Island Tower at Polynesian Villas & Bungalows

[CastAStone]

So what do you think the end of useful life plan is? Busses and tear it all down?

I’m guessing some version of that, yes. I just have no idea if that’s 2030 or 2070.

 

[DonMacGregor]

So what do you think the end of useful life plan is? Busses and tear it all down?

Useful life of what? The concrete beam could have decades worth of life left in it. Reinforced structural concrete can have a lifespan of 100 years or more. As for the trains, there have been 5 iterations at Disneyland (MK-I, MK-II, MK-III, MK-V, and MK-VII) and 2 at Disney World (MK-IV and MK-VI). There's no reason why they can't or won't continue to replace rolling stock as it wears out or becomes technologically outdated.

 

[StarCruzer]

The only thing I can think of to improve the monorails is the technology side of things. As technology advances, usually things can be made with less (or lighter) materials. If the cars themselves are lighter, maybe they can be redesigned in a way to comfortably fit more passengers.

I do think eventually they will need to consider adding buses to EPCOT for the monorail resorts, even if it's just for rope drop and park close (not sure if they already do this during peak times). Taking the monorail to EPCOT from anywhere takes ages. I think the last time I tried, it took 45 minutes to get from EPCOT to Grand Floridian.

 

[bakerr6]

So what do you think the end of useful life plan is? Busses and tear it all down?

Tear down, extend the people mover and force all guests using it to buy a hopper pass for all parks.

 

[RivShore]

Tear down, extend the people mover and force all guests using it to buy a hopper pass for all parks.

LOL! I like that idea! Thunderstorms would be fun, though.

 

[WeIcomeHome]

I would guess the initial design life was 75 years (give or take) for infrastructure like a monorail. That design life could be extended with regular inspections or retrofits if necessary.

If the design life is in the 50 to 75 year range, it's replacement would be something Disney it's already planning for. If it was designed for 75 to 100 years, I'm guessing there hasn't been too much discussed at this point.

I've heard issues with maintenance cost of the monorail equipment after a company stopped producing parts, but I'm not sure the validity of that.

 

[DonMacGregor]

I've heard issues with maintenance cost of the monorail equipment after a company stopped producing parts, but I'm not sure the validity of that.

Well, the trains have now been built by 5 or 6 different "manufacturers" (in quotes because Disney built the earlier models in-house), so obsolescence of parts isn't something new or unencountered. With Bombardier gone, I wouldn't doubt the Mark VI's at WDW are seeing some parts obsolescence though. For reference:

Mark I: built by Disney at the studios, based on an Alweg design.
Mark II: built by Disney at the studios, also based on an Alweg design.
Mark III: built by Disney under Imagineering/WED.
Mark IV: built by Martin Marietta
Mark V: built by Messerschmitt (Germany)
Mark VI: built by Bombardier
Mark VII: built by Dynamic Structures

 

[bookbabe626]

Well, the trains have now been built by 5 or 6 different "manufacturers" (in quotes because Disney built the earlier models in-house), so obsolescence of parts isn't something new or unencountered. With Bombardier gone, I wouldn't doubt the Mark VI's at WDW are seeing some parts obsolescence though. For reference:

Mark I: built by Disney at the studios, based on an Alweg design.
Mark II: built by Disney at the studios, also based on an Alweg design.
Mark III: built by Disney under Imagineering/WED.
Mark IV: built by Martin Marietta
Mark V: built by Messerschmitt (Germany)
Mark VI: built by Bombardier
Mark VII: built by Dynamic Structures

Central Shops at WDW has some pretty high-end CNC machines, pretty sure they would have no problems manufacturing any of the needed parts. Got to tour both Central Shops and the Transportation Depot backstage earlier this month as part of an Adventures by Disney trip, and my impression was that they are well-equipped to keep the monorails running for the foreseeable future. The CMs in the Depot are really knowledgeable, and were very keen to share info about their jobs.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Central Shops at WDW has some pretty high-end CNC machines, pretty sure they would have no problems manufacturing any of the needed parts. Got to tour both Central Shops and the Transportation Depot backstage earlier this month as part of an Adventures by Disney trip, and my impression was that they are well-equipped to keep the monorails running for the foreseeable future. The CMs in the Depot are really knowledgeable, and were very keen to share info about their jobs.

The shops in the parks have machined new parts for the Main Street vehicles, the steam trains, and the Monorails from Day-1. I think the previous poster was talking more about proprietary stuff like electronics, drive tires, etc. Stuff that has to be sourced, either from the OEM or a third party. Machined parts, replacement interior and exterior fiberglass and vacu-formed panels, etc. can all definitely be made in house, either in the respective parks or in Burbank or Glendale.

 

[bookbabe626]

The shops in the parks have machined new parts for the Main Street vehicles, the steam trains, and the Monorails from Day-1. I think the previous poster was talking more about proprietary stuff like electronics, drive tires, etc. Stuff that has to be sourced, either from the OEM or a third party. Machined parts, replacement interior and exterior fiberglass and vacu-formed panels, etc. can all definitely be made in house, either in the respective parks or in Burbank or Glendale.

