Rumor New Monorails Coming Soon?

Tom P.

Well-Known Member
In all the times Ive been to WDW, Im ashamed to admit Ive never been on a parking lot tram...
Maybe I did as a kid. I can't recall. But in all my adult trips, I never have. We always stay on property and use Disney transportation. I drive a two hour round trip for work each day and I am perfectly happy to not be behind the wheel of a car at all while at Disney.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Maybe I did as a kid. I can't recall. But in all my adult trips, I never have. We always stay on property and use Disney transportation. I drive a two hour round trip for work each day and I am perfectly happy to not be behind the wheel of a car at all while at Disney.
If I don't get my tram ride at MK, like I have been doing for 35 years, a huge part of the experience is missing. I took the bus one time, the only time I stayed onsite, and I felt like something was missing all day. The next day I drove my car to the parking lot, and that old feeling came rushing back. My day was complete. Tram ride, ferry or Monorail to MK and I was ready to begin my day.
 

articos

Well-Known Member
Disagree. WDW phase one and the city of Lake Buena Vista suggest otherwise.
http://www.imagineeringdisney.com/b...-other-prototype-city-with-a-peoplemover.html
Yes and no. You have to go back to the original structure of the Disney Companies. Walt and Roy had plans that were aimed towards expansions of their expertise to other municipalities and companies, in order to justify the costs they were incurring doing new things (theme parks, attractions, monorails, urban planning, waterways, etc.). In order to keep control, they separated the corporate entities. The entities controlled by Walt and Roy were more interested in providing services and controlling technologies. The companies that consolidated into the Disney Company we know today had no intent of following what the Disneys’ wanted. They were operational companies. When Roy stepped back, the parks were doing ok, and WED/WDI was being supported by the Disney company, so there wasn’t as much of need for providing services to outside parties. After the Eisner years, the company consolidated on core competencies (entertainment) only, and that was it.

There is still a part of the company that provides some of what Roy and Walt envisioned, as various divisions provide consulting services on the Disney culture to other companies and governments. WDI’s R&D group works quite a bit with outside universities, corporations and others, providing their research to the research community. And RCID works with other municipalities. But in general, the company is primarily an entertainment company now.
 

Bender123

Well-Known Member
If I don't get my tram ride at MK, like I have been doing for 35 years, a huge part of the experience is missing. I took the bus one time, the only time I stayed onsite, and I felt like something was missing all day. The next day I drove my car to the parking lot, and that old feeling came rushing back. My day was complete. Tram ride, ferry or Monorail to MK and I was ready to begin my day.

Its funny...we all have our "things" we need to make a trip complete.
 

tl77

Well-Known Member
Yes, the current 1989 fleet has been automated. A cm does still sit in the nose cone, however the train is driving itself. They are not operating the throttle, they are not operating the brake, the train is doing that on its own. The CM is on board to make PA announcements and to handle emergencies should there be any. This change was made a few years ago. It is well documented all over the internet.
Thanks for answering my question, "they upgraded the old trains a few years ago" but the trains themselves are still 29 years old. Meaning that the Mark 1, 2, & 3 trains got replaced on an average of 7 year, while the current trains have been in service about 4 times as long as any of the previous models... it's funny how the internet is good at documenting things but has know idea how to understand the data it documents.
 

Unplugged

Well-Known Member
Construction walls and scrims. Every year we have to walk past the new constructions walls and some of our old favorites. It's always sad to see them go. ;)
 

Lensman

Well-Known Member
Thanks for answering my question, "they upgraded the old trains a few years ago" but the trains themselves are still 29 years old. Meaning that the Mark 1, 2, & 3 trains got replaced on an average of 7 year, while the current trains have been in service about 4 times as long as any of the previous models... it's funny how the internet is good at documenting things but has know idea how to understand the data it documents.
This gets referenced a lot, but are we sure that the old trains weren't replaced more frequently because they had to be? That is, either they weren't designed for longevity or that they had drawbacks so there was clear incentives for replacements? I mean, I'm sure that the increased importance of economic drivers to management was a big part of it but as an engineer, it doesn't surprise me when I hear that versions 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 came in quick succession before things stabilized a bit more with version 4.0. Or version 3.1, ha!
 

Disone

Well-Known Member
Thanks for answering my question, "they upgraded the old trains a few years ago" but the trains themselves are still 29 years old. Meaning that the Mark 1, 2, & 3 trains got replaced on an average of 7 year, while the current trains have been in service about 4 times as long as any of the previous models... it's funny how the internet is good at documenting things but has know idea how to understand the data it documents.
Oh they are 29 years old for sure. I'm not confused about the data you are presenting. You just seemed... Unsure as to whether or not they were actually automated. He made the statement that just because the doors open by themselves that doesn't mean they're automated and I was clarifying that they actually are automated. They do not have drivers. They have people who sit or drivers used to be, but they're not actually doing anything except for monitoring what the train is doing by itself.

They work more like an attraction now. The person the platform is the one that dispatches the Train by pushing a button that will cause the doors to close and for the train to move forward based on whether or not it has clearance. This is not unlike the person pushing the button to let your pooh hunny pot go to the next Zone.
 

Lensman

Well-Known Member
I also wonder to what extent they credit the express monorail with marketing for the monorail resort hotels and for DVC. It's very easy to imagine treating your family to the convenience and glamor of staying at a monorail resort as you pass through them on your way from the TTC to the MK on the express line.

And certainly as a kid I always wanted to stay at the hotel where the monorail passed right through the building! I couldn't imagine anything better than that. I studied hard, made it through school and finally made my dream come true after 25 years! lol

Also, do they still push the wedding pavilion on the monorail narration? :)
 
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imarc

Well-Known Member
As a local, we prefer going to the monorail resorts for dinner/drinks because we love including the monorail as part of the evening.

And that often includes a trip to Basin White or one of the shops to look at the seasonal goods.

It's definitely a revenue driver, and not just for those deciding where to stay.
 

tonymu

Premium Member
There has been lots of discussions about how the monorails are for all practical purposes maxed out on capacity. Because of all the limitations on the size of the trains because of the length of the platforms and the Contemporary openings there is very little room to expand the capacity of the trains without massive work that would require closing the system for an extended time. Because of the short distance between the express stations and safety blocks there is not really room to add trains.

What if you used new versions of the same size trains on the same beam but added a platform and branch beam at both express stations. You would have a switch just outside the stations on both ends that would alternate platforms. I saw a video of a monorail in Japan, I think, that switched monorail beams quickly and frequently.

You could add on to both stations towards the Seven Seas Lagoon wile still using the existing beam and platform. You could then move the entry lines to between the two platforms and then load to both tracks. If they are going to have to adjust the platform heights for level loading into the trains they could build the new platforms level for the new trains and only run new trains on the new platform and old trains on the old platform until they replaced all the old trains. Then they could just use the new platforms while they adjust the level of the old platforms for level loading. When it is all done would have a much higher capacity (double?) during peak times. During non peak times you could use just one platform.

MK Express Station a.jpg

TTC Express Station a.jpg
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
There has been lots of discussions about how the monorails are for all practical purposes maxed out on capacity. Because of all the limitations on the size of the trains because of the length of the platforms and the Contemporary openings there is very little room to expand the capacity of the trains
Lengthening trains is a possibility.
 

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