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Thread: New Tram Policy at DL

  1. #1

    New Tram Policy at DL

    I read in this weeks update that DL is going to start enforcing the policy in place at WDW, and that is before the tram can move, the safety spiel must play through in English and Spanish. If a guest jumps on board after the spiel starts and after they announce no more boarding, they must repeat the loop in both languages. It was reported at Epcot Center they had to sit through three playings of the spiel before they could move. Now that I have lost nearly 11-15 pounds, I have been hoofing instead of riding. If this is the new policy, I will hoof it both ways from here on out.


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    Registered User houseofmouse's Avatar
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    another reason to use the Toy Story Lot.

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  4. #3

    New Tram Policy at DL

    Another reason to stay across the street.


  5. #4

    all part of the experience.

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  6. #5

    This is such a lame policy, for no other reason than hypervigilant lawyering. Under the old system, the tram guide says very clearly "no further boarding, everyone sit back, driver, we're clear". Very safe. Now you have to listen to that stupid 45 second spiel. And yes, during the spiel it's not uncommon for someone to jump on board, forcing the tram guide to run the entire spiel again. I recently sat through it THREE times in WDW, and the tram had to waste about 5 minutes going through this stupidity. I was just noticing over Christmas how much I enjoyed the DL version. And now we have to endure the multi-spiel on both coasts. Just really really lame.

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  7. #6
    Sweet Spot - we miss you! shna's Avatar
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    Seems like some sort of boarding gate might become an option. If people can't get to the tram after the "no boarding" call, it should be easier to keep people from boarding when they're not supposed to board.

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    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    This is such a lame policy, for no other reason than hypervigilant lawyering.
    It's not always the lawyers' fault. I blame the stupid people who do stupid things and then blame other people for their own stupid actions. Frivolous lawsuits are a time and money sucking vortex.
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  9. #8

    I agree with you. But this is such a blatant case of legalistic overkill. The current method of starting up a tram is completely safe, and I can't imagine a scenario where anyone would think that they need to do more. It's just silly.

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  10. #9
    It was a good day! Malcon10t's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cstephens View Post
    It's not always the lawyers' fault. I blame the stupid people who do stupid things and then blame other people for their own stupid actions. Frivolous lawsuits are a time and money sucking vortex.
    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    I agree with you. But this is such a blatant case of legalistic overkill. The current method of starting up a tram is completely safe, and I can't imagine a scenario where anyone would think that they need to do more. It's just silly.
    See the above..... While we all agree it is stupid and overkill, so is the tag on your blow dryer saying "Don't use in the bathtub", but guess what? While *I* can't imagine a scenario where someone would think they should, someone did. And now we have a "legalistic overkill" sticker on the things!
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    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    The current method of starting up a tram is completely safe, and I can't imagine a scenario where anyone would think that they need to do more.
    I can. There are all kinds of situations where normal common sense would tell you not to do something, but people do it anyway. And, sometimes, people just don't follow common sense. It happens. I'll admit I've done some pretty stupid things because I wasn't thinking or concentrating or paying attention. The difference is that when something then happens to me, I know it was my fault in the first place. Or maybe someone did do something else that contributed to it, but I wasn't completely blameless in the situation. There are others, though, who are of the mindset that no matter what happens, it's someone else's fault, and it's not just someone else's fault, but someone else needs to literally PAY for it, and if it's a big company with oodles of money, all the better.

    I can see where it could appear to be overkill, but in my experience, these kinds of things don't just get thought up out of the blue. They usually stem from some incident happening somewhere in the company, and so they then have to take steps that all areas of the company are protected. I would think that most people would understand that they shouldn't open the tram doors while the tram is in motion, and if they do, well, they're to blame for whatever consequences arise. But there really are people who will say "Well, no one TOLD me not to open the doors while the tram was moving." and they will seriously mean it and feel that they weren't given proper warning.

    I think what it might come down to is what someone mentioned already - putting in gates at the tram loadings, which would be more of a guarantee that people don't get into the trams after the CMs have instructed people not to.
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  12. #11
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    Either gates at the tram loading area -- or doors (like at the backlot tour at the Studios) on the trams instead of the spiel repeat.

    Guess which one the accountants liked more?

    Cathy

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    Quote Originally Posted by Drince88 View Post
    Either gates at the tram loading area -- or doors (like at the backlot tour at the Studios) on the trams instead of the spiel repeat.

