Future Transportation at WDW?

[Wngo905]

Whoppie ! First monorail discussion of the year!

Actually, its a monorail discussion in a thread bump of a post from almost four years ago

 

[ewensell3]

I think we are seeing the beginnings of Disney's plan with the Premium transportation service. Don't change infrastructure, just provide an upcharge bus that takes a longer albeit slightly less congested road. I think the next step is to borrow a page from Universal's playbook. Create an attraction that spans two parks and require admission for both parks in order to ride.

 

[Rodent73]

It's not that I mind walking, but it does take a toll after a few days. I wish there was a Tomorrowland type of people mover to take you between the World Showcase and Future World.

Was thinking the same thing. Magic kingdom has the train that circles the park. Epcot could deffenitly use a transportation system like the people mover. It's a lot of walking over a great area, especially if your fast passes are back and forth.

Additional monorail tracks are not going to be added. It is too cost ineffective. My FIL was working on a bid for one at an airport. The overall cost runs about $30k per foot of track. For the cost of 2-miles of track, they can build 3-4 DVC resorts. When factoring in cost/benefit, getting $0 return on a $316M investment is a waste of money. When you tell the same purse holder that they can spend $300M, sell 2,000 units at each DVC resort for $25,000 a pop and then charge those same people $1,000 a year for 50 years, the eyes light up like Christmas trees. On top of that, they will rent unused rooms out at $400-$1,000 a night, it makes the decision easier.

You will not see much of a change to the transportation system. They only changes may be more efficient buses way down the road. Could they potentially build a ground rail system? It is possible but still unlikely. There would have to be a hub and that means transportation hopping.

I've always wondered why. As the monorail becomes more widely used the cost has been greatly reduced. So why so high for Disney?
Besides with a fleet of over 300 Disney buses with approx 4 drivers a year per bus at around $50,000 per driver a year would be $60,000,000/year. That's not counting gas or maintenance. For something they are not directly making money off of, it would be in their best interest to look at other means of transportation. Especially since its also one of their largest complaint areas.

Anyways I believe the system they are looking at is autonomous buses (Driverless).

 

[Matt_Black]

I think we are seeing the beginnings of Disney's plan with the Premium transportation service. Don't change infrastructure, just provide an upcharge bus that takes a longer albeit slightly less congested road. I think the next step is to borrow a page from Universal's playbook. Create an attraction that spans two parks and require admission for both parks in order to ride.

The only feasible location for that, barring building a fifth gate, would be Epcot & DHS.

 

[GrumpyFan]

Teleporters! Brought to you by those fine minds at X-S Tech! Seize the future with X-S!

Exactly! I mean, what could go wrong?

 

[danlb_2000]

Pesky old laws prevent that from happening as far as straps, etc. A large portion of the fleet are now low bodied that do not require a lift, but they do require a ramp and the vehicle, be it a wheeled chair or scooter, must be secured so that in the event of an accident it doesn't become a projectile. Sorry, I don't think that will ever change.

But can't ECV's go on a monorail unsecured?

 

[Goofyernmost]

But can't ECV's go on a monorail unsecured?

Yes, they can because there are no laws covering Monorails and ECV's. Buses, however, get very close attention when it comes to ADA laws. Monorails do not go as fast or negotiate sharp corners or have other vehicles cut in front of them at the last minute creating issues with evasive movements. Buses unfortunately do and have a much higher risk of driver error.

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

I like Gonzo's idea...

 

[surfsupdon]

I'd like more walkways and pathways connecting locations. Fitness is in!

Contemp-TTC-Poly-GF-MK
POP-CBR-Epcot Resorts
DisSprings-Saratoga-OKW-PO
AKL-AK

I think some people would opt for the walks. And it'd be great for running. The Epcot Resorts Blvd sidewalk is so close to reaching CBR. Sure some would be long walks....but so is the farthest room at BCV to HS.

 

[Robbiemoo]

I'd love to see a PRT system. Something like this could conceivably be delivered using a lot of the existing infrastructure and would be a modern update on the wedway concepts of never having to wait and having local point to point access.

Google the Heathrow airport pods to see what I'm talking about - something like this would be great for traveling around the resort or even within Epcot imagine getting on a pod at innoventions and swiping your magic band to be taken to the world showcase country where you have dinner reservations

 

[Time_machine]

While I like the monorail I do think that an automated LRT system would be the most realistic option for expanding rapid transit at WDW.

They're relatively cheap to build as they don't need to be built completely above-grade (although some viaducts would be necessary to avoid grade crossings), there are tons of rolling stock builders (unlike monorails where there's only a handful of rolling stock builders) so vehicles can be acquired at a good price and they can scale with demand (they could run a single 92ft trainset during low season and use two coupled 157ft long trainsets during the high season). Plus, they could probably get a grant from the DOT/FTA if they went with an LRT system and in the [far, far, far, distant] future perhaps get the FDOT, the Florida East Coast Railway and possibly Sea World to fund a link between the resorts and the intermodal hub that is being constructed at the International Airport.

Of course, this is a pipe dream and all I really hope for in the short term is that TDO will look into purchasing bi-articulated buses but it seems like the most feasible pipe dream from a technical standpoint. Sure, the initial capital expense would be huge but it could lead to significant reductions in overhead relative to fuel, labour and maintenance fees.

That being said, I will never understand how a company that tries to squeeze every penny out of their properties can continue to maintain and expand their massive internal freeway network instead of forcing people to use public transit. Does the RCID just get large grants from FDOT that cover most of the cost of widening and expanding their road network or something?