Monorails to no longer operate during Evening Extra Magic Hours

[Clamman73]

post 1000 in this thread:wave:

 

[Tom]

I'm at the bus stop now. People seem more confused than annoyed. Buses are at the first load zone and coming frequently.

Honestly, most guests (who aren't "in the know"), will likely think it's just a one-time instance and never know that the service was actually taken away from them.

That's probably what Disney is banking on, that most guests will never be affected more than once, and never know the difference. Only us fans will know the true story.

Devious plan.

 

[zulemara]

My EMH odd-venture has ended and I'm now back at the Contemporary lobby. Here were my observations:

1. There are signs galore directing everyone to go left to the buses or straight to the boats. I asked a Contemporary guest if they felt inconvenienced and she said it's a pain to wait for a Contemporary bus. That's a real absurd phrase there, a Contemporary bus! I walked to the bus area and the Contemporary bus got to the stop. It was a Contemporary/Poly/G. Floridian bus! There were not a lot of people who boarded.

2. I saw there was a crowd at the resort launches but did not notice the boats used.

3. I left the bus stop to use the walkway, but before I walked back I decided to speak with a monorail CM who was directing people away from the monorails. He said there have been several complaints from the resort monorail guests and all he can say is "Our apologies." The most common complaint would be why did they have to pay for a monorail resort and go to EMH yet not be able to ride back.

4. As I walked to the Contemporary walkway I noticed a CM with one of those survey PalmPilot devices but she was not asking questions. Instead she was tabulating how many people are using the walkway!!

5. I spoke to a family on the walk back and they said they should've just stayed at All Star or Pop Century instead of Bay Lake Tower! However they were also in agreement that it was best for the monorails to get repaired or whatnot.

6. When I arrived at the parking lot a bus happened to stop and drop people off. I noticed another CM with the PalmPilot deal and he confirmed that they have been asked to count how many guests were dropped off!!!

7. At least there is a separate TTC bus.

2 ferryboats and both gold route boats were in operation last night until the park was declared clear

 

[PirateFrank]

....As I walked to the Contemporary walkway I noticed a CM with one of those survey PalmPilot devices but she was not asking questions. Instead she was tabulating how many people are using the walkway!!....I noticed another CM with the PalmPilot deal and he confirmed that they have been asked to count how many guests were dropped off!!!

The fact that this is being done means that they are evaluating the decision to reduce monorail coverage.

Now is the time to hammer guest relations with some very nasty letters....

 

[Tom]

2 ferryboats and both gold route boats were in operation last night until the park was declared clear

Speaking of ferry boats, Gen Joe Potter is about to undergo a MAJOR refurb.

 

[zulemara]

The fact that this is being done means that they are evaluating the decision to reduce monorail coverage.

Now is the time to hammer guest relations with some very nasty letters....

or the other way around. When MK fireworks are at 10, the majority of people leave the park after fireworks. Then they stay open till midnight, monorails get shut down at 1am. That means there are only 2.5-2.75hrs where the monorail is not running. I am telling you from many many many EMH nights at MK, that by even the start of EMH with those delayed closes, it's a trickle of people out of the park.

During the offseason, it's largely teh same except that the fireworks will go off, most ppl will exit, then EMH starts right away. It still ends up in the same scenario because there were less people in the park to begin with. IMO, the numbers are not on your side.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

2 ferryboats and both gold route boats were in operation last night until the park was declared clear

Just wondering, were the bigger boats being used for Poly/GF, or just those dinky ones that seat 35 people?

I'm trying to work out how I would get to GF if traveling with someone in a wheelchair. Is the bus the only option, or are the accessible boats now used for Poly/GF?

 

[Hakunamatata]

Now is the time to hammer guest relations with some very nasty letters....

Reasonable, straight forward letters about how this was an inconvenience would probably go allot further than your suggestion above.

 

[zulemara]

Just wondering, were the bigger boats being used for Poly/GF, or just those dinky ones that seat 35 people?

I'm trying to work out how I would get to GF if traveling with someone in a wheelchair. Is the bus the only option, or are the accessible boats now used for Poly/GF?

as it currently stands, the boats that hold 39 average sized college kids(read: 32 americans) which require folding wheelchairs, strollers, etc. Rumor is 2 new 120 passenger cruisers have been ordered(that was before the EMH announcement) so if that is the case, I could see them putting one of those on the gold for EMH, then rearranging the WL with service to CR/BLT.

 

[zulemara]

Speaking of ferry boats, Gen Joe Potter is about to undergo a MAJOR refurb.

yes, but that won't effect EMH since only 2 run during EMH anyway. I've also been told that many of the major items posted on these boards are not happening. Sad, because it is well needed, but now I"m hearing Potter won't go to dry dock till after Labor Day and only be gone for 2 months. Originally it was supposed to be out after July 4(clearly not happening) until Thanksgiving originally. I think the budget got slashed, but that's just my opinion.

