Rumor Light Rail / Tram Link for Disney Springs to TTC?

[The Empress Lilly]

Bicycle Trail Network... 100% clean renewable energy

What I wouldn't give for a few bikes parked at EPCOT and DHS. Such a perfect route to cycle...

 

[s8film40]

TTC to DS is not a heavy traffic route.

With a quick and efficient means of transportation I think it would become a very popular and heavy route as a means of bypassing paying for parking at MK.

What the WDW Monorail has going for it really couldn't be done today because there's no catwalk. I bet that they couldn't get away with that today. The lack of a catwalk makes it looks slim and sexy up in the sky. When you add a catwalk in it greatly diminishes the look of the Monorail (see Newark's airport monorail - it looks as bad, or nearly as bad, as an elevated train or light rail).

I really don't think that catwalks take that much away from the look at all. In fact it wouldn't bother me if they chose to add them to the existing beam.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I'm sure all of the people on scooters due to weight issues would hop right on bikes instead.

Yes, they couldn't even if they wanted.

They are on those scooters because they didn't use bikes. Build bikes now and the current generation won't develop their mobility difficulties. Which solves the scooters in a few decades. (Well that and miniaturised personal transports, stuff the size of a soda can will transport you these days. And drive you where you need to go automatically)

 

[Master Yoda]

But realistically, that lot would sit across Floridian way west of the MK and transportation would still be needed from the lot to the MK entrance because it still would be at best a half mile from the MK entrance. They'd also need a bridge over the canal, massive, expensive road improvements to Floridian way all while the MK parking and tollbooth area is just finishing up a huge overhaul right now with the new overpass, etc. You don't really gain much for such an expenditure.

Well, that depends. They might not have a choice in the matter.

By moving the lot to the property right next to MK you eliminate the need for the express monorail and the Ferry. You can tram guests in just like they do at every other lot to a location roughly equidistant to the current bus lot on the east side of the park. A parking garage and moving walkways would work even better, but would cost a lot more to build.

From a guest standpoint, you no longer that tha 1/2 hour trek from the parking lot to the front gates.

Given the ever increasing attendance at MK, a drastic change like this might become necessary as there will be an inevitable tipping point where the monorail and the boats simply can't keep up with the volume of guests that need them. Many think that point has already been passed. After being in a few peak season fireworks dumps in the last couple of years, I would tend to agree.

The old parking lot would also become a prime piece of real estate open for expansion.

 

[s8film40]

Well, that depends. They might not have a choice in the matter.

By moving the lot to the property right next to MK you eliminate the need for the express monorail and the Ferry. You can tram guests in just like they do at every other lot to a location roughly equidistant to the current bus lot on the east side of the park. A parking garage and moving walkways would work even better, but would cost a lot more to build.

From a guest standpoint, you no longer that tha 1/2 hour trek from the parking lot to the front gates.

Given the ever increasing attendance at MK, a drastic change like this might become necessary as there will be an inevitable tipping point where the monorail and the boats simply can't keep up with the volume of guests that need them. Many think that point has already been passed. After being in a few peak season fireworks dumps in the last couple of years, I would tend to agree.

I've been saying this for years. I even made a diagram. Once you eliminate the need for "park & ride" you could combine the express and Epcot monorail to make it a park to park line. You could even extend the monorail line to the other parks, although that's probably a whole lot less likely now. A garage similar in size or larger than Universals or Disneylands would easily fit just west of MK and the trams can simply take the route that the pathway there currently takes.

 

[Brad Bishop]

I've been saying this for years. I even made a diagram. Once you eliminate the need for "park & ride" you could combine the express and Epcot monorail to make it a park to park line. You could even extend the monorail line to the other parks, although that's probably a whole lot less likely now. A garage similar in size or larger than Universals or Disneylands would easily fit just west of MK and the trams can simply take the route that the pathway there currently takes.

I never thought of it but in your diagram above skipping the TTC completely makes sense.

Also, if you build a parking garage by the MK, the MK parking lot becomes a pretty nice place for another park.

 

[marni1971]

Also, if you build a parking garage by the MK, the MK parking lot becomes a pretty nice place for another park.

Most of the MK lot isn’t suitable for development.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Except how can you park cars closer to the MK without filling in the lake? At this point it is almost impossible to change the parking style for the Magic Kingdom.

Build a new lot on unused land just west of MK.

You could do a direct connect from the lot to the front via bridge...wouldnt change the parking lot - but could eliminate the need for the ferry and monorails that would make the TTC essentially useless

 

[larryz]

But watch the gondola very closely...if it’s cheap and goes off ok (I have doubts)...then you could see them becoming more of a “network”

It's "cheap" -- as in cheaper than extending the monorails and less manpower intensive than 100 buses...

 

[s8film40]

I never thought of it but in your diagram above skipping the TTC completely makes sense.

