Any Monorail News?

[WhyteAL]

Seeing as though everyone in this community seems to have an opionion I will post mines. I tend to agree with marni on this stuff about adding the lines and then the wedway.

Disney does not have traffic in the way a major city has (MIA, NY, or even Orlando) but it has enough traffic to make it a tad bit annoying. Ever since about 2004 I have parked on property (when I stay on property) and take the transportaion system. It's not that bad, it's not that magical unless we use the monorail (but then again I have never stayed at any of hotels in the MK loop $$$) when staying on property I have noticed if I want to be the first one at a park take the car because the bus will most likely take to long because of the stops. Then of course with the westernway addition this Disney World will add much more traffic and let's just pretend and say US and city walk continue to have declining attendence meaning that Disney attendence will continue to rise. They will really need to make some sort of upgrade to the transportation system.

One factor that has not been disscussed and should be addressed is how to make these systems safe (IE terrorism, etc) Right now you could park at DTD and go to MK or Epcot and take the monorail and be techniclly in the park and do something disasterous. Right now I do not see it as a big deal but if they were to expand the monorail all over the place then we might be seeing some sort security vunerability to the system maybe these swithces and ticket centers need to be a little bit more secure which would then cause more of a backup with boarding and causing wait lines to be longer, making the system less efficent...

Don't get me wrong I am all for monorail expansion, but as this thread highlights this is a very complicated issue.

 

[marni1971]

If you are going to improve upon the current system, you'd have to improve the 'speed' of it. Having stops like a commuter train isn't going to help (and why they have EXPRESS trains along with those commuters) .....You are just one type of customer, you do not represent the ONLY type of customer the company should look at and forget the rest....Collapsing? Wow... the death of the WDW road system.. is exaggerated to say the least....This place has virtually no traffic!

Oh well, I guess management agree with you. And so ends our hyperthetical chat by the real world and a newbie crashing it down.

I certainly want to believe you in that the place has virtually no traffic. You know it`s been 6 years since we last went, and park closings were a nightmare. I`m glad things have improved no end as you say.

My argument is the monorail - or any transit system - shouldn`t be just a perk of the deluxes. It should be an integral part of every guests stay, as envisaged in Phase One.

 

[WhyteAL]

Maybe if they build out the system little by little so as to not have such a huge sudden impact on there budget and testing peoples use of the system I think the expansion would definately be possible. Start off running it from Epcot to MGM and add one Wedway mover from DTD to Epcot.

 

[Champion]

Oh well, I guess management agree with you. And so ends our hyperthetical chat by the real world and a newbie crashing it down.

I certainly want to believe you in that the place has virtually no traffic. You know it`s been 6 years since we last went, and park closings were a nightmare. I`m glad things have improved no end as you say.

My argument is the monorail - or any transit system - shouldn`t be just a perk of the deluxes. It should be an integral part of every guests stay, as envisaged in Phase One.

Thats why you don't drive to the parks.

Maybe if they build out the system little by little so as to not have such a huge sudden impact on there budget and testing peoples use of the system I think the expansion would definately be possible. Start off running it from Epcot to MGM and add one Wedway mover from DTD to Epcot.

If they were going to build a property mass transit system on the scale of the entire property, they would have to do it all at once, or basically all in a row. You can't have them build, then stop and wait a couple years, then build again.

 

[WhyteAL]

If they were going to build a property mass transit system on the scale of the entire property, they would have to do it all at once, or basically all in a row. You can't have them build, then stop and wait a couple years, then build again.

Besides cost, why wouldn't they? It is a multiprong approach. Step one, then step two, and so on. Don't get me wrong I love to have the whole system in place overnight, but that's just not practicle. And the busses won't be the forever solution.

 

[Champion]

Besides cost, why wouldn't they? It is a multiprong approach. Step one, then step two, and so on. Don't get me wrong I love to have the whole system in place overnight, but that's just not practicle. And the busses won't be the forever solution.

