Monorail

Cuse165

New Member
Original Poster
I heard on a Orlando radio station that Disney is going to bring back the Monorails this weekend. Not sure how true it is we will see I guess.
 

Disone

Well-Known Member
Hello, 100% true and confirmed the Epcot Monorail returns this Sunday the 18th. The rest have been running. See the thread in the Resorts forum "is there any news on the Epcot Monorail"
 

celluloid

Well-Known Member
Bump to not make a new thread. my extended family got to go in the front of a monorail last weekend. It was pretty special and emotional for my family. No movement but to be able to go inside and sit at controls and in front of the panels as well as what was left of the old seating was special for us. This was during some downtime and it got jealous looks but it was after they realized what big monorail fans my nephews are and they were asking about the collector cards they sometimes have.

How recently has this front pilot car tour been a thing? It was wild to me to see that.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Bump to not make a new thread. my extended family got to go in the front of a monorail last weekend. It was pretty special and emotional for my family. No movement but to be able to go inside and sit at controls and in front of the panels as well as what was left of the old seating was special for us. This was during some downtime and it got jealous looks but it was after they realized what big monorail fans my nephews are and they were asking about the collector cards they sometimes have.

How recently has this front pilot car tour been a thing? It was wild to me to see that.
The monorail trains were designed to have passengers up front at least for as long as I can remember. I don't remember the exact date but a few years ago there was an accident, I think during the fourth of July weekend where a pilot was killed when another train backed into it during a track change procedure. It was at that point the the ride in the front cab was ended.
 

celluloid

Well-Known Member
The monorail trains were designed to have passengers up front at least for as long as I can remember. I don't remember the exact date but a few years ago there was an accident, I think during the fourth of July weekend where a pilot was killed when another train backed into it during a track change procedure. It was at that point the the ride in the front cab was ended.

Oh we know all that. The accident was more than a few years ago. Believe it or not, it was over a decade ago now. We are aware of the policy, this is why it was emotional to be up there again.


I am asking when the up front tours when parked in the TTC started. That seems wild that it is allowed again so I was inquiring when this allowance began.
 

CntrlFlPete

Well-Known Member
Oh we know all that. The accident was more than a few years ago. Believe it or not, it was over a decade ago now. We are aware of the policy, this is why it was emotional to be up there again.


I am asking when the up front tours when parked in the TTC started. That seems wild that it is allowed again so I was inquiring when this allowance began.

to me, this sounds like one of those 'magical moments' that employees are empowered to create.

For me, cast tend stand out with their interactions during down time/delays/etc.
 

celluloid

Well-Known Member
to me, this sounds like one of those 'magical moments' that employees are empowered to create.

For me, cast tend stand out with their interactions during down time/delays/etc.

Yes it is, but I was shocked that it was allowed. I love that they are.empowered to and that the CM did it, but it was surprising it was allowed given it is exactly where the incident happened, parked at the TTC yet we are not allowed to ride up front when in motion.

It definitely looks a bit different up there than it used to with the computer cabinet. My nieces and nephews could not believe it. They have been going many.times.since born as passholders and never knew it was a thing so photos and video were taken.
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
We watched an older couple disembark from the front cab at the Contemporary last Wednesday.

My first thought was, “when did they start allowing passengers up front again?”

My second thought was, “maybe they are the driver’s parents.” (We couldn’t see the driver.)

Whatever the reason, it struck us as unusual!
 

Lilofan

Well-Known Member
We watched an older couple disembark from the front cab at the Contemporary last Wednesday.

My first thought was, “when did they start allowing passengers up front again?”

My second thought was, “maybe they are the driver’s parents.” (We couldn’t see the driver.)

Whatever the reason, it struck us as unusual!
Now that’s a magical moment !
 

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
The monorail trains were designed to have passengers up front at least for as long as I can remember. I don't remember the exact date but a few years ago there was an accident, I think during the fourth of July weekend where a pilot was killed when another train backed into it during a track change procedure. It was at that point the the ride in the front cab was ended.
7/5 2009 I believe
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Oh we know all that. The accident was more than a few years ago. Believe it or not, it was over a decade ago now. We are aware of the policy, this is why it was emotional to be up there again.


I am asking when the up front tours when parked in the TTC started. That seems wild that it is allowed again so I was inquiring when this allowance began.
I made clear that I wasn't sure when it happened and your post didn't sound like you knew the history, sorry to waste your time. The only thing I remember is that my first visit in 1983 I seem to remember it happening. If that is correct I'd guess that it happened from the beginning. I'm sure there is somebody out there that knows. @marni1971 might have that answer.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
7/5 2009 I believe
Probably correct, since I retired the past decade or so one years just melts into the other so my brain has obtained many detours along the way. It really doesn't seem like that long ago. I still don't know if they had riders as early as when the park opened in 1971.
 

celluloid

Well-Known Member
I made clear that I wasn't sure when it happened and your post didn't sound like you knew the history, sorry to waste your time. The only thing I remember is that my first visit in 1983 I seem to remember it happening. If that is correct I'd guess that it happened from the beginning. I'm sure there is somebody out there that knows. @marni1971 might have that answer.

Don't take anything as an attack. Not my intention. I was just saying how it is wild that it has already been ten years.l and I was shocked to see the "cockpit cabin" allowing guests in at all.
 
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MickeyLuv'r

Well-Known Member
I made clear that I wasn't sure when it happened and your post didn't sound like you knew the history, sorry to waste your time. The only thing I remember is that my first visit in 1983 I seem to remember it happening. If that is correct I'd guess that it happened from the beginning. I'm sure there is somebody out there that knows. @marni1971 might have that answer.
Traveling up front went back at least to the 1970's. I'm not sure if all the way back to the start of WDW, but I'm certain it goes back to at least 1976.

In those days, it was a special invite. Towards the end of when they allowed it though, that bit of magic was already lost. Instead of CM's inviting guests, many guests got kinda pesky about asking (demanding) to ride up front. In the 1970's, that just wasn't something parkgoers did. Maybe one or two people did, but it would have been seen as kind of rude.

Then all of a sudden, there was a shift, and people asked very often if they could ride up front.

It would be neat if they brought this tradition back, but a little sad if people get pesky about it again.
 

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