Monorails to no longer operate during Evening Extra Magic Hours

[Hakunamatata]

But even if it does only affect a small number of guests (lets be conservative and say a few thousand), that small number of guests are the ones who shelled out BIG BUCKS to stay at a monorail resort, of which EMH is a heavily marketed perk of staying there as well as monorail access.

So the number of guests it affects is largely irrelevant because they paid for access.

I believe if you review printed material, staying on property gives you access to use Disney Transportation. I do not believe, but I may be wrong, that there are any guarantees what transportation it is or when it is available.

 

[GLaDOS]

Winner winner chicken dinner. I doubt seriously Disney would have done this if they had information indicating this would impact a significant number of people and that they did not have sufficient capacity on other transportation modes.

Just like their insistence that people didn't want prime rib with their buffet, right?

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I also think it's interesting to note that Disney waited to announce this change until the last minute. It basically starts immediately for Epcot and in a few weeks for MK. So anyone traveling within 45 days who wants to change a package reservation is out of luck.

Fortunately our booking is resort only, but I'd be ed to find out that I was losing this perk and the only way to avoid it would be shelling out money to change the booking.

 

[Dznycrzy]

That is very disappointing. I certainly don't want to spend the money to stay at a monorail resort. Isn't one of the perks of spending that amount of money for a monorail resort FULL use of the monorail?

 

[Hakunamatata]

That is very disappointing. I certainly don't want to spend the money to stay at a monorail resort. Isn't one of the perks of spending that amount of money for a monorail resort FULL use of the monorail?

Define full use. :shrug:

 

[wm49rs]

That is very disappointing. I certainly don't want to spend the money to stay at a monorail resort. Isn't one of the perks of spending that amount of money for a monorail resort FULL use of the monorail?

Well, I get full use of the monorail every time I visit WDW and stay off-site, so not precisely. But, the convenience of having your resort directly on the monorail line is certainly a plus.

Just not during nighttime EMH hours......

 

[unkadug]

Winner winner chicken dinner. I doubt seriously Disney would have done this if they had information indicating this would impact a significant number of people and that they did not have sufficient capacity on other transportation modes.

We all know that TWDC if a master at creating feedback surveys that create the data that they want to hear.

 

[gators11]

I like the idea of running a monorail just to the monorail resorts - CR, Poly, GF and skip TTC. My experience is the boats are slow, small and an inconvenience when you have younger kids with you (especially strollers). The monorail is much easier to deal with and if I were paying for one of the monorail resorts, I would expect this service. Boats you have to break things down, and trying to get on the boat carrying kids, bags, strollers, etc. is not as much fun. We really liked staying at the CR so we could just walk and avoid even the monorail. Would be nice if they built some sort of path from MK to GF too so you could do something similar.

You couldn't remove the TTC stop because of people who drive from the resorts to the MK for EEMH.

The only way this can be taken as beneficial is if within the next few months we see an improvement in the monorail system. With this change they can focus more time on maintaining the monorails. It's really hard to maintain them when MK hours are 8am-3am (with EEMH) because they have to run from 7 in the morning to 5 the following morning. That leave all of an 1 1/2 hour of time to perform maintenance.

 

[Horizonsfan]

We all know that TWDC if a master at creating feedback surveys that create the data that they want to hear.

Quoted for truth.

Though honestly my best guess is that the monorails, as old as they are now, are just having trouble with that long of work days. I would not be surprised if its taken a toll on them like others have said.

I think everybody would prefer a monorail line that works properly for 10-13 hours rather than be open an extra few hours for EMH.

Now if we're still having problems post this change, then there's absolutely no excuse for this discontinuation.

 

[Computer Magic]

^^^^ This.

But again, the monorails have been running to all hours of the night and 365 days a year since 1971, so it isn't any new and unanticipated wear and tear.


it is as the little birdie in the Tiki Room used to sing, "Cheap, cheap, cheap, cheap, cheap." :lookaroun

Contemporary Bay Lake Tower DVC sales may pick up. . . shortest walk. :lol:

Maybe :lookaroun they are being cheap to improve the bottom line for the sale of P&R. They don't want to increase their capital expense before a sale so cut cost instead.

or Maybe :lookaroun the problem is the expansion of DVC at the monorail resorts

 

[ob1thx1138]

For those that know.... Is it possible that this has to do with the 4th of July Accident? I think during the investigation there was a lot of attention placed on the long hours and fatigue playing a part in the accident.

On the other hand I can see maintenance being an issue. You really don't have much time to work on the monorails and they are expected to run flawlessly all the time. Really they need to build a couple more so that they can always have one down for an extended refurb.

 

[Testtrack321]

We all know that TWDC if a master at creating feedback surveys that create the data that they want to hear.

Reminds me of a guest survey I did when I went from DCA to DL in 2002, the CM asked me why I left and the options were all BS except for one "Attractions, parades, or restaurants". They grouped all those together so they can add a new parade and restaurants without actually addressing the problem!

 

[WDWFigment]

That'll teach 'em.

Instead of me giving them my money in their right hand, I'll give it to them in their left hand.

THAT will teach them a lesson about my priorities.





edit : (Sorry...I know that sounds kinda harsh :wave

Well, if DLR starts performing better fiscally, and WDW starts performing worse fiscally, it should send a message that maybe the DLR business-model is the one that should be followed at both parks. I realize that it's highly improbable that this one event will cause that to occur, but it could occur over time. Just like if ticket sales were $300m for Cars 3 but only $30m for Pirates 4 (obviously not the actual case, used for illustrative purposes only). Which one do you think would get the "future investment" of another sequel?

Of course, the problem is that if it did occur at the parks, Disney would likely just concoct some survey to explain away why it happened and bring the same cuts to DLR.

As for this news in general, I think it's very indicative of "Declining By Degrees," and regardless of whether Disney expressly advertises "full-time monorail service at the Deluxes," guest perception is what matters. If this causes a decent number of guests to jump ship and stay at the Swlaphin or even a Disney moderate, then it was a bad (business) decision. If bookings don't really change, and only a few fanboys online (many of whom probably don't stay at Deluxe resorts anyway--so truly their opinions don't matter) complain, it's a victory.

We've never stayed at a MK Deluxe, anyway, so I really can't get too up in arms over this. It does re-affirm my decision to stay at the Epcot Deluxes, though.

 

[_Scar]

Was going to Epcot by monorail during EMH to BLT.... taking bus back to BLT I guess. ):

 

[twilight mitsuk]

could be a result from the accident of 2009?

 

[Scuttle]

Just got off the phone with a castember and she assured me that the monorail is down for maintenance and it is NOT a permanent change.

 

[Kamikaze]

could be a result from the accident of 2009?

No.

Just got off the phone with a castember and she assured me that the monorail is down for maintenance and it is NOT a permanent change.

The CMs you talk to on the phone are very often less informed than those who post here. Clearly, she didn't know what she was talking about. 'Down for maintenance' would mean that it was, you know, down. Not just down during EMH, but operating fine the rest of the time.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Just got off the phone with a castember and she assured me that the monorail is down for maintenance and it is NOT a permanent change.

Guess we are going to find out sometime soon then...

 

[Mukta]

Is this leading towards the phasing out of EMH all together? They got rid of evening EMH at AK. The are getting rid of characters during MK EMH. Now they will make it more inconvenient to get 'home' after EMH or hard ticket parties.

 

[Testtrack321]

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