Monorail extension setback ... Bullet Train Announced!

[DrTomorrow]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
Third, if I were Alamo/National I would try to get a rental agency set up right at the WDW train station. People may love the convienance and the price for the rental would be lower because there would be no airport fees. While the airport location may lose some biz, the train station local may more then make up for it.

Yep - sound idea.

Here's the scenario: moving walkway from MCO baggage claim to rail station, porters to help you on- & off-load luggage and an Emerald Aisle right at TTC2.

Sign me up!

 

[DisneyKidds]

Thanks for the thoughts beatty. We're doing 1 day Paris and 2 DLP. We'll be going into Paris from DLP, so we'll get to ride the train for that. The question then becomes how to get from the airport to our DLP hotel. The shuttle has an easy pickup at each terminal and drops you right at your hotel. The ride is about 45 minutes...................versus the high speed train that takes 15. Getting our luggage from our terminal to the train becomes the challenge. Is that ordeal worth saving 30 minutes on the ride? Then you have to worry about schedules and tickets............

I may take you up and PM you with some questions as our trip gets closer. Maybe you could shoot me a PM and let me know what your kids enjoyed in Paris.

 

[RobDoc]

I wonder if the bullet train will make a 30 minute grocery stop on the way?

 

[Scott H]

Maybe they will put a Publix grocery car on the train so you can do your shopping en route.

 

[DVCtinkerbell]

Yikes!

Get through one airport, the flight itself, another airport, shuttle here, shuttle there, bus there,....all with luggage and 3 kids...room not ready yet...

I'm ready for a vacation from the vacation!

 

[lenshanem]

DisneyKidds,
We took a DLP bus from the airport. It was very nice, but this was back in 1995.
We then took the train into Paris for the second part of our honeymoon.

Keep in mind you really have to be prepared.

My husband claimed he knew enough French from classes he took in high school and college. I was really depending on him cause I took Spanish. As soon as we got off that plane it was like he forgot everything he ever learned!
You will get very little help from anyone. One time someone even gave us wrong directions! As I recall the only time soemone was helpful to us was an elderly lady who saw us looking lost.
We only had one carry on a piece, I would think adding kids and more luggage into the mix would make taking the train even harder.
My advice is to decide on your best option before getting there.
Good luck and have fun!

 

[ccotis]

I 've been aware of the High Speed Rail discussion but was not aware of any monorail expansion. Does anyone have any more details? I did hear a rumor about the monorail being extended to SSR.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I can see us doing this for a quick couple only trip, but we usually rent a car to keep costs down and to have transportation to our favorit resort restaurants. Also handy for groceries. We will probably still rent the car, but we might consider renting the car for less days and picking it up at the WDW rental car place.

 

[jmminarik]

There are no such things as bullet trains in the United States of America. Acela comes close but that won't get me to the Mouse.

Since we tend to drive to WDW, and would rent a car anyway, a rail line is not something we'd use even considering I am a rail fan. Especially if it's $25/person. If we flew and the ticket price was $5.00 one way it might be an option, but we'd still lean toward a car.

We flew into Heathrow back in '99 and then took the tube into Victoria station. Fortunately we travel light so luggage isn't an issue and our hotel was across from the station so it was only the language barrier we had to overcome. 4 years of English in High School didn't help much.

I do think WDW needs to consider a better system than busses. Light rail (i.e. rail tolleys by Philadelphia standards) would work but I'm still not sure building new monorail lines and new monorails wouldn't be cheaper in the long run than continuing to run buses and burn diesel.

