Monorails to no longer operate during Evening Extra Magic Hours

[nace888]

Thanks, I did miss that.

Wow, three years? Then yeah, I'm even more inclined to believe this reduction is a stop-gap to make the trains last long enough to get a new fleet built and online.

Since Walt Disney World got a new head of transportation last year they've made some changes to the way transportation is operated and maintained, and it is possible that they finally have someone willing to make tough decisions for the overall improvement of the entire system. It is clear the reduction of the monorail's operating hours is going to be a big PR headache for WDW, but that's why I can't see this being just a cost cutting move, but one made looking toward the future while still keeping the system running for the present.

If the two choices are keep the trains running 20/7 and run the risk of completely killing them before new ones are ready or use those extra hours gained by shutting down early to improve the reliability I think the better choice seems pretty clear.

Honestly, if management were as concerned about penny-pinching as some believe I think they would have kept the status quo and simply run the monorails into the ground.

Running them to the ground... Hmm... I think Disney should t=get the work's worth out of the trains, but you don't want to push them so hard that 4 die at once, with limited use of the others... WDW really does need new trains... But why are they fixing up #12 if new ones would be coming??

 

[wolf359]

But why are they fixing up #12 if new ones would be coming??

It reminds me of how the wand over Spaceship earth was repainted the year before it was torn down. Every monorail in service spreads the workload of the entire fleet, giving them more options and hopefully greater efficiency.

If they really are needing another two or three years before new trains could be ready it makes sense to have every train possible running during that time.

 

[nace888]

It reminds me of how the wand over Spaceship earth was repainted the year before it was torn down. Every monorail in service spreads the workload of the entire fleet, giving them more options and hopefully greater efficiency.

If they really are needing another two or three years before new trains could be ready it makes sense to have every train possible running during that time.

Quite true I s'pose... But isn't the generic life span of a monorail train at Disney 20 years?? These guys have been put through quite a lot. Especially when they were used as load trains and not passenger trains...

 

[Kamikaze]

Quite true I s'pose... But isn't the generic life span of a monorail train at Disney 20 years?? These guys have been put through quite a lot. Especially when they were used as load trains and not passenger trains...

Well, we've only had one changeover. And that happened 89-91, so 18 to 20 years. Those trains are now 20-22 years old.

In comparison - Disneyland trains

Mark I - 1959-1961
Mark II - 1961-1969
Mark III - 1969 - 1987
Mark V - 1987 - 2008
Mark VII - 2008 - Present

Just looking at it that way, I guess we're due for Mark VIIIs ... but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[nace888]

Well, we've only had one changeover. And that happened 89-91, so 18 to 20 years. Those trains are now 20-22 years old.

In comparison - Disneyland trains

Mark I - 1959-1961
Mark II - 1961-1969
Mark III - 1969 - 1987
Mark V - 1987 - 2008
Mark VII - 2008 - Present

They've never kept a train for more than 10 years... Wow... So, in essence, WDW is being more cost efficient... Aren't they?? WDW makes trains last longer than DL does... And DL is using them as a RIDE, not a passenger/load train...

 

[Kamikaze]

They've never kept a train for more than 10 years... Wow... So, in essence, WDW is being more cost efficient... Aren't they?? WDW makes trains last longer than DL does... And DL is using them as a RIDE, not a passenger/load train...

Maybe you should take some math instead of worrying about Monorail colors and color coding them in posts. :wave: Both the Mark III and Mark V were used for about 20 years. And they do use them for transport as well, the line runs between DTD and Tommorrowland as well as being used as a ride.

 

[flavious27]

pink

retired.

 

[nace888]

Maybe you should take some math instead of worrying about Monorail colors and color coding them in posts. :wave: Both the Mark III and Mark V were used for about 20 years. And they do use them for transport as well, the line runs between DTD and Tommorrowland as well as being used as a ride.

I had thought about that afterwards and was like oops, my error. All in all, new trains would still be nice...

 

[unkadug]

Maybe you should take some math instead of worrying about Monorail colors and color coding them in posts. :wave: Both the Mark III and Mark V were used for about 20 years. And they do use them for transport as well, the line runs between DTD and Tommorrowland as well as being used as a ride.

He only been a member for four days...give him a little slack.

 

[Kamikaze]

He only been a member for four days...give him a little slack.

I already tried to.

 

[unkadug]

I already tried to.

It IS summertime after all.

 

[flavious27]

I agree the trains need updating, and I'm hoping the reduction in service is a stop-gap move to make the fleet last until they can get replacements.

