Monorail or Expansion?

[Thrawn]

For clarification, here's the question: "You have $2 billion to use on anything you would like on WDW property. Would you spend every cent of it on the monorail, or split it up and use it on seperate projects?"

I'm tired of the monorail threads, so I want to create this poll so I can link to it whenever a new monorail thread starts.

Lets say the monorail, extended to all resorts, all parks, the water parks, downtown disney, and WWoS, will cost $2 billion dollars.

Now, would you rather spend that $2 billion on the monorail, or on other things around the parks and resorts.

Remember, if its used for the monorail, it has to be all used at one place.
If its used in other places, it can be used for all different things.

Granted, using it in other places will create new income, but lets leave that out of the argument.

If you use it in other places, post explaining a couple reasons why. If you use it on the monorail, give a reason why thats better than upgrades and new things to do.

 

[Captain Hank]

As great as a monrail upgrade would be, the money is really better spent elsewhere. $2 billion can buy a whole heck of a lot of attractions, adding to the overall quality and value of one's stay. As cool as the monorail is, it only factors into a small and rather insignificant part of a guest's time at WDW and does not significantly contribute to the value of the vacation. There are more efficent (though less imaginative) forms of transportation readily available, so it's not like a monorail expansion is at all necessary. As much as I'd love to see a full-property expansion, it's definately been established many times that it's impractical and incredibly unlikely to ever happen.

 

[Lynx04]

This is a no brainer. I would rather have that money go towards softer toilet paper than a monorail expansion.

On more serious note, 2 billion in expansion will accomplish more than 2 billion on a monorail ride. How about take 1 billion of that put it towards new attraction, and take the other billion and invest in new hybrid/fuel cell tech.

 

[Figment1986]

2 billion... hmm... matinence.. upgrades... fixings... mabey fix the current monorail if it has hickups.. but no expansion.... (mabey 1 million into my wallet.. hehe)

 

[Thrawn]

This is a no brainer. I would rather have that money go towards softer toilet paper than a monorail expansion.

On more serious note, 2 billion in expansion will accomplish more than 2 billion on a monorail ride. How about take 1 billion of that put it towards new attraction, and take the other billion and invest in new hybrid/fuel cell tech.

I have no problem with doing something like that. It would improve both the parks and transportation. The whole point is that expanding the monorail is a huge, inefficient money sink. Plus, softer toilet paper is always good.

 

[goofyfan13]

I couldn't agree with you more Thrawn. I would rather like to see the money going towards development and expansion of the current parks(not a new one). Throw in some high quality E,D,C-ticket attractions, and invest a little more on maintenance. I know it's a small things, but peeling paint and filled in cement that isn't the same color just doesn't give the same Disney feel that you used to experience because of the little things.

This is a no brainer. I would rather have that money go towards softer toilet paper than a monorail expansion.

I was thinking the exact same thing on my last visit, cause it's so much fun to wipe with sandpaper... :lol: I love the fuel cell idea though.

 

[Thrawn]

and invest a little more on maintenance. I know it's a small things, but peeling paint and filled in cement that isn't the same color just doesn't give the same Disney feel that you used to experience because of the little things.

Yup, imagine the upkeep that would improve if they kept even 5% of that $2b for just general upkeep. It would be like the old days.

 

[TimeTrip]

Like this isn't a loaded poll. :brick:

So in order to "stop" the monorail threads.. you create another one. Good work!

 

[MissM]

Like this isn't a loaded poll. :brick:

So in order to "stop" the monorail threads.. you create another one. Good work!

*laughs* True. Darn true.

If you had $2 billion would you beat your own dead horse or pay someone to do it for you?
-m

 

[AngryEyes]

Like this isn't a loaded poll. :brick:

So in order to "stop" the monorail threads.. you create another one. Good work!

Yeah. The very definition of a biased poll question.

Do you think we should use a bunch of money for things that are really cool that everyone would love and are really smart and exciting and great and guaranteed to be shows and attractions with cutting-edge technology or would you rather admit you're stupid and use it for something uncool like connecting everything in the World to every other thing in the World by monorail?

1. Monorail expansion does not have to be and probably wouldn't be all-encompassing. If you connected everything to everything else, it would be a nightmare. You'd see nothing but monorail tracks everywhere. Any expansion that were to take place would likely be on a much smaller scale than you're suggesting.

2. Does not spending a certain amount of money on monorail expansion necessarily equal spending that same amount on shows and attractions? Of course not. Maybe they decide to buy more buses or give CM's raises or buy more land in Texas or buy another corporation or whatever else they might decide to spend this money on. The two choices given are not an either/or. They could be a both/neither.

