New WDW Monorail System hours

[AgentP65]

Disney Reservations told me there is NO CHANGES to the schedule and that the Monorails still run to one hour after the parks closes even on EMH's.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of conflicting and inaccurate information being communicated to guests (and potential guests) by DRC. There was an internal memo sent to Reservations about the change in monorail hours, but it seems not everyone actually read it.

I tested this hypothesis yet again by calling DRC last week. The CM I spoke with kept insisting that there is no change in monorail service and that the monorails don't shut down until one hour after EMH ends. She was completely unaware of the new hours of operation. This was not an attempt to mislead or even deceive guests - she was simply clueless.

 

[boufa]

I think the main issue is not that monorail resort guests are whiners, as you are suggesting, but that the lack of information as well as inconsistency of information is the issue.

If Disney just came out and said because the monorail track needs maintenance, it must be done at night, and as a result EMH monorail service will be suspended until next March (whenever) while the work is complete, then people would be more responsive. Especially if all the channels of WDW communication all clearly stated that fact (including the reservation lines, operator, email guest communications, etc) and the information was publicized well in advance of the change.

This is a tough one to defend disney on, but I gotta. first, it is rare that you can every get a large group of people to all tell the same story. Its just a matter of human physics. I bet you could call enough times to Disney and find someone who tells you that the Barnstormer is open.

It is the fact that to us WDW is a passion and we know every nut and bolt. To many cast members it is a job. Sure they may be good at it, but talking to those of us who would be great makes them look dumb. Especially when someone comes up with a question that is not commonly asked. I bet the monorail hours question is not that common.... either you already know about it, or you wouldn't know enough to even ask.

Finally, tell us it needs fixed. First they did. Second, they are not going to release a press statement (or any statement) that says Come Down to Disney World!!!! We got some stuff to fix. As much as you want them to they will not brag about fixing things that are broken. When was the last time you heard Disney refer to any of the changes to the Tiki room and repairing the fire damage. Nope, they simply announced that it was closed for refurb and returning the show to the original. It is all corporate spin. Nothing more, nothing less. Keep expecting more and you will be disappointed.

I will also add that Disney also looks at the parks much different than you or I. They see the parks in 1 week per year or 1 week per several year increments for the guests. While you think that closing the beam for a couple of months at a time is no big deal, they see that as hundreds of thousands of guests who will not get to experience one of the marque rides in the parks. They won't care if it is open next week, since they won't be there next week.

 

[COProgressFan]

This is a tough one to defend disney on, but I gotta. first, it is rare that you can every get a large group of people to all tell the same story. Its just a matter of human physics. I bet you could call enough times to Disney and find someone who tells you that the Barnstormer is open.

It is the fact that to us WDW is a passion and we know every nut and bolt. To many cast members it is a job. Sure they may be good at it, but talking to those of us who would be great makes them look dumb. Especially when someone comes up with a question that is not commonly asked. I bet the monorail hours question is not that common.... either you already know about it, or you wouldn't know enough to even ask.

Finally, tell us it needs fixed. First they did. Second, they are not going to release a press statement (or any statement) that says Come Down to Disney World!!!! We got some stuff to fix. As much as you want them to they will not brag about fixing things that are broken. When was the last time you heard Disney refer to any of the changes to the Tiki room and repairing the fire damage. Nope, they simply announced that it was closed for refurb and returning the show to the original. It is all corporate spin. Nothing more, nothing less. Keep expecting more and you will be disappointed.

I will also add that Disney also looks at the parks much different than you or I. They see the parks in 1 week per year or 1 week per several year increments for the guests. While you think that closing the beam for a couple of months at a time is no big deal, they see that as hundreds of thousands of guests who will not get to experience one of the marque rides in the parks. They won't care if it is open next week, since they won't be there next week.

Of course, there are going to be CM's who don't know what is going on and don't know what is happening. I have encountered more clueless CMs in recent years than I care to count. And for folks whose jobs are no where near the parks, I am sure it is tough to know keep up with all the ongoing changes at WDW. In this particular case though, it appears that some of the communication issues may be organizational -- are the appropriate departments notified, and do managers and other leaders make sure the employees they oversee are current on happenings across property?

Secondly, you indicate that Disney has stated they are working on the monorails? Maybe I missed it. From what I recall they just said that hours were being cut and no explanation was given.

 

[AgentP65]

Uh, Disney Reservations flat out lied to you. I work at the Magic Kingdom and I can tell you this change has been in effect for several weeks. Also, just for reference, DRC is based in downtown Orlando, and in Tampa. Neither of them work anywhere near property nor are they privy to anything that's going on operationally at the resort other than the updates they get in their e-mail.

