Guests Stuck on Monorail When Doors Fail to Open

[rteetz]

Well, plenty of people here would. But we're not the norm.

Then all the more reason to get going on this sooner rather than later.

You said people wouldn't book based on new monorails though...

They are working on it. Its just not as urgent as many would like.

 

[umichigan10]

Not saying this is true or not, not a source I rely on, but some details make interesting conversation ....

So if it is true, and trains have not been ordered yet from anyone .... what would the plan be? especially for the 50th. I know they don't fix or build things fast .... but they are super fast at demolitions.

https://wdwnt.com/2018/11/rumor-wal...-bombardier-despite-mounting-safety-concerns/

If they need to report those kind of customer contracts then I can’t see how said source could be wrong here. Also, the price tags they list, which may or may not be accurate, are peanuts for a company Disney’s size

 

[HopperFan]

If they need to report those kind of customer contracts then I can’t see how said source could be wrong here. Also, the price tags they list, which may or may not be accurate, are peanuts for a company Disney’s size

All I said was I am just putting it out there, not trying to say right or wrong. Everyone can decide the quality of the source on their own.

Of course if those reports are mandatory, the info should be accurate, but I'm not looking at the reports or facts, just a blog post.

Not sure what the cost factor has to do with it, either they ordered some or they did not.

And it could be they ordered elsewhere but the blog seems to be focused on one company.

Just thought it was interesting .... and that if Disney has not ordered any new trains .... what is their plan?

 

[umichigan10]

All I said was I am just putting it out there, not trying to say right or wrong. Everyone can decide the quality of the source on their own.

Of course if those reports are mandatory, the info should be accurate, but I'm not looking at the reports or facts, just a blog post.

Not sure what the cost factor has to do with it, either they ordered some or they did not.

And it could be they ordered elsewhere but the blog seems to be focused on one company.

Just thought it was interesting .... and that if Disney has not ordered any new trains .... what is their plan?

Didn’t mean to come off critical on you so sorry if I did.

The cost concerns me because if that’s all it costs to get a new fleet, then it should’ve been done a while ago. A company Disney’s size can invest in something like that with fair ease, so that’s frustrating that it hasn’t gotten done yet.

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

The rumor mill has been really quiet since the gurr comment... i really hope disney has something in the works...everyone loves the monorail as it should be but not as it is now... for most its the first experience on property. Lets not forget the beam infrastructure for the electrical current will also need updating for new trains.
As for the emergency phones, wasnt the concensus that they havent worked for many years?!

 

[rteetz]

As for the emergency phones, wasnt the concensus that they havent worked for many years?!

If that’s the case then that’s another larger issue. They should be working. That would be an easier fix than new monorails for sure.

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

If that’s the case then that’s another larger issue. They should be working. That would be an easier fix than new monorails for sure.

Im serious , when the door incident happened didnt the guests report that the emergency phone didnt work.

 

[rteetz]

Im serious , when the door incident happened didnt the guests report that the emergency phone didnt work.

I never heard that. I believe reports were no one used them. And after the Monorail red door incident that train was taken offline and got a full run down making sure everything was working.

 

[Tiki Birdland]

At least four of our stays were "Monorail Resorts". We would have never stayed at them if there was no Monorail.

Do you really think the Contemporary would be interesting without the Monorail going in and out of it?

 

[dreiwhit]

and WDW has a fairly solid "Bus Backup Plan".

FWIW, I've been to MK with the monorail was down and also when the ferries weren't running (due to fog.) When one of them goes down, it causes problems and long waits to get over to MK. Unfortunately, if they have a bus backup plan, we never experienced it and never saw them shuttling people over to MK on buses. We were told by CMs to either go to the ferry or go to the monorail, not to a bus.

Problems or not, the monorail is a key part of their transportation plan, as well as a selling point for monorail resorts. They won't shut them down permanently unless the beam was gone, and even then only until it was replaced.

I used to think this about Disney. But the unbridled greed I have seen from them recently has me less trusting of them not taking chances.

A good friend of mine and Disney fan always says "never underestimate the greed of the Mouse."

I'm still confused how this was a CM error? I get that they didn't respond well, but unless the CMs are responsible for opening the doors, the issue began with an equipment failure.

I don't know what their exact duties are, but i've seen CMs watching the trainset to see if the doors open up and people board / disembark properly. I suspect one of the CMs that just didn't care may have been on duty that day.

FWIW, MK is my least favorite park because getting there can be an ordeal - it once took us 90 minutes from the time we left our car until the time we got through security at MK (back when security was not at the TTC.) If you notice, all the rest of the WDW parks were built with the parking lot next to the entrance......

 

[jade1]

FWIW, MK is my least favorite park because getting there can be an ordeal - it once took us 90 minutes from the time we left our car until the time we got through security at MK (back when security was not at the TTC.) If you notice, all the rest of the WDW parks were built with the parking lot next to the entrance......

Yea it's awful for drivers and offsite. We try to hit MK mostly during BLT stays-it's an amazing perk to walk. WDW Resort buses at least are close.

 

[jade1]

Wonder if they could at all be waiting to see how the Skyliner works out.

Would be a major rework around 7 Seas though so prob not.

 

[umichigan10]

Wonder if they could at all be waiting to see how the Skyliner works out.

Would be a major rework around 7 Seas though so prob not.

I can’t see how it’d feasible given itd take multiple turn stations and whatnot, not to mention I don’t know if the cabs would fit in the existing stations. But these are all guesses

 

[writerguyfl]

I'm a bit shocked no one on the monorail called 9-1-1. That would have been my first response if the emergency phones were not working.

 

[mshanson3121]

This seems more a CM error than anything.

I know you love Disney but let's not minimize the issue. The fleet is past it's prime. It is not CM error that the monorail mechanics malfunctioned. It's their error for everything after .

 

[mshanson3121]

All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong....

Shut the existing Monorails DOWN, before someone gets seriously hurt . They fail on a regular basis anyway - and WDW has a fairly solid "Bus Backup Plan".
So far this year? We've had doors not closing, doors not opening. How long before a door closes with force on a guest?

Don't forget doors falling off....

 

[mshanson3121]

I'm glad this got out on social media. Disney needs to be flamed for this - for the condition of their monorails, as well as how this was (not) handled .

This would have been horrible if we had been on it. My children and I got trapped in a ski caboose once and since then, none of us would cope well with this.

 

[umichigan10]

I know you love Disney but let's not minimize the issue. The fleet is past it's prime. It is not CM error that the monorail mechanics malfunctioned. It's their error for everything after .

You’re right that there’s no reason that these trains shouldve not been replaced by now. And it’s obvious that despite the best work of maintenance to keep them going, there’s just a point where you neee to get a totally fresh set.

I can’t fathom though that cast members didn’t notice a door opening at multiple stops. I mean it’s a long train, but it’s not *that* long. It’d be pretty obvious by looking at it that something was up when car 5 is still sealed shut while the others are boarding

 

[rteetz]

I know you love Disney but let's not minimize the issue. The fleet is past it's prime. It is not CM error that the monorail mechanics malfunctioned. It's their error for everything after .

I never said the fleet wasn’t past it’s prime. Obviously there was a CM error here though. It’s not distinctly on Disney and the trains.

 

[rteetz]

Don't forget doors falling off....

You’re mistaken the door did not really fall off. The door was unhinged and then when the crew was there to remove the door that’s when it fell. The train was not in service at the time. I posted a full run down of exactly what happened with that story.