The Spirited Sixth Sense ...

[GoofGoof]

We are TOLD the monorail is too expensive to expand, but maintaining a ground level rail line is also expensive as it requires constant maintenance they are also subject to collisions with local wildlife Deer will browse in the rail RoW and the gators may sun themselves on the roadbed.

Monorails are heavy on CAPEX - much lighter on OPEX, Light Rail - heavy on OPEX light on CAPEX.

Well, monorails are technically supposed to have maintenance too...sometimes that doesn't exactly happen

 

[wdisney9000]

The delays CAN be accurate when you have the buses current position and traffic delay information, This is how modern GPS systems calculate your arrival time which is pretty accurate. So if there is an accident/jam you will see ETA increasing along with perhaps a dispatch message 'Travel to MK disrupted due to accident on World Drive' for example.

Light rail WOULD be a better transit modality, for large resorts you would still need internal buses but this would be a much more predictable transit system.

We are adding TomTom Fleet Telematics to our company vehicles. After seeing the demo I was pretty impressed at how well they can track everything. Real time tracking and you can do it on your smart phone. Im sure Disney already has some type of fleet tracking in place so why not add the ability for guests to see when the bus would arrive?

The CM's that stand around at the bus stops with their clipboards are practically useless because they have little to no information that will help you. They stand as far away from the guests as possible in hopes of avoiding being asked a question about bus arrivals.

One of the main reasons we enjoy staying at the Yacht/Beach Club is the ability to walk to Epcot and HS and catch the Monorail to MK. Yeah its probly more time consuming to walk to front of Epcot and catch the Monorail but it beats potentially sitting at a bus stop for 30 minutes and I love hitting Fountain View for a morning coffee.

 

[JimboJones123]

That would be decorated.. not themed.

So. Many. Snarky. Comments .

 

[unkadug]

So. Many. Snarky. Comments .

Why does clicking on flynnibus's comment take me to a test thread?

 

[matt9112]

Probably. I'm not even talking about the Toy Story "stickers" on the ceiling. I'm more looking at the Mickey head windows and handles for holding that let you know that you are on a Disney train and not just your local subway.

love that look of the trains....think DCL look...would be great to apply that to monorails and buses and ferry's.

 

[flynnibus]

So. Many. Snarky. Comments .

No snark... sorry its not to your liking..

 

[lazyboy97o]

I've thought about EPCOT more than any other Disney park over the years. Mostly because it used to be my favorite theme park on the planet and now it is far from that. Here's part of what I think happened. There are several posters on here (@lazyboy97o comes to mind) who seem to be quite adept at analyzing large societal trends and then inferring how it impacts theme parks. I'm not. However, I grew up near WDW and probably went to EPCOT 87 gazillion times between opening in 1982 and 2000. I still go, but now I live far away. Anyway, when the park opened, a LOT of people didn't like it. That view of EPCOT persisted for several decades. I think the suits decided to add some Disney style thrill rides (M:S, TT, Soarin') and a few things for the younger set (Entirety of the Seas overlay, infusion of characters throughout the park). They also added an officially sanctioned massive party (Food and Wine) which had the impact of creating a whole subculture (drinking around the World). Now, the big question is this - Is EPCOT more appealing to the general public? I think it is, but not a whole lot. It is a LOT LESS appealing to the original fan base though. They really underestimated the popularity of the two big subtractions (Horizons, WoM) and miscalculated the impact of the bastardization of Imagination. Here is where I think they really missed the boat. A lot of the high school kids who LOVED the 80's/90's EPCOT have grown up to be computer geeks, scientists, accountants, engineers, M.D.'s, mathematicians, etc. We've got cash and if they hadn't diluted the park so much it would be spent. Now, what would've happened if they had added without subtracting? We'll never know.

