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

[danlb_2000]

As I understand it, this current legislation only involves the WDW Monorail. And it brings it under state oversight by the same Florida DOT team that regulates and inspects other elevated mass-transit systems in Florida, like the Miami MetroMover, Tampa airport SkyConnect, MCO Peoplemover, etc.

No other theme park in the state of Florida has such a transit system. Busch Gardens Tampa used to, but they closed it decades ago. So WDW's monorail goes under the same jurisdiction as other elevated rail systems in Florida.

The legislation for general theme park ride inspections didn't make it out of Tallahasee committee this session, which is why I typed the word "Yet.". But it's bubbling along there in Tallahassee, and I would strongly support that legislation to regulate theme park rides a la' California if I was a Florida resident/voter.

Heck, as a potential future visitor to WDW and passenger on their ride vehicles, I would still support that legislation.

How about the Hogwarts Express? It is a elevated mass-transit system.

 

[danlb_2000]

Do you think the Florida DOT team who currently inspects the Miami MetroMover or Tampa SkyConnect won't apply the same standards to the WDW Monorail?

We have covered this ground a hundred times already. Disney has a great safety record and there didn't seem to be any concern about the lack of state inspections until the governor got mad at Disney and all of a sudden it's a problem. This tells you everything you need to know.

 

[Trauma]

How about the Hogwarts Express? It is an elevated mass-transit system.

I would call it a roller coaster.

 

[TP2000]

How about the Hogwarts Express? It is a elevated mass-transit system.

You could also make the same argument for the WDW Railroad, or the DAK train to Conservation Station. But for now those are all still classified as theme park rides, because they require a theme park ticket to ride them.

The legislation covering the broader theme park ride regulations didn't make it out of committee in Tallahassee, from two articles I read recently. But it's moving through the legislative sausage making process and will be something to discuss soon.

I think it's long past time that Florida theme park rides were as regulated and inspected as California theme park rides. It would have been nice to see WDW lead the charge on this a decade ago and ask Florida to use the California model years ago, but TDO failed to do that. They should have gotten ahead of the story after seeing 20 years of ride regulation in use at Disneyland.

 

[LittleBuford]

The legislation for general theme park ride inspections didn't make it out of Tallahasee committee this session, which is why I typed the word "Yet.".

There is no such “general” legislation. It would be limited to Walt Disney World, leaving Universal and SeaWorld free to continue carrying out their own inspections.

What do you make of that?

 

[TP2000]

Disney has a great safety record and there didn't seem to be any concern about the lack of state inspections until the governor got mad at Disney and all of a sudden it's a problem.

Has a horrific, fatal crash happened to Miami's MetroMover or Tampa's SkyConnect?

Note - photo removed. The Mom

 

[lazyboy97o]

I would call it a roller coaster.

You think the slow train ride is a roller coaster?

 

[danlb_2000]

Has this ever happened to Miami's MetroMover or Tampa's SkyConnect?

Yes, fortunately no deaths but 16 people were sent to the hospital..

Inquiry launched into Miami's Metromover crash that injured 16

Forty passengers riding the Miami Metro Mover were involved in an accident at Brickell and 12th Street, Tuesday, when the train in back bumped the front train. Commuters on a downtown Metromover lo…

www.palmbeachpost.com

 

[TP2000]

There is no such “general” legislation. It would be limited to Walt Disney World, leaving Universal and SeaWorld free to continue carrying out their own inspections.

What do you make of that?

Let me see if I can find the article that mentioned that exact problem. As I read it, there are several factions in Tallahassee that want state oversight of all theme parks, not just Disney, a la' California. Which is part of the reason it didn't make it out of committee yet.

Again, congressional sausage making is messy.

I think all Florida theme park rides should be inspected and regulated the same by State oversight.

 

[Trauma]

You think the slow train ride is a roller coaster?

You’re right I didn’t read that carefully. My brain thought we were talking about Hagrid’s.

 

[LittleBuford]

I think all Florida theme park rides should be inspected and regulated the same by State oversight.

But that isn’t what DeSantis wants. This is meant to target Disney specifically. He himself said so.

