Just back - Monorail rumor

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Just back after a 14 month break caring for my Mom with cancer. Friends wanted me to find my smile so we grabbed some 2 br villas and we were off. Even took the dog to his OWN Disney resort.

Had lunch with some engineering friends down there. Sounds like our beloved monorail is in for a rough ride. Besides cars overdue for replacement, the physical structure of the towers and systems has been neglected due to budget cuts for years. (just like all the pothole patches in our local streets. Patches cost less than paving the road.)


Our friends warned if a serious failure of the system in the next few years.

Kind-of makes sense. Disney maintenance budgets have been slashed for years now!

Ok, flame all you want....I'll be away from my
laptop so I'll miss it anyway. Just remember.....you heard it here first!

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

To clarify.

The towers are certainly not new and need maintenance but it's the equipment ON the towers they were talking about. Failure they talked about would require replacing the system. $$$$$$ and time shut down.....yikes.

 

[Figment632]

Biggest concern are the trains the structure is fine and inspected daily.

 

[dISNEYlOveer]

If they were to get new monorails, hopefully they dont get the kind at DisneyLand. I think those monorails are really ugly. The ones here (in my opinion) are much nicer and better looking.
Thats all i have to say for now...

 

[lockedoutlogic]

If they were to get new monorails, hopefully they dont get the kind at DisneyLand. I think those monorails are really ugly. The ones here (in my opinion) are much nicer and better looking.
Thats all i have to say for now...

i believe those monorails are identical to those were the original disneyland monorails circa 1959...

so there just might be a little nostalgia involved there

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

i believe those monorails are identical to those were the original disneyland monorails circa 1959...

so there just might be a little nostalgia involved there

While not identical, there's an intentional similarity between the current Disneyland Monorail fleet and the original fleet from 1959.

I think it's a matter of personal opinion and how we were originally introduced to Disney Monorails. I like the early and current Disneyland Monorail trains much more than anything they've ever run at WDW. The Disneyland Monorail trains look "Space Age." The WDW Monorail trains look like nicely designed mass transit trains.

The track is different, so the two systems are incompatible. WDW can order new trains from Bombardier. Disneyland has to have their trains custom-built, based on the original track specs from 1959.

 

[ChrisFL]

i believe those monorails are identical to those were the original disneyland monorails circa 1959...

so there just might be a little nostalgia involved there

Yeah, except the monorails in 1959 actually worked right when they were built

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . Kind-of makes sense. Disney maintenance budgets have been slashed for years now! . . .

1) I have been moaning and groaning about poor maintenance for years.
2) But, folks say, "Things look good to us!".
3) And, I get pooh-poohed.
4) Well, the maintenance issues are now coming to the fore.
5) Ogre (I mean Iger) has strangles the budgets for profit for years.
6) Now, things are beginning to fall apart.
7) Just look at all the rehabs, and not for improvement, but repairs.
8) WDW is a Cash Cow for Disney/ABC and needs better budget allowances.
9) My resort manager friends are all complaining - and loudly.

 

[mitros]

1) I have been moaning and groaning about poor maintenance for years.
2) But, folks say, "Things look good to us!".
3) And, I get pooh-poohed.
4) Well, the maintenance issues are now coming to the fore.
5) Ogre (I mean Iger) has strangles the budgets for profit for years.
6) Now, things are beginning to fall apart.
7) Just look at all the rehabs, and not for improvement, but repairs.
8) WDW is a Cash Cow for Disney/ABC and needs better budget allowances.
9) My resort manager friends are all complaining - and loudly.

Some really decent points. Especially regarding Iger {hand picked successor to Ei$ner, BY Ei$ner}
We all know that airlines allow a certain amount of fatalaties per number of people on planes, so I guess Disney will also allow for these fatalities per number of guests at the parks. I do believe it's just a matter of time.

 

[doconeill]

What equipment is on the towers? All I can think of is the power bus. And yes, that could probably do with replacement.

I think the monorail is a huge cash-burner for Disney. It can't be cheap to maintain and it isn't flexible, but they can't just get rid of it since it is a huge selling point for the surrounding resorts and an icon of the park. So think they are trying to hold off as long as possible before making any major updates.

Eventually there will have to be beam/stanchion replacement - you can patch the crumbling concrete, but it eventually is going to get worse and worse. I don't know if it's there yet...it's always looked fine to me.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Mitos!

Even after a year off, we still agree.

There Is no question trying to operate the cars beyond normal operation is not good....and these cars work hard.

The problem down the road is the equipment on the towers. Perhaps they can start selling gum at the MK so they have something to hold things together.

Joaking aside, this will not be a fast replacement to upgrade/replace.

Let's hope they have sold out all the DVC Grand Floridian before they announce the monorail maintenance shutdown.

Oh yea, how do they justify the cost of Monorail resorts when the monorail goes through major renovations.

40 year old equipment will not work well with state of the art replacements. After all, how easy is it to patch a current motherboard to a 40 year old computer!

