News Monorail Red in motion with guests on board and doors open

[Incomudro]

Forget about any comparison to real-world public transportation. We're talking about a THEME PARK RIDE in a VACATION RESORT that families have paid a fortune to enter and experience Disney's much-balllyhooed "MAGIC." This is no more excusable than a lap bar popping open during a coaster ride. It should never happen, period. If the monorail system can't be properly maintained to run the way it's meant to without endangering families on vacation, it should be shut down, or at least mothballed until a new management is put in place that places more value on maintenance.

Indeed.

 

[ppete1975]

I just hope they don't use this as an excuse to get rid of them. The monorails are one of the things that just reminds me I'm at disney

 

[JediMasterMatt]

This problem isn't anything a little creative branding can't solve...



A simple new tag for the line and you are all set.

 

[Brad Bishop]

I just hope they don't use this as an excuse to get rid of them. The monorails are one of the things that just reminds me I'm at disney

If it weren't for the automation upgrade, I'd guess they'd be doing the 20,000 Leagues deal to it:
- don't maintain it
- complain about it constantly breaking down to upper management (now you have proof of it breaking down because you're not maintaining it)
- wait for upper management to say, "Yes, the Monorail is a maintenance nightmare and the costs are out of control!" - and then green-lighting it to be shut down (not removed, as that's not the Disney way)

 

[NormC]

The train was removed from service as soon as the passengers got off at the next stop. No one fell, no one was injured, no puppies were harmed. It will remain in the barn until the investigation is over and repair and inspection is complete. It was a serious failure of equipment and procedures but it was not an emergency. Procedures may be revised, employees may be reassigned, some heads may roll. Good news is no one fell out of the partially open door. Life goes on.

 

[Winter]

I just hope they don't use this as an excuse to get rid of them. The monorails are one of the things that just reminds me I'm at disney

Nah, they wouldn't do that, or at least not for this reason. If they were going to get rid of it, they probably would do it because of this, this is their oppurtunity. And plus, if they did, it would probably be for greedy money purposes, and removing the monorails wouldn't benefit them in terms of money, since they would have to remove all the monorail tracks, which would cost a lot of money, and they wouldn'r be able to charge certain hotels more money because of the monorails.

 

[flynnibus]

This problem isn't anything a little creative branding can't solve...



A simple new tag for the line and you are all set.

Mickey parachutes!!

 

[Brad Bishop]

Nah, they wouldn't do that, or at least not for this reason. If they were going to get rid of it, they probably would do it because of this, this is their oppurtunity. And plus, if they did, it would probably be for greedy money purposes, and removing the monorails wouldn't benefit them in terms of money, since they would have to remove all the monorail tracks, which would cost a lot of money, and they wouldn'r be able to charge certain hotels more money because of the monorails.

I think you're looking at this wrong: If past Disney is any indication, and I think it is, if they were to shutdown the Monorail they'd likely leave the beams up for a decade or longer.

I don't think they'd have any problem at all with having the Monorail temporarily shutdown at some point and then no other word on it... Look at Rocket Rods as an example. The old People Mover track is still there and it's been nearly 20 years. 20,000 Leagues lasted 10+ years after being shut down. Odyssey Restaurant, is another one. The Wonders of Life pavilion. There are examples of this all around the park. It's something, with regards to theme/amusement parks, that is pretty unique to Disney. Most other theme parks immediately reuse the space or clear out the old ride/attraction/building (remove it).

From Disney's point of view, not running the monorail saves money. Not tearing down the beams saves even more money.

I don't think it's happening anytime soon but I fully seem them just temporarily shutting them down at some point and leaving the beams in place.

 

[ptaylor]

The train was removed from service as soon as the passengers got off at the next stop. No one fell, no one was injured, no puppies were harmed. It will remain in the barn until the investigation is over and repair and inspection is complete. It was a serious failure of equipment and procedures but it was not an emergency. Procedures may be revised, employees may be reassigned, some heads may roll. Good news is no one fell out of the partially open door. Life goes on.

It was luck that nobody was killed as a result of this. I've been on the monorail thousands of times and more times than not, someone is pressed against the door due to overcrowding. If that had been the case here there would have been a tragedy.

