I am always one to be super skeptical about any rumors I hear, but I happen to have a very reliable source for this new information!
A Monorail CM told me yesterday that he and the rest of the Monorail transport team were informed by their managers that the topic was discussed at length in a recent Transportation board meeting. Supposedly, the entire fleet is to be replaced, as the (now nearing) 30-year-old Mark VIs are becoming completely out-dated with regard to being able to find proper parts to make necessary repairs. Alledgedly, 24 brand new, custom trains will be replacing the current fleet. That's right, 24. Apparently, there was more discussion on connecting the two remaining parks. He also said that Epcot would become the new TTC, as it has the platform capacity space that the current TTC does not.
I was hoping someone might be able to at least confirm if this holds any water at all. As reliable as my source is, I'll still believe it when I see it.
. I know very well how rumors can sound real when discussed among CMs.
I've done extensive research on the subject. My interest in the WDW monorail system goes beyond WDW. I've studied other systems in other parts of the world as I have taken a general interest in transportation systems. I have decided to seek a degree and possibly a future career in this field.
That said, I want to say that what you have said sounds believable. The current plan is to upgrade the system over several years to driverless automated trains, like Las Vegas has. Before I get into what I think will happen, some history first.
The original monorail trains at WDW and DL (as well as the WEDway PeopleMover) were created by a division of WDI. That division was going to build monorail and people moved systems for cities and airports every where that were willing to pay. A WEDway PeopleMover (second generation) was built for Houston's airport before Disney decided their Community Transportation division was a distraction from their core business and sold it to Bombardier of Canada. Later, in the 1980's, because Bombardier's monorail technology came from Disney technology, the newer Bombardier trains were compatible with the older Disney ones, and so Disney bought the more modern Bombardier fleet.
Hotel owners in Las Vegas, looking for way to interconnect the Bally's and MGM Grand, read in the newspapers that Disney was about to retire their fleet of old monorail trains. They got on the phone and called someone at Disney, asking "What are you going to do with the old trains?" When they heard that they had no plans for them, they made Disney an offer in cash for them that Disney agreed to. The hotel owners the built a short monorail line between the two hotels using the old Disney trains.
Years later, other hotels along the Las Vegas Strip wanted in on the monorail. The citizens of Las Vegas voted on a bond issue which lent the not for profit corporation that owns and controls the LV Monorail enough cash to extend the system to the rest of the strip area, to buy new trains, and automate the entire system. By this time, Bombardier had a new model train that was automated. It, too, was based on the original Disney specifications, thus compatible with the Disney-made trains of the original Bally's to MGM-Grand leg of the Las Vegas monorail.
At WDW, over the years, there had been plans to extend the system, with EC as the hub. There was a plan to extend it to DTD using a spur from the east side of SSE. A footing for that spur was even built during the construction of EC and remains unused and can be seen exposed in satellite images. The line and related DTD developments were cancelled right before construction could start in the early-mid 80's. Another spur on the west side had been planned in the late 80's-early 2000's for the EPCOT resorts and DHS. Because of security concerns during after 9/11, those plans were shelved indefinitely. The EPCOT platform was always intended to handle the traffic of additional spurs and extra platform space was built into its design, as you have correctly stated.
Recently, WDW hired a transportation expert to oversee the property's transportation systems. In a recent interview, he stated that the monorail system will be upgraded to automated trains (like the Las Vegas system) over the next several years. This will require an order of new trains from Bombardier. If they ever wanted to expand the WDW system in the future, they would need to convert the entire existing system for automation technology first. If they are buying new trains and ever want to expand the current system, it is cheaper to buy the additional trains the expanded system will require (with the order of the replacement fleet) now, rather than later. Per your post, it looks like they have decided to add those additional trains with their order. This is the first positive indication that a system expansion project will follow the system upgrade project. Of course, they may be buying the additional trains "in case" they ever decide to expand, but why spend that money if they have no intention on expanding?
Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, the LV Monorail Company is in big trouble. Lower than expected ridership has caused the company to default on payment on the bond loans so many times that they had no other choice but to file for bankruptcy. Before bankruptcy, there was a plan to extend the system north to Las Vegas' downtown area. Obviously, there's no money to do this. More recently, they paid for a study that made recommendations on how to increase ridership and revenue. The report said that a short extension south to the airport is all the system would need to gain enough riders to make it profitable. Now, emerging out of bankruptcy, the new CEO says the southern extension to the airport will only get built if there's federal assistance. The whole Las Vegas area right now is still in economic recession. Many big projects that were announced have been cancelled, stalled, or majorly scaled back. Until Las Vegas gets out of its slump, no bank would lend additional dollars for an extension south - even with federal assistance.
Las Vegas can't stay in recession forever. When it finally gets out of it - an extension to the airport makes so much sense. Federal dollars should stop the taxi industry from killing it. When they're ready, WDW should be ready to expand as well. The two systems can order the new tracks from Bombardier together in a single order and save money. This practice of pooling orders is not unusual and have been done before many times by two or more cities going in on a single order for a transit system built simultaneously at either city. Also, Disney has plans on eventually expanding and redoing DHS. They can include platforms, footings, etc. as part of that project.