Force Base, and you can often see rockets sitting on launch pads on the "non-ocean" side of the train, which are truly fun to see. The dining car waiters often point them out to everyone to great fanfare, which I thought was sweet, and then I realized they are probably just hustling for tips from their customers who were grumpy they got seated at the non-ocean view windows. Smart move from the dining car staff! 🤣 I do wonder what the views are like from Brightline? Since Florida is so... um... lacking in vertical height, I imagine the tracks would need to be right along the coast to see the Atlantic. Are there any stretches of Brightline's route that gives folks a view of the ocean?

TP2000Jul 02, 2022

They try. 🤣 Luckily, the windows are big and the seats are spacious, so even the folks along the cliffside can see out to the ocean pretty well. But I once gave up my oceanside seating row to a lovely couple visiting from Japan, and used my Dorky American Tourist version of Japanese to insist they change with me so they got the full Surfliner view experience. They acted as if I had just given them my seat on the last lifeboat from the Titanic. 😍 🇺🇸 🇯🇵

TrainsOfDisneyJul 02, 2022

The “coast” side window seats usually fill up first but there are some neat Mountain and city views on the opposite side as well. I was once bummed to get a “non-ocean” side at lunch on the coast starlight and was rewarded with one of the most beautiful rainbows I’ve ever seen.