Monorail system to operate on new timetable to accommodate automation work

Jakester

Well-Known Member
Rode the Express Monorail today to MK around 6pm, I swear it was cooler outside than inside that sweaty heat box. They DESPERATELY need A/C
 

zulemara

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
Had the "pleasure" of riding on the MK boats a few months ago during one of the daytime rail shutdowns. I felt terrible for the watercraft cast assigned to crew them, those boats are an embarrassment. It's painfully obvious those boats were pressed back into service after a long stint in storage (that's not the bad part) AND only the most bare, half-@$$ed refurbished was performed before sending them out for guest service. Cobwebs lined the gunwhales, the benches and boats appeared as is they last saw a coat of paint sometime around, oh say, 1971. And you're right, they were quite slow, though I thought that had to be my imagination, given the deplorable visual condition of the boat.

The funny thing is those boats are washed the most, several times a week I believe because they are used for the fireworks voyages. But between washings, they get icky if the cast doesn't wipe down the cobwebs. That's a whole other discussion though. The boats were I believe originally used at DAK and brought over to 7SL at some point. Sorry not trying to hijack, just gotta say "watercraft: bailing out monorails for over 40 years!"
 

MinnieM123

Premium Member
Rode the Express Monorail today to MK around 6pm, I swear it was cooler outside than inside that sweaty heat box. They DESPERATELY need A/C

I'm not a frequent visitor to WDW, but I've never noticed any problem with the A/C in the monorails. Sorry to hear that your ride was unpleasant. Do you think the problem might have just been with that particular monorail car you were on (and hopefully will be fixed asap)? I hope your future rides will be better.
 

kbmum

Well-Known Member
I'm not a frequent visitor to WDW, but I've never noticed any problem with the A/C in the monorails. Sorry to hear that your ride was unpleasant. Do you think the problem might have just been with that particular monorail car you were on (and hopefully will be fixed asap)? I hope your future rides will be better.

I've encountered individual monorail cars on the resort line that didn't have a/c on almost every trip. Depending upon how crowded it is, we try to move to a different car at the next stop.
 

Jakester

Well-Known Member
I'm not a frequent visitor to WDW, but I've never noticed any problem with the A/C in the monorails. Sorry to hear that your ride was unpleasant. Do you think the problem might have just been with that particular monorail car you were on (and hopefully will be fixed asap)? I hope your future rides will be better.
Oh trust me, this isn't the only train like this. When a car can easily reach 100+ inside, I'd hate to know what it is inside the cabs during the peak of summer.
 

rob0519

Well-Known Member
It isn't a perk. It is a basic design and functional aspect of the three resorts. When a guest pays a premium for a resort function, it isn't a perk.
Agreed. I pay dearly for for two rooms at the CR on each trip because of the monorail. It's not a perk. It's like covering the windows on a park view room for several hours a day. I can work around it, but, they are still taking away a service I paid for with no compensation.
 

dstrawn9889

Well-Known Member
they may tell you it is something you pay for, but try to get money back because it is out of service. ERGO, it is a perk, not something you pay extra for.(that is IMHO the major difference between a function and a perk, the ability to complain and get a discount on something that is not there... like when a pool is closed at the resort, no discount)
 

Admiral01

Premium Member
they may tell you it is something you pay for, but try to get money back because it is out of service. ERGO, it is a perk, not something you pay extra for.(that is IMHO the major difference between a function and a perk, the ability to complain and get a discount on something that is not there... like when a pool is closed at the resort, no discount)

The ability to get your money back for something isn't necessarily the line between a perk and a function.

Lets look at it this way:
The All-Star Resort gives you a number of things, which are included, and expected, when you pay for a room:
- Bed
- Bathroom
- Air Conditioning
- Locking door
- Access to the pool
- Access to the food court/restaurants
- Bus transportation
You get all that, and you pay $100 standard rate.

