Walt Disney World Monorail system to operate on revised schedule from September 1

[ninjaprincesst]

Once again...you don't need to do either. Busses run from the Contemp to the Poly. ESPECIALLY if monorail is down.

I asked Disney, no buses from Contemporary to Poly nor are there any boats from Contemporary to Poly. Disney rep assured me that they will be done by the Sept 26th date, I hope so, but I still think it sucks for those people that paid for monorail resorts all summer, but oh well the walk won't kill me as long as they have a bus from MK to Poly I will live, it's just irritating not the end of the world just irritating.

 

[Clamman73]

I'm guessing real-world automation tests begin week of Sept 29th???

 

[ninjaprincesst]

I'm guessing real-world automation tests begin week of Sept 29th???

I would assume because a Disney rep assured me that Sept 26th would be the real end date. I don't think I would want to be on the monorail for those first couple of weeks though, hopefully by November they will have the bugs worked out.

 

[Clamman73]

I would assume because a Disney rep assured me that Sept 26th would be the real end date. I don't think I would want to be on the monorail for those first couple of weeks though, hopefully by November they will have the bugs worked out.

I was hoping since I'm there that week to see if this was happening, along with the finished refurb of Starjets, COP, Philharmagic

 

[Amyleigh]

We stayed at the Poly when the monorail was on a modified schedule in June. We had early adr and the Poly paid for us to take a taxi. All I did was ask how we would get to our adr and they gave me a voucher! Outstanding service!

 

[Biff215]

it's not... the train stops at the TTC... if monocraft didn't want you using it for ttc, they wouldn't have a stop.

It has to stop at the TTC to allow monorail resort guests to transfer to Epcot. But it's not like it's not allowed, just not encouraged. I always smile as I pass a huge line at the Express and then walk on to resort line. I don't think the average guest realizes that they're both going the same place.

Take it with a grain of salt, but I heard 2016 as a rumored date to have the monorail automation done. Seemed ridiculous to me, but who knows, maybe the preliminary work will be done in September while other pieces get done later?

 

[MaxsDad]

That's a negative, guests are pointed towards the buses and ferry boats in the morning to avoid that happening.

That's good to know.

 

[MaxsDad]

Are you planning on riding the resort monorail a lot during that hour in September? lol I don't see it being much of an issue.

Yes, I am actually.

 

[Admiral01]

I personally view the monorail as an attraction. I would never rely upon as primary means of getting around anywhere

I totally understand this view, but it isn't how the Monorail was designed. It is supposed to be a primary mode of transport around the property. Granted, the property has expanded a lot over the last 3 decades with no expansion of the Monorail, but that is the failure of the management, not of the system as it was designed. I fear the more it is viewed as an attraction, the more we will see the service degrade.

I should be able to rely on the Monorail to transport me between Monorail-accessible places throughout my visit, regardless of time of day or time of year. All things need maintenance and upgrades, as we are seeing the Monorail get right now. I really hope that once the upgrades and deep maintenance are compete we will see the service expand (with proper regular maintenance continuing).

 

[Sped2424]

When will the project finally be done? Also will an update be headed to the actual interior of the monorails? Cause it's sorely needed.

 

[ninjaprincesst]

When will the project finally be done? Also will an update be headed to the actual interior of the monorails? Cause it's sorely needed.

The Disney phone rep assured me they would be done with the current work by Spt 26. I don't know if that means they are done or just taking a break

 

[Figment2005]

The Disney phone rep assured me they would be done with the current work by Spt 26. I don't know if that means they are done or just taking a break

Just a word of advice. Disney doesn't work in guarantees. Delays do happen.

 

[ninjaprincesst]

Just a word of advice. Disney doesn't work in guarantees. Delays do happen.

I know but since Sept is already a delay from the original end of summer lets hope they will be done or at least take a break for a while.

 

[Scuttle]

That's a negative, guests are pointed towards the buses and ferry boats in the morning to avoid that happening.

Only the weak minded fall for that trick

 

[Prince-1]

I am far from a Disney apologist or pixie duster BUT you can't complain that Disney is letting their monorail fleet falling apart (yes the inside is pretty bad) and then also complain when they are doing something even if it is automating them. If it affects your vacation then it sucks but they have to do it sometime and this is slower time.

 

[kbmum]

They did a poor job of handling the park opening transportation when we were there in early July.

We waited 50 minutes one morning for a Magic Kingdom bus that never showed up, despite repeated assurances from the college kid who worked for transportation that it wouldn't only be a few more minutes. I went to the front desk and complained, since we were going to miss our first FastPasses of the day and there were two people in our party who couldn't do the 15 to 20-minute walk to the park from the Contemporary. The concierge rescheduled our FPs, gave us each two extra FPs and found a van to take us to the park. We weren't the only people who complained to the front desk CMs. We certainly appreciated those efforts, but that didn't negate the fact that the bus issue never should have occurred.

On another day, we waited 30 minutes for an Epcot bus, which didn't go straight to the park. It went to the bus stop at TTC. There must have been 100 people in line. It took nearly 50 minutes from the moment we arrived at the Contemporary bus stop to the moment the bus pulled in to the Epcot bus area, well past park opening. There were other less lengthy, but nonetheless aggravating, morning delays throughout the trip.

My husband, kids and I were at BLT for a 10-night trip. My parents spent half of the trip at the Contemporary and half at BLT. We're morning people and like to hit the parks at opening. We did not spend all that money to stay at monorail resorts to have transportation issues every morning we went to MK or Epcot. We haven't decided when we're going to take our next trip, but if the monorails aren't projected to be back to normal for those dates, we will not stay at BLT. It just isn't worth the hassle.

 

[kbmum]

It it affects your vacation then it sucks but they have to do it sometime and this is slower time.

This started at the end of June. September might be a slower time, but the summer isn't.

 

[MaxsDad]

I am far from a Disney apologist or pixie duster BUT you can't complain that Disney is letting their monorail fleet falling apart (yes the inside is pretty bad) and then also complain when they are doing something even if it is automating them. It it affects your vacation then it sucks but they have to do it sometime and this is slower time.

I am not a big supporter of tech and automation at WDW. However, I would imagine if an imagineer said "Walt, we are going to automate the Monorail system", he would be pretty excited about it. Same with the FP+ and most that goes with it. Seems like it is right up the alley of his vision to me. I think that is pretty rare at WDW these days, so I guess we should be thankful that in some ways they are thinking like he did.

 

[danlb_2000]

I'm guessing real-world automation tests begin week of Sept 29th???

Just because the schedule change ends on the 29th doesn't mean the automation upgrades will be complete by then.

 

[xdan0920]

It always makes me laugh when folks get mad at guests who are disappointed/angry that Disney is changing the rules at the last minute on them. People pay tons of dough to stay at a MONORAIL resort, why shouldn't they be ticked off when Disney takes away the monorail for part of their day? Oh, take a bus. Cool, refund part of my room rate and I sure will.