Fix or replace the monorail

[Brer Oswald]

I don't understand why you would have continued waiting that long. After 30-40 minutes I would have went to the monorail line myself.

We were surrounded by a hundred people on all sides and my dad was in an ECV, so we couldn't just hop the fence. Trust me, if I could've, I would've left the line!

 

[peter11435]

unplanned on a major holiday huh? Sorry, I have too much experience at the MK to believe this statement. Your trying to sell me that the monorail went down on a busy holiday crush and they compensated just fine with ferry boats and bus. I know this is not possible. I will not argue this anymore.

It was Fourth of July. Unplanned. Nearly a decade ago.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

@marni1971 are they getting rid of the monorails? I think it's a stupid question and an obvious no. They'll probably replace them by the 50th.

 

[Disone]

@marni1971 are they getting rid of the monorails? I think it's a stupid question and an obvious no. They'll probably replace them by the 50th.

I do not think they will be replaced by the 50th. I do think they current fleet will still be around for the 50th. I am unconvinced either way as to if the 60th WDW anniversary will still feature Monorails. But for now they are refurbishing the trains one by one. Orange and to a lesser extent, blue, are in good shape right now. Gold is currently under the knife but Orange is already showing signs of grime building back up. Sadly it seems impossible for them to keep them clean. What changed? They use to keep them clean?

 

[Brer Oswald]

Look I don't actually think Disney will ever get rid of the monorails. For many reasons. I was simply challenging the accusation that Disney would not get rid of the monorails because they couldn't get guests to the MK any other way. That is simply not true. If they wanted to they could transfer the guests to the MK without the monorail. I'm not saying it would be easy or convenient but it could be done.

Disney CAN do anything they want. Like I said, they could fill in Seven Seas Lagoon and replace it with a parking lot. They could build more bridges and roads, and supply a surplus of buses if they wanted to. They could build three more ferries if they wanted to. They could get rid of the Monorail if they wanted to, but the point is, they would have to replace it with something, and that would cost money, so why not use that money to fix the Monorails? Each method of transportation is not 100% reliable, they work because they are able to rely on each other. Some people on these boards, not you, seem to really doubt Disney these days, but at the end of the day, they care about guest satisfaction and moving people into the park, because that's how they work as a business. Besides, the Monorails are not nearly in as bad of shape as some people are making it out to be.

 

[LAKid53]

Actually Duke Energy built the solar farm but at the same time it is the largest hidden Mickey in the world. You have to go on Goggle earth to see it.

I've seen it. It's as cool as Hollywood Studios was.

Didn't realize Duke built it.

 

[Driver]

I've seen it. It's as cool as Hollywood Studios was.

Didn't realize Duke built it.

Sometimes you will see there service trucks in there. It's one of those deals where they build and maintain and Disney gets the perk. Another little none fact it can produce enough power to run Epcot.

 

[LAKid53]

Sometimes you will see there service trucks in there. It's one of those deals where they build and maintain and Disney gets the perk. Another little none fact it can produce enough power to run Epcot.

Really. Can they store excess energy for a rainy day or does Disney sell it to Duke?

I'm.surprised Disney doesn't have some electric powered buses. Our city bus system has a few. And charging stations. During one of our stays at WL, some had a really nice Tesla parked in the lot.

 

[Driver]

Really. Can they store excess energy for a rainy day or does Disney sell it to Duke?

I'm.surprised Disney doesn't have some electric powered buses. Our city bus system has a few. And charging stations. During one of our stays at WL, some had a really nice Tesla parked in the lot.

Cannot store it is always sold as energy credits..... They tried elec. busses in the past but they don't hold up very well. They have been replacing and adding new busses. Trying to bring driver numbers up.

 

[LAKid53]

Cannot store it is always sold as energy credits..... They tried elec. busses in the past but they don't hold up very well. They have been replacing and adding new busses. Trying to bring driver numbers up.

Good to know if I ever decide to put solar panels on the roof.

Didn't realize that about electric buses. Ours always look new, but then they're not hauling around thousands of people 15 hours a day.

 

[Driver]

Good to know if I ever decide to put solar panels on the roof.

Didn't realize that about electric buses. Ours always look new, but then they're not hauling around thousands of people 15 hours a day.

Sometimes up to 20 hrs. a day depending on the hub there out of

 

[djkidkaz]

I think with the new enhancements like the gondolas, Minnie vans and added buses Disney could be preparing itself better for a situation in the future when they have to take down the monorail for upgrades, repairs and replacements.

By automating the monorails you are removing a large chunk of labor costs. And also from what I understood Disney was making money on the monorails by offering up the wraps to the movie division to advertise their films.

I don't think the monorails will ever go away.

 

[Driver]

I think with the new enhancements like the gondolas, Minnie vans and added buses Disney could be preparing itself better for a situation in the future when they have to take down the monorail for upgrades, repairs and replacements.

By automating the monorails you are removing a large chunk of labor costs. And also from what I understood Disney was making money on the monorails by offering up the wraps to the movie division to advertise their films.

I don't think the monorails will ever go away.

You know they still have a pilot even with the automation right

 

[DisneyNerd12]

I think with the new enhancements like the gondolas, Minnie vans and added buses Disney could be preparing itself better for a situation in the future when they have to take down the monorail for upgrades, repairs and replacements.

By automating the monorails you are removing a large chunk of labor costs. And also from what I understood Disney was making money on the monorails by offering up the wraps to the movie division to advertise their films.

I don't think the monorails will ever go away.

I don't think they use the Auto computer thing, Not sure? When I was going to Epcot last week they were pulling the brake (The Monorail Driver) I saw when the Monorail was arriving at the TTC Station.

 

[Figment2005]

I do not think they will be replaced by the 50th. I do think they current fleet will still be around for the 50th. I am unconvinced either way as to if the 60th WDW anniversary will still feature Monorails. But for now they are refurbishing the trains one by one. Orange and to a lesser extent, blue, are in good shape right now. Gold is currently under the knife but Orange is already showing signs of grime building back up. Sadly it seems impossible for them to keep them clean. What changed? They use to keep them clean?

Its not a matter of clean with Orange and Blue. The trains do get washed on a schedule, but the custodial crew also causes damage. Its been a known issue and management is trying to take action.

 

[Figment2005]

You know they still have a pilot even with the automation right

You beat me to it. No labor costs were cut with the upgrade.

 

[larryz]

The abandoned tracks would be an eyesore, sure.

Would that mean the Jungle Cruise skippers can use the monorail joke again?

 

[jt04]

As for the World Drive water bridge crunch problem, I could see them circumventing that by sending TTC/GF/Poly buses the long way around on Floridian Way once the road improvements in that area are complete. It's a much longer route but would benefit from splitting the load and being almost exclusively bus traffic.

Poly, GF, SOG and DAK would be my guesses as likely candidates.

 

[IanDLBZF]

I really hope it doesn't get to the point where WDW's lack of maintenance on something like the monorail leaves somebody dead...

Like what we've seen before with that fire in WMATA back in February 2016.

 

[Captain Barbossa]

If I had a dollar for every "monorail needs a refurb" thread.