Lee
Adventurer
No. Absolutely not.
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Monorail Expansion
- Thread starter GarryandLindy
- Start date
No. Absolutely not.
imagineer boy
Well-Known Member
HauntedPirate said:
Monorail discussions always have been civil ever since Thrawn died.:lol:
I hate to join a monorail conversation, but does anyone else think it could be possible that they could use that one cheap monorail company that WDWFreak showed but only do a small expansion like to MGM, open it, wait a few years, then build the rest to AK. It would give more time to recover more money. Just some thoughts.
Connor002
Active Member
The problem I see is that I'm not sure there would be a recovery of funds. The monorail itself is not a profit turned, to my knowledge, and will not entice visitors to head down to the park for a trip (as, say, EE would). Now, I don't doubt it would be possible, but taken into consideration that the bus system is seemingly reliable as well as more flexible, I would venture a educated guess that any expansion of the monorail system is unlikely.
scpergj
Well-Known Member
I think it would be more cost effective just to put up a bunch of ski lifts accross property....
That would be cool...but you'd have to find a way to keep the thug element from spitting on the people below (remember the old skyway?)
:wave:
Kevin
KrazyKemp
Member
I agree with Connor, (I seem to do that a lot, actually)...
While a monorail expansion would be great for all of us "Disney Freaks" it really wouldn't make the average family of four come back to Disney World for a week.
I have heard no mention of monorail expansion, or even a hint that it was even being considered.
Disney thinks (and for good reason) that attractions would attract guests more than transportation that isn't necessary. From a business standpoint, it is very smart.
While a monorail expansion would be great for all of us "Disney Freaks" it really wouldn't make the average family of four come back to Disney World for a week.
I have heard no mention of monorail expansion, or even a hint that it was even being considered.
Disney thinks (and for good reason) that attractions would attract guests more than transportation that isn't necessary. From a business standpoint, it is very smart.
Sharpshooters stationed every 200 yards or so would control that problem right quick. :lol:
imagineer boy
Well-Known Member
Connor002 said:
The thing is, they could just spend a couple million dollars at one point, wait a few years to recover from the money on that project, then do the next stage. Rather than spending a billion dollars all at once.
Another though, maybe to raise money for the project, they could have a day or so where from 10:00 to 12:00, all of the money made from ticket sales sold at that time will be donated to monorail expansion. Just a thought. Not sure if they could really do that, but its just a though.
Glasgow
Well-Known Member
Maybe they should make a 15 mile coaster instead of a monorail .. lol
Seriously though, that is a staggering cost for what is basically already researched and designed. There are almost no R&D costs involved here .. mostly labor, materials, engineering and architecture. Just to put that into perspective, the Empire State Building cost just under $25 million dollars (~$41mil including the land) .. that's in 1930s dollars of course.
Seriously though, that is a staggering cost for what is basically already researched and designed. There are almost no R&D costs involved here .. mostly labor, materials, engineering and architecture. Just to put that into perspective, the Empire State Building cost just under $25 million dollars (~$41mil including the land) .. that's in 1930s dollars of course.
Well, I have a thought or two here. First, the first two times I went to WDW, I remember there being tickets you had to purchase to ride the monorail. If memory serves correctly, $2 per person, per direction. I also remember that there was some other way to ride which didn't cost, but required something else. Maybe staying in a hotel?
So here's the question. How many people would ride the monorail if Disney charged for it (again)?
Second, to me, Disney made a mistake in the way that the whole resort works. The TTC should be a real TTC, not what it ended up as. I have read a while ago how Disney is concerned about transportation between resorts and the amount of roads required. So why do something a little reminiscent of Disneyland? Why not replace the parking lots at TTC with "parking structures"? Then have monorail (and maybe bus/boat) to get to the parks from TTC?
Third, they could have free monorail usage be a perk of some particular status, like say Annual Passholder, or something like that. Or, how about Annual Passholders getting monorail use for an extra $10-$20? I realize nobody would PAY extra for monorail usage given where it goes now. But if they did expand, maybe that might do it? The time it takes to go from TTC to EC, while not super short, isn't that long. To me, it also makes the trip to EC that much more special.
Any comments on my ideas above?
Glasgow
Well-Known Member
All good points above - I think people would be livid if they started charging for the monorail though!
