News DeSantis moves to bring state safety oversight of the Walt Disney World Monorail including suspending the service for inspections

[Smiley/OCD]

2018 was not long ago, and the door issue happened at essentially the same time the piece fell off of a monorail car.
I'm happy that Disney has gone to work renovating the trains, but they are still a very old fleet - and i don't really know what goes on behind the scenes in maintenance and repairs.
It could be extremely thorough, or it could be duct tape and JB Weld.

You’re absolutely right, we DON’T know what goes on behind the scenes, and maybe we don’t want to know the same way we probably don’t want to see our food being prepared at any restaurant.
ANY park that handles the volume of guests that Disney World does is BOUND to have issues. Overall, I know I feel safer at WDW than I do at ANY Six Flags park…they must be doing something right.

 

[flynnibus]

Safety and maintenance are red herrings in this debate, because the legislation in question isn't motivated by a concern for either of these things.

They don't have to be the motivations to acknowledge a positive value from the change.

Let's not forget... Disney in effect had a carve out here from other regulation because of it's uniqueness. Having state regulation of this type of service in itself is not bad. It's just not going to do what people here keep pointing at... and certainly wasn't done now just because someone realized there was a gap that needed filling.

 

[wdwmagic]

Bob Iger rebuilt Disney. Fighting DeSantis could define his legacy.​

Bob Iger rebuilt Disney. Fighting DeSantis could define his legacy.

 

[LittleBuford]

They don't have to be the motivations to acknowledge a positive value from the change.

Let's not forget... Disney in effect had a carve out here from other regulation because of it's uniqueness. Having state regulation of this type of service in itself is not bad. It's just not going to do what people here keep pointing at... and certainly wasn't done now just because someone realized there was a gap that needed filling.

I can't improve on what @Chi84 already said in response to a similar point:

I hope the day never comes when we’re willing to pay that price, no matter the result.

 

[flynnibus]

I can't improve on what @Chi84 already said in response to a similar point:

Those are different things...

acknowledging positive value is not saying 'its worth it'. It's avoiding the constant talking past each other that is happening here by addressing the pieces vs only the whole.

You can acknowledge that state oversight is a good concept here - without having to support how it's being done.

 

[Brian]

Safety and maintenance are red herrings in this debate, because the legislation in question isn't motivated by a concern for either of these things.

No offense intended, but this is a tired argument. I will not accept the premise that merely because the inspections came about through retaliation, no good can come of the inspections themselves, provided they are done with professionalism, integrity and without political interference. As I've stated previously with this position, this is not the most likely outcome, given DeSantis' prior actions and statements, but it remains a possibility.

Safety and maintenance are not immaterial to this discussion because this is, in part, a discussion about the impacts of the state inspections on the monorail system. Its prior safety and maintenance record is relevant, despite it not being the reason for the inspections coming about, because there is a possibility that the safety and maintenance of the system will be impacted, ideally positively, by this inspection regime.

 

[LittleBuford]

You can acknowledge that state oversight is a good concept here - without having to support how it's being done.

I have no reason to believe that the kind of state oversight being implemented here is the kind I would (ordinarily) approve of.

 

[flynnibus]

No offense intended, but this is a tired argument. I will not accept the premise that merely because the inspections came about through retaliation, no good can come of the inspections themselves, provided they are done with professionalism, integrity and without political interference. As I've stated previously with this position, this is not the most likely outcome, given DeSantis' prior actions and statements, but it remains a possibility.

Safety and maintenance are not immaterial to this discussion because this is, in part, a discussion about the impacts of the state inspections on the monorail system. Its prior safety and maintenance record is relevant, despite it not being the reason for the inspections coming about, because there is a possibility that the safety and maintenance of the system will be impacted, ideally positively, by this inspection regime.

But also in your argument you must acknowledge the risk is probably far worse than the gain given the current situation. One shouldn't focus only on the small sliver without acknowledging the adjacent, far more likely outcome.

Literally there is nothing even defined about what said inspections would even cover. I think it's fine to acknowledge the CONCEPT - it it's bad form to be dancing about the change this will bring, while ignoring the monkey it brings with it right now.

 

[LittleBuford]

I will not accept the premise that merely because the inspections came about through retaliation, no good can come of the inspections themselves, provided they are done with professionalism, integrity and without political interference.

It's precisely because of those provisos that I am not sanguine about the inspections.

 

[flynnibus]

I have no reason to believe that the kind of state oversight being implemented here is the kind I would (ordinarily) approve of.

So you don't support the DOT overseeing transportation systems in the state... because it's the DOT?

 

[Brian]

But also in your argument you must acknowledge the risk is probably far worse than the gain given the current situation. One shouldn't focus only on the small sliver without acknowledging the adjacent, far more likely outcome.

Literally there is nothing even defined about what said inspections would even cover. I think it's fine to acknowledge the CONCEPT - it it's bad form to be dancing about the change this will bring, while ignoring the monkey it brings with it right now.