Also, if you build a parking garage by the MK, the MK parking lot becomes a pretty nice place for another park.

Yep, or more hotels. You could even keep the TTC station as a new resort station.

 

[Andrew M]

I've been saying this for years. I even made a diagram. Once you eliminate the need for "park & ride" you could combine the express and Epcot monorail to make it a park to park line. You could even extend the monorail line to the other parks, although that's probably a whole lot less likely now. A garage similar in size or larger than Universals or Disneylands would easily fit just west of MK and the trams can simply take the route that the pathway there currently takes.

I like it, just in line with what @marni1971 said, make two lines out of the Park express, an MK-Epcot line, and a Epcot - HS - AK line. Even if the parking garage falls through, you can still have the MK-Epcot line stop at the existing TTC.

I just hope if they ever do expand, they utilize the convenience of LIRR Jamaica-Style across the platform transfers. Would make changing trains so much easier than up and down ramps like you have to do currently.

 

[FullSailDan]

From a guest standpoint, you no longer that tha 1/2 hour trek from the parking lot to the front gates.

Given the ever increasing attendance at MK, a drastic change like this might become necessary as there will be an inevitable tipping point where the monorail and the boats simply can't keep up with the volume of guests that need them.

That half hour is actually EXACTLY by design. By staggering the exiting crowd they have eliminated mass chaos in the parking lot and the egress roads. It prevents backups on tertiary roads and the on-ramps to I4, etc. In the reverse it prevents the gates from getting overwhelmed by limiting the number of guests in the entrance place at any given time.

It sucks as a guest to have to wait for the monorail/boat then wait for the tram, or vice versa, but it makes sense. Disney had massive problems with traffic in Anaheim and they developed a system in FL that the guest thinks is about "transporting them into the fantasy" and is really about limiting throughput. One could argue the other 3 parks make do with just shuttles but the attendance numbers for the other parks don't even come close to the MK and the mass chaos that ensues post fireworks/parade/etc.

 

[Brad Bishop]

That half hour is actually EXACTLY by design. By staggering the exiting crowd they have eliminated mass chaos in the parking lot and the egress roads. It prevents backups on tertiary roads and the on-ramps to I4, etc. In the reverse it prevents the gates from getting overwhelmed by limiting the number of guests in the entrance place at any given time.

It sucks as a guest to have to wait for the monorail/boat then wait for the tram, or vice versa, but it makes sense. Disney had massive problems with traffic in Anaheim and they developed a system in FL that the guest thinks is about "transporting them into the fantasy" and is really about limiting throughput. One could argue the other 3 parks make do with just shuttles but the attendance numbers for the other parks don't even come close to the MK and the mass chaos that ensues post fireworks/parade/etc.

By design or dumb luck?

I'm not disagreeing with the effects. I've never heard that this was all done "to fix traffic leaving the park". I've heard plenty of other reasons, not this one, though.

 

[s8film40]

That half hour is actually EXACTLY by design. By staggering the exiting crowd they have eliminated mass chaos in the parking lot and the egress roads. It prevents backups on tertiary roads and the on-ramps to I4, etc. In the reverse it prevents the gates from getting overwhelmed by limiting the number of guests in the entrance place at any given time.

It sucks as a guest to have to wait for the monorail/boat then wait for the tram, or vice versa, but it makes sense. Disney had massive problems with traffic in Anaheim and they developed a system in FL that the guest thinks is about "transporting them into the fantasy" and is really about limiting throughput. One could argue the other 3 parks make do with just shuttles but the attendance numbers for the other parks don't even come close to the MK and the mass chaos that ensues post fireworks/parade/etc.

The flaw with this theory is that that limiting factor isn't any more than just the trams by themselves. Waiting in one line limits throughput just as much as waiting in 3 lines. There's still ultimately a line for the trams so there is zero net effect of limiting throughput by the monorails or ferry boats.

 

[Master Yoda]

By design or dumb luck?

I'm not disagreeing with the effects. I've never heard that this was all done "to fix traffic leaving the park". I've heard plenty of other reasons, not this one, though.

This^^^

 

[EricsBiscuit]

Most of the MK lot isn’t suitable for development.

hasnt stopped them before

 

[marni1971]

hasnt stopped them before

It does if your first floor could turn into a lake.

 

[jt04]

Most of the MK lot isn’t suitable for development.

What about a water park?

 

[EricsBiscuit]

It does if your first floor could turn into a lake.

Not if you want to build a Nemo attraction

 

[s8film40]

It does if your first floor could turn into a lake.

I don't know, TTC right across the street even has a basement. I've always heard there was some issue with the area that's a pond/swamp in the middle of it. I'm pretty sure it could be developed if they wanted to. I would be interested to know the issues with the land, but short of that I wouldn't count it out.