-joe

 

[MelissathePooh]

By passing the Convention Center was a result of Disney threatening to provide courtesy transportation to WDW from the airport as part of all bookings. without

Yes, exactly. And the way I understand it - and I could be very wrong of course - wdw virtually promised them 2.5 million travelers. It sounds to me like free transportation from the airport is going to become a part of wdw packages. And by "free" I mean hidden in the cost, of course. Remember the rumors of the plan to have a check in at the airport, where they would take your bags there, and let you head directly to the parks, only to return to your room later and find your bags ready? Why do you think they were taking those surveys about checking in at the airport and heading straight to the parks? - how do you think they were going to get you to wdw? On mears? No, those surveys were to gauge interest before they committed to this. Don't worry about getting your luggage on the train and then getting on the bus at the station. They move your luggage for you if you change resorts, they will move it for you from the airport. Seems like that is part of the plan, if you ask me. All that will be rolled in to the cost of the package, invisible to the guest. What is going to be interesting is how will it impact us, the dvc owners? Pay as you go? I'm sure that car renters will vote against including any extra transportation costs in dues, or including the cost of the luggage transfer in the dues. Heck, we won't even pay for maid service It will be interesting to see how this impacts transportation at the world - I don't know if this would set back a monorail extension or move it forward, honestly.

 

[msdis]

Melissa-Very good speculation and I think you are quite accurate. I think DVC and others who do a-la-carte will still do it the way they have been, and pay the train fee if they choose. This option will be no different than the way packages are done now, just with another option. You can do a package now with transfers(Mears) or rental car(Alamo) or without(someone picks you up, town car service or other). I do however think that unless they make it painless as everyone has said, most of us will not opt for an option that creates more pain. They need to do something about Florida's traffic though not just for travelers but esp. for those who live there. We drove this summer and were 3 hours (2-5pm) getting from entering about the beginning of Orlando on I-4 to Hotel Plaza Blvd . Is this train going to help out the locals or is it mainly intended for tourists? Either way it has to be better.

 

[timC]

If this comes to fruition, I expect that we won't see monorail expansion, but may see light rail type of transport within WDW.

Help me out here, Doc. What would an LRT be for? Wouldn't it make more sense to simply move passengers from the train, directly onto a bus/shuttle that takes them to their resort? Wouldn't another train be way overkill?

An LRT to ???? The TTC? How is that going to make the trip easier?

 

[anniet]

I'm wondering if Disney did this to attract the convention business AWAY from the Center and back onto their property?

Does anyone know if Disney's convention business was hurt when the center opened?

 

[RobDoc]

Originally posted by timC
Help me out here, Doc. What would an LRT be for? Wouldn't it make more sense to simply move passengers from the train, directly onto a bus/shuttle that takes them to their resort? Wouldn't another train be way overkill?

An LRT to ???? The TTC? How is that going to make the trip easier?

LRT has been one of the onsite mass transit options considered by Disney(along with monorail expansion). If Disney is providing 50 acres for an onsite station, it might make sense to include other transit options for transportation to the WDW resorts- a new hub like TTC is now for buses.

They have been exploring non-bus means to move guests onsite for some time now and this could be an option. The only reason I even mentioned this on the DVC Forum is because of recent discussion here about monorail right-of-way at SSR.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

There is always such a buzz about the monorail resorts, I think a Light rail option connecting some of the DVC resorts to the parks would be great, and add to the value of DVC. I know I've seen some of the expense comparisons, but I still have trouble understanding why monorail is so expensive. The monorail track would seem cheaper than roadway. How about a lisht rail connecting MGM, Crescent lake resorts and the Epcot monorail, as well as a loop inclusinve of AKL and one connecting WL and SSR.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by InstImpres
Something tells me Mears isn't thrilled with this possibility.

I wonder if it will be less expensive that Mears. Let's hope!!!

 

[spiceycat]

is this going to be close to the WWS?

 

[DrTomorrow]

Originally posted by spiceycat
is this going to be close to the WWS?

I too am interested in the location. Do we know where this 50 acre 'donation' is located?

 

[RobDoc]

Yes, the area bounded by I-4, US 192 and Osceola Parkway is behind the WWOS area. It would be a simple shot to the EPCOT area resorts, MGM studios and DD area- especially by LRT.

 

[spiceycat]

okay this may just be my strange mind - but does anyone think that is way to get back at Fairfield - you know give the property close to it to this bullet train - because they will be kinda close to WWoS too.... (of course so will be Pop Century - so I guess I lose that argument)

I guess that rules out a DVC resort close to WWoS,too - right?