Appalling state of the monorail cabins

[s8film40]

I don't expect you to understand what those trains go through daily. I also don't expect you to believe me when I say those trains are cleaned nightly. Many times custodial is cleaning them at the same time the department is trying to open. Easter week is a bad week for everyone because the Kingdom has such long hours. Rails are operating until 2am and closers are leaving the same time the openers are coming in. Not to mention that taking more than one train out for service each day is not plausible because of the transportation demands.

I understand completely what those trains go through on a daily basis, however that's not an acceptable excuse. I have also over the years seen the decline in upkeep. There was a point in time where if there was a ripped seat, scratched plastic etc. I've seen operations deem the train not show ready and send it back to shop. There was a point in time where there was a lot of pride in WDW and cast members knew that every single seat in every single car of every train was a direct reflection on the service being provided. I also don't completely blame the maintenance and custodial cast as I have seen the company make decisions over the years that have made it far more difficult for them to do their jobs. If you have proper upkeep sending a train back for a minor fix is no big deal, however without upkeep you end up in this situation where to completely fix the issue requires taking the train out for a long period of time.

 

[CDavid]

The cars do not always look that way, and that is a point people are forgetting. A few picture posted on the internet is enough it seems to determine the overall quality of the system. That's like taking a picture of a sick fish in the ocean and assuming all the fish are sick. Yes, in this exact instance when the pictures were taken the condition was not optimal. But don't judge the whole system because one cabin looked bad. Remember, there are 5 other passenger cabins on that train and they most likely are not in that condition.

Not optimal? Really? If a monorail is allowed to deteriorate to the point it is in such poor condition, exactly how awful would it have to look to actually describe it as 'bad'?

Even one sick fish in the ocean is unacceptable if you are the poor guest who is served that particular fish over at The Boathouse. Similarly, even one hotel room - or one monorail coach - in run down condition isn't acceptable; Some guests, paying the same as everybody else, are going to receive the lesser experience. If you were staying at the Grand Floridian for $600 a night, would it be "not optimal" if your room was dirty with stained bedding, torn and broken furniture, and dingy walls or would you be livid? Remember, all the other rooms in the hotel are just fine.

I don't expect you to understand what those trains go through daily. I also don't expect you to believe me when I say those trains are cleaned nightly. Many times custodial is cleaning them at the same time the department is trying to open. Easter week is a bad week for everyone because the Kingdom has such long hours. Rails are operating until 2am and closers are leaving the same time the openers are coming in. Not to mention that taking more than one train out for service each day is not plausible because of the transportation demands.

That explains how the trains are allowed to run in such poor condition, but not why. That responsibility lies solely at the feet of Disney management. You may need more custodial personnel or more mechaincal attention, and probably increased budgets, but point is the trains are only in such abysmal condition because it has been allowed to happen. It doesn't have to be that way, and rather than making excuses for it (true though they may be), we should be highlighting the true source of the problem. I completely understand what you are saying, but again, that's not the real issue.

There are passenger train cars operating tonight in this nation which are nearly seventy years old; Some of them will be on the road for 48 hours straight (or more), be serviced in 12-18 hours or so, then do it all over again week after week. They don't look like this. Monorails, however, can visit the shop every night.

 

[Figment2005]

Not optimal? Really? If a monorail is allowed to deteriorate to the point it is in such poor condition, exactly how awful would it have to look to actually describe it as 'bad'?

Even one sick fish in the ocean is unacceptable if you are the poor guest who is served that particular fish over at The Boathouse. Similarly, even one hotel room - or one monorail coach - in run down condition isn't acceptable; Some guests, paying the same as everybody else, are going to receive the lesser experience. If you were staying at the Grand Floridian for $600 a night, would it be "not optimal" if your room was dirty with stained bedding, torn and broken furniture, and dingy walls or would you be livid? Remember, all the other rooms in the hotel are just fine.



That explains how the trains are allowed to run in such poor condition, but not why. That responsibility lies solely at the feet of Disney management. You may need more custodial personnel or more mechaincal attention, and probably increased budgets, but point is the trains are only in such abysmal condition because it has been allowed to happen. It doesn't have to be that way, and rather than making excuses for it (true though they may be), we should be highlighting the true source of the problem. I completely understand what you are saying, but again, that's not the real issue.