Now, lets look at the Yacht Club:
- Bed
- Bathroom
- Air Conditioning
- Locking door
- Access to the pool
- Access to the food court/restaurants
- Bus transportation
- Water craft transportation
- Proximity to theme park
You get all that, and you pay $400 standard rate.

Now, lets look at the Grand Floridian:
- Bed
- Bathroom
- Air Conditioning
- Locking door
- Access to the pool
- Access to the food court/restaurants
- Bus transportation
- Water craft transportation
- Proximity to theme park
- Monorail to theme parks
For all that, you pay $505 standard rate.

Why the difference? Why is the YC 4 times more expensive than All-Star and GF 5 times more expensive than All-Star? Because you are paying a premium for the services that you expect to have access to at each resort.
 

Rasvar

Well-Known Member
Never had a problem with A/C on the WDW monorail. Disneyland on the other hand. Brutal.
I don't think those even have AC. Windows are open almost all the time I'm on that. There are some brutally hot days that I would not want to be in those things there.
 

COProgressFan

Well-Known Member
I don't think those even have AC. Windows are open almost all the time I'm on that. There are some brutally hot days that I would not want to be in those things there.

That was a well-documented (on MiceAge, anyway) design flaw when they developed the new trains. The way I remember, instead of going to knowledgeable, experienced folks like Bob Gurr, they decided they could design without any historical guidance. There is no a/c, and design changes were necessary after the trains were built, which allowed the windows to open up a bit more.

It still gets really hot though.
 

MinnieM123

Premium Member
If the cast are made aware, we do take A/C not working seriously. If it cannot be fixed away from shop, that car will be taken out of service.

I believe you are sincere in your comments, and take pride in your work. Throughout this entire thread, the insight you've shared about the operation of the monorail system is also appreciated.

Thank you also, Figment 2005, for passing along (to your colleagues who work on the monorail), the A/C problems in some of the (hotel loop) monorail cars, that both @Jakester and @kbmum mentioned.
Just wondering: could the A/C malfunction they talked about be an intermittent problem in some of the cars? If so, that might explain why the monorail mechanics might “miss” some of the A/C problems during their daily checklist. (I’m assuming that checking the A/C components would also be a part of a standard checklist, after all the safety systems have passed inspection.)

My dream (but, will probably never happen) would be for Disney to add more new monorail trains to the fleet, thereby giving them more opportunity to switch out cars on a more regular basis.
 

dstrawn9889

Well-Known Member
cars cannot be swapped(well not without serious teardown i mean they are not like train cars), i think you meant trains, as monorail black would not operate missing a car.
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
I don't think those even have AC. Windows are open almost all the time I'm on that. There are some brutally hot days that I would not want to be in those things there.

They don't - they have to shutdown when it's too hot out. They reworked the windows after they initially delivered the new monorails too as well because it was too bad.
 

Bolt

Well-Known Member
The ability to get your money back for something isn't necessarily the line between a perk and a function.

Lets look at it this way:
The All-Star Resort gives you a number of things, which are included, and expected, when you pay for a room:
- Bed
- Bathroom
- Air Conditioning
- Locking door
- Access to the pool
- Access to the food court/restaurants
- Bus transportation
You get all that, and you pay $100 standard rate.

Now, lets look at the Yacht Club:
- Bed
- Bathroom
- Air Conditioning
- Locking door
- Access to the pool
- Access to the food court/restaurants
- Bus transportation
- Water craft transportation
- Proximity to theme park
You get all that, and you pay $400 standard rate.

Now, lets look at the Grand Floridian:
- Bed
- Bathroom
- Air Conditioning
- Locking door
- Access to the pool
- Access to the food court/restaurants
- Bus transportation
- Water craft transportation
- Proximity to theme park
- Monorail to theme parks
For all that, you pay $505 standard rate.

Why the difference? Why is the YC 4 times more expensive than All-Star and GF 5 times more expensive than All-Star? Because you are paying a premium for the services that you expect to have access to at each resort.
It's called the no Latin Group benefit, debateably worth it.
 

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