The risk of this going poorly (political interference, unqualified inspectors, generally being used to "own the libs") does indeed outweigh the possibility of it going well (like I described in the post you quoted). DeSantis has been clear about his intentions with Disney, and much to my chagrin, and given his track record thus far, I would not put it past him to try to exert political pressure on the inspectors.

I remain cautiously and fleetingly optimistic, however, that there may be sufficient buffer between the governor's office and the front-line inspectors to yield a somewhat positive outcome. If I were a betting man, I wouldn't bet on it, though.

It's precisely because of those provisos that I am not sanguine about the inspections.

That's fair.

 

[flynnibus]

Just all this talk about inspections preventing monorail doors falling off, etc is comical.

The inspections are not going to change individual decisions made, nor are they going to really whip out a special tool to find things Disney is ignoring. The best it does is force Disney to periodically go where they might not be going as frequently and that they have a paper trail.

This isn't your neglected car suddenly being forced to be taken to the mechanic every day before you can use it.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

It seems some here question the ability and integrity of State employees to perform inspections yet I bet you travel every day on State roads and bridges and think nothing about who inspects them.
"States are responsible for insuring all public highway bridges within the State are inspected in accordance with the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS), including those owned by local Agencies or other public authorities (23 USC 151 and 23 CFR 650, Subpart C)".
The monorail is constructed no different than many concrete bridges. I could careless who inspects them as long as they are and maintained.

Speak for yourself.

Bridge collapses are somewhat rare, but when they happen...yikes!

 

[note2001]

Yep wont happen. Even his voters visit WDW, and if they find they have to wait an hour to get a boat because theyl closed the monorail they wont be too happy.

I worked with the Federal DOT for a few years, we did a lot with the safety & security of trains. I'm surprised there are not Federally mandated inspections as is.

Disney is near the top of reliability for systems... then again they have been known to drop doors in the EPCOT parking lot.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

You must have never heard of the Pressler era. This kind of leadership eventually results in more accidents than the freak accidents and thus harm and death to CMs and guests. This bad management concept is occuring again.

The Splash Mountain boats with multiple sinking incidents.

The door on the monorail falling off

The door on the monorail being stuck in motion.

The panel falling off of the monorail.

The peoplemover speedramp fire.

The skyliner collisions.

You must not have noticed the Dragon's catching on fire on both coasts that could have ended very differently, and should not have happened at all. Let alone two major in park pyro incidents within a few years of operation.

How about the Jungle Cruise boat sinking?

The doombuggy coming loose from its fixture.


How about the fact that all of these were within five years of operation
There was the known incident (even one would be too many) where the doors of monorail red were stuck open and the vehicle remained in motion. Many safety issues going on there. There is a reason Tower of Terror has operated as it has with maintenance long overdue and RocknRollercoaster needing this long period of downtime.

Upkeep in both show, but also in mechanical maintenance has been so bad in Disney in the last decade. It is a fact. Disney is amazingly lucky those events did not have a stroller, wheelchair or person going out the opening, or that entire door that did come off or parts of the monorail hitting anyone below.

I've read a good chunk of this thread, and whole time, I keep thinking...buses.

A good number of times I've visited, WDW has run buses in place of the monorail whenever the monorail is down.

If WDW is somehow kept form running the monorail, wouldn't they just do what they have always done, and run buses instead?

 

[Ayla]

I've read a good chunk of this thread, and whole time, I keep thinking...buses.

A good number of times I've visited, WDW has run buses in place of the monorail whenever the monorail is down.

If WDW is somehow kept form running the monorail, wouldn't they just do what they have always done, and run buses instead?

They don't have enough drivers as it is.

 

[mkt]

They don't have enough drivers as it is.

They hire outside buses when they need to

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

I've read a good chunk of this thread, and whole time, I keep thinking...buses.

A good number of times I've visited, WDW has run buses in place of the monorail whenever the monorail is down.

If WDW is somehow kept form running the monorail, wouldn't they just do what they have always done, and run buses instead?

They might not be able to run enough buses on short notice, so it would harm Disney.

It would displease guests at the monorail resorts who pay for that benefit, which would result in complaints, requests for compensation, reduced future bookings, etc. which would harm Disney.

Which is of course the ONLY point of this legislation.

 

[Lilofan]

They hire outside buses when they need to

Hello , Mears !

 

[Incomudro]

You’re absolutely right, we DON’T know what goes on behind the scenes, and maybe we don’t want to know the same way we probably don’t want to see our food being prepared at any restaurant.
ANY park that handles the volume of guests that Disney World does is BOUND to have issues. Overall, I know I feel safer at WDW than I do at ANY Six Flags park…they must be doing something right.

I don't equate food handling issues on the same level as safety issues with moving vehicles.
I'd imagine some people do, but I don't.
In any event, does Disney handle it's own food handling and storage inspections?
I'd imagine it doesn't.