monorail shut down

[jdkdorn]

On facebook they posted that it will be shut down from 11am - 7pm from Jan - March. We finally book BLT and they will not have the resort monorail. I can deal because it is dvc and we go yearly. I would be very irrirated if I was paying cash at one of the 3 most expensive resorts and did not have the monorail. As it is my parents have some mobility issues but we will make due.

Judy

 

[twinsouvenirs]

we will be at vgf-- i read that it won't be shut down all the time, i.e. there will be some posted times that say it is closed when it actually runs; plus you can walk/roll to the MK from BLT. We will just take the monorail in the am and the boats in the afternoon.

 

[momof2minnies]

Starting Jan 21st it will run only from 11:30-7:30 I think it said,so not down completely

Linda

 

[DebbieB]

Starting Jan 21st it will run only from 11:30-7:30 I think it said,so not down completely

Linda

It will be closed 11:00-7:00. So it will run during the peak times of park open and close.

 

[dvc_john]

I was visiting GF a week or so ago, and when I wanted to head to MK at about 3:30pm the monorail was down (3pm to 5pm). It was a pain getting to MK.

First, a 15 minute wait for the bus. After people got off, it was still half full, so not everyone waiting managed to get on the bus, and many who did had to stand. Then, it was off to the Contemporary, where a lot of people got off. (I assume they were going from MK to Contemporary, and can't imagine why they didn't just walk. The bus route was MK, TTC, Poly, GF, Contemporary, MK). Then on to MK. The bus stop the driver wanted to use was occupied, so we pulled up alongside it, and waited, and waited, and waited. After 8 to 10 minutes the driver pulled away and went to one of the new stops, about as far away from the MK entrance as you could get.

All in all, it was a 40-45 minute trip from GF to MK.

I will be at VGF in January, and two of the days will be during the partial shutdown. I will certainly try to avoid travel to/from MK during that time.
I'll probably plan an EPCOT day, and just walk over to the TTC.

It's at times like this that it would really be nice if the uncompleted path from GF to MK was completed.

 

[disneynutz]

I was visiting GF a week or so ago, and when I wanted to head to MK at about 3:30pm the monorail was down (3pm to 5pm). It was a pain getting to MK.

First, a 15 minute wait for the bus. After people got off, it was still half full, so not everyone waiting managed to get on the bus, and many who did had to stand. Then, it was off to the Contemporary, where a lot of people got off. (I assume they were going from MK to Contemporary, and can't imagine why they didn't just walk. The bus route was MK, TTC, Poly, GF, Contemporary, MK). Then on to MK. The bus stop the driver wanted to use was occupied, so we pulled up alongside it, and waited, and waited, and waited. After 8 to 10 minutes the driver pulled away and went to one of the new stops, about as far away from the MK entrance as you could get.

All in all, it was a 40-45 minute trip from GF to MK.

I will be at VGF in January, and two of the days will be during the partial shutdown. I will certainly try to avoid travel to/from MK during that time.
I'll probably plan an EPCOT day, and just walk over to the TTC.

It's at times like this that it would really be nice if the uncompleted path from GF to MK was completed.

Did you try the boat?

Bill

 

[Sammie]

On facebook they posted that it will be shut down from 11am - 7pm from Jan - March. We finally book BLT and they will not have the resort monorail. I can deal because it is dvc and we go yearly. I would be very irrirated if I was paying cash at one of the 3 most expensive resorts and did not have the monorail. As it is my parents have some mobility issues but we will make due.

Judy

What would you suggest they do?

I read a fascinating article by Julie Andrews about Walt Disney. She said the only time she saw him loose his temper was when someone was critical of something but had no viable solution.

The parks are open every day, year round. Surely you would not want them to compromise safety by not doing the necessary maintenance. They are leaving it open for park opening and closing which to me seems the best they can do.

 

[dvc_john]

Did you try the boat?

Bill

No. Once I was at the bus stop, I figured I'd just wait for the bus.
Besides, once I got to MK entrance, I noticed huge lines at the MK dock for the GF/Poly boats. I would guess that there would also be crowds at the GF and Poly boat docks waiting for the MK boat.

