Claims of Monorail Closing

Ben E N

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jul 14, 2017
https://www.local10.com/theme-parks/report-disney-world-may-discontinue-resort-s-monorail-system

Only source I found on the topic.
Don't we help pay for it, and have any say in this? This would affect our resale value.

https://www.local10.com/theme-parks...f-plans-to-discontinue-resort-monorail-system

May have to move this to the "fake news" thread. Worth keeping an eye on over the long run, though.

I know Seimens offered to upgrade the monorail in order to keep their Epcot sponsorship, but Disney declined.
 
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Highly unlikely. They are essentially an icon of WDW, and popular with guests. The system could use new trains, certainly, but considering they rebuilt the trains at Disneyland not so long ago, they could do the same at WDW, just take a couple trains off line at a time. They are overdue.
 
Yes I agree. Feel free to delete the thread. I got scared when I read the article but it sounds like it was based on fear mongering from that open door story a couple of days ago.
 
Sure hope this is fake news. Wouldn’t make much sense for a zillion dollar company to get rid of a iconic form of transportation
 


It seems difficult to rely on an article that is titled "Disney World Denies" any report about doing away with the monorail.
 
It seems difficult to rely on an article that is titled "Disney World Denies" any report about doing away with the monorail.

Yep. I got hooked into the fake news world. The article was initially written much more forcefully, with statements such as "Disney is looking to...". Considering it was being published by the local ABC news station, I had trusted their vetting process when I posted the information. Of course, shortly after they backed out and used different language, updating their article.
Sounds like it was all started by some blogger who was just looking to get attention, and then the snowball effect started. I have actually seen it referenced in a couple of other places as well, but the only source they cite is this one guy.
It got me quite startled at first. I know that the monorails are showing their age more and more every year, and that Disney declined outside help in improving them, so this particular bit of fake news had just enough believability and trusted source backing to get my attention.
 
I am not in the loop anymore but it is possible. The monorail system is very expensive to operate and maintain. The Bombardier trains were never terrific and were so much more power hungry then the old martin marietta trains. So much so that disney sued Bombardier and they paid to have the power system upgraded to meet the need of the more hungry trains. In the end, it is more likely they will just reduce down the number of operating hours. The trains do move a huge number of people. Back when eisner took over he stopped the boat service on bay lake. Though a letter writing campaign (yes letters), they started to add boats back and for decades the boat pilots had to track the number of guests that they carried. So it is possible they are considering it. They do have a history of just doing it and see how much of an explosion they have on their hands.... I would imagine this is a rehashing of the story that was floated around many years ago. Where disney said they were stopping the monorails for off peak times and the load would be handled with the new "bendy buses". Personal opinion, no i doubt they will stop the monorails all together. The monorail is the reason you say at a monorail resort. No monorail, no reason to pay the money. You might as well stay off site and rent a house or condo for less money.
 


This discussion reminded me of the articles announcing the end of the Siemans sponsorship - note the reported offer to build Disney a new monorail system was turned down. Not sure what that means for the existing monorail going forward, though. Here are just two of the many on the topic:

Disney turned down Siemens offer to buy them a new monorail fleet in lieu for sponsorship!

Siemens Abruptly Leaves Spaceship Earth Corporate Lounge Before Contract End, Disney Taking Ownership Immediately

Thanks for posting those. Since the news site quickly changed their story from a news based one to just rumor that was weakly supported, and information about the monorail can be found elsewhere, I reccomend shutting this discussion down.
I hate that it is based on some blogger who's exact intent was to get us talking like this.
If any actual facts come up in the future, I'm sure there will be plenty to talk about.
 
I don't see them buying new trains. The existing ones have all aluminum frames and they can be rebuilt infinitelly with newer and newer technology.
 
Yes I agree. Feel free to delete the thread. I got scared when I read the article but it sounds like it was based on fear mongering from that open door story a couple of days ago.

It’s more than the open door. You see posts all the time where people were stuck on stalled monorails. They need a major overhaul or be scrapped.
 
I could see them stopping the Epcot section to save costs. Nothing would surprise me.
 
I could see them stopping the Epcot section to save costs. Nothing would surprise me.
I could see that only if they expand the gondola system to the TTC or add a light rail system EPCOT-STUDIOS-TTC. LIght rail would probably be pricier than fixing the monorails, though, by the time they build bridges and road traffic crossings. One thing they could do is refurbish the current trains and automate them, saving the cost of a driver.
 
I have read that it would cost up to $90 million to upgrade them. I bet it would cost almost as much to tear down the track.
One thing is for certain - Disney will do what is best for them.

The reason I initially posted it here is because monorail resort DVC properties help pay to keep it running, don't They? If so, do those members have any say in what happens to it, or did we turn over all of our voting rights to a board?
 
I have read that it would cost up to $90 million to upgrade them. I bet it would cost almost as much to tear down the track.
One thing is for certain - Disney will do what is best for them.

The reason I initially posted it here is because monorail resort DVC properties help pay to keep it running, don't They? If so, do those members have any say in what happens to it, or did we turn over all of our voting rights to a board?
DVC Voting rights are contractually assigned to a representative of DVC/Disney's choosing.
 
DVC Voting rights are contractually assigned to a representative of DVC/Disney's choosing.

That's what I figured. I really doubt they would do away with something so iconic anyway, though. The MK loop seems like it will stay forever, and the Epcot one does serve a purpose as well.
 
Although 100 years from now, I can see great great grandkids looking at old photos wondering what Monorials are, since they'll probably be using Star Trek style transporters.
 

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