Blog Comments

I understand why for legal enforceability reasons they are limiting the payment plans to the people of the state where the park is (though that doesn't explain why No Cal can't do payments at DL) - I don't know if they'll see quite the bump at WDW from Florida residents. I wonder if this is partially in response to Harry Potter, too?

I'm really interested to see how they deal with the bi-costal APs? Especially since the differences in the non-resident-based APs have such different basis. (At DL the big difference is blackout days - at WDW the difference is the minor parks.)

And does this mean that DL is getting fingerprint scanners? Seems like having the same entry validation process (currently pictures at DL, fingerprints at WDW) would be an important first step!

Right now we are staying at a value resort and paying $142 per day (rounded), so I'll GLADLY lower that to "just" $34 a day!!

Point of clarification on the guests:
They were most likely getting on Purple for a trip to Epcot, as purple was on the Epcot line. Epcot had closed at 10PM. The Magic Kingdom closed at 1AM. The only reason that the Epcot monorail was running was to take passengers from the Magic Kingdom back to the Epcot parking lot. These guests most likely park hopped from Epcot, or parked there if the TTC lot was full when they arrived. So, they had probably just boarded Purple at the TTC.

I only have questions at this time so I can be of no help for answers. I have loved the Disney Universe for years and I find it extremely heartbreaking that this young man died while "on stage"

1) In the AP photo posted on CNN.com, it shows the two trains together outside the southwest side to TTC looking southeast to the bus pick up area. The photo is consistent with reports, Monorail Pink passing back through the station and Monorail Purple arriving. I am confused because the guest video shows the accident in the station with people yelling into the Monorail Purple. Where did the accident actually occur and how did AP get a photo outside the station going the opposite direction of the Spur Switch?

2) I've always assumed the switch process was A. forward to Epcot then stop and wait for Spur switch, B. Back to TTC Magic Kingdom Line and stop and wait for Spur switch, C. Forward to Garage Spur switch. Why would Monorail Pink driver need to pass all the way through the station? When in reverse the driver should have known the switch was missed because the Spur would have been outside the left window.

3) What about radio traffic?

This story makes me very sad and I've heard rumors that they were understaffed that night. I hope to find out that Mr. Wuennenberg chose to stay inside Monorail Purple in a attempt to protect the passengers instead of being stuck 30 ft in the air with no exit, waiting for the impact.

As an old war horse (retired veteran) I was assigned at one point in my career to a combat crew. Anything you had to back up 2 1/2 ton, 5 ton and numerous other vehicles of shapes and sizes, you were required to have a spotter. So ever since hearing of this accident I keep wondering "Why oh why was no one watching out for Pink that it had made the switch or not".

it seems in the description of the report facts in the Orlando Centinal that Purple was not pulling out of the station - but indeed had pulled in to drop off it's passengers at the station and was stationary. This is in contrast to mark's discussions (and others) that the collission happened just past the station as it was pulling out - and instead was inside the station. I had read somewhere that the picture of the trains outside of the station (but still collided) was when they backed it out more in order to allow the driver of Pink to exit his train. Hmmm...

Surveillance video would reveal if Purple was in motion. Other than that, they have switch and control settings in the cockpit, and possibly skid marks on the beam way for them to draw this conclusion.

Now, if Purple was stopped on the track (brakes set), Pink would have stopped suddenly after it came in contact with the bulkhead of Purple. This would cause the electric motors to stall tripping the breakers.

David, perhaps he had it in gear but wasn't moving forward yet?

Of course, if they were trying to shrink turnaround times and made it SOP for the train in the station to start moving as soon as the other train cleared the switch, it's possible that he was told to go ahead and he did so. We'll have to wait for the NTSB report to know for sure.

2) Mark, I think NSTB's presumption (or our misreading of their release) that Purple came to a sudden stop and then hit reverse is in error. I can't see Purple, knowing his anti-collision system is off and that a train is being diverted just ahead of him, would begin pulling out of the station. This is ludicrous. Purple was almost certainly at a standstill when he noticed Pink coming in at him and quickly hit reverse; it just didn't pick up speed in time.

3) For whatever reason, the Monorails have always had shells that, upon impact, "crumple like Reynold's Wrap," according to their original designer. There have been three or four other collisions over the years, all at modest speeds, and all caused considerable damage.

Thanks, Steven! I had a feeling (and was hoping) that I missed something somewhere. So basically, after they hit, the motors kept driving Pink through Purple until they were shut down.

Each monorail has eight DC motors rated 113 HP each, which means that it was 904 HP pushing the train.

The monorail fact sheet says that "Train bodies are made of a high-strength composite honeycomb material that allows high strength at a low weight." I guess even high-strength composite honeycomb material has its limits.

3) Speed is not the problem. It is inertia. A heavy object powered by an electric motor will continue to move until current is removed. I would guess that pilot of Pink did not stop the motor until a short time after the collision.

my husband and i are planning our 40th anniversary at the animal kingdom lodge.of all the things we could be planning for his concern is.is there a smoking area next to the pool bar.thanks for any information.

I was so shocked to hear about this, this morning. I want to send my condolences to the family of this young kid Austin. It's hard to imagine something like this happening at such a great place, hopefully something will be fixed because of this.

God Bless.

Wow. Dear God, that's horrible. My heartfelt condolences go out to the family of the deceased Cast member. I really can't believe this. Very sad news.

Here's the problem, if your not right up against the rail this is not a great place to watch Wishes. So your paying $18 for cake and a bad view.

Wow, that sounds really cool, and shockingly reasonably priced (for Disney)!

Supposedly, this morning Bob Weis showed a photo looking down Hollywood Blvd at the Chinese Theater and said something like "hopefully, we'll see this view again soon." Wild cheers followed.

Hopefully, they will spill the beans on some plans coming up. The park was beautiful to look at upon opening (I was there) but short on real attractions. Hope they get rid of the Hat- and pull out some hat tricks of their own to add to the park!

It's the now-enclosed former Hunchback Theater.

For those of us that are 'name' challenged - what normally is in the Premiere Theater? (I'm trying to imagine anything near the Streets of America that would be called a theater, and coming up very blank.)