It doesn’t seem like long ago that we were getting excited about a train that would connect Orlando International Airport to Disney World. The plan was for a Brightline train to run from the airport to Disney Springs, offering Disney World guests an alternate way to get to the resort.
However, Disney backed out of the deal as the latest proposed route did not support a station in Disney Springs. Now we know what needs to happen for such a route to be built.
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently offered some remarks to The Orlando Sentinel on the transportation situation in Central Florida. “We know that Central Florida is a region where travel and tourism is not a luxury but an economic lifeline,” Buttigieg said.
“Part of it also means making sure you have the surface side connected up well, and the U.S. as a general rule has not had the best transit connections into airports and we really need to change that to make sure we are getting the most economic value out of our airports”
Central Florida counties, the city of Orlando, the Florida Department of Transportation, Brightline, and Universal Orlando, along with others, are currently working together to bring train transportation from the airport to stations at the theme parks. That would mean that the existing SunRail commuter tracks would need to be connected, as well as for Brightline to complete its new corridor from Miami to Orlando and Tampa.
However, two things need to happen before a Brightline train to Disney World can be built. The expansion is set to cost around $6 billion, which means the money for it will need to be raised. One way is via a sales tax hike of one penny — a measure that will be voted on in Orange County in November.
The other thing that needs to happen is that the U.S. Department of Transportation will need to provide matching grants.
So an expansion of railway transportation in Central Florida is ultimately up to voters and the U.S. Department of Transportation. As for the latter, Buttigieg spoke about how requests for grants are evaluated on safety, how projects will support local economies, and more. However, Brightline and the airport have already received several federal grants, which could bode well for future projects.
So there’s still some hope that a train will run between Orlando International Airport and Disney World, but it will take these two things to happen before anything is built, and even if they do, construction projects like that take time.
We’ll continue to keep you updated on future ideas about transportation to and from Disney World. In the meantime, guests who need airport transportation to Disney World can rely on taxis, rideshare, Mears Connect, and the Sunshine Flyer.
Guests can also consider renting a car but should consider these things first.
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Do you think a train will ever connect Disney World to Orlando International Airport? Why or why not? Sound off in the comments!
If it stopped anywhere else on property but Disney Springs , I want to stay far away from that dumpster fire after flying in and getting to my resort and getting to my flight after
Maybe we should move the workers and the residents.