New Monorail Fleet for WDW

[jcldtrek]

True, it's just another way to save money with lesser workers. The Vegas monorail is a good example, but honestly , the Vegas monorail for a newer version than disneys, sucks. It's more jerky and the ride isn't as smooth. I guess another reason as well is they can be set for certain speeds as well. I know during certain vacations diff monorail drivers used diff speeds. Last year the red driver was a speed demon, lol he flew from contempory to ttc like crazy lmao he was awesome.

 

[natatomic]

on a 12000 lb electric forklift, the battery is 1/3 the weight of the lift itself... where weight is a factor to the point that the skins are fiberglass to begin with, i think the monorails are on the cusp of underpowered... of course if they were running on batteries, then there would be no need for 600v on the rail itself.

I can solve this:
Solar freakin' monorail beams.

 

[landauh]

True, it's just another way to save money with lesser workers. The Vegas monorail is a good example, but honestly , the Vegas monorail for a newer version than disneys, sucks. It's more jerky and the ride isn't as smooth. I guess another reason as well is they can be set for certain speeds as well. I know during certain vacations diff monorail drivers used diff speeds. Last year the red driver was a speed demon, lol he flew from contempory to ttc like crazy lmao he was awesome.

Sorry, but the Monorails are speed limited based on what zone they are currently in. If a pilot goes over the set speed for a zone the Monorail will alarm. If the pilot ignores the alarm the Monorail will stop and the pilot needs to wait a set amount of time before the computer will allow the train to move..

Pilots can't be speed demons the computers won't allow them to be.

 

[BrianV]

"Kids, are you noticing all the plight?" (Gun shot)

Don't get the allusion. Sorry if I said something wrong.

 

[Figment2005]

The trains are only semi automated. Pilots will still be present and will have final say of when the doors close.

 

[wdisney9000]

"Kids, are you noticing all the plight?" (Gun shot)

"Roll em up!"

 

[PREMiERdrum]

Don't get the allusion. Sorry if I said something wrong.

Nothing wrong... just a reference to National Lampoon's Vacation that I couldn't let slip away... Can you do me a favor though? Go watch the film if you haven't already.

 

[BrianV]

Can you do me a favor though? Go watch the film if you haven't already.

Watched it 20 ago. Haven't since. I usually get such references but missed this one...

 

[TimeTrip]

Also, from a transit planning point of view, the Disney property is so neatly planned with easily defined centers that makes it so easy for connecting the dots. The layout is a transit planner's dream. This is a situation they can take advantage of or be foolish not to.

Are you serious? Looking at WDW on a map it looks like they just plopped things down wherever they felt like. Aside from a master plan that started (and ended) at Epcot/TTC and MK, the rest is all kind of scattershot. Trying to make a logical, efficient set of connections with a fixed system is likely harder because of how they decided to lay things out. Anytime I've seen someone propose a WDW-wide monorail system, it's a mess, with winding lines, long out of the way extensions, and/or too many stops.

 

[TimeTrip]

*super cynical mode on*
Here's what could solve the monorail fleet problems for a while. Discontinue the Epcot line. Run busses. Discontinue the Express line. Discontinue TTC/MK ferries. Move the parking lot for MK to a garage north of the GF after widening Floridian Way. Use the monorail trains that were formerly on the epcot and express lines as parts salvage to keep the resort monorails running.
*super cynical mode off*

Didn't someone post some theorycrafting of moving the MK parking lot up Floridian way?

 

[orky8]

Actually automated lines are much much more intelligent then that DC and a few other cities are testing partially automate lines right now and they are working marvelous, Also take a look at most airports with a rail system they are automated with not significate issues with handicap individuals getting on board.

Not sure what you mean by "DC," but Washington DC's subway was never fully automated. It used to be that the trains drove themselves but the driver was responsible for closing the doors. However, there was an accident in 2009 where one train crashed into another. Since that time, the automation has been disabled and now the trains are driven manually.

Though, I do agree with your larger point that automated lines could work more intelligently, especially for the monorail (ala Vegas and most airports).

 

[DisneyGentleman]

I am sure there are people out there who post things just to start a thread because they are bored. But I am sure there is some truth to a lot of them.

