Is there any news on the Epcot monorail?

[DoleWhipDrea]

They are probably working on a way to charge extra for monorail rides

Shhh, don't give TDO any ideas!

I have family wanting to visit the parks later this year and they'll likely want to stay on property, but I have a hard time justifying the price of a lot of these hotels when several forms of transportation, like the Monorail, are such a mixed bag right now. I know that they're going to want me to plan out everything and I'm not even sure what to recommend.

 

[orky8]

Given all the other rapid changes to distancing and masks and apparent increase to park capacity, anyone hearing more on this?

 

[castlecake2.0]

Given all the other rapid changes to distancing and masks and apparent increase to park capacity, anyone hearing more on this?

Nope, not until no distancing required on monorail, so not yet

 

[CJR]

Given all the other rapid changes to distancing and masks and apparent increase to park capacity, anyone hearing more on this?

Not sure, but I could imagine it coming back shortly after the college program returns in June, coupled with further distancing relaxation.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

This is exactly my point. The don't NEED the monorail open, so who cares if we provide a diminished guest experience. This is same argument that Disney makes with every nickel-and-dime decision they make. Rat can sit idle. Tron can be moth-balled. The Epcot monorail doesn't NEED to exist as all - part of my is confused why they are cleaning the beams instead of tearing them down (but see people mover in Disneyland, why tear down at all?).

Now, others are making the point that the resort line is currently taxed and so opening the Epcot line will put undue stress on the resort line so there is an operational challenge. I believe a motivated company could solve that operational challenge - Disney is not that company, they only assess the bare minimum that is NEEDED.

Disney was a motivated company, and did solve the problem. They did so with the solution that makes the most sense, save money an resources during a global shutdown, and provide time for repair/refurbishment, on a service that at this time isn't needed.

Making smart business decisions is not nickle-and-dime choices. They are what you do to run a business. There is no reason to open up to major new attractions at this time. The you invest and expand any business is to increase profits and to meet customer demand. Why would you open a new attraction at a time when A) attendance at the park has been capped artificially; and B) As soon as the cap is lifted and vaccinations increase, you are going to see increased travel and attendance at the parks anyway. You save those new ride openings so they can have the best impact, like when attendance restrictions lift and you have more people (some of which you want to drive to Epcott.) For Tron, they likely wait until after the big 50th anniversary event, and then you get another marketing/attendance bump.

It would be absurd for any business over the past year to not assess costs/operations based upon actual needs, not outliers that don't serve a required value added purpose.

 

[orky8]

Disney was a motivated company, and did solve the problem. They did so with the solution that makes the most sense, save money an resources during a global shutdown, and provide time for repair/refurbishment, on a service that at this time isn't needed.

Making smart business decisions is not nickle-and-dime choices. They are what you do to run a business. There is no reason to open up to major new attractions at this time. The you invest and expand any business is to increase profits and to meet customer demand. Why would you open a new attraction at a time when A) attendance at the park has been capped artificially; and B) As soon as the cap is lifted and vaccinations increase, you are going to see increased travel and attendance at the parks anyway. You save those new ride openings so they can have the best impact, like when attendance restrictions lift and you have more people (some of which you want to drive to Epcott.) For Tron, they likely wait until after the big 50th anniversary event, and then you get another marketing/attendance bump.

It would be absurd for any business over the past year to not assess costs/operations based upon actual needs, not outliers that don't serve a required value added purpose.

None of that explains why the Epcot monorail is closed today. And yes, I'm sure folks will be along soon shouting about how it's because the resort line can't handle more people because they only put 2.3 folks in each cabin instead of the 30 it can hold.

Whether it's a smart business decision, we'll agree to disagree. Walt said give the public everything you can. Universal is also running a business, but opened Velocicoaster as soon as they could, instead of keeping it mothballed for 6 months, even though they could have.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

None of that explains why the Epcot monorail is closed today. And yes, I'm sure folks will be along soon shouting about how it's because the resort line can't handle more people because they only put 2.3 folks in each cabin instead of the 30 it can hold.

Whether it's a smart business decision, we'll agree to disagree. Walt said give the public everything you can. Universal is also running a business, but opened Velocicoaster as soon as they could, instead of keeping it mothballed for 6 months, even though they could have.

It completely explains why the Epcot monorail is closed today. You just don't like the explanation. It's closed because right now it is simply not needed, and not a priority that will be needed in the short term. If there is no reason to increase costs now, as opposed to sometime in the future, there is no reason to do it.

As to taking a Walt quote out of context, that is just silly. You could given everyone stock in Disney who attends the park. You could given everyone a buy 1 ticket get 3 tickets free deal, they don't. You could hire give every family that enters the park unlimited fast pass (do we see where this is going) no business does that.

