Monorail Update January 2015

DsnyFevr

Active Member
I wish they would also do something about the interior of the trains!!!
I love Disney, not usually a complainer, but the El in/ around the loop in Chicago is cleaner and better maintained than the interior of a WDW monorail train. Sad.
It's been a long time since interior has been maintained. They keep up with the rides and the buses, don't understand the lack of with the monorails.
 

thehowiet

Wilson King of Prussia
Are they only replacing the carpet? If so, that's a shame and a huge missed opportunity. The hard surfaces look pretty beat up in many places. I remember how great those trains looked when they first came online. I don't expect them to look brand new after 26 years, but I think it's reasonable to expect a top to bottom refresh of the interiors every so many years.
 

Seth7721

Member
Are they only replacing the carpet? If so, that's a shame and a huge missed opportunity. The hard surfaces look pretty beat up in many places. I remember how great those trains looked when they first came online. I don't expect them to look brand new after 26 years, but I think it's reasonable to expect a top to bottom refresh of the interiors every so many years.

As far as I saw in the monorail, yes... The floors and the seats are still the same.
 
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meyeet

Well-Known Member
Just returned from the World last week. We rode the monorail 3 times during our visit, Silver twice and didn't pay attention to the other, and didn't notice a horrible smell on either. The cabins we rode on didn't have the updated carpet either. Two of the rides were at the end of the night.
 

Monorail_Red_77

Well-Known Member
I've seen 3 trains on the beam on many Food & Wine weekends ... I think on Flower & Garden weekends, as well.

I counted 5 on this year's Marathon morning.


I Believe this is how the special routes will work. Forgive me if this has been explained already. Or, if I am totally wrong... ;)

EXPRESS BEAM will run like this stop at TTC, stop at CONTEMP, stop at MK, continue as usual back to TTC in counterclockwise motion. Will like have normal amount of monorails running. 2 plus?

RESORT BEAM will run like this:
start at POLY, stop at GRAND FL, stop at MK. Reverse back through and stop at GRAND FL, stop at POLY. Reverse again. Back and forth all day within given time schedules. Running just one monorail on beam in this mode, most likely.

I don't believe the specific resort will have much demand as there are multiple ways to reach both Poly and Grand. Same with BLT and Contemp.v Poly and Grand have Monorail and water taxi while Contemp and BLT have monorail and walking. so likely no need for two monotails on RESORT BEAM in this mode, given the capacity will be cut by 1/3 due to no stop at Contemp/BLT.

The only difference at TTC would be that you would not be able to board RESORT BEAM. Plus if you were not paying attention on the EXPRESS BEAM some guests might think they were on the wrong beam due to the new stop at Contemp on that beam.
 

Monorail_Red_77

Well-Known Member
I've seen 3 trains on the beam on many Food & Wine weekends ... I think on Flower & Garden weekends, as well.

I counted 5 on this year's Marathon morning.

Due to the length of the EPCOT BEAM this is possible, they just may have more traffic holds while you are on your way to or from EPCOT to TTC. I'm not sure about the two MK loops, but, this is less likely as there is not enough distance between trains. I would think that any more then 3 trains on the MK beams and the trains would sit for a long time at each station as they would not be able to leave station till the train in front left their station, and so on. But, I'm no monorail expert by any means.
 

COProgressFan

Well-Known Member
Are they only replacing the carpet? If so, that's a shame and a huge missed opportunity. The hard surfaces look pretty beat up in many places. I remember how great those trains looked when they first came online. I don't expect them to look brand new after 26 years, but I think it's reasonable to expect a top to bottom refresh of the interiors every so many years.

I agree, this is badly needed. Not just carpeting, but replacing the horribly worn seats and all the broken or chipped plastic trims, etc. If their plan is to automate and keep these trains another 10 years, they need a complete interior overhaul.
 

scottnj1966

Well-Known Member
I have noticed the last few years that Disney stopped going that extra mile for maintenance on anything at the parks. Just Saturday I noticed a few screws and washers that were replaced on the train at Animal Kingdom. Instead of matching them up with the screws they added some huge flat washer and shiny philips screws, something they grabbed from Ace hardware. The train is suppose to have that old look to it.
Ive seen this kind of crappy work ethic all over the park more and more.
Looking at the carpet install, they did a terrible job. Some of it isn't even straight. Does anyone care there anymore?
You hire a cheap labor force and it shows in the quality. You should be ashamed Disney management. Very very sad.
 

COProgressFan

Well-Known Member

Thanks for the pics, Steve.

But from the "does anyone even care anymore?" department, in pic 1 you can clearly see some sort of gross gunk to the left of the newly carpeted area. In pic 3, which appears to show the other end of the car, the turquoise blue pleather seating is clearly hanging off of the seat frame. How does anyone signing off of the job not notice this?

It's nice that they changed some carpeting, but there clearly is no oversight into making sure the rest of the monorail cabins don't remain in terrible shape.
 

Figment2005

Well-Known Member
Due to the length of the EPCOT BEAM this is possible, they just may have more traffic holds while you are on your way to or from EPCOT to TTC. I'm not sure about the two MK loops, but, this is less likely as there is not enough distance between trains. I would think that any more then 3 trains on the MK beams and the trains would sit for a long time at each station as they would not be able to leave station till the train in front left their station, and so on. But, I'm no monorail expert by any means.
With good drivers that pay attention, 5 trains without excess stops is normal. Add a 6th and holding would be a normal thing.
 

Figment2005

Well-Known Member
I have noticed the last few years that Disney stopped going that extra mile for maintenance on anything at the parks. Just Saturday I noticed a few screws and washers that were replaced on the train at Animal Kingdom. Instead of matching them up with the screws they added some huge flat washer and shiny philips screws, something they grabbed from Ace hardware. The train is suppose to have that old look to it.
Ive seen this kind of crappy work ethic all over the park more and more.
Looking at the carpet install, they did a terrible job. Some of it isn't even straight. Does anyone care there anymore?
You hire a cheap labor force and it shows in the quality. You should be ashamed Disney management. Very very sad.
Disney is putting new carpets in the trains... FINALLY, and all you can do is that it isn't perfectly straight. Some of you so-called fans really me off lately.

My apologies for the language in advance.
 

ptaylor

Premium Member
Disney is putting new carpets in the trains... FINALLY, and all you can do is ***** that it isn't perfectly straight. Some of you so-called fans really **** me off lately.

My apologies for the language in advance.
Because it once again just shows how management does not care about the condition of the monorails.

I just saw monorail black yesterday, and it remains in a very poor state, despite the carpet replacement (that should have been done 10 years ago). There is still mold around the fixtures, cracks throughout the trim, missing fasteners, and general dirt and grime throughout.

Some retro logos on some new carpet does not make things right. The monorails need massive investment both behind the scenes, and where guests come into contacts with the system everyday - inside the cabins. The condition is a disgrace.
 

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