There are passenger train cars operating tonight in this nation which are nearly seventy years old; Some of them will be on the road for 48 hours straight (or more), be serviced in 12-18 hours or so, then do it all over again week after week. They don't look like this. Monorails, however, can visit the shop every night.

Everything you said above, all of your examples, receive a revenue stream. I know, I know, but Disney makes billions each year, they can spare the money for the trains. Too bad that isn't how things work. Everything that needs to be replaced or renovated on those trains has to be custom made. There isn't a MonorailZone that the maintenance can go to for supplies. This means that new parts and equipment are extremely expensive. This means that the budget has to be spent wisely, and this also means it takes time for changes to happen. Change is occurring and that is the point I try to get across when "omg everything looks like **** with the monorails" comes up. New interiors on 3 trains, with more to come. 4 trains now have brand new motors and suspension parts which leads to a much smoother ride. All of this has been done in the last 12 months.

How about instead of focusing on the current dingy state of the trains, try to appreciate, even in the slightest, that solutions are in process. I know, blah blah blah, never should have got this way, but there isn't a thing that can be done with the past. Biggest problem with hardcore fans, they dwell so much in what used to be, that they can't appreciate what is happening now.

 

[s8film40]

Everything you said above, all of your examples, receive a revenue stream. I know, I know, but Disney makes billions each year, they can spare the money for the trains. Too bad that isn't how things work. Everything that needs to be replaced or renovated on those trains has to be custom made. There isn't a MonorailZone that the maintenance can go to for supplies. This means that new parts and equipment are extremely expensive. This means that the budget has to be spent wisely, and this also means it takes time for changes to happen. Change is occurring and that is the point I try to get across when "omg everything looks like **** with the monorails" comes up. New interiors on 3 trains, with more to come. 4 trains now have brand new motors and suspension parts which leads to a much smoother ride. All of this has been done in the last 12 months.

How about instead of focusing on the current dingy state of the trains, try to appreciate, even in the slightest, that solutions are in process. I know, blah blah blah, never should have got this way, but there isn't a thing that can be done with the past. Biggest problem with hardcore fans, they dwell so much in what used to be, that they can't appreciate what is happening now.

I think you are misunderstanding "how things work". When you are running a business it doesn't matter how or why something has been neglected or how hard it is to fix it, it is the businesses responsibility to not let it get to that point. In fact this was one of the key factors that made Disney a huge success from the very beginning, anyone who thinks the opposite won't have the equally opposite effect is very mistaken. I agree with and appreciate your positive outlook, I think the automation project is great, but I can't ignore the steady consistent decline I have witnessed firsthand over the last 15 years.

Hardcore fans don't dwell on the past they dwell on what's best about what they like, unfortunately in the case of WDW this is mostly the past. If you hop over to a Universal forum you will witness hardcore fans dwelling on the here and now. Everything in the theme park world kind of goes in cycles so hopefully at some point things will turn around for Disney (at least that's what I have been hoping for for the last 10-15 years).

 

[englanddg]

I'll just toss out there...when I was at Disneyland (granted, been a few years), the monorails there didn't appear as worn as the WDW monorails look.

And, from what I've heard, Tokyo Disney likewise doesn't have a worn look for their monorails. Though, I haven't witnessed it.

Seems to be just WDW where they seem content to let the fleet rot away.

 

[Cesar R M]

The cars do not always look that way, and that is a point people are forgetting. A few picture posted on the internet is enough it seems to determine the overall quality of the system. That's like taking a picture of a sick fish in the ocean and assuming all the fish are sick. Yes, in this exact instance when the pictures were taken the condition was not optimal. But don't judge the whole system because one cabin looked bad. Remember, there are 5 other passenger cabins on that train and they most likely are not in that condition.

so, just because "its only one", its suddenly ok?

 

[betty rose]

so, just because "its only one", its suddenly ok?

If that was the only cabin available, I would pass until the next monorail.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Those pictures a great. Kinda hard to call that a "premium" product.

 

[palmtreegirl]

They're always so hot & stuffy too. Gross

 

[NearTheEars]

I have been in great, good, and bad monorail cabins over the past few years. I haven't seen one that bad before, but obviously it does exist.

Being that the monorail is often the first thing many guests experience on their way into the MK or EPCOT they should be show ready at all times. I don't see the monorail as mass transit. It is the first attraction. The appearance that it is falling below even some mass transit standards is unfortunate.

