Monorail system to close during non peak times for maintenance in early 2014

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zulemara

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
HenryMystic said:
Steve, a heads up, they split the Green route into Green and Red in 2008. Green is Ft. Wilderness to MK (two cruisers). Red is Wilderness Lodge to MK (cruiser and a launch). As far as I know, they're still running this setup. It's much better for guests, but they honestly need a fourth cruiser (at the very least.)

I have to laugh that they're adding more watercraft during this time period considering there simply aren't any extra except for the MK I and II which they use for fireworks cruises.
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And the 6th launch if it's not in refurb which this time of the year I don't think it would be.

Typically when they have monorails down like that, they will pull 1 of 3 cruisers to the gold along with the 2 existing launches, take the other 2 cruisers and use the combined red/green route, and add a launch to the green only route and the other launch to a red only route. It means there's effectively no "cycle" - the arrival times of boats are completely sporadic, but it makes sure all 3 routes are able to accommodate ECVs while still taking bunches of guests on the "39 average sized college kids, 34 Americans" capacity launches
 
dolce20

dolce20

Well-Known Member
Sorry for the dumb question but during the "downtime" hours, will the Epcot monorail be running or is that down too? The hope is that from Epcot I can take a monorail at 4pm to TTC then bus or boat to CR for dinner...hate to bus it all the way from Epcot.
 
rudyjr13

rudyjr13

Well-Known Member
dolce20 said:
Sorry for the dumb question but during the "downtime" hours, will the Epcot monorail be running or is that down too? The hope is that from Epcot I can take a monorail at 4pm to TTC then bus or boat to CR for dinner...hate to bus it all the way from Epcot.
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From original post link:
"Starting January 21 2014, the Magic Kingdom Resort and Express Beam will close on weekdays between 11:30am and 7pm for maintenance. The work is expected to be ongoing through the end of March 2014. The Epcot beam will operate as normal."
 
MaryJaneP

MaryJaneP

Well-Known Member
dolce20 said:
Sorry for the dumb question but during the "downtime" hours, will the Epcot monorail be running or is that down too? The hope is that from Epcot I can take a monorail at 4pm to TTC then bus or boat to CR for dinner...hate to bus it all the way from Epcot.
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Not a dumb question. Ask now here or later at WDW. You are just curious. Bus is one option. Boat is second option. If you can walk, you could either walk to Poly and boat to CR or ferry to MK and walk to CR. I would ferry and walk, but I like the MK/CR walkway.
 
Freshee61

Freshee61

Well-Known Member
You mean 'slow seasons' still exist?! Not really and that's really upsetting to those guests staying at the loop resorts (like someone already said).
Lazy and greedy. They should work nightly and one monorail color at a time.
 
CDavid

CDavid

Well-Known Member
Freshee61 said:
You mean 'slow seasons' still exist?! Not really and that's really upsetting to those guests staying at the loop resorts (like someone already said).
Lazy and greedy. They should work nightly and one monorail color at a time.
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You can't work one color at a time when you're working on the beam itself...

Nighttime is a possibility, but perhaps necessary noise or bright work lights could be disturbing to sleeping guests in nearby monorail resorts. Since they're trying to keep some semblance of service going during the work, I'm inclined to give then the benefit of the doubt that this closure was the least disruptive option.
 
KeithVH

KeithVH

Well-Known Member
I really want a report from someone who will be staying at a resort loop location in the next couple of weeks. Talked to several Transportation CMs at Poly and GF this week and they are really not looking forward to the downtime. Guests are already unhappy with current policy. Example - last week, we caught the last train out of Epcot and were lucky to get the last train on the inner loop (10pm). Getting off at the GF, a large group was having a nasty discussion with two CMs who would not let them get near the gates. They wanted to board and ride to CR. Evidently policy is you can get off the last train but not on once it's left the TTC. They were told to take a taxi or bus to DTD then CR. Getting ugly enough that one of the CMs decided Security needed to be involved. We were in the doors at that point so missed the resolution.

I see both sides but this week is going to be a train wreck (figuratively). And it's easy to say take the boat from GF but even with Conch currently closed, the extra load from the Villas (and ~90% overall GF occupancy), the launches are way beyond current capacity relative to demand. Lines are now pretty much the norm at GF and definitely 1-2 boat wait leaving the MK, even in the daytime. Maybe re-tasking a cruiser would be in order for the GF-Poly run?
 
asianway

asianway

Well-Known Member
KeithVH said:
I really want a report from someone who will be staying at a resort loop location in the next couple of weeks. Talked to several Transportation CMs at Poly and GF this week and they are really not looking forward to the downtime. Guests are already unhappy with current policy. Example - last week, we caught the last train out of Epcot and were lucky to get the last train on the inner loop (10pm). Getting off at the GF, a large group was having a nasty discussion with two CMs who would not let them get near the gates. They wanted to board and ride to CR. Evidently policy is you can get off the last train but not on once it's left the TTC. They were told to take a taxi or bus to DTD then CR. Getting ugly enough that one of the CMs decided Security needed to be involved. We were in the doors at that point so missed the resolution.