The incident should not just be brushed aside. The monorail needs massive investment and a rethink of how it is managed and operated.

 

[MisterPenguin]

If it weren't for the automation upgrade, I'd guess they'd be doing the 20,000 Leagues deal to it:

I hated it when a 20,000 Leagues sub had a door that opened mid trip.

I think you're looking at this wrong: If past Disney is any indication, and I think it is, if they were to shutdown the Monorail they'd likely leave the beams up for a decade or longer.

They'd be converted into a M&G walkway.

 

[Brad Bishop]

They'd be converted into a M&G walkway.

Maybe they could do some kind of Extra Magical Meet & Greet with Ice Cream Party at $150/head!

WDW's operations have almost become a caricature of themselves. Yeah, they wouldn't have a M&G on the beam but you could totally see them doing that at the abandoned Monorail station.

They've made themselves into a joke.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

Mickey parachutes!!

For only 12.95 plus tax.

 

[DisneyInsider101]

View attachment 255718

Short memory then.
1991
2013
2017

With the new subway trains coming in 2020... They replace subway trains more often than WDW monorails. For example, The R160 was put into service in 2008 and in 2020 we are getting brand new R211 subway cars which cost $1.56 million USD per car. But yet... WDW's monorail system hasn't got a new fleet for over 25+ years.

 

[larryz]

If it weren't for the automation upgrade, I'd guess they'd be doing the 20,000 Leagues deal to it:
- don't maintain it
- complain about it constantly breaking down to upper management (now you have proof of it breaking down because you're not maintaining it)
- wait for upper management to say, "Yes, the Monorail is a maintenance nightmare and the costs are out of control!" - and then green-lighting it to be shut down (not removed, as that's not the Disney way)

Yeah, they could leave the rails up, and then Jungle Cruise skippers can joke that people can see the Jungle Cruise version 1.0 on their way off property...

 

[asianway]

With the new subway trains coming in 2020... They replace subway trains more often than WDW monorails. For example, The R160 was put into service in 2008 and in 2020 we are getting brand new R211 subway cars which cost $1.56 million USD per car. But yet... WDW's monorail system hasn't got a new fleet for over 25+ years.

There are economies of scale the NY subway would see that WDW would not.

 

[flynnibus]

They'd be converted into a M&G walkway.

Nope - premium fireworks seating...

 

[DisneyInsider101]

There are economies of scale the NY subway would see that WDW would not.

Yes, I know but monorail cars cost less than subway cars to make. It's just DisneyWorld management being cheap at this point with the monorails.

 

[Winter]

I think you're looking at this wrong: If past Disney is any indication, and I think it is, if they were to shutdown the Monorail they'd likely leave the beams up for a decade or longer.

I don't think they'd have any problem at all with having the Monorail temporarily shutdown at some point and then no other word on it... Look at Rocket Rods as an example. The old People Mover track is still there and it's been nearly 20 years. 20,000 Leagues lasted 10+ years after being shut down. Odyssey Restaurant, is another one. The Wonders of Life pavilion. There are examples of this all around the park. It's something, with regards to theme/amusement parks, that is pretty unique to Disney. Most other theme parks immediately reuse the space or clear out the old ride/attraction/building (remove it).

From Disney's point of view, not running the monorail saves money. Not tearing down the beams saves even more money.

I don't think it's happening anytime soon but I fully seem them just temporarily shutting them down at some point and leaving the beams in place.

Oh yeah, I forgot they do that

 

[NormC]

It was luck that nobody was killed as a result of this. I've been on the monorail thousands of times and more times than not, someone is pressed against the door due to overcrowding. If that had been the case here there would have been a tragedy.

The incident should not just be brushed aside. The monorail needs massive investment and a rethink of how it is managed and operated.

I agree. Very lucky. It is not being brushed aside.

 

[crxbrett]

I hated it when a 20,000 Leagues sub had a door that opened mid trip.

"You've gotta hold your breathe there! You've got to hold your breathe."

A big thumbs up and a like for anyone who gets that quote lol






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