FW transportation in the past

[Aunt Jo]

I hope someone can help me settle a friendly argument with my brother-in-law. He claims that in the late 80's, Trams like the one they use in the park parking lots, were used to transport folks from their RV and Wilderness Home sites to the main bus stop. I say it's always been busses. I can take it if I'm wrong and will apologise to BIL but would really like to know. Thanks a lot.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

We've always used busses. Back in the 70's, we used lil 30ft Twin Coaches... and then in the 80's, we went to RTS busses.

 

[drusba]

Actually at FW in the early to mid 1970's, when there was the campgrounds but not the trailers or cabins, internal transportation was provided by a train that went around the campgrounds. Since that time it has always been busses, never a tram.

 

[Aunt Jo]

Thanks so much to both of you for the replies. I was prepared to "eat crow" if I was wrong but it was sure fun to tell BIL this morning that I was right.

 

[Disney Debbie]

MMM - sorry to be a dissenter here - but I know they had trams that took you from the parking lot to River Country back in the 70's. We went there (to River Country) in 1978 and 1979. On at least one of those times I remember going through the campgrounds making stops. I don't remember doing that every time though - but I distinctly remember it because that's the only time I've seen the campgrounds. That would have been before there were any resorts besides the monorail resorts - maybe they switched to buses when they built Epcot and some of the other resorts?

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Okay... this is a quote from my CM Transportation Guidebook

Since opening day on October 1, 1971, our equipment has changed as our role in transportation has changed. In the beginning, we operated shuttle vans, taking guests wherever they wanted to go. As guest demand increased, we started a refurbished school bus for the employees shuttle and double tandems for our Guest routes. Later came the minibus, the Mercedes bus, and the twin coach buses.

My guess is that the "Double Tandem" is the tram that folks are referring to.

One other note... during a part of '89, monorails were shut down as they refurbished the platforms and the contemporary air doors, in preperation for the new, larger Mark VI trains. During this time, parking trams took guests directly to the Magic Kingdom.