I see both sides but this week is going to be a train wreck (figuratively). And it's easy to say take the boat from GF but even with Conch currently closed, the extra load from the Villas (and ~90% overall GF occupancy), the launches are way beyond current capacity relative to demand. Lines are now pretty much the norm at GF and definitely 1-2 boat wait leaving the MK, even in the daytime. Maybe re-tasking a cruiser would be in order for the GF-Poly run?
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Once you had a taxi...wouldn't you just be able to have them take you to CR? Did a CM seriously suggest that? They'd have had to call security for me too
 
thehowiet

thehowiet

Wilson King of Prussia
KeithVH said:
Getting off at the GF, a large group was having a nasty discussion with two CMs who would not let them get near the gates. They wanted to board and ride to CR. Evidently policy is you can get off the last train but not on once it's left the TTC. They were told to take a taxi or bus to DTD then CR. Getting ugly enough that one of the CMs decided Security needed to be involved. We were in the doors at that point so missed the resolution.

Maybe re-tasking a cruiser would be in order for the GF-Poly run?
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Telling a guest to take a bus from GF to DTD just to go over to CR is unacceptable, IMO. If you're going to shutdown the monorail, at least have a bus running between the three resorts.

As far as re-tasking a cruiser, that's exactly what they (eventually) did for us back in June. After waiting and not being able to board 2 consecutive launches at MK due to the crowds, they eventually brought in one of the FW/WL cruisers to make the MK, GF, Poly run. This was after we were scolded by a monorail CM as we attempted to walk up the resort ramp behind other guests who had just boarded the train that was sitting in the station. According to the CM the monorail was now "closed" and we needed to "learn how to follow instructions." Keep in mind guests were still boarding the train in the station, there wasn't a CM stationed at the bottom of the ramp, nor was there a sign posted anywhere. Good times.
 
A

ajgc0314

New Member
thehowiet said:
Telling a guest to take a bus from GF to DTD just to go over to CR is unacceptable, IMO. If you're going to shutdown the monorail, at least have a bus running between the three resorts.

As far as re-tasking a cruiser, that's exactly what they (eventually) did for us back in June. After waiting and not being able to board 2 consecutive launches at MK due to the crowds, they eventually brought in one of the FW/WL cruisers to make the MK, GF, Poly run. This was after we were scolded by a monorail CM as we attempted to walk up the resort ramp behind other guests who had just boarded the train that was sitting in the station. According to the CM the monorail was now "closed" and we needed to "learn how to follow instructions." Keep in mind guests were still boarding the train in the station, there wasn't a CM stationed at the bottom of the ramp, nor was there a sign posted anywhere. Good times.
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I do see your point there but no other resort have busses running in between them, so why should it be any different now. If you want to go from the Carribean Beach resort to the All Star Resort that is what you have to do take a bus to DTD or Any theme park and get a bus from there. Also the monorail is a secondary way of transportation, the main one are busses in most of all World Disney World. I think they should have busses from PR and GFR to Magic Kingdom while the Monorails are down.
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
ajgc0314 said:
I do see your point there but no other resort have busses running in between them, so why should it be any different now. If you want to go from the Carribean Beach resort to the All Star Resort that is what you have to do take a bus to DTD or Any theme park and get a bus from there. Also the monorail is a secondary way of transportation, the main one are busses in most of all World Disney World. I think they should have busses from PR and GFR to Magic Kingdom while the Monorails are down.
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Because Caribbean Beach does not fence a premium price for being connected to a transportation system that serves the All Star Resorts...
 
wdwfan22

wdwfan22

Well-Known Member
If you want to dine in the resort restaurants that you are not staying at without having a car then you should be prepared for long transfers and the possibility of having to take a taxi. I don't feel Disney should be required to provide transporation between the resorts.
 
bhg469

bhg469

Well-Known Member
thehowiet said:
No other resorts have monorails running between them either, but these three do. Easily hopping between the three resorts is one of the perks of staying at a monorail resort, IMO.
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Based on how awful the busses run at them sometimes, it seems to be the only reason to stay there.
 

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