Epcot Monorail

[MJames59]

Has anyone heard anything on if/when they will be reopeninig the Epcot monorail?

 

[Krandor]

no. Social distaancing markers were seen being installed but that is it.

 

[woody337]

My gut tells me that it wont resume until a majority of the construction at Epcot is completed. That kind of stuff would look really bad from the monorail.

 

[Brett Wyman]

It just doesn't benefit Disney in any way to have it open right now. So it will be a while.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

It just doesn't benefit Disney in any way to have it open right now. So it will be a while.

Buses are cheaper?

 

[ford91exploder]

Monorail is Expensive with an E, why should disney make it easy to park hop? At their expense.

yes im being a bit hyperbolic here but all Disney has done at WDW since 2015 is cut, cut and more cuts all so the earnings calls sound like a growing tech company

 

[kitkat4622]

So how do you get from MK to EPCOT now

 

[pigletgirl]

So how do you get from MK to EPCOT now

Bus

 

[gatour]

Monorail is Expensive with an E, why should disney make it easy to park hop? At their expense.

yes im being a bit hyperbolic here but all Disney has done at WDW since 2015 is cut, cut and more cuts all so the earnings calls sound like a growing tech company

You act like cost cutting is a new phenonium for Disney. You might want to look up Pau Pressler. When he was made head of Disneyland he was known for cost cutting. Things like reducing customer service training, closing rides and shows early among other things this was back in 1994. He eventually was made head of all Disney attractions.

You should have read the comments back then about him.

 

[ford91exploder]

You act like cost cutting is a new phenonium for Disney. You might want to look up Pau Pressler. When he was made head of Disneyland he was known for cost cutting. Things like reducing customer service training, closing rides and shows early among other things this was back in 1994. He eventually was made head of all Disney attractions.

You should have read the comments back then about him.

im very familiar with paul pressler’s reign of terror it ended up with people getting killed due to deferred maintenance. He’s also famous for saying ‘the only moving thing in a Disney park should be a cash register drawer’. Chapek is his re-incarnation

 

[Eric Smith]

Monorail is Expensive with an E, why should disney make it easy to park hop? At their expense.

yes im being a bit hyperbolic here but all Disney has done at WDW since 2015 is cut, cut and more cuts all so the earnings calls sound like a growing tech company

Are you seriously suggesting that Disney has cut the Epcot Monorail to save money? It's likely not running because it's too low capacity to make much of an impact.

 

[Eric Smith]

So how do you get from MK to EPCOT now

Bus

 

[chasgeese]

Monorail is Expensive with an E, why should disney make it easy to park hop? At their expense.

yes im being a bit hyperbolic here but all Disney has done at WDW since 2015 is cut, cut and more cuts all so the earnings calls sound like a growing tech company

Is the monorail really that expensive to run? I know it’s wildly expensive to build and maintain, but they just invested a lot into monorail maintenance. If it really were so expensive wouldn’t Disney replace the MK monorail with buses as well? It’s probably more to do with not having enough monorails to spare on the longer Epcot route with to the capacity restrictions required by social distancing and the relatively poor ventilation than anything else.

I know everyone here likes to cite cost-cutting as the reason Disney does everything they don’t like (and most of the time they are right), but, especially during COVID, not all of these decisions are due to cost-cutting. I guess you could say that Disney could acquire more monorail trains to make the system work with COVID restrictions, but those are insanely expensive and also wouldn’t be needed when the restrictions are lifted.

 

[ford91exploder]

Is the monorail really that expensive to run? I know it’s wildly expensive to build and maintain, but they just invested a lot into monorail maintenance. If it really were so expensive wouldn’t Disney replace the MK monorail with buses as well? It’s probably more to do with not having enough monorails to spare on the longer Epcot route with to the capacity restrictions required by social distancing and the relatively poor ventilation than anything else.

I know everyone here likes to cite cost-cutting as the reason Disney does everything they don’t like (and most of the time they are right), but, especially during COVID, not all of these decisions are due to cost-cutting. I guess you could say that Disney could acquire more monorail trains to make the system work with COVID restrictions, but those are insanely expensive and also wouldn’t be needed when the restrictions are lifted.

it probably costs10-20 million to operate per year but when Disney is checking the couch for quarters thats a nice chunk of change.

i’m not talking about the reasonable things that Disney has done to prevent the spread of Covid, But much also has been cut ‘because covid’ but were on the chopping block for future rounds of cuts. I also think Disney is going to run out the clock on the unions so everyone who comes back will have to start at the bottom of the ladder again.

i’m truly afraid that the Disney we loved is gone permanently. And the only Disney left will be the signage.

What bugs me is the general atmosphere of ‘Going out out Business Everything Must Go’ which has been so prevalent at WDW over the last few years. Beloved small stuff like ‘PUSH’ the talking trashcan gone overnight, that probably cost < 100,000 year, Citizens of Hollywood, Comic Waiters. Miyuki the candy artist. All gone with nothing to replace them. These ‘little things’ are what made Disney well Disney.