One rip, or stain or crack is understandable and can be remedied, but not several. That's unacceptable.

 

[Figment2005]

so, just because "its only one", its suddenly ok?

Yup, because it is an anomoly.

 

[ptaylor]

Yup, because it is an anomoly.

It really isn't though is it. I rode several more times that same day, and each time the condition was similar. Even the so-called refurbished interiors are just a bit of new carpeting. The rest of it still smells, has poor AC, poor audio, broken plastic, and is in general in an appalling stage. The photo don't lie - it is there for everyone to see. I'll move onto another monorail next.

 

[xdan0920]

Things are getting better, you wouldn't be saying that of they were pictures of Orange, Black, and Blue. All of which have the updated interior.

Show me.

 

[s8film40]

Yup, because it is an anomoly.

It's not an anomaly, but lets say it is. Lets also conservatively assume that train runs for 10 hours like that on the express beam. At an average of 20 people in that car per trip, two trips per cycle and lets say 5 cycles per hour, over the course of 10 hours that's 2,000 guests who get to experience that "anomaly".

 

[Cesar R M]

It really isn't though is it. I rode several more times that same day, and each time the condition was similar. Even the so-called refurbished interiors are just a bit of new carpeting. The rest of it still smells, has poor AC, poor audio, broken plastic, and is in general in an appalling stage. The photo don't lie - it is there for everyone to see. I'll move onto another monorail next.

The smell is something that makes me gag.

It smells like pee (acidic) in a lot of the units.

 

[Kingoglow]

These comments about the smell of the cabins (which I agree with) make me think that it would be in the company's best interest to control the number of passengers boarding each train. Stop packing them in (monorail =/= haunted mansion) and provide a more comfortable atmosphere which doesn't get as stuffy and smelly.

Force passengers to wait long for the monorail and suggest that they go for the boats and buses.

 

[s8film40]

These comments about the smell of the cabins (which I agree with) make me think that it would be in the company's best interest to control the number of passengers boarding each train. Stop packing them in (monorail =/= haunted mansion) and provide a more comfortable atmosphere which doesn't get as stuffy and smelly.

Force passengers to wait long for the monorail and suggest that they go for the boats and buses.

The smell doesn't come from the passengers, it comes from the mold created by the condensation from the AC's.

 

[Figment2005]

Thing is, Disney will never take the train back to shop if the issue is not safety related. It is simply not worth the kickback of the 30 minute downtime. I want to examine those pictures with the four keys. Safety - the hatch being down is a safety concern and had the poster told someone it would have been remedied on the spot. Courtesy - Removing the train because of stained plastic or an unglued seam on the seat would have inconvenienced guests immediately. Show - yes it is bad show, but being courteous to the guests by not removing the train takes precedence. Efficiency - this really doesn't matter because efficiency is all about moving guests safely and quickly. This could be done with the train in or out of service.

 

[ptaylor]

Thing is, Disney will never take the train back to shop if the issue is not safety related. It is simply not worth the kickback of the 30 minute downtime. I want to examine those pictures with the four keys. Safety - the hatch being down is a safety concern and had the poster told someone it would have been remedied on the spot. Courtesy - Removing the train because of stained plastic or an unglued seam on the seat would have inconvenienced guests immediately. Show - yes it is bad show, but being courteous to the guests by not removing the train takes precedence. Efficiency - this really doesn't matter because efficiency is all about moving guests safely and quickly. This could be done with the train in or out of service.

The four keys are a load of nonsense frankly - and are just being used as an excuse to cover up incompetent operation, management, and financing of the monorail system.

Those rips are in that train every single day, and are still there today. It should be addressed in maintenance over night, or the train pulled out of service. Neither of those happen.

You keep making out these are random events, but they are not. They are in neaarly every single cabin on nearly every single monorail.

 

[Figment2005]

The four keys are a load of nonsense frankly - and are just being used as an excuse to cover up incompetent operation, management, and financing of the monorail system.

Those rips are in that train every single day, and are still there today. It should be addressed in maintenance over night, or the train pulled out of service. Neither of those happen.

You keep making out these are random events, but they are not. They are in neaarly every single cabin on nearly every single monorail.

Don't like the four keys, get with Walt. And of course I'm making it out like random events, its because many people are making it a big deal and I enjoy annoying people.