It comes down to this. There is a finite amount of money to spend in the budget. Would you rather be able to take the monorail to mgm and ak or would you rather have 10 brand spanking new E-ticket attractions? Can you imagine? 10 new EE level attractions .. phew
It comes down to this. There is a finite amount of money to spend in the budget. Would you rather be able to take the monorail to mgm and ak or would you rather have 10 brand spanking new E-ticket attractions? Can you imagine? 10 new EE level attractions .. phew
garyhoov
Trophy Husband
You know, that may not be as crazy as it sounds (at least on a smaller scale). I'm guessing the distance from the entrance to MGM to the back entrance to EPCOT is about a mile or less. According to Wikipedia, the length of the track in Rock N Rollercoaster is a little over 3400 feet.
So it would be technically feasable to shoot people from MGM to EPCOT and back on a roller-coaster track. I think the biggest problems with that would be:
1. The track would be ugly.
2. The concept might just be too plain weird for most people.
But it could be done. Probably for the cost of about 3 normal sized steel roller-coasters.
metscool
Active Member
You forgot something. It is called lightening. There are thunderstorms down here and it could get hit. Anything metal gets hit.
Yeah, it's pretty much the same, because vegas is built on a swamp.
Built on a swamp - you mean kind of like the city of Venice?
It's not just a matter of attracting new guests. It's a matter of getting guests to spend more time in the parks and resorts spending money and not going off site or to another resort all together. It's making it easier for guests to move around, so that they are willing to spend a few minutes more in the parks (and thus on food and merchandise).
It's also just plain good for the planet. I am not a heavy environmentalist, but look at the amount of blacktop around Walt Disney World. Think about all that runoff and grease, think about all those fumes and rubber (rememeber Florida doesn't have any emissions inspections). Think about the gas and number of people needed to staff the busses. Think about how much land had to be cleared, drained flatened out, sub-base built, and then paved.
Imagine how much more room you might have for expansion if you could centralize parking and cut down on the size of parking lots.
No, it's not a new ride. But it is a good idea.
imagineer boy
Well-Known Member
And another thought, if they can't build a monorail, whynot build a metrolink? A simple train running on ground level rails run by electricity. It would be much cheaper than having to deal with the support mbeams in Florida's soft soil.
OmegaKnight
New Member
As what has been previously mentioned here, the simple reason why Disney will never expand the monorail line: they would rather spend the money on new attractions that will attract guests to property. Yeah, I would love to have a monorail go to Disney-MGM Studios and to Animal Kingdom (since I work on the Monorails, it would give me more places to drive,) but looking at it from a business standpoint, it doesn't make sense to expand the line.
Everyone thinks Disney has an infinite amount of money but the truth of the matter is that the theme parks operate just like any other segment in the company, they get a certain amount of money every year in the budget and that is what they are entitled to. I know if I was a Disney executive, I would rather spend my budget on new E-ticket level attractions that will keep bringing guests back to property to spend more money. The monorail system is not a revenue maker for Disney so they are less inclined to spend money on it. Disney is a business afterall and they do have shareholders and all that other stuff that they do have to watch out for.
Everyone thinks Disney has an infinite amount of money but the truth of the matter is that the theme parks operate just like any other segment in the company, they get a certain amount of money every year in the budget and that is what they are entitled to. I know if I was a Disney executive, I would rather spend my budget on new E-ticket level attractions that will keep bringing guests back to property to spend more money. The monorail system is not a revenue maker for Disney so they are less inclined to spend money on it. Disney is a business afterall and they do have shareholders and all that other stuff that they do have to watch out for.
WDW Monorail
Well-Known Member
Why does the expansion have to be so expensive?
Disney has come up with so many new technologies, why can't they come up with some track material to reduce costs and keep maintenance at a minimum.
Who sais that you need concrete beamways. The materials already exist. They are stromg and lightweight. They do not neccesarily cost more than the concrete beamways. There is no way of getting around the cost of labor and new monorails, but the overall cost (big picture) can be lower than $1 billion.
Most of the bus service can be discontinued, reducing costs by using less fuel and maintenance aswell as labor. Some of the drivers will be moved to monorail host positions.
As said by other posters, Disney is a business (although we don't like to think of it that way) and only a certain amount of money is allocated to the parks.
But if Disney can spend millions of dollars a week just for pyrotechnics and $7 billion to buy Pixar, than they can spend about $800,000,000 on a monorail expansion project.
It will be paid over 10 years if they do it one leg at a time. MGM first, then some more resorts and finally AK.
As most of you know, Disney is a very powerful company in the United States.
