F E C vs. DISNEY. Is it possible?

[eastcoast]

[?]
It is my understanding that the Disney Corp. wants to build a high speed rail line in Florida.How will this affect Amtrak and Florida East Coast business. These lines are faltering as it is.Just wondering?[[|)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by eastcoast

[?]
It is my understanding that the Disney Corp. wants to build a high speed rail line in Florida.How will this affect Amtrak and Florida East Coast business. These lines are faltering as it is.Just wondering?[[|)]

This is just my opinion. I believe the auto train actually makes money. The east/west Sunset Limited doesn't. A high speed line running north/south might be a good thing for Florida. Such a line I don't believe would hurt Amtrak on a north/south basis. Any line running east/west could have some impact upon Amtrak. However I don't see people on a cross country trip taking the high speed and then switch to Amtrak partway through their trip.

The high speed line would take big bucks to build but I guess Mickey has deep pockets. In the long run this might be a good thing that would spur other high speed rail lines into existence.

If Disney and Amtrak could work together after the line was developed it might actually help Amtrak. They could allow the high speed line to operate and where ever the high speed line terminated Amtrak could pick up the people and continue west with them. And on an east bound run the same could happen. This would allow some savings to Amtrak. Also the north/south line would have to operate the same way to allow a continious seam to any passenger wanting to travel from say New York to Florida to Texas ( and beyond).

If you build it, they will come. Let's hope the old movie line comes true. [:)]

[vsmith]

It will probably go direct, no stops, from the airport terminal gates straight to the Dizzyworld resorts. They dont want you spending your gold at any of those "outside" venues like hotels and restaurants that might be more affordable than Dizzyworld. I call it Dizzyworld cause when I see how gold much I have to spend for a day there, I get dizzy...

[Anonymous]

Adding a few thoughts to my previous post here . . .

The HSR line would need to operate more than once a day. Amtrak can't afford to. Travel would be faster, in Florida anyway, but there would be some inconvience in switching at the terminus of each line. But then again you have the same thing in air travel.

[dharmon]

Not sure I could handle a Disney runs railroad.........everytime I get on one, I goes too fast around corners, rocks fall toward me and there are fires and smoke everywhere and then someone tries to sell me a picture of it afterwards.

Besides what would they call it .....Magic Kingdom and Southern, Toonville Trolley, or the CinderAcela?

[dharmon]

Seriously though.......

If Disney is looking to do HSR, the logical route would be from the Orlando airport to Moushwitz. Auto train serves a market for those who plan a vacation for more than just Disney.......Universal, Sea World, etc.... and want to have their auto but not the drive or added expense and hassle of rental cars, and want to take the train as a part of the trip. The pure Disney vacationer who flies to Orlando and stays at Disney and goes only there benefits from not having to deal with parking.....I would say a fair portion of the Disney attendees are from overseas...on a Disney package ..this is ideal for them...no car worries, straight to the airport and back.....alleviates traffic and foriegn lost drivers........

If Disney wants to sink the money into HSR, I can only see it as a good thing. Successful HSR serves as models for others, and I don't think it would impact Auto train that much. Disney does not usually go into things half cocked. Just my opinion.

[Wdlgln005]

Vsmith has it right. Disney wants to build a line connecting the Orlando airport to their Dizzyworld. They don't want any competition for the train to stop at any other Orlando attractions. The price to Dizzyworld is so high, you can't afford to go anywhere else but home & broke. They would also like Amtrak to have a station in the airport for those Disney patrons coming down from the Northeast. If they were smart, perhaps a HSR operation could connect the park with their cruise ship line. They'd probably make Amtrak paint the train in mickey mouse colors and call all the engineers goofy.

[SALfan]

The only HSR initiative in Florida that I'm aware of is a STATE OF FLORIDA plan to build a line from Tampa through Orlando to the east coast, then south to Miami. Can't imagine Disney or any other private company being willing to fork out that kind of money, when they could pay off a few politicians and get the taxpayers to foot the bill.

[cudjoebob]

not a chance. why would disney shell out big bucks for an expensive high speed rail route? the cost of the right of way through the already developed orlando area would be outragously expensive. I don't want to say that they are struggling financially, but disneys pockets are not as deep as they used to be. it would be an expensive gimmick, with no real return for disney. I would say there would be no net increase in customers for disney parks, the people who arrive at orlando airport to go to disney by rental car are already disney customers. cudjoebob

[espeefoamer]

I could just see a Disney operated HSR .Imagine the price list in the snack car;$12hamburgers&$3 Cokes.
I just heard on the news this morning,Disneyland has raised thier prices to $49.50.[:(!]

[jockellis]

Jim, it isn't your opinion that AutoTrain makes money. Although the Class 1s wanted out of passenger business as a whole, some didn't want out completely. One of AutoTrain's original owners was SCL RR. I used to live in a south Georgia town, Nahunta, which was on the AutoTrain route often watched the trains go by at night. They were full! A friend of mine's son was killed by an AutoTrain when he drove around the grade crossing cross bars and onto the tracks after the last passenger car, which was lighted, passed by and hit an auto transporter which wasn't lighted.

[Anonymous]

Help ESINER IS A CROOK so this won't happen

DOGGY

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Doggy

Help ESINER IS A CROOK so this won't happen

DOGGY

A crook?......really?.....

I wish I had known that earlier.....I voted to keep him as CEO......

Why in the world would you call him a crook? .....Has he done something immoral or illegal?

[daveklepper]

They won't compete, and if Amtrak can use it or connect with it, it will benefit Amtrak. Dave