Florida’s exciting rail development, Brightline, cancelled its plans for a stop at Disney Springs; Universal would be an ideal replacement.
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Florida’s Brightline Train
The Brightline high-speed train has designs on connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Orlando, and Tampa. The current completed track has train stations throughout South Florida with the passenger rail line running from Miami to West Palm Beach with stops along the way.
Connecting Miami and Orlando has long been a dream, not just for the tourism industry, but for travelers too who might be more inclined to visit both cities during a trip to the region. Original plans called for a stop at both Disney Springs and Orlando International Airport reducing the need for a rental car.
Disney Plans Cancelled
A spokesperson for Disney confirmed that Disney and Brightline severed ties. The “Sunshine Corridor” would run from Orlando International Airport to the Convention Center (a potential stand-in for Universal Studios’ current operation, and Sea World) before carrying on to Tampa.
The planned Disney Springs stop was cancelled over the route the train would take. An alternative has been mentioned that would reside off Disney-owned property but still serve Disney Springs. Few details are available at this time with regard to the alternatives.
Universal’s Epic Opportunity
Universal Studios is opening its “third gate”, a park whose real estate matches all of its current hotels, water park, and two theme parks (Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure) combined. The new Universal Orlando park, Epic, is slated to open in 2025 and is currently under construction. Universal is expanding roadways that connect its fairly concise property alignment with this new development, a few miles away.
For Brightline, a stop at Disney World or with a reasonable connection is a great marketing addition to the line. It makes almost any international traveler to Florida, and most domestic flyers, available customers for the train line. However, by adding the convention center and Sea World as well as Universal to the mix, Brightline likely has an easier path to growth and fewer hurdles with Disney who jealousy guards its brand.
Universal is going to be at the forefront of American tourism in a way that it hasn’t been since it opened the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Supporting Brightline opens up more visitors looking for a seamless experience to their Florida itinerary and will grow Universal at a moment when the brand is ready for expansion.
I, and presumably other visitors, could treat Florida airports as co-terminals. A flight into Orlando may be the most convenient, but if there is significant cost-savings or better availability, I may choose to fly into Fort Lauderdale for a Universal trip and just take the Brightline north.
Conclusion
Disney might have had any number of reasons to depart the partnership with Brightline. It’s not been clear whether Brightline added the “convention center” stops and Disney didn’t want to compete, or if the partnership with Disney dissolved, and the new stops were added. Regardless, it’s bound to be a big win for Universal.
What do you think? Is this Disney’s loss, Universal’s win, or neither?
Go BRIGHTLINE !
Brightline is a great idea for travel throughout the state.
As to Universal vs Disney stops, Universal is a win and I believe Disney will regret not making a stop possible.
The issue had to do as I understand it with the route the train would take originally bypassed the I-4 tourist corridor and lots of businesses in the area were upset about that.
Instead the route will along the 528 and Taft Vineland rd stopping at the convention center before turning towards Tampa.
It is my understanding that there is going to be an off property Disney Springs stop, maybe connected by Sun Rail or bus, I am unclear on that.
Yes why not connect Daytona beach to keep traffic lower ? Help tourists and airports with that relief – also is the cost low enough to be interesting ?
It’s because DeSantis put a stop to it
Has nothing to with DeSantis. Stay in NY/NJ/PA …..or whatever liberal dump you exist in.
Attack another person – the calling card of the maga hate group members
ULTRA maga…..get it right.
Marc, every liar must be challenged and attacked. There is no evidence whatsoever to support this statement. Do you approve of lying and deceit? If this is hate speech, fine. I for one hate liars.
Amen & Ditto! Liberals always blame Conservatives for everything!! I guess that they have to have a scapegoat for all their pathetically wrong actions!
Wokeness
And where is your evidence to support your statement? It doesn’t exist. Small petty liars like yourself are constantly exposed but shame has no effect upon you. Is this hate? Hardly. It’s OK to hate a liar, a cheat and a fraud.
You attack our Gov. with lies and then get upset when someone bites back? Yikes.
Liberals are notorious for only wanting their voices and opinions to be heard!
We need a stop in Cocoa, it makes a turn there anyway, and you have Port Canaveral as well as the Cape.
It’s hard to envision that separating Disney and the train is a good idea for either party– the train needs riders, and there has to be an upside for Disney being on the train line too.
I’m not sure that I buy into the whole idea of the train making Miami and Orlando “co-terminals” though. The train from Miami to Orlando will take 3 hours is my understanding. And it’s not like you can always step off the plane and immediately onto a train that is ready to depart. Meanwhile the difference in flight time for a flight going to MIA vs MCO is generally 20-30 minutes.
