Hello all,
I've been following this thread with some interest and am glad to see that there are a few like-minded people like me who would like to see the monorail system undergo an expansion.
Before I go into my own reasons, I should address a few points I've seen. The light rail system that was suggested would NOT work because the work involved would be insanely expensive and would take many years to complete. I have no doubt that the original architects and engineers looked into the possibility of subways, light rails, and so on. I suspect that the primary reasons for the monorail trains were threefold: First, it was a lot easier to build an elevated system and avoid extensively disturbing the environment. Secondly, Walt Disney had the Monorail in California and it was a very short, simple novelty. He wanted to prove that this was NOT a novelty but rather a viable form of transportation. I don't remember what year it was, but Walt actually offered to implement the monorail system in the Los Angeles area and they declined in favor of the freeway system. (We've all seen how wonderful that turned out, right?
If that doesn't call for a face palm of epic proportions, then I don't know what does.) Thirdly, the monorail system eliminates snarls with traffic and allows car traffic to flow without having to wait for the trains to cross.
Yes, the monorail expansion would be expensive. In 1971, it cost about $1 Million per mile. Here's your tradeoff; the monorail trains are capable of handling up 365 passengers at full capacity. If you figure the average bus handles 70 people, that means you eliminate 5 buses for every monorail train. What's the other tradeoff? Simple, the monorails are electric powered and they eliminate the need for diesel burning buses. You also reduce the need for 5 drivers.
Having said all of this, my opinion is a resounding YES they need to expand the monorails considerably. Even if it's done in phases, it would still reduce wait times. If there was a beam added to the TTC with a few trains going to Animal Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Lodge in a similar loop like they use to and from EPCOT, that could make a HUGE difference. Over time, there could be a line going to Downtown Disney with a stop at Typhoon Lagoon.
In theory, there could be lines that stop at the various resort clusters. The monorail was designed as a viable mode of transportation and I honestly think it's time for Disney to step up and make this a reality. Does it mean buses will be eliminated entirely? No way. There will still be a need for buses to service the various locations where you can't justify a monorail line. Does an expansion of the monorail system reduce the number of buses in use? ABSOLUTELY. You reduce or eliminate the long wait for buses to show up to take you back to your resort after a day at a park. I've been there before and have had to wait upwards of an hour for buses to pick up my family and I. The bus system is inefficient at best and needs to be cut back and let the monorails take over the heavy hauling.
.JPG)