As to Universal and WDW, that is like comparing apples and raisins. The attendance figures for Universal Studios vs. the 4 WDW Florida parks is not comparable. Universal sees an opportunity to try and increase market share, and is taking it. WDW is not concerned with market share, nor does it really see Universal as a competitor at the moment. Does that change over the course of the next decade.....I don't know. But given its operating size, its giant place in the market, dedicated fan base, Disney can afford to be more conservative in its approach to openings. If you can point to some downside to not opening the monorail at this time, other than a whiny "but I really wanna ride it" then I would be open to listening. But in face of multiple business reasons why it isn't open, I have yet to see one in favor of it being opened

 

[castlecake2.0]

None of that explains why the Epcot monorail is closed today. And yes, I'm sure folks will be along soon shouting about how it's because the resort line can't handle more people because they only put 2.3 folks in each cabin instead of the 30 it can hold.

Whether it's a smart business decision, we'll agree to disagree. Walt said give the public everything you can. Universal is also running a business, but opened Velocicoaster as soon as they could, instead of keeping it mothballed for 6 months, even though they could have.

I never shouted, you just don’t like the explanation. Makes no sense to run three lines that cannot keep up with demand in the current situation when you can run two lines to full capacity and supplement the third with busses. You just don’t want to understand the reasoning.

 

[orky8]

It completely explains why the Epcot monorail is closed today. You just don't like the explanation. It's closed because right now it is simply not needed, and not a priority that will be needed in the short term. If there is no reason to increase costs now, as opposed to sometime in the future, there is no reason to do it.

As to taking a Walt quote out of context, that is just silly. You could given everyone stock in Disney who attends the park. You could given everyone a buy 1 ticket get 3 tickets free deal, they don't. You could hire give every family that enters the park unlimited fast pass (do we see where this is going) no business does that.

As to Universal and WDW, that is like comparing apples and raisins. The attendance figures for Universal Studios vs. the 4 WDW Florida parks is not comparable. Universal sees an opportunity to try and increase market share, and is taking it. WDW is not concerned with market share, nor does it really see Universal as a competitor at the moment. Does that change over the course of the next decade.....I don't know. But given its operating size, its giant place in the market, dedicated fan base, Disney can afford to be more conservative in its approach to openings. If you can point to some downside to not opening the monorail at this time, other than a whiny "but I really wanna ride it" then I would be open to listening. But in face of multiple business reasons why it isn't open, I have yet to see one in favor of it being opened

I'm sorry, let me give you the full quote, so you can understand context without taking it to the absurd or accusing me of not knowing how businesses operate:

"My young group of executives are gonna stay with that policy because it's proven that it's a good business policy. Give the public everything you can give 'em. Keep the place as clean as you can keep it. Keep it friendly. It'll make it a real fun place to be. I think they're convinced, and I think that'll hang on after if I'm . . . . As you say, after Disney."

So the context is, he's getting old, he knows bean counters will ruin the thing he created and loved, and he wants them to know that he just showed them all that giving the public the best product you can is a smart financial move. Walt Disney ran a business to give the public everything he could because he believed it was good business policy. He would never let an attraction (Ratatouille) sit moth balled for six months. The very concept is absurd to anyone except a bean counter who thinks customer goodwill is nothing but a line on a spreadsheet.

As to the downside of not running the Epcot monorail, it's bad customer experience to take busses (that themselves supposedly are overcrowded and barely keeping up) when they have an amenity that many consider integral to why they stay at the monorail resorts. I fully understand that means very little to current Disney leadership.

 

[orky8]

I never shouted, you just don’t like the explanation. Makes no sense to run three lines that cannot keep up with demand in the current situation when you can run two lines to full capacity and supplement the third with busses. You just don’t want to understand the reasoning.

I'm kinda kidding, though I do picture you very exasperated behind your keyboard saying things under your breath about me. At the end of the day, I do understand the reasoning, but I disagree with a major premise behind that reasoning -- monorails should not be running at 20% anymore.

 

[HauntedPirate]

TL DR summary of this page - Diznee iz a bizness.

 

[Nickp1983]

I'm confused. Sorry. It happens.
But if I'm at Magic Kingdom and want to hop to Epcot for dinner. Can I take the monorail?

 

[-vickimouse-]

I'm confused. Sorry. It happens.
But if I'm at Magic Kingdom and want to hop to Epcot for dinner. Can I take the monorail?

No. You have to bus to Epcot. That's why I'm impatiently waiting. I want the Epcot monorail line up and running!

 

[jt04]

I'm confused. Sorry. It happens.
But if I'm at Magic Kingdom and want to hop to Epcot for dinner. Can I take the monorail?

You could take a monorail to the TTC and walk the remainder.

 

[nickys]

You could take a monorail to the TTC and walk the remainder.

You can’t walk from the TTC to Epcot.

 

[jt04]

You can’t walk from the TTC to Epcot.

Gah. Guess he'll have to take a cab.

 

[Nickp1983]

Minnie Van!

 

[Nickp1983]

No boats to Disney Springs!
No monorail to Epcot!

Next you're going to tell me that there's no dole whips.

 

[castlecake2.0]

I'm kinda kidding, though I do picture you very exasperated behind your keyboard saying things under your breath about me. At the end of the day, I do understand the reasoning, but I disagree with a major premise behind that reasoning -- monorails should not be running at 20% anymore.

Hopefully things change soon, I miss the ride to epcot

 

[LAKid53]

You could take a monorail to the TTC and walk the remainder.

You can't walk from the TTC to Epcot.