Good point about DRC not being located on property. If the internal memos aren't read by all of the DRC staff, then it's not hard to see how inaccurate information is being communicated to the public (both guests with confirmed reservations and potential guests).

I phoned DRC and asked to be transferred to the WDW main switchboard. From there, I requested to speak directly with the Transportation Operations Center (tel: 407-824-7092). I was able to speak at length with a supervisor who was very knowledgeable and helpful (a refreshing change). He told me that more and more trains have needed to be towed back to the roundhouse due to problems. With evening EMH often ending at 3:00 AM (during the busiest season), there is not sufficient time for maintenance before having to put the trains back into service in early morning prior to park opening. He also said that new trains are in the range of $2-3M per train, but executive management is actively looking at a solution (which hopefully means a new fleet sooner rather than later).

So, to clarify the new monorail schedule:

RESORT loop and EPCOT loop will close one hour after the LATEST park closing (MK or EP, whichever closes later).

EXPRESS loop will close one hour after MK closes.

Management will be making a decision this week as to the monorail schedule during MNSSHP evenings (i.e., whether or not to run monorail during party).

 

[boufa]

Secondly, you indicate that Disney has stated they are working on the monorails? Maybe I missed it. From what I recall they just said that hours were being cut and no explanation was given.

Yep in an earlier post on page 1 of this thread

tell him/her to read the letter on the wall by CDS from Nick Blackwell clearly stating 1800 feet of bus bars and over 100 insulators have been replaced since the change in operating hours. That certainly didn't come during the daytime

 

[peachykeen]

Secondly, you indicate that Disney has stated they are working on the monorails? Maybe I missed it. From what I recall they just said that hours were being cut and no explanation was given.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-daily-disney/os-disney-new-monorail-20110812,0,980863.story

The last paragraph.

"Disney said the reduced schedule was needed to allow maintenance crews more time to work on the trains and the rail system...."

And myself and others with inside knowledge of the department have stated that this change is costing Monorail Ops MORE per week to close early than it does to stay open late, so Jason Garcia is wrong about it being cost savings.

We as CMs also got an internal announcement saying that this was being done for maintenance and that is what we are to spiel to Guests.

 

[AMartin767]

I would like to ask a question of those here "in the know" or that work at WDW in the transport realm...

Is there any reason why the Express beam could not be closed and the Resort beam run as a replacement during a full rehab and/or vice-versa? I can picture a scenario where the Express beam is closed down and all monorail traffic is handled via the resort beam during the Express beam rehab or the Resort beam down for rehab with the express beam making stops at all the resorts. If I am remembering correctly, the express side could technically handle stopping at each resort if needed, correct?

This seems a perfectly logical approach to the beam repair work which I have no doubt is sorely needed and makes more sense to me than just a few extra hours each night.

I admit I could be off-base with this idea as there may be logistical or techinical reasons why these would not be feasible plans.

 

[Scuttle]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-daily-disney/os-disney-new-monorail-20110812,0,980863.story

The last paragraph.

"Disney said the reduced schedule was needed to allow maintenance crews more time to work on the trains and the rail system...."

And myself and others with inside knowledge of the department have stated that this change is costing Monorail Ops MORE per week to close early than it does to stay open late, so Jason Garcia is wrong about it being cost savings.

We as CMs also got an internal announcement saying that this was being done for maintenance and that is what we are to spiel to Guests.

Ya everyone of Jason Garcias articles is garbage. I either know about what he's talking about already or like you said he is wrong.

 

[Monorail_Orange]

I would like to ask a question of those here "in the know" or that work at WDW in the transport realm...

Is there any reason why the Express beam could not be closed and the Resort beam run as a replacement during a full rehab and/or vice-versa? I can picture a scenario where the Express beam is closed down and all monorail traffic is handled via the resort beam during the Express beam rehab or the Resort beam down for rehab with the express beam making stops at all the resorts. If I am remembering correctly, the express side could technically handle stopping at each resort if needed, correct?

This seems a perfectly logical approach to the beam repair work which I have no doubt is sorely needed and makes more sense to me than just a few extra hours each night.

I admit I could be off-base with this idea as there may be logistical or techinical reasons why these would not be feasible plans.

