Monorail system to operate on new timetable to accommodate automation work

[MaryJaneP]

Take a boat into the huge sea in the mantle of the earth and emerge at the huge sinkhole in Epcot. Problem solved.

 

[kbmum]

I agree they needed to do something about the rope drop crowd, but it seems a little backhanded to make it more difficult for people to use EMH by limiting the availability of the best option for transportation during that time. EMH is supposed to be a big perk for staying on site, and a big draw for staying at a monorail resort is being able to take the monorail to certain parks. I think I'd be a bit upset about this if I was staying at a monorail resort and heading to Epcot soon.

We're staying at Bay Lake Tower for our July trip and we are not happy about this. We stay at monorail resorts because of the convenience of taking the monorail to two parks. Sure, we could walk to MK in the morning. We've done that on occasion, but it's a fairly long walk to start off a hot summer day that will be spent mostly on our feet. I don't understand why the Epcot line won't run until park opening. At the very least, it should start at 8:30 like the MK loop.

 

[cw1982]

We're staying at Bay Lake Tower for our July trip and we are not happy about this. We stay at monorail resorts because of the convenience of taking the monorail to two parks. Sure, we could walk to MK in the morning. We've done that on occasion, but it's a fairly long walk to start off a hot summer day that will be spent mostly on our feet. I don't understand why the Epcot line won't run until park opening. At the very least, it should start at 8:30 like the MK loop.

I agree 100%. But on EMH days, Epcot opens at 8:00, right? So shouldn't the monorail start running at 7 or 7:30 on those days? What about people who have breakfast at Akershus at or before park official opening?

I know the bus is an option, but from what I'm hearing, bus service from the moderates and deluxes is less reliable than it is from the Pop... Disney Transportation better be on their A-game with buses to pick up the slack for this transition, or they're going to be getting an earful from lots of unhappy guests.

 

[kbmum]

I agree 100%. But on EMH days, Epcot opens at 8:00, right? So shouldn't the monorail start running at 7 or 7:30 on those days? What about people who have breakfast at Akershus at or before park official opening?

I know the bus is an option, but from what I'm hearing, bus service from the moderates and deluxes is less reliable than it is from the Pop... Disney Transportation better be on their A-game with buses to pick up the slack for this transition, or they're going to be getting an earful from lots of unhappy guests.

Yes, it should start at least half an hour before whatever time the parks open. As for the buses, I want more details, like what time they'll start running. I'm hoping there will be enough complaints from people staying at monorail hotels that Disney adjusts the schedules to something a bit more reasonable.

 

[cw1982]

Yes, it should start at least half an hour before whatever time the parks open. As for the buses, I want more details, like what time they'll start running. I'm hoping there will be enough complaints from people staying at monorail hotels that Disney adjusts the schedules to something a bit more reasonable.

Buses are supposed to run an hour before park opening through an hour (or later) after park closing. I have also read on other threads that Disney Transportation is available for parks early enough to make ADR's for breakfast before opening... but like I said, the fact that I've read that the deluxe resorts get the worst bus service (and aren't most of the monorail resorts in that category?) makes me think that Disney will have to step things up a notch to keep drama from ensuing.

 

[kbmum]

Buses are supposed to run an hour before park opening through an hour (or later) after park closing. I have also read on other threads that Disney Transportation is available for parks early enough to make ADR's for breakfast before opening... but like I said, the fact that I've read that the deluxe resorts get the worst bus service (and aren't most of the monorail resorts in that category?) makes me think that Disney will have to step things up a notch to keep drama from ensuing.

IMMH, the buses from the Contemporary to AK and HS are usually pretty good (with the occasional glitch like a bus not showing up every 20 minutes). We have two members in our party who really can't do the walk to MK, so we'll be stuck dealing with bus service most mornings.

 

[pug]

Am I reading this correctly? Guests at monorail resorts will not be able to ride the monorail to Epcot before 9 AM? So if you're staying at one of those resorts and going for rope drop you'll (presumably) have to ride a bus?

I am so that sucks for me!

 

[Figment2005]

I'm so sorry that your vacation is ruined because you are unable to take the "filthy" and "unmaintained" monorail service to your early reservation in the morning to Epcot. You will have to ride a bus for an entire 10 minutes of your day, How Dare Disney inconvenience you like that...
/endsarcasm

 

[Kman101]

People are entitled to an opinion. Stop taking it so personally.

 

[rob0519]

I'm so sorry that your vacation is ruined because you are unable to take the "filthy" and "unmaintained" monorail service to your early reservation in the morning to Epcot. You will have to ride a bus for an entire 10 minutes of your day, How Dare Disney inconvenience you like that...
/endsarcasm

Sarcasm understood. A vacation shouldn't be ruined by the new schedule, but I can understand people being annoyed paying $500-$750 dollars a night at a monorail resort and they could not use the monorail to get to a park before opening. Oh well, it's no different than any other attraction being down for refurbishment. I'm not a transportation expert, so I hope this new automated process is a success. It seems to work well in Las Vegas and at most major airports. I am sorry though that it will probably eliminate a few jobs.

 

[xdan0920]

I'm so sorry that your vacation is ruined because you are unable to take the "filthy" and "unmaintained" monorail service to your early reservation in the morning to Epcot. You will have to ride a bus for an entire 10 minutes of your day, How Dare Disney inconvenience you like that...
/endsarcasm

Expectation of a clean, safe, fast monorail service, especially when staying at a monorail resort, is hardly something to scoff at.

