Disney World may discontinue resort's Monorail system? False report

[toonaspie]

I would love to see light rail or streetcar system, but that would require a lot of cable lines that would create more complications and headaches, especially in a hurricane prone area. I believe there are some cities working on a wireless system however that would be much better for Disney.

As for the monorail, I can understand taking out the Epcot line but the MK loop lines need to be kept. I could also see them installing a skyliner along the right side of the Seven Seas Lagoon with would help with end of the day congestion.

 

[Spyral]

If I'm understanding you correctly as to locations an route, there are a couple of obstacles to be overcome.

1. Any direct route from the TTC to the MK needs to cross the canal that goes from Bay Lake to Seven Seas Lagoon. There isn't any extra room for a rail line under the existing water bridge the cars and buses use. A bridge over that canal would need to be very high so that ferry boats can still be brought back and forth from the dry dock area on Bay Lake. That requires a fairly steep grade which isn't easy for rail lines.
2. For the return you have the similar problem (again if I understand your route) with the canal that comes out of the MK area between the MK and the Grand Floridian.

For #1, perhaps they could re-route the road and instead build a bridge for cars and buses and have light rail use the existing water bridge. Should be easier for cars/buses to use a steeper grade.

 

[writerguyfl]

If I'm understanding you correctly as to locations an route, there are a couple of obstacles to be overcome.

1. Any direct route from the TTC to the MK needs to cross the canal that goes from Bay Lake to Seven Seas Lagoon. There isn't any extra room for a rail line under the existing water bridge the cars and buses use. A bridge over that canal would need to be very high so that ferry boats can still be brought back and forth from the dry dock area on Bay Lake. That requires a fairly steep grade which isn't easy for rail lines.
2. For the return you have the similar problem (again if I understand your route) with the canal that comes out of the MK area between the MK and the Grand Floridian.

I was envisioning drawbridges. We have many drawbridges over canals and rivers here in South Florida. There even is a drawbridge for the railroad tracks that run through Downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Anyway, it's just a thought. Rail (heavy and light) have been around for decades. It's proven technology that is still being implemented across the globe. If other cities can manage to run trains over things like canals and rivers, there's no reason why Disney shouldn't at least consider it.

 

[Princess_Lisa]

Speaking of monorails, I ran across this one in Germany several years ago. The train is suspended underneath the beam. It goes to/from the Airport. An interesting mix of cool and scary.

 

[jknezek]

Speaking of monorails, I ran across this one in Germany several years ago. The train is underneath the beam. It goes to/from the Airport. An interesting mix of cool and scary. Not sure I would trust the Disney beams in such a configuration though seeing how many patched cracks there are.

https://www.dus.com/en/arrival-and-departure/skytrain

This was the original plan for DLR's monorail. Walt visited this system and fell in love. The reason it was built the other way was Walt's wife was terrified when he took her on it. I can probably dig out a citation for this if someone wants it.

 

[KYMickey]

I wonder if you could use the existing monorail track to support light rail track? You could span between the 2 existing beams with the structure of some type and you would have plenty of room to install 2 sets of tracks. Since the monorail track already goes over all the known obstacles that would easily solve the problem of interferences you probably could even do it for the loop around Epcot in similar fashion.

 

[maverik85]

Screamscape isn't the best with rumors but I'm sure this has been discussed at soe point though. They have openly talked aobut how expensive the monorails are to maintain and very costly for new stuff. that is part of the reason they havne't updated to newer trains. So I'm sure the report that it has been discussed is liekly true, it's jsut more of a matter of how much they were really considering it though.

 

[jade1]

We have many drawbridges over canals and rivers here in South Florida.

 

[OKW Lover]

I was envisioning drawbridges. We have many drawbridges over canals and rivers here in South Florida. There even is a drawbridge for the railroad tracks that run through Downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Doubt a drawbridge would work well for the TTC to MK section running across from the Contemporary. That canal that the water bridge creates is heavily used. Almost always a boat going through there.

