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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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’
My understanding is that Disney has removed their equipment to handle luggage directly at the airport. Either that or they have discontinued their use of the equipment for purposes of providing a passenger touch free experience from the time they land until they are in their room. Is that the case? I have been told that from now on guests will have to claim their own baggage upon arrival and bring it to the buses. If that is the case, this is going to be a huge inconvenience. This was one of the best and often underestimated conveniences of the Disney experience. You’ll soon see that people will be very disappointed if it doesn’t return. Is there truth to this???
Congratulations Disney, you just made Walt roll over in his grave. You have just come up with another way to nickel and dime incoming customers. I thought Disney was about the experience, the ability for a care free relaxing vacation. Your turning into just what Walt didn’t want. Keep up the good work, I’m sure that you can come up with some more good ideas like guest having to clean and maintain their own rooms, have guest work in the recycling areas for fast passes, or raising the ticket prices and cutting more of the hours. Who in the hell wants to stand around and wait for a train on vacation!!!
This is bad for WDW guests. Instead of making one transfer to a direct connect bus at the airport, we will have to make two connections, first at the airport train station than again from train to a bus at Disney Springs. This will take much longer and It certainly will not be free as the Magical Express has been. More Disney magic will be disappearing.
As I get older my luggage being taken right to my room from the plane is great. I understand the virus and all, but they know if Disney’s equipment is out of the airport good buy. How do I know if an uber or taxi is safe or the real deal. Sorry to see it go this service go. I haven’t been to Disney World in a long time, was hoping to go in a few years. I went to Disneyland and missed the service, we paid for a bus and it took awhile to get there. Now we know why Disney started charging for parking more people are renting cars maybe. We drive a few times I decide to fly because the ride was over a day to get there. I will miss the service and help with the luggage.
and just 3 months later Mears and Disney Call an End to Disney’s Magical Express
Having your luggage taken to the bus and dropped off in your room (and then taken from your resort to the plane for the return trip) was the greatest perk of staying at a Disney Resort. The older you get the more difficult it becomes to schlep luggage. I would have been willing to pay for the service. this is a great disservice to Disney guests. It will probably prevent us from returning to WDW. Do they even still print Boarding Passes for your return trip?
No Minnie Van service. Uber is questionable. If you rent a car you have to pay for parking now. It’s just a greed thing. Very disappointed in Disney (never thought I’d have to say that).
I go to Disney world every year in January! I have read all the comments and fully agree, the magic Express going away is the saddest Disney experience to leave. Second would be no extra magic hours? Another sad disappointing elimination. Parking charges, and to get into the park 30 minutes earlier, really? That’s the best you can do? Seems I’ll be looking for a new vacation spot.
The magical days of Disney, I’m afraid are over 🙁
The “magic” is gone.
I like to give the benefit of the doubt and see how it goes. There are a lot of moving parts to this, planning and timing issues not to mention the luggage issue. The magical express was fabulous and yes I paid for it in the choice to stay on property. I am sorry to see the luggage service go and for someone who travels by plane to get to Disney the added inconvenience of train to Springs to what must be the internal buses. Thank heavens they take your luggage! but who is in charge of it? Disney or the train subcontractor? Also they is the extra time you need at the airport without direct luggage check in. WOW. I hope the company that ran the magic express offers a service option for those that op out of the train and that would include drop off at the resorts! I work fir a bus company in MA I get it but and for locals it seems a viable option. But Disney’s planning should consider those traveling to Florida. Transportation planning is generally available for specific purposes and areas. This will take some time and pains to work out. They need to spread the magic around with more options.
The train doesn’t help any one to get to there resorts. If you are going to Miami take the train . There are a lot of older vacationers that is so use to the Magic Express . That is an great deal how can Disney just walk away from this contract with Mears . Does anyone know about a bus to the cruise port for the Disney Cruise Line . Not going to be you have to get your own transportation more money to spend . People are not happy Disney will find out when people will not go any more .
I prefer to get off the plane get my luggage and get a bus or taxi right to my resort This train stuff sounds like to much