I think the high cost of the park with the poor performance of the Studio combined to create an image of failure that never really existed due to the EPCOT Center. The project exposed other issues within the Company and family and got the blame. Like with the original non-franchise attractions at Disney's California Adventure being blamed for that park's poor performance.

Probably. I'm not even talking about the Toy Story "stickers" on the ceiling. I'm more looking at the Mickey head windows and handles for holding that let you know that you are on a Disney train and not just your local subway.

Those are still decoration.

So. Many. Snarky. Comments .

Why? It is an important distinction when it comes to concepts of theme, experience and immersion.

 

[CDavid]

The monorail itself is too expensive to expand.

The monorail is only too expensive to expand in the same way new attractions are too expensive to build. There's just no will to do it by executives who fundamentally don't understand the business of theme parks and the Walt Disney World resort. Buses and colored bracelets are cheaper.

Before anyone says anything, monorail expansion is NOT going to happen, of course.

 

[alphac2005]

In my opinion (and it is a weak one), is that in the 1980s, the future "seemed" so much farther away. For historical reference purposes, that was still in the time period when kids used encyclopedias to write book reports on typewriters. In the 80s, 2015 was the future Marty McFly traveled to and now we are less than a year away from a time that was looked upon as the future (still don't have my damn hoverboard though!) Ideas, history, art, etc…, seemed so much more out of reach because the outlets for them were very limited. EPCOT was an epic idea at the time because it was sold as a theme park where you could go learn about the world you live in.

I think for our generation - those that were or near teenage years in the 80s - the future seems more like everyday reality at times. Answers to questions that I have now are all achievable in the palm of my hand. iPhones, iPads, computers provide such a wealth of knowledge now that a desire to go somewhere to learn something seems unnecessary, and probably absurd to some. There are other things that people have now that were only seen in movies or read about in books in the 80s.

Because of some of the advances we have achieved, I truly feel that most people today don't want to go to a park to "learn" something. There is now an online society where people can learn whatever they want, whenever they want. Body Wars? Why pay $90 dollars to go into a park to learn about the human body when I can learn everything about it on my Android? I think that most people want to go to a park for mindless entertainment.

Now do I agree with that? No. I think that the idea that originally was EPCOT was a tremendous, truly challenging idea for a theme park. I actually prefer the term concept park for EPCOT. When I first went to EPCOT in 2009, I was blown away by the scope of it. However, after walking around World Showcase and back through Future World, I remember leaving and feeling that the park was rather disjointed. Also, it was sprawling but with not a lot to do. I have recently watched some Youtube videos about EPCOT in the 80s and saw the potential for that park, but I feel that WDW has given up on that challenge for the time being.

Could they resuscitate it? I suppose that they could but I feel that the lack of sponsorship for the pavilions and the extreme cost makes it very painful for them to consider. I also don't see things like Body Wars working with today's general populace. To me, it should be centered around space exploration, and not with a ride that nobody goes on (i.e., Mission Space). That is something that could still be educational to people because I believe that space exploration is still an ideal that entices almost everyone. Perhaps WDW should speak to the new wave of billionaires that are trying to start their own space travel companies. They might be willing to spend the money to breath life into the pavilions again. Hell, even deep sea exploration is something that I think people are fascinated by. Get James Cameron involved in the Living Seas and make a Journey to Titanic Ride where you travel to the bottom of the Atlantic (Bill Paxton needs money these days). There still are things that WDW could do with EPCOT, and people would love them for it.

For all the tech that we have today, people by and large don't seem to be very interested in knowledge and that was the heart of EPCOT. Tech isn't making our society more intelligent, heck, most people use their smartphones to check Facebook and email. I think the simple answer in the US as it generally boils down to ignorance.