If I was staying at the GF for example, this would, in fact, ruin my stay.

 

[hokielutz]

I wonder how the automated monorail system will handle the scooter-parade types, that require a ramp be put in place so they can drive their scooters into the Monorail? a few of these delays during a busy morning is likely to backup & delay the trains, yes?? (Cascade error/stop)

 

[Figment2005]

I wonder how the automated monorail system will handle the scooter-parade types, that require a ramp be put in place so they can drive their scooters into the Monorail? a few of these delays during a busy morning is likely to backup & delay the trains, yes?? (Cascade error/stop)

It's only semi-automated. It requires a signal from the platform and the driver before it will set off on its merry way.

Expectation of a clean, safe, fast monorail service, especially when staying at a monorail resort, is hardly something to scoff at.

If I was staying at the GF for example, this would, in fact, ruin my stay.

The monorail isn't being shut down mid day, service is only starting an hour later . If that's all it takes to ruin your vacation, have you ever had a good one?

 

[xdan0920]

It's only semi-automated. It requires a signal from the platform and the driver before it will set off on its merry way.

The monorail isn't being shut down mid day, service is only starting an hour later . If that's all it takes to ruin your vacation, have you ever had a good one?

If every morning I woke up, and was expecting to ride the Monorail to park opening, because I paid a metric crap ton of money to stay at a monorail resort, yes, it would ruin my stay.

I have had plenty of GREAT WDW trips. That doesn't excuse the state of the monorails, or Disney's pathetic excuse for a solution.

 

[cw1982]

I'm so sorry that your vacation is ruined because you are unable to take the "filthy" and "unmaintained" monorail service to your early reservation in the morning to Epcot. You will have to ride a bus for an entire 10 minutes of your day, How Dare Disney inconvenience you like that...
/endsarcasm

This would be fine if people weren't constantly on here griping about how unreliable the bus service from everywhere but Pop (basically) is. The monorail may need improvement, but to take something that is a selling point for those resorts and take it away at an important time of the day is not okay. I don't even have a reason to care because I'm not staying in a monorail resort anytime soon (if ever... not sure I'll ever be able to afford that lol) but this still rubs me as bad planning.

 

[Figment2005]

If every morning I woke up, and was expecting to ride the Monorail to park opening, because I paid a metric crap ton of money to stay at a monorail resort, yes, it would ruin my stay.

I have had plenty of GREAT WDW trips. That doesn't excuse the state of the monorails, or Disney's pathetic excuse for a solution.

Nothing should ever be "expected". Disney, in no way, shape, or form promises the monorail or any other item on their property will always be 100% operational. They try, but exceptions arise, and it's people with an attitude of "if something isn't perfect or operational the way I want, then I will complain and moan that my vacation was ruined" that give Disney the reasoning to not do regular refurbs. Besides, they inform guests about the delays so expecting something to be open, when it isnt, is on the guest. Disney made the effort.

 

[xdan0920]

Nothing should ever be "expected". Disney, in no way, shape, or form promises the monorail or any other item on their property will always be 100% operational. They try, but exceptions arise, and it's people with an attitude of "if something isn't perfect or operational the way I want, then I will complain and moan that my vacation was ruined" that give Disney the reasoning to not do regular refurbs. Besides, they inform guests about the delays so expecting something to be open, when it isnt, is on the guest. Disney made the effort.

Except this was just announced. Booking a room at GF is not typically a last minute thing. These rooms are booked and paid for.

You are defending Disney's staggering cheapness, why?

The Monorails need refurbishment, desperately. So what is the best solution? A: Add another train or two, this way you can pull one or two down, and NOT have to disrupt the Monorail service. Instead, Disney is taking the route of screw the guest. Not great.

 

[midwest_mice]

So when this is all said and done, will it be ran like the monorails in Vegas? Or will they still have a pilot in the cab, as a backup?

 

[midwest_mice]

Except this was just announced. Booking a room at GF is not typically a last minute thing. These rooms are booked and paid for.

You are defending Disney's staggering cheapness, why?

The Monorails need refurbishment, desperately. So what is the best solution? A: Add another train or two, this way you can pull one or two down, and NOT have to disrupt the Monorail service. Instead, Disney is taking the route of screw the guest. Not great.

I would like to see them upgrade to the newer monorails that Disneyland now has. These old ones really don't look futuristic coming into Future World in Epcot.

 

[cw1982]

Nothing should ever be "expected". Disney, in no way, shape, or form promises the monorail or any other item on their property will always be 100% operational. They try, but exceptions arise, and it's people with an attitude of "if something isn't perfect or operational the way I want, then I will complain and moan that my vacation was ruined" that give Disney the reasoning to not do regular refurbs. Besides, they inform guests about the delays so expecting something to be open, when it isnt, is on the guest. Disney made the effort.

Except that the monorails are a selling point for some of the most expensive resorts on property. One ride being on refurbishment won't ruin most people's trips. Altering their transportation plans, however, can significantly change things. In what way is it a guest's fault if Disney fails to tell them that something they can reasonably assume will work, the has worked on every trip before (for most people) and has always been a reliable way to get to the parks before they open, won't be working until right before the trip?