MIAMI, FL/USA – JULY 14, 2018: Brightline is a high-speed train service between West Palm Beach, Florida and Miami. This is the West Palm Beach, station. Courtesy: Shutterstock – Photo By Thomas Barrat
On Monday, Miami-based high-speed rail service Brightline and Walt Disney World Resort announced initial agreement plans to construct a train station at the popular shopping, entertainment, and dining complex at Disney Springs in Lake Buena Vista.
If you’re from the South Florida area and have ever taken the drive to Disney, you know that the trip can take anywhere between 3-5 hours depending on the speed, route, location, time of day, and traffic pattern. So residents who don’t like driving long distances could soon be able to hop on a train and take it directly to the resort stop.
“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 Resort part of their vacation plans,” said Brightline President Patrick Goddard in a company release. “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.”
Currently, the rail company has three operating stations throughout the state, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. It has projects currently underway at the South Terminal at the Orlando International Airport (MCO), Aventura, Boca Raton, and PortMiami.
The train reaches speeds up to 125mph and would get travelers from Miami to Orlando in roughly 3 hours and 15 minutes, according to an email from the company to the Miami Herald.
So is it really worth taking the train if you could technically get to Disney faster by car? Well, it depends on how much you value comfort and the added level of stress of driving.
The Disney Springs construction would take anywhere between two to three years after a final design is reached between the rail company and Walt Disney World Resort; a decision is expected within the coming months.
Brightline’s extension into the Disney World Resort property would grant visitors almost immediate access to its two water parks, four theme parks, and over 25 resort hotels. From there, visitors without a car staying at a Disney resort property may board Walt Disney World’s Bus Service to shuttle them between the station, hotel, and parks.
“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,” said Jeff Vahle, president of Walt Disney World Resort.
An update on Brightline’s expanded rail service from West Palm Beach to MCO was also provided and is expected to be completed in 2022.
The Florida company hopes to continue expanding across the country and has plans on the West Coast to connect Los Angeles and Las Vegas, a similar distance from Miami to Orlando.
Last week Disney increased the capacity limits at its parks to 35 percent, a 10 percent increase from the reopening figures earlier during the pandemic.
Are you interested in Florida travel? For stories like this and much more: Florida Insider is dedicated to educating, entertaining, and informing its readers about everything Florida. Easy to read content at the palm of your hands and covering the stories that matter.
William is the Managing Editor at FloridaInsider.com. His years of experience in journalism, broadcasting and multimedia include roles as a Writer and Web Producer. He graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Science and Communication.