NEWS: MAJOR Update on the Train Connecting Orlando Airport and Disney World

By unanimous vote, the proposed Sunshine Corridor study that could determine the feasibility of connecting the Orlando International Airport with Disney World is now fully funded.

We’ve been keeping up with the proposed Sunshine Corridor project that would connect and expand parts of SunRail and Brightline across multiple tourist destinations around Central Florida, and now we have a new update to share. The proposed study was brought to the SunRail board and put to a vote to approve a $6 million advance to fund its efforts and begin collecting data to support its use — now, it seems this project is one step further to becoming a reality.

An article in the Orlando Business Journal has confirmed that the Sunshine Corridor expansion study is a go.

Recently, SunRail’s board voted to approve a key study tied to the proposed Sunshine Corridor between Brightline and SunRail. This vote took place on April 24th and passed unanimously, allowing funding for a $6 million, two-year project development and environment study whose data would back up the proposed expansion.

In the proposed expansion project, this new sector, referred to as the Sunshine Corridor, would have multiple stops between popular tourist destinations within Central Florida, including the Orlando International Airport, Orange County Convention Center, South International Drive, and a proposed route with I-4, which would allow Brightline to expand into Tampa and potentially, Disney World.

Last we knew, this proposed project and study were looking for funding from several local counties and businesses that would directly benefit from its addition. Now, it seems the study has become fully funded, with commitments of $2 million from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Universal Destinations & Experiences each, as well as $500,000 apiece from local governing officies including the city of Orlando, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, as well as Seminole, Osceola and Orange counties.

The study will go on to help aid “key steps” to the project, like gathering data to efficiently answer questions like how transfers would work, finalizing project cost estimates, understanding construction timelines, eventually applying for federal funding, and more. According to John Tyler, the District 5 secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation, this data collected by this study will also be a “foundational step in moving the Sunshine Corridor forward” by determining if the commission wants to dedicate more local dollars to the project.

As of April 28th, FDOT has begun advertising for a consultant to lead the study, with one estimated to be picked in late June. That company will be tasked with collaborating with consultants from Brightline and Universal’s Shingle Creek Transit & Utility Community Development District. This study will continue to run through May 2027, and part of gathering the data to be presented will include engagement with the general public, preliminary engineering, and detailing cost estimates.

It seems that multiple agencies and businesses are on board to continue to move the Sunshine Corridor project further, with a potential for more down the line. Depending on what the study’s findings are, we may have future support from other areas of Florida that could benefit from the expansion, too.

We’re always talking about the latest travel trends, tips, and news along the way. Be sure to stay tuned with us at AllEars for future updates on this project and more!

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