Actually, busses pretty much are the solution forever.

And the reason is that it would cost less in the long run to make it one construction project then to split it up into different ones.

 

[WhyteAL]

with the westernbelt way expansion, and the expansion of any other on site resorts your talking about adding more busses which will create traffic jams for busses during opening hours and then closing hours, not to mention the conjestion already caused by full parking lots. I just don't think busses are the long term answer. They have to add or create somethin else. Especially as they continue to develope property.

 

[TimeTrip]

with the westernbelt way expansion, and the expansion of any other on site resorts your talking about adding more busses which will create traffic jams for busses during opening hours and then closing hours, not to mention the conjestion already caused by full parking lots. I just don't think busses are the long term answer. They have to add or create somethin else. Especially as they continue to develope property.

I figure busses will be a solution for a loooong time, because WDW was poorly laid out for any kind of efficient transport system.

 

[jmvd20]

And the reason is that it would cost less in the long run to make it one construction project then to split it up into different ones.

True - many times the main reasons why projects are completed in phases is due to:

The amount of money immediately available to the client limiting what can be done right now. And the impact on areas surrounding the construction sites - you do not want to close 2 main roads at the same time etc...

 

[Scar Junior]

I guess another option would be adding bus-only roads. The U of Minnesota has roads that are only for its busses that go between the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses. This way city traffic and freeway congestion is avoided. I don't think it's a great idea, but it is another option. IMO it wouldn't address the main problem of the current traffic situation at WDW. I agree, back in the day it was a lot easier and quicker to get where you want to go. Now WDW's traffic rivals the 'real world' and its only going to get worse.

 

[unkadug]

Thats why you don't drive to the parks.



If they were going to build a property mass transit system on the scale of the entire property, they would have to do it all at once, or basically all in a row. You can't have them build, then stop and wait a couple years, then build again.

Why not, that the way ALL of WDW was built!

 

[Scar Junior]

Why not, that the way ALL of WDW was built!

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Champion]

Why not, that the way ALL of WDW was built!

I didn't realize that WDW was a transportation project.

 

[unkadug]

I think you just like to argue.

 

[PKD]

I think you just like to argue.

As mentioned before...similarities to someone :lookaroun

 

[PKD]

Does anyone know what the probable lifespan of the columns and track are? I'd assume we'll reach a point in time where it costs more in maintenance (and down time) to keep them up and running than the bean counters will allow... I'm sure it's WAYYYYY down the road, but the fact is they're concrete... I've got to imagine they've got an "end of useful life". :shrug:

Anyone know?

I was under the impression the Monorail beams were given a 30 year life span... Marni or Lee or anyone know for sure? I know we are far past the 30 year mark.

 

[Champion]

I was under the impression the Monorail beams were given a 30 year life span... Marni or Lee or anyone know for sure? I know we are far past the 30 year mark.

Thats correct. They are rated *at least* 30 years. So eventually they will have to be replaced, but they have held up well so far, so it might be quite a while before that has to happen.

 

[Deadmanwalking]

Thats correct. They are rated *at least* 30 years. So eventually they will have to be replaced, but they have held up well so far, so it might be quite a while before that has to happen.

And since they were built back when people took a little pride in workmanship I'm guessing they could easily last 40 or 50... unlike the roads in my state that seem to have a shelf life of 5 years.

 

[Champion]

And since they were built back when people took a little pride in workmanship I'm guessing they could easily last 40 or 50... unlike the roads in my state that seem to have a shelf life of 5 years.

Pfft, 5 years? Roads around here are barely fixed before they have to be replaced again.

The boards resident Yalie can attest to the stupidity of the Q Bridge project.

 

[mickeymouse2818]

And since they were built back when people took a little pride in workmanship I'm guessing they could easily last 40 or 50... unlike the roads in my state that seem to have a shelf life of 5 years.

I heart potholes :brick: