Appalling state of the monorail cabins

[lazyboy97o]

Unfortunately, the monorails went from a "high tech" / futuristic "attraction" that was used for transportation; to a commonplace mode of transportation with a design/ look unique to Disney. I know that's not 100% but it does speak to the shift in thinking that has occurred within management at WDW. How long will it take to see major action / attention given to the trains themselves is to be seen...

Monorails are common place? Where? Japan?

 

[Miss Heinous]

Monorail Lime looks like it got a black eye... I've started taking the Ferryboats more often than I used to.

 

[ParksAndPixels]

Monorails are common place? Where? Japan?

Well, I was referring more so to the mindset of Disney management, at least what it became (could slowly see that attitude changing). But there are other places around the country that uses some variation of a monorail or similar system, no longer unique to Disney properties.

 

[s8film40]

Since this thread got bumped. I really wanted to bump it in June. We were on Yellow (I think) at about 2:00 in the afternoon when they were bringing another train online. So first we were held at MK with the doors open, but then they let the train go, and stopped partway to the Contemporary. The cabin was completely packed, the air conditioning was not working, and this was during the heat wave, and looking at weather for LBV on 6/23, the high temp was 96 degrees.

There is a reason why people are told again and again not to leave children or pets in parked vehicles when it's that hot out. Is a monorail, not moving for 15 min any different? That's a safety issue. When we reached the Contemporary there were a couple Moms that let the monorail crew have it, and you could tell from the body language that the crew couldn't care less, after all what could they do, they aren't engineering, they aren't a manager than has the authority not to load a train.

There was a group in a similar probably much worse situation a few years ago, like you said if the AC isn't working being in an enclosed car with direct sunlight can be very dangerous. They opened the emergency windows. Obviously that should only be done if absolutely necessary but you aren't really trapped without any remedy to the situation. There are also vent windows that can more easily be opened and should be the first course of action.

 

[Brad Bishop]

I was there over Labor Day weekend. I didn't ride every monorail car in every train. I think I road Epcot->TTC and then used the ferry. The random one I was on was in mediocre shape.

Interestingly, I rode the buses quite a bit that weekend (stayed at the Dolphin) and noted that the buses were almost all in really good to great shape. Yeah, they're buses and they're boring but they work and are kept up.

 

[dstrawn9889]

I was there over Labor Day weekend. I didn't ride every monorail car in every train. I think I road Epcot->TTC and then used the ferry. The random one I was on was in mediocre shape.

Interestingly, I rode the buses quite a bit that weekend (stayed at the Dolphin) and noted that the buses were almost all in really good to great shape. Yeah, they're buses and they're boring but they work and are kept up.

busses have backups, and can be pulled from service for 20 minutes or so for a wipedown and a sweep... the monorails have no cold backups, so more problematic to pull them offline for work/cleaning.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Yeah, they're buses and they're boring but they work and are kept up.

As annoying as the buses can be at times, Disney does do a good job of keeping them clean.

 

[TP2000]

This thread and the first-hand information it offers is so sickeningly depressing.

 

[Jake Wilson]

Monorails are common place? Where? Japan?

Don't forget Vegas

 

[Victor Kelly]

In January we rarely if ever rode the monorails. It was always the ferry boats to and from MK. Half the time the monorails were down. The only days we rode them was when were going to MK for breakfast. And even one of those times we were ushered to the ferry. They certainly are not what they once were.

 

[s8film40]

busses have backups, and can be pulled from service for 20 minutes or so for a wipedown and a sweep... the monorails have no cold backups, so more problematic to pull them offline for work/cleaning.

Also keep in mind that every single Disney bus on the road is newer than than the monorails.

 

[raymusiccity]

Don't forget Vegas

I think the monorails are being maintained pretty well for enduring the abuse of 150,000 riders each day!

 

[matt9112]

busses have backups, and can be pulled from service for 20 minutes or so for a wipedown and a sweep... the monorails have no cold backups, so more problematic to pull them offline for work/cleaning.

Even if the don't upgrade /refurb I am amazed they never made another back up or two. Just to be able to rotate.

 

[s8film40]

Even if the don't upgrade /refurb I am amazed they never made another back up or two. Just to be able to rotate.

Theoretically they have one or two back-ups depending on the season. It's extremely rare they run all 12, they usually run 9-10. However with all the work they've been doing they have had trains out for that which leaves no back up.

