Monorail Expansion?

[celticdog]

Random outside the box thought. What if you could have your cake and eat it too? I was a grad student at the National High Magentic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee. We always had a map of a Mag Lev train connecting all the major cities in Florida on display, but government funding for a project this big was never forthcoming. In the current political climate with everyone calling for less dependence on foreign oil I think there is a chance someone in Disney could convince someone in government to partially underwrite some type of expansion of the current transportation system (be it a Mag Lev train, monorail, whatever). The government gets free advertising for a potential new form of public transportation without a large initial investment and Disney gets a much desired (though almost certainly too expensive if they pay for it themselves) enhancement of their current transportation system. Wishful thinking, but you never know.

MagLev are a great idea, but costs are prohibitive. Private and Public agencies looked at running a MagLev along I-95 from Baltimore through D.C. to Fredericksburg, Va. but when cost started to approach $1 billion per mile, the project was shelved. It's not dead, but it's not likely, until technology and construction costs become cheaper.

As stated before a light rail could easily be built, but with effective network of roads, there is no need for an expansion or yet another form of mass transit at WDW.

 

[George]

MagLev are a great idea, but costs are prohibitive. Private and Public agencies looked at running a MagLev along I-95 from Baltimore through D.C. to Fredericksburg, Va. but when cost started to approach $1 billion per mile, the project was shelved. It's not dead, but it's not likely, until technology and construction costs become cheaper.

As stated before a light rail could easily be built, but with effective network of roads, there is no need for an expansion or yet another form of mass transit at WDW.

Good point. Mag Lev is expensive. My larger point was that if sold correctly I think you could get the state of Florida or federal govt. to help out with this. The American public has never been big on public transport and if you had some cool thing in place at WDW, you might be able to use that as leverage a jumping off point for larger public expenditures later. Also, you could experiment with a couple of ideas on a small scale and see how expensive they are and work out kinks. I'm an experimentalist so I always think the best way to go is do the experiment first. In this case the experiment would be some type of novel transportation system that connects (for example AKL to the MGM/EPCOT area resorts). The problem with this idea is that if something doesn't work or the govt. pulls out you're left with a mess.

 

[MickeyTigg]

As with what happened when the rail line got dumped....if Disney is going to pay for a portion, they'll want the line to bypass any competition and go directly to their front door....the state doesn't want that....so unless someone caves....it ain't happening.

 

[jmicro59]

This is an interesting thought. When the monorails were first put into WDW, the WD Company was relatively small compared to its current size. So, placing them was a far riskier investment back then than it would be today for Disney. Of course, the corporate climate has certainly changed since then and the return on investment plays a much bigger role in these decisions.

Another interesting thought is how do you measure return on investment with a monorail? It's not a ride and certainly people do not come to Disney just to ride the monorail so it may be more of a TCO issue than a ROI issue.

 

[jmicro59]

BTW, I have no problem with this thread. The OP simply reported a rumor. He even went so far as to give us an audio link featuring the CM saying the rumor without being prompted for it. (It's approximately 2/3rds of the way through, if you bother to listen to it). He went out of his way to show it was a rumor. If you bothered to read the post instead of just making an assumption about it, you would have noticed that he began by saying he was skeptical about it and then closed by noting it was CM speculation and that he was again skeptical about it. This is forum for rumors after all. He heard one, he passed it on. Don't like it? Don't read it. :lookaroun

Here, here and I couldn't agree more. :sohappy:

 

[wdwishes2005]

Lol. It's already half of the experience for me. What would Disney be without that *GASP* sensation when you turn from behind the trees and Spaceship Earth looms in the distance like a mirage in the heat of the desert. What would Disney World be like if you simply parked your car and walked into the park in true Six Flags fashion. Surely the Disney we know would not be the same if it weren't for that breathtaking trip, gliding through the Contemporary Resort's lobby, with the huge mural expressing hope and happiness in the future. The monorails MAKE Disney World just as much as Disney World makes the monorails.

Animal Kingdom and MGM?

 

[peter11435]

Animal Kingdom and MGM?

And Epcot.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

You just had to rain on my "I'm awesome at creative writing" parade didn't you.

ha ha. sorry. I agree with you. I think the monorail is a HUGE part of WDW that makes it Disney. Just had to take the shot while it was open.

 

[PintoColvig]

And then there is question of the intangible value of the monorails to the overall WDW experience. That is (and this is a question that may invoke passionate responses), "Would WDW be substantually different (read: less magical) without them?" If so, then we should also ask, "Would WDW be better or more magical with them?"

 

[wannab@dis]

And then there is question of the intangible value of the monorails to the overall WDW experience. That is (and this is a question that may invoke passionate responses), "Would WDW be substantually different (read: less magical) without them?" If so, then we should also ask, "Would WDW be better or more magical with them?"

With the exception of the Contemporary Resort (and to a lesser extent, other MK resorts), I'd have to say "no" to both questions. It's hard to imagine MK/Epcot without the monorail, but would they be "Substantually" different? I don't think so. Of course, the Contemporary would be different and the 'A' frame would lose a lot of charm without the monorail.

Would monorail expansion be good for WDW? I don't think so. I think the money would be better spent investing in the current parks and further updating the bus fleet.

 

[Disnut]

Are the buses magical? I have never been on them so I don't know.

 

[wannab@dis]

Are the buses magical? I have never been on them so I don't know.