We know it's far more than a computer upgrade. Everything apparently on the towers needs to come off sometime in the future. That solutions does not sound pretty right now.

We kno

 

[mitros]

Mitos!

Even after a year off, we still agree.

There Is no question trying to operate the cars beyond normal operation is not good....and these cars work hard.

The problem down the road is the equipment on the towers. Perhaps they can start selling gum at the MK so they have something to hold things together.

Joaking aside, this will not be a fast replacement to upgrade/replace.

Let's hope they have sold out all the DVC Grand Floridian before they announce the monorail maintenance shutdown.

Oh yea, how do they justify the cost of Monorail resorts when the monorail goes through major renovations.

40 year old equipment will not work well with state of the art replacements. After all, how easy is it to patch a current motherboard to a 40 year old computer!

Has it been a year?


Yea, it really is just a matter of time before one of those suckers
goes flying off the beam. We actually avoid the monorail these days. Unless we see some major replacements being done over all, we will drive ourselves around property.
Besides gum, I guess we can all bring spit and bailing wire with us when we visit WDW to help little Iger out.

 

[mickey4ever]

Disney definitely has the money to repair the monorails.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Disney definitely has the money to repair the monorails.

that statement is neither able to be proven nor relevant.

the fact that its true changes neither of the points above

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Has it been a year?


Yea, it really is just a matter of time before one of those suckers
goes flying off the beam. We actually avoid the monorail these days. Unless we see some major replacements being done over all, we will drive ourselves around property.
Besides gum, I guess we can all bring spit and bailing wire with us when we visit WDW to help little Iger out.

I have been away from the boards forabout 14 months taking care of my Mom with cancer. At first I would peek. The last months I never had the heart.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . Perhaps they can start selling gum at the MK so they have something to hold things together . . .

In that light . . .


Orlando Sentinel, May 22, 2012
Walt Disney World announced today that they have purchased a 30% stake in the manufacturer of duct tape. Mr Ogre said, "We have updated our maintenance procedures and have opted to go 'with the Force' . As our repair tests have proved, Duct Tape has the same properties as The Force. It has a good side and a Dark Side, and, it binds the universe together. Thus, all monorail and equipment repairs will now be performed with this proven technology."

 

[OldsDr]

In that light . . .


Orlando Sentinel, May 22, 2012
Walt Disney World announced today that they have purchased a 30% stake in the manufacturer of duct tape. Mr Ogre said, "We have updated our maintenance procedures and have opted to go 'with the Force' . As our repair tests have proved, Duct Tape has the same properties as The Force. It has a good side and a Dark Side, and, it binds the universe together. Thus, all monorail and equipment repairs will now be performed with this proven technology."

Story has been updated

the new 30% stake holder has found a way to make the tape 20% thinner and use 50% of the adhesive than they have been previously. These reductions will save manufacturing costs, but don't worry quality will not be affected.

In a related update they have announced the cost of duct tape will be increasing by how much has not been disclosed.

 

[Hockeyman]

Story has been updated

the new 30% stake holder has found a way to make the tape 20% thinner and use 50% of the adhesive than they have been previously. These reductions will save manufacturing costs, but don't worry quality will not be affected.

In a related update they have announced the cost of duct tape will be increasing by how much has not been disclosed.

And yet another update to that story has just been announced.

In related news Walt Disney World just announced another update to one of their characters in light of their recent Duct Tape investment. Duct Tape Donald Duck with now be making daily appearances at select character meet and great locations and character breakfasts thru out the resort.

 

[DCTooTall]

And yet another update to that story has just been announced.

In related news Walt Disney World just announced another update to one of their characters in light of their recent Duct Tape investment. Duct Tape Donald Duck with now be making daily appearances at select character meet and great locations and character breakfasts thru out the resort.

I just heard another rumor related to this story. I haven't had a chance to confirm it yet, But i'm hearing whispers that some people in higher management have determined a great bit of cross-business synergy is available in using Duct Tape to repair Betty the Yeti in Expedition Everest.

 

[doconeill]

ORLANDO, FL (DP) - The makers of Duck(R) Brand Duct Tape filed suit in Florida Superior Court, asking for an injunction and immediate relief and compensation against DisneyParks when it was announced that Disney would bring out a duct tape version of one of its popular characters, Donald Duck.

"It is nothing more than an attempt to confuse the marketplace," said Duck CEO Daffy Dodgers. "They are appropriating our mascot and symbol without our consent, as well as producing the character using an off-brand, lower quality product. We are concerned that the quality of such would then reflect poorly on our own product. We even hear that they are trying to do this with 50% less adhesive - that just won't work!"

Disney refused our requests for comment. Disney announced the new character 20 minutes ago, and it is expected to be the lead in a whole new line of "Ductimation" collectible dolls to be sold for $20 a piece, representing a 10000% profit margin over materials. Senior VP of products for DisneyParks, Will Makem-Byet, said, "We could wad it up in a ball, but slap some Mickey ears on it and put in a box, they'll buy it."