Yep, there is also some truth to the notion that the world is flat too -- as long as I limit my scope to my desktop.

 

[sgtmgd]

Just heard from a very RELIABLE source that all monorails will be scrapped by 2018 and Transporters will be the wave of the future, apparently StarFleet Academy has teamed up with Disney Imagineers for this historic undertaking.

 

[LapsedWDWFan]

Are you serious? Looking at WDW on a map it looks like they just plopped things down wherever they felt like. Aside from a master plan that started (and ended) at Epcot/TTC and MK, the rest is all kind of scattershot. Trying to make a logical, efficient set of connections with a fixed system is likely harder because of how they decided to lay things out. Anytime I've seen someone propose a WDW-wide monorail system, it's a mess, with winding lines, long out of the way extensions, and/or too many stops.

This is why I believe monorail expansion is very improbable. Disney's transportation needs are not park to park. It is resort to park and back. There is no cluster of resorts to connect to a theme park that makes sense. Actually, to make it more granular, there is no cluster of DELUXE resorts to connect. Disney will never put moderates and values on a monorail beam. Not only are they spread out scross the property but everyone would yelp that the room rates just jumped 75% because its now a "monorail" resort. Defeats the purpose of being a value or moderate. The EPCOT deluxes are all walkable to EPCOT and some extent the Studios. Plus there is the boat as an alternative so it doesn't seem worth it to build a loop there.

There just isn't any route that makes sense overall unless they build a new resort cluster with the idea of connecting them by monorail in mind.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Sorry, but the Monorails are speed limited based on what zone they are currently in. If a pilot goes over the set speed for a zone the Monorail will alarm. If the pilot ignores the alarm the Monorail will stop and the pilot needs to wait a set amount of time before the computer will allow the train to move..

Pilots can't be speed demons the computers won't allow them to be.

Not entirely accurate. Although the system governs manual acceleration, it has known to be pretty lenient during natural acceleration. So if you're piloting on the resort beam down ramp from the Contemporary... you can get the things up to around 50 before you need to slow it down.

 

[ILOVEDISNEY]

Back in the day before EPCOT the monorail drivers were speed demons and there were no stops waiting for traffic to clear. The MK at closing would have a monorail every couple of minutes.

 

[ILOVEDISNEY]

As for the rumors about 24 monorails and such I would think that would be correct for spurs to AK, DS, DHS, and a new TTC at EPCOT. However, I don't see that happening in my lifetime, but maybe around the 50th anniversary of the MK and the opening of Avatarland we could see a spur to AK. I still say light rail is the way to go.

 

[Kamikaze]

True, it's just another way to save money with lesser workers. The Vegas monorail is a good example, but honestly , the Vegas monorail for a newer version than disneys, sucks. It's more jerky and the ride isn't as smooth. I guess another reason as well is they can be set for certain speeds as well. I know during certain vacations diff monorail drivers used diff speeds. Last year the red driver was a speed demon, lol he flew from contempory to ttc like crazy lmao he was awesome.

The Las Vegas Monorail uses the same Mark VI trains as WDW. They have been automated, which obviously WDW is working on, and look different, but the trains are the same build.

 

[PeterAlt]

Are you serious? Looking at WDW on a map it looks like they just plopped things down wherever they felt like. Aside from a master plan that started (and ended) at Epcot/TTC and MK, the rest is all kind of scattershot. Trying to make a logical, efficient set of connections with a fixed system is likely harder because of how they decided to lay things out. Anytime I've seen someone propose a WDW-wide monorail system, it's a mess, with winding lines, long out of the way extensions, and/or too many stops.

Wow, is this an old conversation, but since you brought it up from the dead...

What I mean is that there are dozens of central points that beg to be linked together.

 

[LapsedWDWFan]

Wow, is this an old conversation, but since you brought it up from the dead...

What I mean is that there are dozens of central points that beg to be linked together.

I'm curious what points beg to be linked. Looking at the property map, existing transportation structure, etc I don't see anything that would make sense for them to build a monorail from/to.

Edit: I don't see anything that makes sense given Disney's model of "complementary" transportation subsidized by resort room rates. A pay-to-ride urban transportation model is a different story.