Seeing the equipment available, and talking to the CMs in both Central Shops and Transportation, I’d be willing to bet that they are capable of manufacturing or repairing the vast majority of necessary parts. There didn’t seem to be much they weren’t capable of making in-house if they needed to. The one manager suggested that the only reason things go out to third party vendors is it’s cheaper, not because they aren’t capable of doing it themselves. So I guess maybe at some point it will come down to whether the monorails are too expensive to keep running, rather than whether it’s physically possible to do so.

(As a side note, we got to ride the recently refurbished Blue along the backstage spur from the Transportation Depot to the MK station, and you would have thought it was brand new. Even had that “new car” smell.)

 

[tjkraz]

People are willing to do anything to jump aboard the Disney hate train. It’s an easy way to gain views on youtube. Just say Universal good, Disney bad and expensive and you’re guaranteed to get a bunch of views. If I had a nickel for every time someone commented a form of “Walt is turning over in his grave” or “The Disney magic is gone” I swear lol. I noticed a lot of the people who were criticizing Poly tower shut up pretty quickly after the interior videos were released.

I’m not saying Disney is perfect or that some of their recent decisions haven’t been frustrating but jeez. The amount of negativity people love to spin up is absurd. There’s so much coverage nowadays and people see every little detail about the resort and expect it to look beautiful at every single step

Nostalgia will be the death of us. Every time something changes at a Disney theme park or resort, it's taken as a personal affront. "When my daughter was 4 she met (character) in front of ____ and now it's gone forever. So sad I'll never get to see that again."

Don't get me wrong, I have a ton of those memories too. 22 years ago we had an absolutely amazing time at the Tapestry of Dreams parade with our 2 yo son, which we still joke about today now that he's 24. But that's the thing...I'll always have those memories. Disney didn't steal my memories. I don't need to re-live it and nobody wants Disney to run the same parade for over 25 years.

That's not to say there aren't things worth complaining about. But it gets lost in the noise of splitting hairs over paint colors on hotel room walls or the origins of a new light fixture. Or ranting about a new hotel 3 years before it's set to open. (Seriously, who has the energy to get upset about something literally years before the finished product is even visible???)

I say this as someone who's closer to the end of his journey than the beginning: Disney isn't just building things for us anymore. There are whole new generations coming, with different tastes and different expectations. Disney doesn't feel obligated to leave the Poly looking like a relic of the 1970s or 1980s. Nor should they. Time marches on.

When it comes to subjective things like colors, designs and decor, at least 2 things are true:
1) Even if I don't like it, someone else probably does
2) Eventually, it's gonna change again anyway

 

[CarolynFH]

@tjkraz, I fully agree. Our first family visit was 1994, and our first view of Spaceship Earth was from the pilot cabin of the monorail. Our kids got autographs from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Our daughter intentionally got lost in the Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area. We could see Wilderness Lodge being built, and I hoped to stay there “someday.” Things change, and I’m glad!

 

[AstroBlasters]

@tjkraz, I fully agree. Our first family visit was 1994, and our first view of Spaceship Earth was from the pilot cabin of the monorail. Our kids got autographs from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Our daughter intentionally got lost in the Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area. We could see Wilderness Lodge being built, and I hoped to stay there “someday.” Things change, and I’m glad!

Does Disney own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

 

[intamin]

Nostalgia will be the death of us. Every time something changes at a Disney theme park or resort, it's taken as a personal affront. "When my daughter was 4 she met (character) in front of ____ and now it's gone forever. So sad I'll never get to see that again."

Don't get me wrong, I have a ton of those memories too. 22 years ago we had an absolutely amazing time at the Tapestry of Dreams parade with our 2 yo son, which we still joke about today now that he's 24. But that's the thing...I'll always have those memories. Disney didn't steal my memories. I don't need to re-live it and nobody wants Disney to run the same parade for over 25 years.

Yeah.. I agree.. a classic example of this is Main Street Electrical Parade. I grew up watching this parade and still absolutely love it. It has a special place in my childhood memories. I still get chills hearing the intro. They've brought it back multiple times since and I'm sorry but when compared to Paint the Night from a few years ago, I wish they had gotten rid of it sooner.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Yeah.. I agree.. a classic example of this is Main Street Electrical Parade. I grew up watching this parade and still absolutely love it. It has a special place in my childhood memories. I still get chills hearing the intro. They've brought it back multiple times since and I'm sorry but when compared to Paint the Night from a few years ago, I wish they had gotten rid of it sooner.

Yep that music is something you never forget. My son got to see it when he was 2 not long after it was retired I think.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

At least disneyland has a nighttime parade. WDW only has fireworks I would trade a night of the fireworks for the parade

 

[Disdreaming479]

In the 80s there used to be a dance club at Disneyland for teens that my sister and cousin used to go to. Can you imagine that now?

 

[CastAStone]

Does Disney own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

No, but at the time the company that did own the Turtles was independent so Disney just made a deal, no different than Indiana Jones or Twilight Zone.

Paramount currently owns the IP and the cartoons / animated films. Warner Discovery I believe owns the live action films.

 

[RivShore]

from the pilot cabin of the monorail

Those were the days!

 

[StarCruzer]

Those were the days!

I still have my honorary monorail pilot certificate from when I was 8 and got to ride in the cockpit