Historical Monorail Question

[TB4244]

I was listening to Magical Mouse Radio yesterday and they played an interesting monorail spiel from 1972. It did highlight a up a couple of things I had no idea were even there like the waterski show, which apparently you needed tickets for, and now I can't remember what the other one was.

But my question is about the Monorail loop itself. It departed from what I presume was the TTC, through the Contemporary with its 'Top of the world restaurant' and finally arrives at the Magic Kingdom where the announcer was very insistent that everyone on board should disembark.
Was the whole loop, through what is now the GF and the Poly back to the TTC not complete?

Obviously now you can travel incircles around the resort loop all day if you wish to, but in '72 you had to get off at the MK...why?

 

[DisneyFans4Life]

I was listening to Magical Mouse Radio yesterday and they played an interesting monorail spiel from 1972. It did highlight a up a couple of things I had no idea were even there like the waterski show, which apparently you needed tickets for, and now I can't remember what the other one was.

But my question is about the Monorail loop itself. It departed from what I presume was the TTC, through the Contemporary with its 'Top of the world restaurant' and finally arrives at the Magic Kingdom where the announcer was very insistent that everyone on board should disembark.
Was the whole loop, through what is now the GF and the Poly back to the TTC not complete?

Obviously now you can travel incircles around the resort loop all day if you wish to, but in '72 you had to get off at the MK...why?

The Poly opened in 71 and the Grand Floridian didn't open until 88. Maybe MK was the last stop because there was nothing between MK and the Poly?

 

[TB4244]

I know the GF wasn't there but was the Poly on the loop with the Contemporary back then?

 

[zakattack99]

Correct me if I am wrong but my understanding is that originally the resort loop was for resort guests. Meaning when you checked into the contemporary or Poly you recived a monorail pass for the resort line. The express route was for everyone else. Insisting that you got off at MK would make since as it was truly the last stop, it was to be a transportation system not a ride and they would have needed you to get off at MK to clear the train for those departing the MK.

 

[TB4244]

That would make sense, I can see the logic in that.
But did the loop extend all the way around Seven Seas Lagoon or did the monorail have to reverse back to the TTC?

Sorry this has been bugging me since yesterday!

 

[Master Yoda]

That would make sense, I can see the logic in that.
But did the loop extend all the way around Seven Seas Lagoon or did the monorail have to reverse back to the TTC?

Sorry this has been bugging me since yesterday!

I am fairly certain that the track always went all the way around, but they could have been running it in shuttle mode for one reason or another. The picture below would suggest that the complete loop was at least build (the power rail is missing on the track) well before the Poly and Contemporary were completed.

 

[danyoung56]

Yes, the loop was complete. It left the MK and went to the Poly, and then to the TTC.

 

[TB4244]

Thats an amazing picture and answers my question too!

 

[POLY LOVER]

off topic , but a fun fact:

Monorail Miles Traveled

Each monorail travels more than 60,000 miles a year. Before they were retired, the old Mark IV monorails traveled more than 10 million miles. The reliability rate is reported to be an astounding 99.9%.

Disney’s monorail system is the most heavily used system of its kind in the world. It carries about 150,000 passengers every day. Each year the monorail system carries about 50 million people. Since its opening, the Walt Disney world monorail system has transported more than one billion people.

 

[marni1971]

The reliability rate is reported to be an astounding 99.9%.
.

And how it's dropped since then.

Back to the OP, both loops were complete when the park opened. Beyond the MK was just the TTC where you boarded, and it was assumed no one wanted to just ride round all day.

 

[POLY LOVER]

And how it's dropped since then.

Back to the OP, both loops were complete when the park opened. Beyond the MK was just the TTC where you boarded, and it was assumed no one wanted to just ride round all day.

Yes, I think the accident changed that number.

 

[marni1971]

Yes, I think the accident changed that number.

Figures were dropping well before the tragedy. Sadly.

 

[Timon]

They probably discouraged riding the loop especially during crush times when taking up valuable seats from crowds seeking to enter or leave the Magic Kingdom would slow things down.

 

[lazyboy97o]

As mentioned in another thread, originally all

I also wouldn't be surprised if they used shuttle mode when building the Polynesian, if there were a lot of building equipment near the track.

The Polynesian Village was built at the same time as the Contemporary.

 

[MonorailLover]

As mentioned in another thread, originally all

The Polynesian Village was built at the same time as the Contemporary.

Crap, I forgot, I had some notion it was opened later than MK opening date... Deleted the post

 

[lazyboy97o]

Crap, I forgot, I had some notion it was opened later than MK opening date...

The hotels did open later, but not with that sort of phasing.

 

[MonorailLover]

The hotels did open later, but not with that sort of phasing.

Thanks for the information, I was under the impression that it was still being built, my mistake. I guess I'm used to the phasing of some of the hotels recently (Au'lani / AoA)

 

[s8film40]

You have to remember when that spell is from, WDW as a whole was fairly new. The monorail at Disneyland went through the park. They had to be a little more direct, otherwise people could decide they would rather wait for the Tomorrowland stop instead of Main Street.

Also I think the current spiel still basically does the same thing but with much less harsh wording.

 

[Polydweller]

The hotels did open later, but not with that sort of phasing.

Later than what? They opened on the same date as WDW, Oct 1,1971. So what is the later you are referring to?

 

[erwinalber4]

Just a thought didn't those Monorails have rows of seats and no standing room like the current ones, making it especially important that it would be clear for those waiting to board at MK? They wouldn't have been able to pack in guests the way they can today, right? Also does anyone have a link to the spiel? I'd love to hear it.