Are guests allowed to ride in the front of the monorail with the driver?

[Tink ッ]

I can remember all the magical times where I got to sit in the front of the monorail, and what a beautiful view! But when I vacationed there in sept 2010 after the accident, they didn't allow guests in the front anymore (which is very understandable). Does anyone know if this has changed now, or if it will ever change?

I'm going to WDW for the first time ever with a boyfriend next sept, and it would be so awesome to get to be in the front with him

 

[wdwmagic]

No more sitting in the front. I really don't see it ever coming back either.

 

[brightlillstar]

I don't think it's ever going to come back. I never had the guts to ask to do it. I wish I had gotten the chance. I feel so sad about the accident.

 

[ddbowdoin]

DAMN SHAME... guess they reviewed their liability after the accident and it was axed

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I believe you can still ride in the cockpit of the monorails out at Disneyland. I believe it's a difference in construction of the monorails. :wave:

 

[MichWolv]

A monorail pilot (driver? captain? I'm using pilot) told me last month that the pilots don't believe it'll ever come back. Given what happened, Disney doesn't want anything that could even be suggested to be a distraction for the pilot.

 

[Monorail Lime]

Allowing guests in the operating cab is contrary to the positive procedural changes and safety-conscious philosophical shift in the department following the accident. I would be very concerned about a decline in standards if guests were ever allowed in the cab again. Fortunately I don't think it is likely.

 

[Timekeeper]

This begs the question, are guests allowed to sit in the rear-facing cab? :shrug:

 

[Tink ッ]

No I don't think they would allow guests in the rear-facing cab. If they ever were to consider that, they would need a CM on the clock just to be in there with the guests.

 

[Monorail Lime]

This begs the question, are guests allowed to sit in the rear-facing cab? :shrug:

Absolutely not. Monorail cast members are not even allowed in the non-operating cab without a good reason. That rule predates the accident.

 

[Silver Figment]

It's unfortunate that you can't anymore. It was a cool experience that i got to have before they stopped doing it. I even have my co-pilots license.

 

[R W B]

I understand about safety, I over saw certain FEMA subcontractors after Katrina for 2 years and was incharge of safety protocol. I know OSHA recs and all that but at the end of the day, what happen last year was an accident. Very tragic but still an accident.

I don't think they should of stopped allowing guests up front. I mean god forbid but what happens if someone gets hurt really bad or worse on space mountain? Their not going to close it, they might change a few things but guests will still ride it. I know closing the cockpit car to guests was the easiest thing to do but I don't think it was necessary.

 

[Master Yoda]

I understand about safety, I over saw certain FEMA subcontractors after Katrina for 2 years and was incharge of safety protocol. I know OSHA recs and all that but at the end of the day, what happen last year was an accident. Very tragic but still an accident.

I don't think they should of stopped allowing guests up front. I mean god forbid but what happens if someone gets hurt really bad or worse on space mountain? Their not going to close it, they might change a few things but guests will still ride it. I know closing the cockpit car to guests was the easiest thing to do but I don't think it was necessary.

The problem is the existing monorails have next to zero impact protection from the front and rear. I would assume that they were designed this way because it was at one time considered next to impossible that 2 monorails could ever strike each other. Being able to withstand a collision was simply not viewed as a concern. We now know that 2 monorails can strike each other. If Disney was to allow guests to ride in the front without adding some sort of impact protection for the cab and an accident was to happen with guests in the cab it would not take a Harvard law grad to show negligence on Disney's part.

The only way I see Disney ever letting guests ride in the front again is if and when new monorails are built and designed with the ability to take an impact from another monorail.