 

[LittleBuford]

It's strange, there was a time when politicians veiled their bad intentions, so debate over their true intentions was understandable. Who would have thought we would reach a time when those intentions were stated out right and there was still debate about their intentions.

Exactly. How on earth can anyone pretend this is about introducing "legislation for general theme park ride inspections" when there is footage like this readily available?

 

[TP2000]

But that isn’t what DeSantis wants. This is meant to target Disney specifically. He himself said so.

I'm sure he did. DeSantis hates Disney right now, worse than Mayor Tait hated Colglazier, and on a much bigger ($$$) scale.

If they begin regulating and inspecting theme parks rides in Florida like they have in California for 20 years, they need to do it at all theme park properties, not just Disney. I imagine that's where it will end up, if that legislation ever goes up for a vote. Or, at least that's where I would hope that legislation ends up.

 

[donsullivan]

Do you think the Florida DOT team who currently inspects the Miami MetroMover or Tampa SkyConnect won't apply the same standards to the WDW Monorail?

If these inspections had been injected into the mix after the young monorail pilot was killed in the TTC crash some years ago, I'd be right there with you. At that time the NTSB did the investigation and made many recommendations on systems and procedures and it appears Disney implemented pretty much all of those. The state didn't feel the need to take over inspecting the monorails then.

Doing it now has nothing do to with actual safety issues (you can find all the anecdotes you want and it doesn't change these facts) it has everything to do with one more way to punish Disney. Under this guise, should the Hogworts express be included in this, or the train at Busch Gardens?

 

[TP2000]

Under this guise, should the Hogworts express be included in this, or the train at Busch Gardens?

Those two Florida theme park rides should be regulated just as much and just as thoroughly as the Disneyland Railroad or the Universal Studios GlamourTram is in California.

In a perfect world, Disney should have gotten out in front of this concept a decade ago by asking Florida to implement a California style system of twice-annual inspections of every theme park ride in the state, including the training documentation and operating procedures. But TDO failed to do that, they went for the "We'll do our own inspecting of ourselves, thank you" status quo.

 

[donsullivan]

Those two Florida theme park rides should be regulated just as much and just as thoroughly as the Disneyland Railroad or the Universal Studios GlamourTram is in California.

In a perfect world, Disney should have gotten out in front of this concept a decade ago by asking Florida to implement a California style system of twice-annual inspections of every theme park ride in the state, including the training documentation and operating procedures. But TDO failed to do that, they went for the "We'll do our own inspecting of ourselves, thank you" status quo.

The point is, there is absolutely no data that shows anything would be improved or that the state would do a better job than Disney, Universal, and Sea World do with these inspections right now. They all have teams of highly trained people who work with the manufacturers of these attractions on a global basis from design to construction to operations to make sure the design, implementation, and operations are done as safely as possible. They all operate parks around the world and have extensive relationships with all of the attraction manufacturers with which to accumulate that knowledge. Do you really think things will be improved by having the crew that inspects the tilt-a-whirl at the county fair doing that work? Will they have the necessary relationships with all of the global attraction manufacturers (they are all over the globe) necessary to do that job effectively and thoroughly? There isn't any way possible that can be true with government funding.

 

[Lilofan]

So when do these inspections start ?

Good to know in advance so we are not at WDW that week.

 

[JoeCamel]

It's strange, there was a time when politicians veiled their bad intentions, so debate over their true intentions was understandable. Who would have thought we would reach a time when those intentions were stated out right and there was still debate about their intentions.

Exactly. How on earth can anyone pretend this is about introducing "legislation for general theme park ride inspections" when there is footage like this readily available?

Scary they feel comfortable enough to state their thoughts in public

 

[lazyboy97o]

Rides at non-exempt facilities are inspected to receive an annual operating permit. Rides at exempt facilities must be inspected annually in accordance with state-determined guidelines.

 

[LAKid53]

But that isn’t what DeSantis wants. This is meant to target Disney specifically. He himself said so.

"In a special district that encompasses more than one county". Now who COULD he be referring to?