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Rumor from a Monorail worker.
- Thread starter DisneyWall-E
- Start date
flynnibus
Premium Member
Well the funny thing about this is.. the monorail fleet will eventually have to be replaced. So all those saying 'its coming' can say EVENTUALLY 'I was right!' - because eventually Disney will have no choice. A monorail update is 'always coming' because their lifespan is finite.
And the interview with the transportation director was not a statement that the things outlined there are done deals, but rather that is their plan. I seem to recall this transportation director is new to the job is he not? I thought this position became a hotseat after the transportation woes of the last few years.
Modernization needs to come to the monorails at some point.. but after the debacle of the last generation of trains at DLR.. and the recent fatality.. I bet there is a lot more scrutiny over this.
And the interview with the transportation director was not a statement that the things outlined there are done deals, but rather that is their plan. I seem to recall this transportation director is new to the job is he not? I thought this position became a hotseat after the transportation woes of the last few years.
Modernization needs to come to the monorails at some point.. but after the debacle of the last generation of trains at DLR.. and the recent fatality.. I bet there is a lot more scrutiny over this.
PirateFrank
Well-Known Member
I'm shocked no one jumped right on that 4th bullet point...which beamway? what guest areas?
Buried20KLeague
Well-Known Member
Your point is well taken.
I'll be the first one to say that I don't think they'll expand the monorail at WDW, but I DO believe that so many here view this topic with horse blinders on. There are probably a dozen different angles TWDC could use to cut down on the expense of an expansion... A special grant from the government, tax breaks, corporate sponsorships, yadda yadda... TWDC has the ears (ha) of politicians at nearly every level, including the Executive branch.
If they were to "spend" 2.6 billion on build-out/new fleet, you can be sure their actually "out of pocket" expense would be WORLDS below that.
Again... I don't think WDW will get monorail expansion. But... I'm also not naieve to the possibility they are exploring ways to get it done and get it partially paid for.
RunnerEd
Well-Known Member
^^^^Those are great points with the government strongly incentivizing anything that can be labeled "green." The monorail is considered green public transportation and RCID could potentially use that to leverage outside funding/tax incentives. That's the only way that I see it happening BUT with the proper incentives, I think it could be plausible.
flynnibus
Premium Member
People forget most government incentives for such projects are FINANCING deals (low cost loans) or tax credits. They rarely are outright grants to spend money.. simply tools to either make it easier to spend money, or reward people for spending money. I don't see any government initiatives playing a significant role in this. In the tight financial times of today... Imagine the negative press politicians would get if they were giving 'fat rich Disney' tens or hundreds of millions of dollars while the government is arguing they have to cut jobs and essential services.
montyz81
Well-Known Member
The only thing I would question about using something like say the stimulus package, for example, to help pay for the expansion would be this... Does this put more regulations and requirements on the current and/or new system? I believe the current system is not subject to as much regulation as it is a privately owned system on private property? I know in the past, Disney has always wanted maintain complete control over the parks and the land simply because it doesn't restrict them when they design and build. Gov't involvement can sometimes severely limit how you design something and then how it will ultimately get built.
Dasnowz
Well-Known Member
A Transportation CM says it is receiving some love. However, It will NEVER EVER EVER go to DTD according to my source. It was stressed the word EVER.The reason being its free to park there. People would park at DTD and ride in free, thus costing WDW money.
This is not a paid endorsement. neither was the CM told to confuse the public < - i jokingly asked. Nor start rumors. Nor was it to mess with anyone. I kind of think the logic is right though on this. The person did not know why I was asking nor did they have anything to gain or loose in the conversation. I am known for asking odd questions around there and will sometimes get good answers. We then discussed the rumor mill and how CM hear diff stories based on who the mgr is at the time on duty or which person has heard what. Basically unless you see it happening don't believe anything.
This is not a paid endorsement. neither was the CM told to confuse the public < - i jokingly asked. Nor start rumors. Nor was it to mess with anyone. I kind of think the logic is right though on this. The person did not know why I was asking nor did they have anything to gain or loose in the conversation. I am known for asking odd questions around there and will sometimes get good answers. We then discussed the rumor mill and how CM hear diff stories based on who the mgr is at the time on duty or which person has heard what. Basically unless you see it happening don't believe anything.
orky8
Well-Known Member
There are fairly simple ways around the free parking issue (validation, requiring a ticket to use the monorail, etc.) And Disneyland already has solved this issue, and their system works without any problems. I'm not saying that means anything with regard to whether or not a monorail will go to DTD, but citing free parking as the reason it won't doesn't hold water.
Buried20KLeague
Well-Known Member
I would imagine the government wouldn't want anything to do with running it, IF they gave any sort of special breaks. Having nothing to do with it other than tax breaks or what have you would limit their liability.
Plus, I'm sure it would be done with full ADA compliance and everything all built in, no matter who did the design.
**** Not that this will ever happen. Still it's fun to talk about. ****
Buried20KLeague
Well-Known Member
Tax Credits/low cost loans = less money spent
That was the main point I was making... That at the end of the day there are quite a few ways they could get creative to cut down on what comes out of the coffers.
*** Not that I think this will ever happen.
Just claiming my spot in line for payment in case it happens.
Mind you, I don't think it will, but I don't think the chances of it happening are low enough that one should be offering up payments in the event it does happen.
Whether it happens or not will, I'm sure, be based entirely on cost considerations. But it seems at least remotely plausible that the operating and capital savings from a reduced bus fleet, combined with savings from less road maintenance/expansion (by removing all that bus traffic), combined with profits from higher guest satisfaction and ability to charge a premium at more resorts, might someday be thought to offset the capital and operating costs of an expanded monorail. Maybe. But I wouldn't count on it.
Interesting point. Guess I forgot the tax credit and green energy goodwill in my list of cost analysis in my previous post.
Buried20KLeague
Well-Known Member
You forgot the potential MASSIVE marketing campaign they could wrap around it... Who knows how they figure ROI on that kind of thing.
Figment2005
Well-Known Member
I'm just posting to lay claim to the 1000.00 in the unlikely event this does happen.
PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
I TOLD EVERYONE SO!!!!!
Just keep an eye on the satellite imagery as they get updated, try to predict the likely route as I have, and you can see something is being worked on throughout the path I've determined to be the route. It's not construction, but pre-construction or something to do with planning or logistics.
Don't believe me? Look at the cleared land near AKL. What do you see scattered about the site lying down? Monorail pylons!
$2 billion is much more than my estimate. The project must be including much more than new track. It sounds like a complete remake of the system. Maybe retail or small entertainment centers or new hotels at new stations as part of the project?
I wonder how long it will be until there's an official announcement?
Scuttle
Well-Known Member
Ya I bet TDO would wrap the current monorails to promote the monorail expansion. And I'm only half kidding.
PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
How are things, Mickey?