Orlando already has nonstop air service from the vast majority of meaningful markets in the US– much of it covered by low cost carriers. Adding in one-stop flights covers even more territory. A one-stop flight will likely be just as fast if not faster than the a flight plus train service. The train will have a role in the future I believe, but I’m not so sure how much it will open flight competition to MIA, FLL, and PBI for the orlando vacation market.
But how much time do you spend in the airport pre and post flight waiting for the actual 30 minute flight?
Public transport in Florida is already abysmal. They just don’t know how to “ do” public transportation . I’m anticipating a wretched mess. I’ll take my chances coping with the worst drivers in America, Floridians.
Since there’s not many native Floridians, the worst drivers are coming from somewhere else
Projected running time from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando is around 2.5 hours, which works if the train stops at FL airport. But it doesn’t, does it??
It doesn’t. It stops closer to downtown, near the Museum of Discovery and Science. I remember seeing a long-term plan for FLL which included a new intra-transit station at the east end of the property. I believe that also included a people-mover that would connect all terminals and possibly Port Everglades. Might be just a dream now, but it sure would be convenient.
I think itbis is disneys big lose..and universals big win…disney has made some stupid business blunders the past year….they should consentrate more in their core business then in politics….
Awesome!! Can’t wait for it to open and sweet!! Heart to hear Universal has replaced Disney Springs. But at the same time I am bummed because Disney spring he’s also a pretty cool place. That will be Disney’s downfall once Stacy Universal revenues jacking up just saying. Can’t wait until it opens
https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2022/06/01/brightline-buys-12-5-million-property-cocoa-but-no-plans-confirmed-train-station-brevard-county/9958772002/
“Brightline picked up the 33-acre piece of land near the U.S. 1 and State Road 528 interchange in April of 2021 with no fanfare or public announcement. The land sits just near the curve where tracks will bend from north-south to east-west, a location where the train is expected to slow down already.”
Someday north to Daytona St Augustine Jacksonville, but just a dream for now.
Definitely Disney loss I don’t knoe why bc I lot of people will be traveling that way give them more profits, well I can go from universal to disney is not to far
Go Universal! The Mouse just doesn’t have enough cool and exciting rides or adventures for older teens or adults! I see such possibilities with this train! Stop at Universal, then possibily to Tampa Busch Gardens or on to South Beach! As a Alabamaian now living in Portland it would be a cool way to hit up Florida again! Disney thinks they are too big too fail and so many ways WE have made them that way! They own so much and control so much TV and streaming content our family absorbs! We let Disney raise our children and they think they run the state of Florida! Look at their influence in political sector and law making decisions! I love to see Universal steam roll them in at least one aspect, theme parks!!
Disney sure has failed a lot this year. They seem to be picking fights with everyone.
Battle is the Great Redeemer. It is the fiery crucible in which true heroes are forged. The one place where all men truly share the same rank, regardless of what kind of parasitic scum they were going in.
There’s no way to connect train tracks, into Disney Springs. Not without crossing over I-4, or S.R. 535, or S.R. 536. It’s too crowded with major car traffic, as it is.
If Universal Studios, and Convention Center , and International Drive, wants the Brightline Station, so badly, then let them have it. Disney World will be just fine, without it, directly on their property.
Brightline station for Fort Lauderdale is not very convenient to the airport. So technically feasible to fly into Orlando and out of Fort Lauderdale, which may well have a lower fare due to spirit effect, the train to terminal transfer can easily be 45+ minutes due to location and transfer schedule. Like most US trains, service works better for connecting downtown areas of cities than for airport transfers. Only decent non-commuter transfers to airport I’m aware of are BWI and EWR (sort of).
As soon as Brightline gets back to full operation, they are going to restore the express shuttle between FtLauderdale Airport and the Brightline station. This shouldn’t be a problem in the future.
There will be a stop at Disney, it just won’t be on their property. Settle down everyone. It will be at what is now a vacant lot near Vineland-Apopka Road in Kissimmee. Much a do about nothing.
It would have been good for Disney not to bell out on bright line. But what happened was Disney wanted bright line it was already set and done until the city of Orlando was like wait we can make more with sunrail and bright line to go to the convention center then on top of that epic universe will be right across the street from the convention center more money for Universal and SeaWorld. Then the train would go to Disney good idea. But when Disney heard about it they backed out because Disney is always talking about they want to be number one. But Disney thinks that they own all of Orlando and Kissimmee because they was the first theme park here. But at the same time since the pandemic Universal has been taking over because they had the new roller coaster open up then on top of that epic universe is coming new attractions is coming to Universal and now partner or bright line will make it better for Universal to become number one so that means more money for Universal and jobs at Universal. But in my eyes Universal will always be number one.
Why can the rail line stop at both parks?
I will be visiting universal next year, i hope the train is running by then.