Brightline to Disney cancelled

[tjkraz]

Nah this is 100% about Universal getting a stop. Disney was all in until then.

Publicly, Disney was all-in. But this always struck me as a commitment borne out of supporting the community. As in "you want to bring more mass transit to the area? Yeah sure, we'll help."

Whether Disney was driving the plan 2 years ago or the SR-417 route was the plan presented to them, it made some sense (to Disney) at the time. Now with Universal included, it makes less sense. With more people staying at resorts in the WDW area than Universal, US has much more to gain from a DIS+US rail connection than DIS does.

That combined with the logistical hurdles of moving people from two dozen hotels to this rail system may have been the tipping point. Universal's property is expanding, but still much more compact than WDW with their proposed station right next to Epic Universe. At WDW, the station isn't walkable to any destination and you're bussing people as much as 7-8 miles away to MK and AK area parks & hotels.

Yes withdrawing makes Disney look petulant. But I think practicality played a larger role. I just don't see this catching-on as a form of airport transport.

 

[mmm_texas]

IMO, public transportation/mass transit is always the last choice. Simply too unreliable in terms of time and quality of ride. Here in DC, Metro just announced that people attempting to see the fireworks should assume at least a 60-minute wait to get on a train, unless you need to buy a ticket, then add more. They suggest that you get off at a different stop and walk to avoid crowds. They also recommend that when the fireworks end, you not attempt to go home, but rather wait to let the crowds reduce. Pass.
We'll continue to Uber or rent a car for our Disney trips. It keeps the control in our hands.

To each their own, of course, everyone has different priorities, likes, and dislikes. However, I really like that for me WDW is a place where I don't ever deal with parking lots or traffic. The monorail, boats, skyliner, and (to a lesser extent for sure) the buses are part of the experience. I would probably have given the train a try, as long it didn't increase the hassle factor (say they took care of your luggage, a la the Magical Express), even if it did take a little longer, versus driving or even a ride share. (I do miss the Magical Express.)
[Edit: Fixed a typo.]

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

That combined with the logistical hurdles of moving people from two dozen hotels to this rail system may have been the tipping point.

At WDW, the station isn't walkable to any destination and you're bussing people as much as 7-8 miles away to MK and AK area parks & hotels.

But I think practicality played a larger role.

I don't disagree with your thoughts, they are def. good points but wouldn't you think Disney would have thought about this in the beginning? Why would Disney have been on board with a project like this when they knew these issues would have existed. It isn't as if they didn't know they would have people on buses to their resorts, they know how many resorts they have and how spread out across their property they are.

IMO I think they were for it but in very recent times their priorities have shifted. If the pandemic hadn't happened with how far reaching it has impacted their operations and if they hadn't seen how their competition was gearing up for a large expansion and is now having a benefit with this project to them they may have still kept this on their plate. I'm not quite convinced that it was just looking at the impracticability of it, I think that would have been a large blunder on Disney's part to have not realized that from the beginning if that was their main reason for no longer being interested in it.

 

[The Jackal]

I live 40 minutes from Disney Springs and would have welcomed the train. Parking is such a pain there that I rarely go for shopping or dining there. I would have been much more likely to go if there were a direct train stop.

Also in the Orlando Sentinel yesterday ,Universal pointed out that the train is important for employees who can't afford to live close to the theme parks and pay the gas to drive. Having the Universal stop will ensure that Universal's employees have a reliable way to get to work. Disney would have benefitted from having a stop at Disney Springs with buses that could take cast members to the parks.

Parking at DS is easy peasy, unless you go on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night. 2 parking garages which tell you how many open spots per floor. Every open parking spot has a green light in the row. Then there is a parking lot on the West side. The garages are easy in and easy out.

 

[Mr. Drauer]

Universal is not getting a stop. The only stop is at the Convention Center. Any transport to Universal will have to be by bus or if they somehow build a new sunrail track. There is no access to get to USO across I-4 and they cannot co-locate within I-4 either. Disney was never "in" - rather, they agreed to let Brightline build a station at Springs.

 

[tjkraz]

I don't disagree with your thoughts, they are def. good points but wouldn't you think Disney would have thought about this in the beginning? Why would Disney have been on board with a project like this when they knew these issues would have existed.

If I give Disney a MAJOR benefit of the doubt, when this was announced in December 2020 I think part of their motivation was to be a good community partner in the Central Florida area. And I think that's become a much lower priority in the last 6 months.

With the Reedy Creek situation still unresolved, it's not the ideal time for Disney / RCID to commit to a new long-term infrastructure project. (Though admittedly, we'll never have clarity on the extent of their financial commitment.)

 

[kristenabelle]

Yeah I'm with you. Commuting to work is one thing but vacation should be vacation!

NJ Transit or LIRR? I've paid my dues on the north Jersey coast line over the years!

NJ Transit Main Line! luckily I didn't have to go in today, because the app let me know that a car was stuck in the Hudson Tunnels...again

 

[Jenglish13]

NJ Transit Main Line! luckily I didn't have to go in today, because the app let me know that a car was stuck in the Hudson Tunnels...again

Ha nice, enjoy the WFH day! I eventually took the ferry instead because the cost differential between that and the train and bus kept shrinking. The academy bus was the worst!!

 

[Jenglish13]

The only way this would ever make sense imo would be for Disney to have some sort of concierge service at the airport where they take your luggage and arrange for it to be delivered to your resort like they do for split stays when you switch resorts. You take the leisurely train ride to DS (spend some time and $ there) and take the free bus to your resort when your room is ready. But it's probably simpler and easier to just reinstate DME even if they want to charge for it. My crybaby antics over totwl aside, free DME for blue card would be a smart perk to offer!