3. If this hypothetical money were spent on shows and attractions, are we guaranteed a top quality product that everyone will love and that will add to our park experiences? Judging by the amount of complaining done on this board about more than a few shows and attractions, I'd have to say no. So, after spending $300 million on some duds that have to be reworked and/or abandoned altogether for new attractions, would we still be better off having not spent that money on a monorail expansion?

4. Why not just link people to other threads I've seen wherein several people made solid, well thought out arguments on both sides of the debate? Oh, yeah. There wasn't a biased poll question as the lead-in.

I personally don't care one way or the other, BTW. Either expenditure would most likely make my trip better.

 

[AngryEyes]

*laughs* True. Darn true.

If you had $2 billion would you beat your own dead horse or pay someone to do it for you?
-m

Do you still beat your wife?

 

[TimeTrip]

Do you still beat your wife?

Here's hoping I'm either misinterpreting this remark.. or angry misinterpreted "beating a dead horse". :lookaroun

 

[AngryEyes]

Here's hoping I'm either misinterpreting this remark.. or angry misinterpreted "beating a dead horse". :lookaroun

It's just a double-edged sword. Yes and no are both bad answers. Just another example of an unfair question. "Did you stop kicking your dog?" would be another.

 

[CaliSurfer182]

I would like to see other upgrades/attractions added to WDW instead of a monorail expansion. I mean the monorail is interesting and is still pretty innovative, but it just doesn't make sense to expand it with all of the other transportation modes that are available. However if gas prices keep rising, the buses may eventually become less economical, and then it might happen.

 

[marlaymike]

Its better an expansion (new projects), since they have the a good transportation between the parks and the resorts.

 

[prisoner]

No more monorails... no more busses either!

I voted for other projects. Its a hard thing for me to say, I love the monorail and absolutely positively despise the busses. My dream job at WDW would be to drive the monorail, I love riding in front, I love watching kids' faces when they get to ride up front, I love going through the Contemporary, in fact, there is very little I don't love about the monorail. (ok - there are some things. I've been stuck on it before when its computer crashed late at night, for example. But somehow I can reminisce about that now.)

But lets face facts - building another monorail line is like building another Dumbo ride - its been done. We criticize Disney when they do something thats been done before, so I'd like to be consistent here.

On the other hand, while I can appreciate the theory (and practice, to some extent) about busses being more flexible and more demand driven, I cannot recall a good experience I have ever had on a WDW bus. Usually I find I can drive between any two sites, and find parking, faster than I can take the bus. I feel like I'm always waiting for a bus, while another monorail is always there within minutes. Busses are a pain (and much slower!) to board compared to a monorail - no matter if you're trying to do it with a wheelchair, kids and a stroller, or are just walking on yourself.

just doesn't give the same Disney feel that you used to experience because of the little things.

Although goofyfan13 was talking about paint and sidewalks, to me this statement also applies to the busses. Busses aren't magical to me - they are mundane.

Thats why I'd want to see all $2b spent on an alternate transportation system to eliminate the busses. What would it be? I don't know. Perhaps something based on either of the WEDway technologies? Or something more like a SkyWeb Express/Taxi2000 transport system? Perhaps work on more advanced Bus Rapid Transit systems and notifications system-wide? How about long-distance systems based on an advanced moving-sidewalk/omnimover components? Perhaps something that is a hybrid bus/train, such that it doesn't require the same kind of guideway that monorails/trains require, but also doesn't have the loading and frequency problems that busses do. The point is, I don't know, but lets innovate.

 

[Disney13Scott]

Just what we needed, another posting about the Monorail ........ I guess you can get away with it by saying "I am tired hearing about a particular subject, so here is my opinion and a poll to vote also". You do this after chewing out someone for bring up the subject in the first place! :hammer: Interesting concept.....

 

[tnemgif]

I like riding the monorail and all, I think it is neat and fun but in the long run, I would much rather see the (hopefully) new Indiana Jones ride at Disney Studios:animwink:

 

[WDWEric]

I don't think a monorail is the future of disney, just throwing something out there....a subway type system?

 

[MissM]

It's just a double-edged sword. Yes and no are both bad answers. Just another example of an unfair question. "Did you stop kicking your dog?" would be another.

Are you saying the poll itself has two unfair questions? Because my post was, you know, sarcasm.

just throwing something out there....a subway type system?

Um, this is Florida. You can't even have basements because of our extremely high water table. A subway would have to be underwater.
-m