I don't think ANY form of transportation is magical when you are crowded into a small area with a bunch of people that's been in the 100 degree parks for 10 hours. :lookaroun

 

[marni1971]

In addition, building codes are more stringent now along with environmental impact requirements for large projects..

In the world of RCID surely these are already accounted for?

It`s not as if TWDC wouldn`t love a monorail network for WDW - the following have been well documented (all for the world as we know it; i.e. post E.P.C.O.T.)

Original link between T&TC & Lake Buena Vista (supplemented by WEDWay to and around LBV)

Plans for an easterly spur in Futureworld between originally UoE & Horizons (WoL avoids this path) - trains could have entered and left EPCOT Center on this single line

The masterplan showing a line from EPCOT Centers station running west of the Yacht and Beach Club to the eastern boundary of Disney-MGM

Ignoring the line through the Swan and Dolphin :hammer: the only thing holding expansion back is the cost - but, again, TWDC has admitted they are aware something radical needs to be done to remove reliance on bus transportation. And sooner rather than later. There of course is always, as in the real world, the chance any monies budgeted for transportation have to be spent on transportation - spending it on the parks wouldn`t be an option.

The million dollar question is what, if, and when.

 

[wannab@dis]

In the world of RCID surely these are already accounted for?

No, state and federal guidelines would trump local codes of RCID. Environmental impact is much more stringent now than it was when the 'master-plan' was put together.

 

[imagineer boy]

*has another seizure*

 

[slappy magoo]

I know my 2 cents will get lost amongst all the other pennies flying around in this thread, but it's been awhile since I contributed and I missed the joint.

HOW long has it been? I had no idea Thrawn was banned, THAT'S how long it's been.

Anyway, like others have said, there are certainly more efficient ways to get around than the monorail, but for many visitors to WDW, the monorail is just as much of a ride, an attraction, an experience, as Space Mountain or Twilight Zone Tower of Terror or any other E-ticket-esque ride of your preference. I'm sure one of the reasons the Suits of the Mouse House keep surveying guests about the possibility of monorail expansion is because they're aware of their attraction, their allure.

Second of all, I would guess that one of the reasons Disney keeps the possibility of expansion open is because they are aware that happy customers are repeat customers. I know people who have been miserable in WDW just because of having to deal with crowds and sharing transportation. Now, to make customers happy (or happier) it's good to give them options, which is why they make the park-hopper option available. I'm sure most of us have experienced peak crowds in one park and opted to see if other parks were less crowded. But then again, maybe you decided you didn't want to drive your car to another park, or spend time waiting for a bus in the hot Florida sun, etc. etc. True, you can go from MK to Epcot via monorail, and Epcot to MGM via ferry, but expanding the monorail would make the parks seem that much more connected, and make traveling from park to park seem like that much less of a hassle. Keeping the customers happy, and more eager to return.

Thirdly, and I know some people have mentioned this as a joke, but who's to say Disney can't, or won't, try to underwrite the cost of monorail expansion? Between corporate sponsorship, allowing guests the "honor" of donating to the construction like they did the construction of the Contemporary Walkway or the pylons at Epcot, and ad space for Disney/ABC product and programming (paid BY Disney TO Disney, of course but it would still be considered ad revenue), some of the cost to expansion could be spread out.

I'm not a wide-eyed naive optimist who believes that monorail expansion is definitely going to happen, but I'm not a glass-half-empty cat who believes it never will either. But one day, especially in the current post-Pixar-merger climate, a decision might be made that says "the return on this investment might not be immediate or even tangible, but if it means happier guests who will be more eager to return and spend more money in the parks, then it might be worth it as a long term investment and we should pursue it as an appropriate risk." It is a philosophy to which (I think) Walt would agree.

 

[PintoColvig]

*has another seizure*

Careful. You'll swallow your tongue!



EDIT: I first posted using my mobile wireless and it didn't include the quote in my post.

 

[Mr.EPCOT]

I'm a Monorail Pilot, and I have no inkling into what the expansion plans are, only into the possibilites of where it would probably go (Animal Kingdom is the biggest rumor), but everyone who works with me remembers Al Weiss saying this: Buses are a temporary solution to WDW's transportation needs. This was back with the major expansion plan in 2000/2001, that got derailed by 9/11.

I personally believe that having the Monorail stop at a Resort increases the attractiveness of staying at that hotel.

 

[George]

And then there is question of the intangible value of the monorails to the overall WDW experience. That is (and this is a question that may invoke passionate responses), "Would WDW be substantually different (read: less magical) without them?" If so, then we should also ask, "Would WDW be better or more magical with them?"

Very eloquently put and very hard to answer. I think the monorails do make the parks more magical. However, I know I would really like MK and EPCOT if the monorails didn't exist. I think a big part of it for me is that having a form of transportation thats not the norm (i.e. bus or car) take you to the park makes you feel like your Disney experience is getting started that much sooner. Also, the visuals created by the monorail in EPCOT are awesome.

 

[marni1971]

No, state and federal guidelines would trump local codes of RCID. Environmental impact is much more stringent now than it was when the 'master-plan' was put together.

I can`t recall the exact wording without looking it up but there is a clause in the charter that states should a law be passed that is detrimental to the district, the existing charter will surpass it. It`s amazing what the company got away with in the RCID charter, or how desperate Florida was to host Disney.