 

[jade1]

Doubt a drawbridge would work well for the TTC to MK section running across from the Contemporary. That canal that the water bridge creates is heavily used. Almost always a boat going through there.

Agreed. I would suggest from GF to MK.

 

[writerguyfl]

Doubt a drawbridge would work well for the TTC to MK section running across from the Contemporary. That canal that the water bridge creates is heavily used. Almost always a boat going through there.

I was thinking something like this:

Source: http://www.yachtforums.com/threads/navigating-the-new-river-in-ft-lauderdale-fl.11282/

Something tall enough where all the normal boats transporting guests between the Bay Lake resorts and Magic Kingdom could pass beneath without opening the drawbridge. Then, you only need to open it and stop light rail traffic when you need the extra height. Essentially, exactly what they do with the Epcot pedestrian bridge that jade1 posted above.

 

[OKW Lover]

That's what I was thinking of. Really doubt that would work there.

 

[rkstocke5609]

Well, why not just build a pedestrian tunnel right under the canal similar to the one that all the buses drive through on the other side of the lake.

And yes, it would need doors on either side to make sure there isn’t a gator lurking. Well lit, ventilated, and proper grate drainage in front of doors to handle runoff from going into tunnel.

https://leolaksi.wordpress.com/2009/04/01/pedestrian-tunnels-and-covered-walkways-in-singapore/

Let’s fix this problem people!

 

[KYMickey]

Well, why not just build a pedestrian tunnel right under the canal similar to the one that all the buses drive through on the other side of the lake.

And yes, it would need doors on either side to make sure there isn’t a gator lurking. Well lit, ventilated, and proper grate drainage in front of doors to handle runoff from going into tunnel.

https://leolaksi.wordpress.com/2009/04/01/pedestrian-tunnels-and-covered-walkways-in-singapore/

Let’s fix this problem people!

That would be a good solution but would be extremely expensive. Also building it would be a major issue because they would either have to bore a tunnel which would require a lot of space and equipment or they would have to shut off the existing passage drive piles, drain that section and then build the tunnel and in reverse everything they did. A bridge even if it had to be a drawbridge would be considerably cheaper and on that side is not a lot of boat traffic to worry about.

 

[writerguyfl]

That's what I was thinking of. Really doubt that would work there.

Just curious, but why not? Like I said, we have many drawbridges where I live and they work just fine with boats.

 

[OKW Lover]

Just curious, but why not? Like I said, we have many drawbridges where I live and they work just fine with boats.

The drawbridge would have to be raised many times every hour. How frequently do they raise the draw bridges down there?

 

[jade1]

The drawbridge would have to be raised many times every hour. How frequently do they raise the draw bridges down there?

Agreed. One from GF to MK would only be used to get the water parade through at night.

 

[murmkc]

Traffic is already crazy - taking away the monorail would only make it worse. I don't see it going anywhere soon.

 

[jade1]

Traffic is already crazy - taking away the monorail would only make it worse. I don't see it going anywhere soon.

Yep probably right, although a simple drawbridge like EPCOT between GF and MK, even just a walking trail would reduce pressure from GF, POLY even TTC if some want to walk.

 

[writerguyfl]

The drawbridge would have to be raised many times every hour. How frequently do they raise the draw bridges down there?

Typically, drawbridges are raised on a schedule, every half hour. But, if there are no tall boats waiting, the bridge tender doesn't raise the bridge.

However, in the scenario I'm thinking, a bridge over the link from Bay Lake wouldn't need to be raised unless a ferry or steamship was going to dry dock. The bridge would be tall enough where boat transports from Bay Lake would be able to pass beneath when it was down. Granted, they may need to replace some of the current boats being used. Imagine something low profile like the Friendship boats. Those pass under multiple pedestrian bridges without a problem.

A drawbridge over the canal leading to the Rivers of America would only need to be opened twice daily for the Electrical Water Pageant boats. Although, Disney could use the bridge as an excuse to eliminate it completely. It doesn't produce any revenue and only die-hard fans would miss it. If that happens, the canal drawbridge would only need to be opened for boats heading to dry dock.