I know the general feeling is that Disney is rich enough to do whatever they want but I wonder how long it takes to have trains built. It's possible Disney already has a plan to replace the current trains and it's just a question of how long the construction will take. I have a feeling even if Disney ordered new trains last week I doubt they'd actually be in service for a least a year, maybe more.

When they replaced the mark iv with the vi, they started in 89 and finished in 91.

They've never kept a train for more than 10 years... Wow... So, in essence, WDW is being more cost efficient... Aren't they?? WDW makes trains last longer than DL does... And DL is using them as a RIDE, not a passenger/load train...

From what I can read, DLR has had the same three trains for the past like 5 decades, they just have refurbed them.

 

[nace888]

It IS summertime after all.

Lol, my apologies once again. I have been juggling work plus college info and it is hard to think straight, haha. Not only that, but sometimes, I have a brainfart that just can't seem to get anything right at times, haha.

 

[brisem]

Just got a phone call from Yolanda in Guest Relations about my letter. She was very nice. She explained what the email I got but she added that Disney will add addition buses, so the wait time between buses should only be 5-10 mins.

Also, if I elected to change hotels, to call her back and she'll assist in the change.

 

[Poofiesdream]

I will no longer stay at a monorail resort.

 

[wolf359]

I will no longer stay at a monorail resort.

Me either! :fork::fork::fork::fork::fork::fork::fork:

Of course, I probably wasn't going to anyway. But why let reality get in the way of joining in on the righteous indignation? Could someone pass the knife so I can get to cutting off my nose too?

While I'm at it I'm not returning to any of the parks until they're operating 24 hours a day seven days a week too. How dare they close the parks when I could be twirling around on Aladdin's Magic Carpets or enjoying the hilarious show at Stitch's Great Escape at any hour of the day?

Who's with me?!?

 

[unkadug]

Me either! :fork::fork::fork::fork::fork::fork::fork:

Of course, I probably wasn't going to anyway. But why let reality get in the way of joining in on the righteous indignation? Could someone pass the knife so I can get to cutting off my nose too?

While I'm at it I'm not returning to any of the parks until they're operating 24 hours a day seven days a week too. How dare they close the parks when I could be twirling around on Aladdin's Magic Carpets or enjoying the hilarious show at Stitch's Great Escape at any hour of the day?

Who's with me?!?

Hyperbole isn't really any better than righteous indignation.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Me either! :fork::fork::fork::fork::fork::fork::fork:

Of course, I probably wasn't going to anyway. But why let reality get in the way of joining in on the righteous indignation? Could someone pass the knife so I can get to cutting off my nose too?

While I'm at it I'm not returning to any of the parks until they're operating 24 hours a day seven days a week too. How dare they close the parks when I could be twirling around on Aladdin's Magic Carpets or enjoying the hilarious show at Stitch's Great Escape at any hour of the day?

Who's with me?!?

Just because you don't understand, that doesn't make people wrong for being upset. I HAVE stayed at the monorail resorts more times than I can count almost every year since 1995, and we changed our most recent booking from GF to WL as a direct result of this decision. There's nothing wrong with expecting the monorail to operate during the park's stated hours of operation for resort guests, especially if you're paying big bucks to have monorail access. Eliminating that for two nights of the week in August (the 2 nights that I would be in MK late) really takes away the convenience factor. I don't care what the justification was, but as a customer I can't reasonably see why the monorail resort room rates are increasing next year as monorail operation is being cut.

And don't lump monorail resort guests with SGE/Magic Carpet fans. That doesn't help your point. Our demands aren't unrealistic, and if it really is a maintenance problem, then Disney should do monorail guests a favor and cut rates to reflect the reduced service.

 

[unkadug]

Just because you don't understand, that doesn't make people wrong for being upset. I HAVE stayed at the monorail resorts more times than I can count almost every year since 1995, and we changed our most recent booking from GF to WL as a direct result of this decision. There's nothing wrong with expecting the monorail to operate during the park's stated hours of operation for resort guests, especially if you're paying big bucks to have monorail access. Eliminating that for two nights of the week in August (the 2 nights that I would be in MK late) really takes away the convenience factor. I don't care what the justification was, but as a customer I can't reasonably see why the monorail resort room rates are increasing next year as monorail operation is being cut.

And don't lump monorail resort guests with SGE/Magic Carpet fans. That doesn't help your point. Our demands aren't unrealistic, and if it really is a maintenance problem, then Disney should do monorail guests a favor and cut rates to reflect the reduced service.

Thank you

 

[Crockett]

This makes good sense for cost and maintenance reasons. In this economy something has to give.

^Agree with this 100%. Disney did the right thing, and this move will help them keep costs low in other areas.

The plus's of staying at a monorail resort still outweigh the negative by a long shot.