Look at the astonishingly scary polls/surveys and the answers that Americans give regarding science. We have a lot of a flat Earth type crowd all over the place now. There is always amazing and new technology, things that even with what we have today are stunning. We've just become a society that doesn't value intelligence, learning, and yearning for the future. When I hear our politicians and their "we're the greatest country" or "we've never been stronger," it's pathetic. America has become a lazy and uninterested country where most people are out for only themselves and to hell with any/everything else. I think that's a strong case for why the BRILLIANT, original EPCOT CENTER would have trouble today, not so much that we have such amazing technology. Ignorance continues to rule supreme. When leaders in Uganda try to justify sickening positions by stating that Arizona and other states are (was in AZ's case) looking to bring legislation that isn't too far away from their train of thought, we have major problems.

 

[TalkingHead]

The pictures of Tokyo's monorails look downright tacky. The Mickey-shaped windows, the Mickey-shaped rings to grab while the train is in motion, the decorating of every square inch of space.

The design looks busy, cluttered, and screams "Disney for the sake of Disney".

Which is funny to me, because that sounds a lot like WDW's modern-day design philosophy. (Character-ize everything, so that the guests know they're at Disney.)

I'd bet that the Tokyo trains smell better and operate more efficiently than WDW's, but I still strongly prefer the WDW design. And of course, even the WDW trains get cluttered with ads and character decals from time to time, because that's modern-day Disney for you.

 

[71jason]

Did anyone else notice how well dressed these Disney patrons are compared to the WDW crowd, I'm frequently mistaken for a CM because I wear khakis and a collared shirt... depressing thought I always need to point out that CM's have this little oval badge...

This was actually one one the first things I noticed at DLR last year. People weren't "dressed up," but polos and sundresses were the rule, not the exception. No death metal or "Female Body Inspector" T-shirts, many fewer sweats and short shorts with "JUICY" across the back.

 

[ford91exploder]

The pictures of Tokyo's monorails look downright tacky. The Mickey-shaped windows, the Mickey-shaped rings to grab while the train is in motion, the decorating of every square inch of space.

The design looks busy, cluttered, and screams "Disney for the sake of Disney".

Which is funny to me, because that sounds a lot like WDW's modern-day design philosophy. (Character-ize everything, so that the guests know they're at Disney.)

I'd bet that the Tokyo trains smell better and operate more efficiently than WDW's, but I still strongly prefer the WDW design. And of course, even the WDW trains get cluttered with ads and character decals from time to time, because that's modern-day Disney for you.

It's Japan they DO those kinds of things, What does one expect from the home of Pokemon and 'Hello Kitty'

 

[ford91exploder]

Well, monorails are technically supposed to have maintenance too...sometimes that doesn't exactly happen

Not the same - ground level roadbed needs more or less constant maintenance the ballast (rocks under ties) needs periodic redistribution and tamping ties need to be inspected etc.

Machines like THIS are in constant use. This one is called a ballast tamper it redistributes the rocks and makes sure the ties are correctly aligned with the rails

 

[Sped2424]

It's Japan they DO those kinds of things, What does one expect from the home of Pokemon and 'Hello Kitty'

i noticed a trend in japanese guests whenever they visit at WDW is to have their favorite characters from disney all attached to their purses in interesting ways. The duffy one above is one example, I saw one with just donald characters except they didn't stop at their purse they had little donald stuff toys all over them! It was actually kind of impressive seeing all the different types they had some looked very old.

 

[flynnibus]

This was actually one one the first things I noticed at DLR last year. People weren't "dressed up," but polos and sundresses were the rule, not the exception. No death metal or "Female Body Inspector" T-shirts, many fewer sweats and short shorts with "JUICY" across the back.

Must have been there on a good week. Dlr has a ton more SoCal looks in the parks... But they also have more people wearing Disney casual clothes

 

[GoofGoof]

My only point on the train thing is that it would be a better alternative than the busses. I don't really think the use of the word themed vs decorated really changes that. However, it if makes you guys feel better, I was wrong. I used the wrong word to describe the trains I should have said decorated not themed.

