-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Huge Monorail expansion?
- Thread starter KingCEO
- Start date
Or a Channel Tunnel Rail Link.... they are still trying to pay off the interest on the debt on that! Its a very sore topic for Northern England - we too were to get a high speed Eurostar link to the tunnel from Manchester. Then it became uneconomically viable - once they built a train shed here, and put 13 - THIRTEEN - brand new Eurostar trains in it (which are now mothballed).
Sorry to go off topic there - I`m back now.
Sorry to go off topic there - I`m back now.
Sloan
Well-Known Member
Monorail Expansion
I'm sure it would/will be a very expensive project, but it would be fantastic. I almost NEVER use the resort bus system, but take every opportunity to use the Monorail. Simple - buses are not fun - Monorail is - you're on a "ride" before you're even in the park. Part of the magical Disney experience that has value beyond just transportation.
I'm wondering if there could be a compromise system used in some applications - not as grand as exisiting monorail, and more on the scale of Tomorrowland TA?
I'm sure it would/will be a very expensive project, but it would be fantastic. I almost NEVER use the resort bus system, but take every opportunity to use the Monorail. Simple - buses are not fun - Monorail is - you're on a "ride" before you're even in the park. Part of the magical Disney experience that has value beyond just transportation.
I'm wondering if there could be a compromise system used in some applications - not as grand as exisiting monorail, and more on the scale of Tomorrowland TA?
ClemsonTigger
Naturally Grumpy
Rail/Monorail
Nansafan,
I believe that while monorails may have geen rumored (or rumoured) in connecting most of central Florida, my current understanding is the most probable at the moment (and we know how all this changes) is like Bill had said with a high speed rail connecting the airport to ?.
Last I heard there were two to three optional routes...Disney wanted direct or nothing which was not agreed to, they then warmed up to limited stops (I think Convention Center/Intl. Dr.) then Disney then Tampa.
I'm sure the area locals can update on that political volleyball.
For what my vote is worth (and the thimble you can carry it in) I would hope for expansion of monorails to cover the parks and possibly one or two non transportation center connections, like DTD). Busses would still be necessary for some hotels and to help at peak.
I would have to think that reducing the bus volume with gas now going through the roof again, and those special smell effects (it ain't a pie), that monorail expansion stock should be on the rise.
Nansafan,
I believe that while monorails may have geen rumored (or rumoured) in connecting most of central Florida, my current understanding is the most probable at the moment (and we know how all this changes) is like Bill had said with a high speed rail connecting the airport to ?.
Last I heard there were two to three optional routes...Disney wanted direct or nothing which was not agreed to, they then warmed up to limited stops (I think Convention Center/Intl. Dr.) then Disney then Tampa.
I'm sure the area locals can update on that political volleyball.
For what my vote is worth (and the thimble you can carry it in) I would hope for expansion of monorails to cover the parks and possibly one or two non transportation center connections, like DTD). Busses would still be necessary for some hotels and to help at peak.
I would have to think that reducing the bus volume with gas now going through the roof again, and those special smell effects (it ain't a pie), that monorail expansion stock should be on the rise.
niteobsrvr
Well-Known Member
The current monorail expansion, if and when it comes to fruition, will center on the Epcot area as the main hub due to its central location on the property. It also allows for the quickest access to a transfer point from the proposed high speed rail station which will be on the other side of Highway 192 across from the Wide World of Sports.
disneyman23
New Member
hey all im a new member !
i would love to see the monorail go through some expansion. obviously really expensive but im sure it would be well worth it. even if they just built a monorail connecting animal kingdom, epcot and mgm, that would be great !
i would love to see the monorail go through some expansion. obviously really expensive but im sure it would be well worth it. even if they just built a monorail connecting animal kingdom, epcot and mgm, that would be great !
disneyman23
New Member
yeah i can see how that could happen, but when it comes to buses or monorail i dont think there is much question what people would rather ride, i mean buses arent overly magical now are they?
DarkMeasures
New Member
Monorails are fun because there is not traffic and you get to see everything from above...
I do wish there was an expansion of some kind. But there are flaws with the monorail design, it can't switch track as simply as trains can.
I do wish there was an expansion of some kind. But there are flaws with the monorail design, it can't switch track as simply as trains can.
TimeTrip
Well-Known Member
DarkMeasures
New Member
Oh.... That's cool... So the only problem with monorails then is budget and flexiblity....