Even more powerful in the state of Florida. They influence civil and political matters. If Disney wants something, they get it. As mentioned in other threads. Disney has spoken with Florida officials about the lightrail on I-Drive that will link MCO,I-Drive, and WDW.
I will leave you with this to think aboutthrought this night.
The real question is not wether the line will be built, the Question is who will pay for it?
I don't want to turn this thread into a war.
I am just expressing my opinion and trying to look at things from Disney's viewpoint.
Disney has come up with so many new technologies, why can't they come up with some track material to reduce costs and keep maintenance at a minimum.
Who sais that you need concrete beamways. The materials already exist. They are stromg and lightweight. They do not neccesarily cost more than the concrete beamways. There is no way of getting around the cost of labor and new monorails, but the overall cost (big picture) can be lower than $1 billion.
Most of the bus service can be discontinued, reducing costs by using less fuel and maintenance aswell as labor. Some of the drivers will be moved to monorail host positions.
As said by other posters, Disney is a business (although we don't like to think of it that way) and only a certain amount of money is allocated to the parks.
But if Disney can spend millions of dollars a week just for pyrotechnics and $7 billion to buy Pixar, than they can spend about $800,000,000 on a monorail expansion project.
It will be paid over 10 years if they do it one leg at a time. MGM first, then some more resorts and finally AK.
As most of you know, Disney is a very powerful company in the United States.
Even more powerful in the state of Florida. They influence civil and political matters. If Disney wants something, they get it. As mentioned in other threads. Disney has spoken with Florida officials about the lightrail on I-Drive that will link MCO,I-Drive, and WDW.
I will leave you with this to think aboutthrought this night.
The real question is not wether the line will be built, the Question is who will pay for it?
I don't want to turn this thread into a war.
I am just expressing my opinion and trying to look at things from Disney's viewpoint.
Mr.EPCOT
Active Member
Money isn't an issue. The parks make more and more profit each year, they are a cash cow. The profit made from them have supported numerous other sections of the Company over the past few years, with PLENTY to spare, but the executives minimize our spending as much as possible so we show more APPARENT profit, when we could use all that to build really neat and exciting things, instead of just one meager E-ticket every year or two across property. The Magic Kingdom has not seen any major projects since New Tomorrowland in 1994, and no completely new major attractions since Splash Mountain before that. When they minimize spending, they look to the product to cut corners, and not their own pockets like they should.
Connor002
Active Member
I don't have time to argue anything else, in this post or others, but I do have this to say about the above: Absolutely False! Money is not only an issue, it is the bottom line. Profit, profit, PROFIT!
scottnj1966
Well-Known Member
The more and more they utilize busses, the more and more they look cheap.
Period. Nothing else to it. Busses in cities do not show magic, future, or fun.
They are a cheap mode of transportation for people that cannot afford cars.
Monorails, even though Disney started them in 1959 in the USA still look like a futurisic mode of transportation.
It would be so easy to add a gate at wilderness with a walkway. That sure would be an easy fix for that deluxe resort. Two places on the aerials you can see it can be built.
You can get to MK, Epcot, and even MGM via monorail (mgm with a little brisk walk of course) But Animal Kingdom is all alone (including Animal Kingdom Lodge) with no way to visit except by car or bus. Downtown Disney is another place that could use a station.
Maybe one day they will think about it again. Right now hundreds upon hundreds of busses driving around are dirty and an eyesore.
I know they will never be able to remove them all, but add more monorail track and you can get cut down on them.
I know it will never happen. Heard that millions of times. But dont worry one day something has to be done.
Period. Nothing else to it. Busses in cities do not show magic, future, or fun.
They are a cheap mode of transportation for people that cannot afford cars.
Monorails, even though Disney started them in 1959 in the USA still look like a futurisic mode of transportation.
It would be so easy to add a gate at wilderness with a walkway. That sure would be an easy fix for that deluxe resort. Two places on the aerials you can see it can be built.
You can get to MK, Epcot, and even MGM via monorail (mgm with a little brisk walk of course) But Animal Kingdom is all alone (including Animal Kingdom Lodge) with no way to visit except by car or bus. Downtown Disney is another place that could use a station.
Maybe one day they will think about it again. Right now hundreds upon hundreds of busses driving around are dirty and an eyesore.
I know they will never be able to remove them all, but add more monorail track and you can get cut down on them.
I know it will never happen. Heard that millions of times. But dont worry one day something has to be done.