 

[Cesar R M]

Did anyone else notice how well dressed these Disney patrons are compared to the WDW crowd, I'm frequently mistaken for a CM because I wear khakis and a collared shirt... depressing thought I always need to point out that CM's have this little oval badge...

BUT SIR, ARE YOU SURE YOU CANNOT GUIDE ME TO THE THEMED BATHROOMS????

We are adding TomTom Fleet Telematics to our company vehicles. After seeing the demo I was pretty impressed at how well they can track everything. Real time tracking and you can do it on your smart phone. Im sure Disney already has some type of fleet tracking in place so why not add the ability for guests to see when the bus would arrive?

The CM's that stand around at the bus stops with their clipboards are practically useless because they have little to no information that will help you. They stand as far away from the guests as possible in hopes of avoiding being asked a question about bus arrivals.

One of the main reasons we enjoy staying at the Yacht/Beach Club is the ability to walk to Epcot and HS and catch the Monorail to MK. Yeah its probly more time consuming to walk to front of Epcot and catch the Monorail but it beats potentially sitting at a bus stop for 30 minutes and I love hitting Fountain View for a morning coffee.

I swear this reminded me of the "do not agitate my dots" commercial for UPS (or was it DHL?)

Why does clicking on flynnibus's comment take me to a test thread?

The pictures of Tokyo's monorails look downright tacky. The Mickey-shaped windows, the Mickey-shaped rings to grab while the train is in motion, the decorating of every square inch of space.

The design looks busy, cluttered, and screams "Disney for the sake of Disney".

Which is funny to me, because that sounds a lot like WDW's modern-day design philosophy. (Character-ize everything, so that the guests know they're at Disney.)

I'd bet that the Tokyo trains smell better and operate more efficiently than WDW's, but I still strongly prefer the WDW design. And of course, even the WDW trains get cluttered with ads and character decals from time to time, because that's modern-day Disney for you.

The first big difference between the monorails I see are.. the monorail space in the WDW ones is TINY.. very small.. also only one enclosed compartment x 2 in each monorail train.
While in Tokyo's they are open like modern subway design. (aka you can move from monorail cabin to cabin)

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Sad but true.

SSE unfinished
Energy 20 years
(Lack of) Life
No Imagination
Circle of 94
Seas n cheap
Tombstones
Canopies
Innoventions West (we extended it and now can't fill it)
Odd-y-ou-can't-see-inside
Impressions of 1982
RoE sinking ship(s)
And please.... make the AmAd digital. The sprocket issue is beyond funny now.

Would it kill them to also make sure it's scanned and projected in 8K? That screen is massive and 70mm was used for that reason. Just buy another 8K laser projector from IMAX and spend the money on scanning and processing those MASSIVE 8K film elements which would likely take a month or more just to scan in with today's computers. Do it right and do it once. I do not want to watch a crappy 2K scan of the film elements on that screen. Not all of your guests are rubes and we can see the difference.

 

[Cesar R M]

i noticed a trend in japanese guests whenever they visit at WDW is to have their favorite characters from disney all attached to their purses in interesting ways. The duffy one above is one example, I saw one with just donald characters except they didn't stop at their purse they had little donald stuff toys all over them! It was actually kind of impressive seeing all the different types they had some looked very old.

They seem to take their "fan" levels to very deep levels. (otaku levels?)

 

[marni1971]

Would it kill them to also make sure it's scanned and projected in 8K? That screen is massive and 70mm was used for that reason. Just buy another 8K laser projector from IMAX and spend the money on scanning and processing those MASSIVE 8K film elements which would likely take a month or more just to scan in with today's computers. Do it right and do it once. I do not want to watch a crappy 2K scan of the film elements on that screen. Not all of your guests are rubes and we can see the difference.

To add insult to injury, last year someone backstage opened a rear fire door mid show. Daylight flooded half the screen and we got a huge silhouette of a person walking through it and then closing it behind them. Just how you imagine it in a cartoon. I kid you not.