 

[Eric Smith]

it probably costs10-20 million to operate per year but when Disney is checking the couch for quarters thats a nice chunk of change.

i’m not talking about the reasonable things that Disney has done to prevent the spread of Covid, But much also has been cut ‘because covid’ but were on the chopping block for future rounds of cuts. I also think Disney is going to run out the clock on the unions so everyone who comes back will have to start at the bottom of the ladder again.

i’m truly afraid that the Disney we loved is gone permanently. And the only Disney left will be the signage.

What bugs me is the general atmosphere of ‘Going out out Business Everything Must Go’ which has been so prevalent at WDW over the last few years. Beloved small stuff like ‘PUSH’ the talking trashcan gone overnight, that probably cost < 100,000 year, Citizens of Hollywood, Comic Waiters. Miyuki the candy artist. All gone with nothing to replace them. These ‘little things’ are what made Disney well Disney.

During this same time period, Disney built Pandora, Toy Story Land, Galaxy’s Edge, Ratatouille, and Tron along with all the work in Future World. That doesn’t scream “going out of business” to me.

 

[ford91exploder]

During this same time period, Disney built Pandora, Toy Story Land, Galaxy’s Edge, Ratatouille, and Tron along with all the work in Future World. That doesn’t scream “going out of business” to me.

And closed a greater number of rides and attractions as part of that so called buildout so net the parks have fewer rides than they did 5 years ago.

DHS was an underbuilt park on opening day and now DHS has fewer rides than the day it was built, as does Epcot

 

[Douglas Dubh]

DHS was an underbuilt park on opening day and now DHS has fewer rides than the day it was built, as does Epcot

No, they don’t.

 

[Bruggok]

it probably costs10-20 million to operate per year but when Disney is checking the couch for quarters thats a nice chunk of change.

i’m not talking about the reasonable things that Disney has done to prevent the spread of Covid, But much also has been cut ‘because covid’ but were on the chopping block for future rounds of cuts. I also think Disney is going to run out the clock on the unions so everyone who comes back will have to start at the bottom of the ladder again.

i’m truly afraid that the Disney we loved is gone permanently. And the only Disney left will be the signage.

What bugs me is the general atmosphere of ‘Going out out Business Everything Must Go’ which has been so prevalent at WDW over the last few years. Beloved small stuff like ‘PUSH’ the talking trashcan gone overnight, that probably cost < 100,000 year, Citizens of Hollywood, Comic Waiters. Miyuki the candy artist. All gone with nothing to replace them. These ‘little things’ are what made Disney well Disney.

I hear ya and agree. As a related sidenote, I wonder how is it that WDW cut back so hard but OLC/Tokyo Disneyland can afford not to? Despite the pandemic, extended closures, and now running at just 5000 guests/day limit, TDL's retiring the previous class of monorails after 20 years of service and inaugurating new ones. They're expanding: https://www.themeparx.com/tokyo-disney-resort-expansion/ Note that their buildings have to be earthquake rated. New expansions including Frozen and Tangled themed stuff. Is OLC a giant AK tree but made of money? Their employees working for peanuts or free? WDW won't even keep EP monorail running.

 

[ford91exploder]

I hear ya and agree. As a related sidenote, I wonder how is it that WDW cut back so hard but OLC/Tokyo Disneyland can afford not to? Despite the pandemic, extended closures, and now running at just 5000 guests/day limit, TDL's retiring the previous class of monorails after 20 years of service and inaugurating new ones. They're expanding: https://www.themeparx.com/tokyo-disney-resort-expansion/ Note that their buildings have to be earthquake rated. New expansions including Frozen and Tangled themed stuff. Is OLC a giant AK tree but made of money? Their employees working for peanuts or free? WDW won't even keep EP monorail running.

OLC is run the way it is because the Japanese are not thinking about the next quarter, They are thinking about the next 5-10-20 years and they want their park to be as fresh and attractive 10 years from now as it is today and as viable as a business as it is today. Asian cultures are shame based in large part and thats why if a Japanese CEO makes a major mistake which damages the business they usually admit fault, and resign and some of them follow the ancient bushido custom of seppuku for failing their master 'The Company'

OLC workers are very well paid it's one of the best jobs in Tokyo for customer service people and turnover is virtually nil and you have mulltiple generations working at the park.

The interesting thing is OLC is investing about 20-25% of revenue back into the park for maintenance and expansion which historically is the number Disney USED to invest (now about 6%) and Comcast/Herschend invests in their parks. Themed entertainment is a expensive business but as OLC and others prove its lucrative long term if one INVESTS in the business.

 

[Eric Smith]

OLC is run the way it is because the Japanese are not thinking about the next quarter, They are thinking about the next 5-10-20 years and they want their park to be as fresh and attractive 10 years from now as it is today and as viable as a business as it is today. Asian cultures are shame based in large part and thats why if a Japanese CEO makes a major mistake which damages the business they usually admit fault, and resign and some of them follow the ancient bushido custom of seppuku for failing their master 'The Company'

OLC workers are very well paid it's one of the best jobs in Tokyo for customer service people and turnover is virtually nil and you have mulltiple generations working at the park.

The interesting thing is OLC is investing about 20-25% of revenue back into the park for maintenance and expansion which historically is the number Disney USED to invest (now about 6%) and Comcast/Herschend invests in their parks. Themed entertainment is a expensive business but as OLC and others prove its lucrative long term if one INVESTS in the business.

Do you have any actual source for these numbers you’re throwing around?