(hopefully high traffic will kill buses and revive Monorails then),
(hopefully high traffic will kill buses and revive Monorails then),
I'm ambiguous about monorail expansion. As much as I love trains vs. autos, I think the limited nature of the monorail system makes it special. Riding them all over the property would make them commonplace. Also, I'd rather see them spend the money on new attractions.
Also, I doubt they'd ever connect monorails to the mods or values as this would raise the price dramatically.
Also also, I'm not sure what benefit it is to Disney to connect all the parks. Resort guests often zip back to their rooms in the afternoon thus not needing a direct connection between parks. Off-site guests have cars and can drive over to another park.
Building a monorail direct from say the TTC to MGM and AK would eliminate the need for MK Resort buses to these parks, but that's not much of a bus savings since the GF and WL share, as do the Poly and Cont I believe.
Also, I doubt they'd ever connect monorails to the mods or values as this would raise the price dramatically.
Also also, I'm not sure what benefit it is to Disney to connect all the parks. Resort guests often zip back to their rooms in the afternoon thus not needing a direct connection between parks. Off-site guests have cars and can drive over to another park.
Building a monorail direct from say the TTC to MGM and AK would eliminate the need for MK Resort buses to these parks, but that's not much of a bus savings since the GF and WL share, as do the Poly and Cont I believe.
disneyman23
New Member
thanks for the welcome marni1971 !!!
as for the monorails, i am thinking that they could do a lot of good with it if they at least connected AK and MGM, seems like those parks would do better with a connection, cause people who are in AK would be more likely to go to MGM at the end of the day to see fantasmic if it was as easy as a monorail ride away.
as for the monorails, i am thinking that they could do a lot of good with it if they at least connected AK and MGM, seems like those parks would do better with a connection, cause people who are in AK would be more likely to go to MGM at the end of the day to see fantasmic if it was as easy as a monorail ride away.
DarkMeasures
New Member
Monorails aren't supposed to be special, they are supposed to be transportation. Not a ride.
That's another problem with the monorail. The reason it was built as an attraction at Disneyland because the monorail used state of the art technology and blew all other monorails out of the water. But it was to demenstrate the feasibility of a monorail.
That's another problem with the monorail. The reason it was built as an attraction at Disneyland because the monorail used state of the art technology and blew all other monorails out of the water. But it was to demenstrate the feasibility of a monorail.
What day is it - Friday? I forget on Fridays, is the current mentality that busses are cheaper than light rail and monorail, or the other way around? This argument has been going on for decades now. Half the time everyone is pushing for bus rapit transit because it is cheaper. Then other times everyone pushes for light rail because that is supposedly cheaper.
Fact is, depending of course ont he number of people and stops, the difference is pretty minimal over time. The big thing, as I understood it, was that Disney and Bombardier had a major falling out, and since the Disney Monorails were Bombardier designs...
Now of course Disney is working with Hitachi which has suddenly come out with their own thin beam monorail. they already use them in Tokyo, so it wouldn't take a whole lot to get them over here.
It's not going to be an either or situation. In some cases where the traffic warrants it, they will use some kind of light rail or monorail. And othercases they will use some kind of bus system. I would bet (and this may be 10-20 year down the road) that they have monorails connecting the major parks and a hub somewhere, and busses from the resorts connect to the hub.
Fact is, depending of course ont he number of people and stops, the difference is pretty minimal over time. The big thing, as I understood it, was that Disney and Bombardier had a major falling out, and since the Disney Monorails were Bombardier designs...
Now of course Disney is working with Hitachi which has suddenly come out with their own thin beam monorail. they already use them in Tokyo, so it wouldn't take a whole lot to get them over here.
It's not going to be an either or situation. In some cases where the traffic warrants it, they will use some kind of light rail or monorail. And othercases they will use some kind of bus system. I would bet (and this may be 10-20 year down the road) that they have monorails connecting the major parks and a hub somewhere, and busses from the resorts connect to the hub.
disneyman23
New Member
how about if disney came up with something brand new, a new form of transportation that would get people around between AK, and MGM, something state of the art that wouldnt necessarily blow the monorail away but something that would be new and different that would distinguish it from the monorail or buses ??
probably not feasible but a fun thought, anyone have any ideas on any possibilities so that monorail expansion wouldnt have to happen
probably not feasible but a fun thought, anyone have any ideas on any possibilities so that monorail expansion wouldnt have to happen
DarkMeasures
New Member
How about those tubes via Futurama?
disneyman23
New Member
hahaha thats an awesome idea ! 