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View Full Version : Monorails as a hotel-only perk?!?



hbquikcomjamesl
08-19-2003, 12:38 PM
Some random thoughts on today's MousePlanet article on the Monorails


Plain and simple, the present state of the monorails is a direct result of too much deferred maintenance, for too long.

That, and having the current trains being built by putting new bodies on the running gear of the previous generation of trains.

I don't think the management gets it. In WDW, the monorails are practical transportation. Like catching the Blue Line into Downtown Los Angeles. Or catching BART from San Francisco to some East Bay destination. Or getting around New Orleans on the St. Charles St. line. That is their raison d'etre. The whole reason for the contemplated expansion is because whole sections of the property are already having to deal with bus gridlock. In DLR, however, the monorails are an attraction. None of the hotels are laid out in a way that the DTD station is much closer than the Main Entrance; with the GC, you'd actually be backtracking to get from the hotel to the station. Better to shut the system down entirely, and maybe expand and reroute the beam to replace the DTD stop with separate PPH, GC, and DLH stops while the trains are being rebuilt, than to prolong their decline and make them a hotel-guest-only perk.

cstephens
08-19-2003, 01:04 PM
Al Lutz mentioned this same rumour in a MiceAge article a little while ago, and I still have the same comment. I have a hard time believing they'd actually do it, so I'm keeping a "wait and see" attitude until more concrete evidence pops up.

cemeinke
08-19-2003, 01:32 PM
Originally posted by cstephens
Al Lutz mentioned this same rumour in a MiceAge article a little while ago, and I still have the same comment. I have a hard time believing they'd actually do it, so I'm keeping a "wait and see" attitude until more concrete evidence pops up.

I was at the park briefly on Saturday and took the Monorail in. At the time only Monorail Orange was running and they were only doing one way trips. Seems like it may be starting.

AVP
08-19-2003, 02:09 PM
Originally posted by cemeinke
I was at the park briefly on Saturday and took the Monorail in. At the time only Monorail Orange was running and they were only doing one way trips. Seems like it may be starting. Not sure what time you were there Saturday, but one of the monorails broke down in the morning, so they were only running one train at that time. So far as I know, they had two trains up the rest of the day, and they were running orange and red today.

AVP

Not Afraid
08-19-2003, 02:16 PM
Originally posted by cemeinke
I was at the park briefly on Saturday and took the Monorail in. At the time only Monorail Orange was running and they were only doing one way trips. Seems like it may be starting.

I think the thing that shocked me when you relayed your story was that, they made everyone get off the train at the Monorail station in DTD. That is very unusual. The ride is a round trip from DL to DL, stopping at the DTD station. I immediately thought of Al's article of a while ago. I guess we'll find out soon enough if this is going to be a regular occurance.

If it was really just a Monorail breakdown issue, then we would've noticed this strange operation before. We all know the Monorails break down very frequently.

AVP
08-19-2003, 02:57 PM
Originally posted by Not Afraid
If it was really just a Monorail breakdown issue, then we would've noticed this strange operation before. We all know the Monorails break down very frequently. Actually, this is not uncommon at all. It depends on how many people are waiting at each station. The one-way only operation is common in the mornings if there is only one monorail running, because they need to make room for the hotel guests boarding in DtD.

When I left the park at 10:30 today, they were running two monorails. When I got to the Downtown Disney station, the front "holding pen" was full of people waiting to board the next train, the entire upper queue was full (both switchbacks), and there was a queue down the steps. I'm amazed they didn't make everyone exit the monorail at DtD, because there were at least three trains worth of people waiting to board.

AVP

Pirate33
08-20-2003, 10:56 AM
Honestly, the management of Disneyland has gone mad. The monorail is a signature attraction and very popular. Look at how many of those monorail toys they sell.

justagrrl
08-20-2003, 12:03 PM
I wrote to them (email) several days ago and have yet to receive any response. Usually they are so quick to reply. (not that I write often - but the other 2 times I'd written I rec'd a response the same day or the next I think)

sleepyjeff
08-24-2003, 02:13 PM
Does anyone actually beleive the monorail will still even be around five years from now. The designers of the Grand Californian decided not to build a monorail platform because they new something that we don't.

If you think I am being paranoid just take a walk thru TL and see if anything is sacred.

merlinjones
08-24-2003, 02:56 PM
Historians may remember that Retlaw, Walt's family company, originally owned the Disneyland Railroad and Monorail systems, and leased them to Walt Disney Productions. At one point I believe these were bought by WDP/WDC outright, but the recent gossip about the trains demise has me wondering if these were on extended lease to the WDC. Could that be why the corporation has little interest in maintenence and perhaps no intent to renew any leases in the future (the DCA Monorail layout is telling...)? Or perhaps, even in ownership by WDC, certain royalties are being paid to Disney family for these systems that the WDC no loner wants to pay? Anyone in the know about such things?

hbquikcomjamesl
08-25-2003, 12:33 PM
RETLAW owned the trains because Walt was a railroad enthusiast (something Walt Disney Travel keeps forgetting; otherwise, they'd offer to book rail transportation to WDW through their web site, as well as air). Walt wanted the trains to be HIS in a way that even the rest of the park never could be. That's why an encircling berm topped with a steam-powered railroad is part of the basic definition of what makes a Magic Kingdom (whether DL, WDW-MK, TDL, or DLP) a Magic Kingdom. The railroad is as important to that definition as the berm is, and as important as the single entrance, some form of Town Square and Main Street, and a central Plaza Hub are to that definition.