Well, among other issues, the first problem that jumps out to me for using the express beam for the resort route is that the trains are on the wrong side of the platform at GF and Poly. I do realize there are emergency exit stairs that service that outer platform, but there is no ready handicap access from those outer platforms (nor elevators or ramps). Combine that with a lack of gates on that outer platform too, well there would be a major expense to make all that work just at those two hotels, not including alterations to the platform at CR, to make that concept even remotely feasible.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Well, among other issues, the first problem that jumps out to me for using the express beam for the resort route is that the trains are on the wrong side of the platform at GF and Poly. I do realize there are emergency exit stairs that service that outer platform, but there is no ready handicap access from those outer platforms (nor elevators or ramps). Combine that with a lack of gates on that outer platform too, well there would be a major expense to make all that work just at those two hotels, not including alterations to the platform at CR, to make that concept even remotely feasible.

I would think that temporary platforms could be constructed at the 3 resorts to compensate for this?

 

[Monorail_Orange]

I would think that temporary platforms could be constructed at the 3 resorts to compensate for this?

I'm sure they could. I'm not saying the platforms themselves are the issue, though...there already is a very nice, wide platform available on the outer side of the express beam, it's the access that creates an issue. Sure they could add the gates easily enough, and a temporary (or permanent) elevator could be added to accomodate those requiring it, without much fuss, but what are the expenses involved with such a build up? Is it worth that (relatively small, granted) capital outlay to make that system work versus the current plan of earlier closures and additional watercraft and busses (and whatever this expense is instead of the modifications) to make up the difference?

 

[Kamikaze]

I'm sure they could. I'm not saying the platforms themselves are the issue, though...there already is a very nice, wide platform available on the outer side of the express beam, it's the access that creates an issue. Sure they could add the gates easily enough, and a temporary (or permanent) elevator could be added to accomodate those requiring it, without much fuss, but what are the expenses involved with such a build up? Is it worth that (relatively small, granted) capital outlay to make that system work versus the current plan of earlier closures and additional watercraft and busses (and whatever this expense is instead of the modifications) to make up the difference?

You're over complicating it. If the Express beam were to be closed, for say a few weeks straight, they could build temporary platforms over the Express beam up next to Resort. That way you can use all the accommodations from the 'correct' platform.

 

[peachykeen]

We get so many complaints as it is from resort guests saying that "regular" guests get to use the Resort Monorail, I can't imagine the blowback (especially on these boards) if ALL guests had to use Resort Monorails. Poly and GF Guests would never be able to find room on the trains as they would all fill up at TTC with Guests for MK. Contemporary guests could never find space to get to TTC/MK because the train would fill up at MK. Honestly I feel that strategy is much more detrimental to resort guests than the one they have going now. We have already seen how crowded and backed up the trains get when Express goes down and we have to use Resorts only. The trains fill up at MK/TTC and no resort guests can fit. Its a mess.

 

[zulemara]

Management will be making a decision this week as to the monorail schedule during MNSSHP evenings (i.e., whether or not to run monorail during party).

10:30 closing of resort and express on party nights which is 1 hr after fireworks

 

[zulemara]

I wouldn't think it is possible to work on one beam while the one right next to it is operational. I don't know about you, but I sure wouldn't want monorails zipping right past my head with however many volts they have in them. Not to mention it'd be bad show to do it when guests could see it.

 

[menamechris]

Basically - it is permanent in that they are planning on resort guests 5 years from now forgetting or not knowing that monorails ever ran during EMH. Some people may be upset now, but what is outrageous today will be normal tomorrow.

 

[peachykeen]

10:30 closing of resort and express on party nights which is 1 hr after fireworks

That's what one of our more sensible GSMs was suggesting, I'm glad they went with that at least, as opposed to 8pm.

 

[Jakester]

so when it gets to the busy christmas season (where they stay open for Magic Kingdom until 1am most nights, 2am for NYE and 1am for EP NYE), that means the Monorail will run until 3am NYE and EP until 2am ??)

 

[RunnerEd]

It seems like a good idea to me to temporarily allow the express to be used as resort during EMH's. However, it would also make sense to service the beams from the middle for a lot of the route. I could also see, for safety reasons, why you wouldn't want men/women working in close proximity to moving monorails and their electrically charged metal rails.

 

[MDenham]

Exactly. It's 26+ miles of buss bar, one on each side of each beam.

Thanks for the correction - the last time I would have had a chance to see it was... well, over twenty years ago.

That puts it at... um... late 2019 or early 2020 for completion if they're counting just feet of bus bar, not feet of beam. (And in that case, maybe they should be closing the monorails prior to park closing. This should not be a nearly-a-decade-long project.)