Personally I think they need to build 1 or 2 more trains and then once those are online start a routine of taking 1 off at a time to do a complete rebuild/refurb. If they spent 6 months each it would take 6 years to complete the full set then they could just start over.

 

[alphac2005]

I'm still amazed that there are excuses for the monorails being filthy. It simply didn't used to be like this, plain and simple. They've cut back maintenance significantly over the past many years and it's simply about money. Saying that they are heavily used is simply an excuse. Many times in the past they would actually run longer hours than they do now.

If I'm paying $600 a night to stay at a monorail line resort or paying $105 to visit the park for a day, the least they can do is keep the trains clean. It's not rocket science and isn't excusable.

 

[Cesar R M]

I'm still amazed that there are excuses for the monorails being filthy. It simply didn't used to be like this, plain and simple. They've cut back maintenance significantly over the past many years and it's simply about money. Saying that they are heavily used is simply an excuse. Many times in the past they would actually run longer hours than they do now.

If I'm paying $600 a night to stay at a monorail line resort or paying $105 to visit the park for a day, the least they can do is keep the trains clean. It's not rocket science and isn't excusable.

I actually wonder.. why they dont close down a single monorail when its in the loop.. load it with a cleaning crew.. and clean it thoroughly (as the monorail moves but not stopping right in the stations but AFTER the stations.)
So, once they clean the monorail extensively.. they change of train and repeat..

 

[note2001]

Don't forget Vegas

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_monorail_systems

 

[matt9112]

Theoretically they have one or two back-ups depending on the season. It's extremely rare they run all 12, they usually run 9-10. However with all the work they've been doing they have had trains out for that which leaves no back up.

Personally I think they need to build 1 or 2 more trains and then once those are online start a routine of taking 1 off at a time to do a complete rebuild/refurb. If they spent 6 months each it would take 6 years to complete the full set then they could just start over.

would that amount of time really be needed? with a small group of dedicated employees for the task? unlike some other people i dont see a pure need for all new trains but a total refurb yes..replace carpet (go to wood so you can wash) replace seat coverings using a more neutral color. (grey for example) replace the plastic moldings of at least upper portion of cab to remove the pink. possibly color key for train color add LED back lighting. i could also see adding a brief info screen on each end of each car (to tell you what is currently out windows) replace poles so they are smear resistant (not gloss) replace the AC units with newer more efficient units. (could even come up with some make believe green energy term for the changes for PR spin) LED lighting and efficient HVAC.
add underglow LED "warm" lighting under seats. (add hand loops for standing riders)

 

[COProgressFan]

I actually wonder.. why they dont close down a single monorail when its in the loop.. load it with a cleaning crew.. and clean it thoroughly (as the monorail moves but not stopping right in the stations but AFTER the stations.)
So, once they clean the monorail extensively.. they change of train and repeat..

A smart plan, that has been brought up before. But even that wouldn't be entirely necessary, if they simply gave each monorail a thorough cleaning at night. And just like happens (or should happen) in a resort room, every 30 days (or whatever the schedule is) each train should get a complete deep clean.

Most of the complaints are not about trash left by guests or fingerprints on windows. Those are legitimate problems but the bigger issue is the lack of any cosmetic maintenance that takes longer than 10 minutes to complete. Scuff marks, dirty floors, broken plastic and metal trims, door panel damage, torn or filthy seats, moldy air conditioning vents. They're just not doing what they need to do to adequately maintain trains that have 25 years of life and will be running for the foreseeable future.

 

[PhilharMagician]

I'm still amazed that there are excuses for the monorails being filthy. It simply didn't used to be like this, plain and simple. They've cut back maintenance significantly over the past many years and it's simply about money. Saying that they are heavily used is simply an excuse. Many times in the past they would actually run longer hours than they do now.

If I'm paying $600 a night to stay at a monorail line resort or paying $105 to visit the park for a day, the least they can do is keep the trains clean. It's not rocket science and isn't excusable.

It's not a fact of them being filthy, but that they have ripped seats, broken A/C, broken side panels and other mechanical issues which don't seem to get fixed. Unfortunately filthy happens after 18 hours of constant running 1000's of people through them before being taken out of service. As the OP said, the monorails unfortunately cannot be taken offline for a mid day spit shine like the busses.