 

[unkadug]

yes, but that won't effect EMH since only 2 run during EMH anyway. I've also been told that many of the major items posted on these boards are not happening. Sad, because it is well needed, but now I"m hearing Potter won't go to dry dock till after Labor Day and only be gone for 2 months. Originally it was supposed to be out after July 4(clearly not happening) until Thanksgiving originally. I think the budget got slashed, but that's just my opinion.

Please explain.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

as it currently stands, the boats that hold 39 average sized college kids(read: 32 americans) which require folding wheelchairs, strollers, etc. Rumor is 2 new 120 passenger cruisers have been ordered(that was before the EMH announcement) so if that is the case, I could see them putting one of those on the gold for EMH, then rearranging the WL with service to CR/BLT.

Thanks for the info. Since none of this actually sounds unbearable (and it affects such a low number of people anyway), I'm sure the change will become permanent and everyone will get used to it.

 

[PirateFrank]

Reasonable, straight forward letters about how this was an inconvenience would probably go allot further than your suggestion above.

You're right, nasty was the wrong word choice....perhaps 'pointed' is the word I am looking for.

The letters need to be DIRECT!

It can't be "I don't like the new decision"

It has to be "as a result of this short sighted decision, I've canceled my reservation at the grand floridian, we are making a new reservation at universal...and i will be boycotting all Disney merchandise until this is resolved."

The letters need to clearly spell out how much the company stands to lose until this is fixed....that's nasty to me.

 

[parkmonky]

Doesn't have anything to do with this topic, not sure it deserved it's own thread but, Monorail Coral was in service today on the express beam back with it's traditional stripe. It was out very briefly (1lap) before it went back to the monorail shop for a technical issue.

 

[zulemara]

Please explain.

There was a thread a while ago listing a bunch of improvements that were going to be happening to the Potter. Actually, I don't remember if it was a thread or just a post in a thread, but it was an extensive list with everything from new PA to new engines. I assume the person who posted has inside knowledge, but my inside sources say none of it was on the work order. My guess is it was originally planned and canceled after the monorail decision was made, but that is just speculation on my part.

 

[Tom]

yes, but that won't effect EMH since only 2 run during EMH anyway. I've also been told that many of the major items posted on these boards are not happening. Sad, because it is well needed, but now I"m hearing Potter won't go to dry dock till after Labor Day and only be gone for 2 months. Originally it was supposed to be out after July 4(clearly not happening) until Thanksgiving originally. I think the budget got slashed, but that's just my opinion.

Potter will be out for refurb from August 22 through November 17. It will return to service by 4:00pm on November 18 to perform sea trials, then go into operation. Work will take place 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The refurb will be quite extensive. It will include gutting of the old restrooms (I didn't even know the ferries had restrooms), replacement of all the wood handrails, repairs to gates and grating, replacement cabinetry in the pilot houses, new paint almost everywhere, and LOTS of cleaning and repairs in and on the hull. It will look like new when it's done, and I estimate the value of the refurb being in the million dollar neighborhood.

 

[SeaCastle]

There was a thread a while ago listing a bunch of improvements that were going to be happening to the Potter. Actually, I don't remember if it was a thread or just a post in a thread, but it was an extensive list with everything from new PA to new engines. I assume the person who posted has inside knowledge, but my inside sources say none of it was on the work order. My guess is it was originally planned and canceled after the monorail decision was made, but that is just speculation on my part.

I posted the thread in question; I don't know of anything going on in the company, but I do know that this is still an active project, at least according to the contractor involved in the project. I don't know of any changes yet, but will post them here if I see anything that indicates such.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

You're right, nasty was the wrong word choice....perhaps 'pointed' is the word I am looking for.

The letters need to be DIRECT!

It can't be "I don't like the new decision"

It has to be "as a result of this short sighted decision, I've canceled my reservation at the grand floridian, we are making a new reservation at universal...and i will be boycotting all Disney merchandise until this is resolved."

The letters need to clearly spell out how much the company stands to lose until this is fixed....that's nasty to me.

But you have to actually do this then. You can't boycott something and then turn around and do what it is you're supposedly against. As much as people will complain on this board I'd be willing to bet no one will be going to that extreme.

 

[Hakunamatata]

But you have to actually do this then. You can't boycott something and then turn around and do what it is you're supposedly against. As much as people will complain on this board I'd be willing to bet no one will be going to that extreme.

Exactly. The only real way to get the attention you say is needed would to be to actually show up, check in, experience a bad monerail moment, go to the front desk and ask to speak to the manager. Then tell the manager you are checking out early, going home, and not coming back until the issue is resolved. It would take you and a couple thousand others to do this to get the issue resolved. Problem is I don't see but maybe a handful of people doing this.

 

[unkadug]

Exactly. The only real way to get the attention you say is needed would to be to actually show up, check in, experience a bad monerail moment, go to the front desk and ask to speak to the manager. Then tell the manager you are checking out early, going home, and not coming back until the issue is resolved. It would take you and a couple thousand others to do this to get the issue resolved. Problem is I don't see but maybe a handful of people doing this.

Wow...talk about overreacting. Why ruin your whole vacation just to prove a point? Especially a point that's dubious at best.

We moan about lack of maintenance, then we moan when they perform maintenance. You can't have your cake and eat it too!