No Monorail Expansion For A While

[mpaul32001]

I was riding on the yellow epcot monorail in the cab last night when i suggested to the driver that they should expand the monorail to include MGM and AK and he said simply they are not doing it because of the expenses.....I still have my hopes up for years to come. anyone have any replies? :wave:

 

[disneyisbest]

That is no shock

The only way we will see it is if the cost of building the monorail tracks go down. And that is not likely to happen.

 

[General Grizz]

I think we'll see MONORAIL: THE MOVIE before any extension.

 

[DarkMeasures]

I am hoping the success from the Las Vegas and Seattle monorails will lead to a WDW monorail expansion. But due to buses being more flexible and cheaper, that will most likely never happen. It makes me sad.

 

[Kadee]

While I know it won't happen for a long time (if ever), an expansion to include MGM and AK would be VERY nice. It would make park hopping much easier. I do like the bus service, but monorail would be better. No traffic to content with. Maybe one day.

 

[DigitalDisney]

Would the costs go down if it was built at ground level?

Suppose a new line went from the TTC to MGM and AK. It would be elevated as it crossed the parking lot and World Drive, but then it could go down to ground level as it parallels the road.

I imagine it is cheaper, but not cheap enough to build the lines.

 

[MissM]

It would be great if the very least, the four major parks were connected. I simply will not use the busses. They stink. I spent over an hour and a half one time I tried to use them and never again. If I want to park hop, I get in my car. Which really almost defeats the point and pretty much always keeps me in one park for the day.
-m

 

[jcarriv]

For a monorail expansion to happen the powers that be would have to realize that the monorail is really an attraction. Lessening the strain on the bus system and being able to build more resorts along the lines are side benefits. I don't think it is viewed that way and thus will always be looked at as an expensive addition to the transportation budget instead of adding to an attaction.

Does anyone think that they would add a resort along the current monorail track out to Epcot? or can they even do that?

 

[MichRX7]

I think we'll see MONORAIL: THE MOVIE before any extension.

Hmm...maybe if they made the movie it would raise money for the extension...

How about,

SPEED III: MONORAIL MADNESS

I'm sure I could write at least as lousy a script as Speed2...

 

[MichRX7]

Wait, I think I'm having an epiphany here...

An ex-Disney employee who was fired for auspicious reasons has gone mad and placed a bomb on one of the monorails, yet no one knows which color. If this one monorail drops below 33 miles per hour it will explode. Each monorail on all three lines is completely packed with guests whirring around the MK and Epcot tracks.

As it looks like the Fab Five is closing in on which monorail might contain the bomb; the madman (probably MKT) blows out a section of monorail track on the Epcot line.

At this point the Rescue Rangers along with Darkwing Duck swing into action and quickly fell a few pines near the line and make-up a solid ramp that allows the Epcot monorail to jump the gap.

(anyone want to pick-up the story from here?)

 

[DarkMeasures]

For a monorail expansion to happen the powers that be would have to realize that the monorail is really an attraction. Lessening the strain on the bus system and being able to build more resorts along the lines are side benefits. I don't think it is viewed that way and thus will always be looked at as an expensive addition to the transportation budget instead of adding to an attaction.

Does anyone think that they would add a resort along the current monorail track out to Epcot? or can they even do that?

If the monorail was considered an attraction, the monorail would never been built to go through the contemporary.

 

[jcarriv]

If the monorail was considered an attraction, the monorail would never been built to go through the contemporary.

I'm not saying it's not a transportation system but I think that it is more of an attraction than a transportation system. It's quicker to walk to the MK than it is to take the Monorail. The train going throught the resort is part of the theming of the resort.

 

[BDAN29]

The cost of expanding the monorail to the other resorts could cost upwards of $500 million. Major funding would have to be set aside for it. I posted something similar on DisneyForever about this...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the expansion, Disney would need to set aside major funding. When they expanded to Epcot in the '80s, the cost of track was (correct me if I'm wrong,) around $1 million per mile. Meaning, if it were to be done about 20 years later, that cost would be 10-fold the $1 million/per mark. Not to mention, additional stations would need to be built at another huge expense. And finally, 12 monorails to go go the MK, Epcot, MGM, AK, Downtown Disney, the Resorts, etc. would not be enough. They would need to add to or replace the current fleet of Mark VIs by Bombardier. Furthermore, the Mark VIs were $6 million/per when they were build in the very late '80s as well. Because its around 15 years later, we can expect a figure close to $10-15 million depending on security and technological upgrades to the trains (they would likely be automated for cost-cutting).

To total the potential costs of expanding to MGM, AK, Downtown Disney, and the BoardWalk area (probably)...

24 Mark VIII (Mark VIIs are coming to DLR) Monorails (proposed) at $15 million/each
20 miles of track at (we'll say) $5 million/per
Additional stations at (we'll say) $1 million/each (5 stations proposed)

$360 million - Monorails
$100 million - track
$5 million - stations
--------------------------
$465 million total upgrade

I would love to see this accomplished, as would anybody. The Pixar agreement has dissolved, ABC is failing financially, and Eisner is in a lot of hot water right now. An upgrade for a transportation system that yields no direct profit from a nearly $500 million expense isn't realistic for Disney. The only way this can be done is if they have a major partner help with funding and/or complete the parts in segments over the course of 15-20 years. This isn't a few E-ticket rides, this is a 5th themed park. But we can dream, right?

-Brendan

 

[Moustronaut]

Wait, I think I'm having an epiphany here...

An ex-Disney employee who was fired for auspicious reasons has gone mad and placed a bomb on one of the monorails, yet no one knows which color. If this one monorail drops below 33 miles per hour it will explode. Each monorail on all three lines is completely packed with guests whirring around the MK and Epcot tracks.

As it looks like the Fab Five is closing in on which monorail might contain the bomb; the madman (probably MKT) blows out a section of monorail track on the Epcot line.

At this point the Rescue Rangers along with Darkwing Duck swing into action and quickly fell a few pines near the line and make-up a solid ramp that allows the Epcot monorail to jump the gap.

(anyone want to pick-up the story from here?)

Hmmm not sure about a feature length film. But certainly a direct to video picture. :lol:

 

[joel_maxwell]

do you even know how much steel and cement prices have gone up.

this is why im concerned that they will do the exterior of EE in recycled newsprint and plastic like we did projects in art class. everybody can get thier mason jar of paint and start slapping on the texture to our neat mountain. lol, ok, playtime is over, no more joking about that.

 

[MichRX7]

Hmmm not sure about a feature length film. But certainly a direct to video picture. :lol:

Agreed... :lol:

 

[jcarriv]

The cost of expanding the monorail to the other resorts could cost upwards of $500 million.

$500 million dollars for expansion. WOW!!!

 

[DarkMeasures]

Howcome the monorail expansion is so expensive compared to when it was first built?

 

[peter11435]

$500 million dollars for expansion. WOW!!!

Actually it would cost far more than that. The recent vegas monorail cost almost $150 million dollars a mile. By those numbers any major expansion of the monorail at WDW would cost well into the Billions.

 

[carvalho63]

What's another half billion?

They could always make the monorail expansion part of the project to have high speed rail direct to WDW from the airport. The $500 million added expense wouldn't even be noticeable