 

[disneynutz]

No. Once I was at the bus stop, I figured I'd just wait for the bus.
Besides, once I got to MK entrance, I noticed huge lines at the MK dock for the GF/Poly boats. I would guess that there would also be crowds at the GF and Poly boat docks waiting for the MK boat.

I just started a thread speculating that they might increase the boat capacity at the Poly and GF/VGF, especially since the monorail is going off line.

Bill

 

[rkold]

Question, is it all the monorails, the resort one? the MK ones? I'm curious since we're staying at BLT in Feb.

 

[LiloH]

Question, is it all the monorails, the resort one? the MK ones? I'm curious since we're staying at BLT in Feb.

I've heard it's both the resort and express monorails, but not the Epcot one.

We are booked for GFV in March and I'm seriously considering saving my points, moving to Saratoga and renting a car. Or, upgrading to a one bedroom there for additional space for not that many more points. We also typically love the monorail area for the kids clubs but with Neverland Club closed at that time and inconvenient transportation I am having trouble seeing the value at this moment. At Saratoga we likely wouldn't even realize there is anything to be hassled about.

 

[rkold]

I've heard it's both the resort and express monorails, but not the Epcot one.

We are booked for GFV in March and I'm seriously considering saving my points, moving to Saratoga and renting a car. Or, upgrading to a one bedroom there for additional space for not that many more points. We also typically love the monorail area for the kids clubs but with Neverland Club closed at that time and inconvenient transportation I am having trouble seeing the value at this moment. At Saratoga we likely wouldn't even realize there is anything to be hassled about.

For us it is still worth it, we're renting a car and we're also going to be there for the Princess 1/2. I love that the race goes past the BLT so my family doesn't have to get up at an insane time to watch me go by. If we weren't planning on renting a car I would be a lot less happy about things.

 

[LiloH]

For us it is still worth it, we're renting a car and we're also going to be there for the Princess 1/2. I love that the race goes past the BLT so my family doesn't have to get up at an insane time to watch me go by. If we weren't planning on renting a car I would be a lot less happy about things.

BLT is better than GFV in this situation since you can walk to the MK. I know GFV is the "best" resort on property but it's the least convenient for transportation on the loop.

 

[mjlass11]

Glad I saw this thread. We're going to Disney next month and going to eat at Ohana on our MK day and planned on taking the monorail. Is there a quick way to the Poly? Taking a bus always seems to add 45-60 minutes between leaving the park, waiting for the bus... Can you walk there?

 

[jimandami]

Glad I saw this thread. We're going to Disney next month and going to eat at Ohana on our MK day and planned on taking the monorail. Is there a quick way to the Poly? Taking a bus always seems to add 45-60 minutes between leaving the park, waiting for the bus... Can you walk there?

You cannot walk but you can take the boat from MK.

 

[Conan the Librarian]

We just got back from a stay at WDW and I understand why they are doing this.

We were in the Contemporary catching a monorail to the GF and I noticed that the concrete track in the building is really looking bad. Like crumbling to dust bad.

After 40 years of carrying millions of folks, I understand that could happen.

I do hope this shutdown will be to repair that issue.

 

[DenLo]

Here's the announcement here on the DIS:

Monorails to run on shortened schedule
Beginning 1/21/14, the Magic Kingdom resort and Express monorails will be unavailable on weekdays between the hours of 11:30am to 7:00pm. This is a planned maintenance and will be in effect until the end of March 2014. There will be extra watercraft and buses available.

The Epcot monorail will run as usual.

I would think with the extra alternate transport even the monorail resorts will be okay especially since the monorails will still be running during peak times and extra alternate transportation will be provided.

With all the traffic on those berms it's time for a maintenance and with the lower crowds in the 1st quarter Disney picked a good time to do.

 

[bellastella227]

Do you mean pm to am? Or really during the day???

 

[mjlass11]

You cannot walk but you can take the boat from MK.

Do you catch this boat near the launch pad for the boats to the transportation center? How much time should we plan to get to poly? Thanks

 

[jimandami]

Do you catch this boat near the launch pad for the boats to the transportation center? How much time should we plan to get to poly? Thanks

It is to the right of the large ferry to the TTC, and I think it's marked "Resort Boat Launch" or something similar. I would allow at least 45 minutes or so, just to be safe.