    Guess which one the accountants liked more?
    Is there confirmation somewhere that it was an accounting reason? Cause I would think legal would trump finance. And they put the doors on the tram, but that apparently isn't enough because people can still open them when the tram is in motion. You'd need the gates in addition to the tram doors.
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  14. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by cstephens View Post
    .....in my experience, these kinds of things don't just get thought up out of the blue. They usually stem from some incident happening somewhere in the company, and so they then have to take steps that all areas of the company are protected.
    That's possible. But I can think of several situations within the Disney company where they've taken action before there was any need for it. The safety rails at Alice in DL come to mind. Not one accident, not one, at any time since the 50's. But some lawyer sees the possibility of a problem, and they now have to have safety rails up on the outside part.

    I don't have anything against safety. And I understand that a spiel that tells someone to sit down, keep hands and feet inside the tram, and don't open the doors all is a necessary evil to prevent those silly lawsuits. But my point is that the old way where they used to play the spiel as the tram got going fulfilled the legal need. Having to sit and listen to it multiple times before the tram even starts moving is just inviting more people to jump on, delaying things even further. And there is just no benefit to spieling before the wheels start rolling, IMO.
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    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    .
    Having to sit and listen to it multiple times before the tram even starts moving is just inviting more people to jump on, delaying things even further.
    I can actually invision the scenario where people get tired of the spiel going a couple times and then jump off.
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  16. #15

    That actually happens, and happened on the one time I was on and the spiel started up for the third time. People actually got off the tram and headed on foot towards the park.

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  17. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by cstephens View Post

    I can see where it could appear to be overkill, but in my experience, these kinds of things don't just get thought up out of the blue. They usually stem from some incident happening somewhere in the company, and so they then have to take steps that all areas of the company are protected. I would think that most people would understand that they shouldn't open the tram doors while the tram is in motion, and if they do, well, they're to blame for whatever consequences arise. But there really are people who will say "Well, no one TOLD me not to open the doors while the tram was moving." and they will seriously mean it and feel that they weren't given proper warning.
    I can almost guarantee you that some plaintiff's lawyer has made the argument that their client didn't hear the spiel because they got on after it had played (or while they were getting on) and that has resulted in this change in policy. I don't believe lawyers tend to be proactive; they aren't walking around the parks looking for things to change. It is almost always a reaction to something that has happened and a solution is sought to make things "safer" to be able to prove that Disney had done everything it could do to prevent an accident.


    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    That's possible. But I can think of several situations within the Disney company where they've taken action before there was any need for it. The safety rails at Alice in DL come to mind. Not one accident, not one, at any time since the 50's. But some lawyer sees the possibility of a problem, and they now have to have safety rails up on the outside part.
    Actually, if I recall the rails were in reaction to a fine or write-up by Cal-OSHA indicating that those areas were unsafe for the employees who maintain the ride and the rails were put up for that reason--not because of guest safety. In that case the lawyers would again have been reacting and asking engineering to come up with a solution to satisfy Cal-OSHA so they don't get fined. (I also hate the changes---but I don't think this one can be laid on the lawyers Dan).
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  18. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by cstephens View Post
    Is there confirmation somewhere that it was an accounting reason? Cause I would think legal would trump finance. And they put the doors on the tram, but that apparently isn't enough because people can still open them when the tram is in motion. You'd need the gates in addition to the tram doors.
    I just meant that the accountants would 'like' the spiel repeat more than spending money on capital expenditures (doors or gates). But I shouldn't have said accountants, I should have said 'bean counters'. And Safety should trump everything and legal protection for the company should trump bean counting.
    Cathy

  19. #18

    What if someone sits down, then stands up half way through the safety memo then sits down?

    Or perhaps they stand up 2/3rds of the way through?

    What happens when 90 percent of the people tune out and don't listen?

    I am all in favor of a test given before the tram moves. Id should be checked. The photos taken for the tickets may be good enough but the exam results need to be documented and kept on file for a couple of years.

    I wonder when guests will need to sign a paper on the way outof the park that they feel healthy and that they will not sue.

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  20. #19
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    Hi-- first time poster (I think), but longtime reader of these forums. Just wanted to chime in and say my husband and I were at the parks on Sunday morning for passholder early entry to DL and had no issue on the tram. It did not take any longer or shorter than usual. We always park in Mickey and Friends and have no complaints, as it's very easy to use the express lanes ramp off of the 5 for us. I was concerned after reading this post last week, but this new policy seems to have little effect on guest experience.

    The ID check at the gates? That's a whole other story. Sure would be nice to have a passholder line-- hopping from DL to DCA was such a pain! The line from the turnstiles went halfway across the esplanade around 11 AM.


  21. #20

    I was there yesterday and they appear to have gone back to normal.


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