 

[Orsino]

I think Disney made the right choice here. As stated clearly in this thread, Brightline was very little about MCO to WDW. Disney had to have known this. My guess is Disney was lukewarm on Brightline as it 'couldn't hurt' and 'could help' with respect to connecting Tampa and Miami to WDW. The positives were modest, but still net positive.

The new plan is bad for Disney. What little benefit there was in connecting Tampa and Miami to the Disney area is far outweighed by the convenience to Disney customers in moving from WDW to Universal. Why would Disney want this?
For us, since we've stopped renting cars, the idea of going to Universal is just inconvenient enough that we don't do it. To be fair, I'm not sure Brightline moves the needle for us, but I can see the potential threat to Disney. If it were very convenient to move between Disney Springs and Universal, I see far more movement of people away from Disney than the reverse.

So why *should* Disney participate? If brightline puts a station near Disney, but not ON Disney property, that will function pretty much the same as it would at Disney Springs while cutting Brightline off from Disney transportation. Disney can get what little benefits there are from Brightline anyway, without putting up their own land and without making things even easier to get to Universal.

 

[zavandor]

The Eurostar train from London to Disneyland Paris has a luggage service at the train station. You can leave your luggage to them and go straight to the park, which is 5 minutes walk from there, they'll bring it to your hotel. Easy and convenient (does it remind you of anything?). It's a paid extra.
Something similar could have been done for the new train connection: leave your luggage, hop on the train, take a bus to a park. I would use a service like that. I'd be very surprised if Universal won't offer anything like this.

 

[BamaGuy44]

This is such a short sighted decision by Disney (Bob Paychek). In all likelihoods them not having a station will impact them more than Universal having one before theirs.

We will now surely go to Universal before Disney in any trip, spend the bulk of our money and energy there and Disney will be the afterthought/add-on.

way to play yourselves Disney.

I know it’s fashionable to assume every decision will be a disaster for them, was an expensive train from MCO to Disney Springs really that appealing?

 

[Matty B13]

The Eurostar train from London to Disneyland Paris has a luggage service at the train station. You can leave your luggage to them and go straight to the park, which is 5 minutes walk from there, they'll bring it to your hotel. Easy and convenient (does it remind you of anything?). It's a paid extra.
Something similar could have been done for the new train connection: leave your luggage, hop on the train, take a bus to a park. I would use a service like that. I'd be very surprised if Universal won't offer anything like this.

Problem is that Disney just got rid of this service from MCO to and from the resorts.

 

[sethschroeder]

IMO, public transportation/mass transit is always the last choice. Simply too unreliable in terms of time and quality of ride. Here in DC, Metro just announced that people attempting to see the fireworks should assume at least a 60-minute wait to get on a train, unless you need to buy a ticket, then add more. They suggest that you get off at a different stop and walk to avoid crowds. They also recommend that when the fireworks end, you not attempt to go home, but rather wait to let the crowds reduce. Pass.
We'll continue to Uber or rent a car for our Disney trips. It keeps the control in our hands.

Eh I don't agree with this and I am not even one that thinks that trains are really an option. We will stick with towncars and zero chance I plan on uber/lyft for personal travel from/to airports.

You are trying to make an example out of the largest transit day of the year in DC as how things normally don't work. I have news for you that you might not even be able to get an uber/lyft during that same time and if you do could take an extra hour trying to get dropped off because of traffic. Will love to see screenshots if you are down there watching fireworks of all the surge pricing.

Heck I remember them in Dallas years ago for events at Jerry's World and how prices would skyrocket.

 

[BeachClub2014]

I miss the old days when there was a car rental service at the Swolphin. We would make a one-day reservation with National and fly into MCO, head straight to the Emerald Aisle, grab a car and go. We then had the car to do the grocery stop, etc. Turn the car in at the Swolphin either later that evening or first thing the next morning. Very easy, and cheap, and it was all accomplished on our timeline. Reverse the process on the last day.

No MDE, no Mears, no town cars, no taxis, etc.

I miss those days!

 

[disEAR]

I know it’s fashionable to assume every decision will be a disaster for them, was an expensive train from MCO to Disney Springs really that appealing?

For many, the answer is yes. Go to any international Disney Park and you have access via rapid transit. It would create access and ease for many travellers, especially those familiar with a rapid transit system.

with this mindset we should just replace the Monorail with more Disney Buses. Lower overhead cost, not as much demand since it only goes to 2/4 parks and 3/20 resorts.

 

[BamaGuy44]

For many, the answer is yes. Go to any international Disney Park and you have access via rapid transit. It would create access and ease for many travellers, especially those familiar with a rapid transit system.

with this mindset we should just replace the Monorail with more Disney Buses. Lower overhead cost, not as much demand since it only goes to 2/4 parks and 3/20 resorts.

This wasn’t going to provide quick or convenient access to the parks or the resorts though. The concept of mass transit is fine, but this specific proposal? Nah.

 

[jade1]

Split on this one.

Would for sure have taken a train from DS to US/Epic and back for the day. The drive and parking can be awful.

But sounds like a mess for DS, which we visit a lot.

 

[jade1]

I also think US should some how try to capitalize on this.

Not sure what they could do about the INT MCO location-that's a hurdle right away.

Then if they can do anything at the Convention Drop or not. At least something to the Epic park and hotel.

But would be nice to have Trams from Epic to the other parks/hotels.

 

[jade1]

We have friends that have only done US.

I would for sure have had them Train to DS for an evening or on an off day.

And maybe even catch a BWV/BC bus and go into EPCOT a day/eve.