Monorail broken down on Epcot line.

[mom2rtk]

It is obvious they need to do something with the monorail. The trick is to do it without a huge guest impact, and that may be all but impossible.

Let's see ..... who was it that said "It's kind of fun to do the impossible."?

 

[Meshell2002]

As a mother to 3 under 6 I cringe at the thought of this. Hope you get a new ADR!

What really concerns me though is their procedure for this....what if in these three hrs someone has a medical emergency like a stroke? I think they could shut it down in low season for maintenance if they wanted to....as long as people knew at time of booking.

Makes me glad we didn't get BLT this trip.....we r SSR in Oct.

 

[maxiesmom]

Let's see ..... who was it that said "It's kind of fun to do the impossible."?

I find it hard to believe that anyone would find staying at a monorail resort with no monorail service at all fun.

 

[mom2rtk]

I find it hard to believe that anyone would find staying at a monorail resort with no monorail service at all fun.

I think the quote means that it's fun finding a way to make that impossible happen. As in finding a way to fix the monorail successfully without a mass guest revolt. The "fun" would come from doing something all the nay-sayers said couldn't be done.

 

[Glenn]

What a mess. They lost the time stuck in the monorail, they lost the whole evening because they & the kids were out of it, and they lost time having to work to get the penalty for the missed reservation reversed. Then the fast passes were sort of a big joke the way they were issued along with the CM attitude. Everyone on that monorail should be emailing customer service. It certainly shows the change in Disney mentality now days. When you own a business you normally put money aside for long term repairs. If the cars are well past their life buy new ones. They should already have money on the books for new ones. Opps forgot about large bonuses, John Carter, Lone Ranger. No new cars for at least a decade or 2 more.

 

[mom2rtk]

They should not only book you into 'Ohana, they should comp the whole meal.

Yep. Absolutely. Heck, if I had an ADR myself I would gladly while they seated a family ahead of me who had been through that the prior night. The longer Disney lets this resolution delay the less satisfactory it will be when and if it happens.

OP, I'd keep moving this up the ladder. Try your concierge, try the Poly concierge, try the 'Ohana manager. And keep trying. And in the meantime, I shoot off an email to guest services while you are still on property. If nothing comes of it, then they would get a "sternly worded letter" from me when I got home.

 

[erinch]

We once had a very serious issue. Our now 25 year old son was 4. At that time, when it was time to exit the busses, they opened front and back doors. We started to go out the back door, and the bus driver shouted and swore at my son. He slammed the door shut, which caught my son's leg. Then he started to drive. The other passengers pried the door open and freed my son. The bus driver was. Still swearing.

We marched to guest services and got a lackluster response. We went to the front desk at the GF, where we were staying, and got a lackluster response.

We demanded the hotel manager, and got him. And then things started to happen. The bus driver was fired (and rightfully so. As there could have been a fatality).

By the next morning, every bus on property had a sign to only exit the front doors, and there was a safety spiel.

A giant Pooh and a letter from Mickey appeared in our room. And a night was comped on our package.

Going up the food chain sometimes is essential.

 

[Satchmo128]

We once had a very serious issue. Our now 25 year old son was 4. At that time, when it was time to exit the busses, they opened front and back doors. We started to go out the back door, and the bus driver shouted and swore at my son. He slammed the door shut, which caught my son's leg. Then he started to drive. The other passengers pried the door open and freed my son. The bus driver was. Still swearing.

We marched to guest services and got a lackluster response. We went to the front desk at the GF, where we were staying, and got a lackluster response.

We demanded the hotel manager, and got him. And then things started to happen. The bus driver was fired (and rightfully so. As there could have been a fatality).

By the next morning, every bus on property had a sign to only exit the front doors, and there was a safety spiel.

A giant Pooh and a letter from Mickey appeared in our room. And a night was comped on our package.

Going up the food chain sometimes is essential.

Oh my goodness....I am so glad that your son was okay. That is frightening!!

 

[Kristine316]

Being stuck on the monorail would be an extremely unpleasant, uncomfortable experience, but to throw out post traumatic stress? That's akin to comparing it to being held hostage in a bank robbery or experiencing the horrors of war.

Did you read what I wrote? I said... "sort of like a little PTS".. sort of means.. somewhat like but, not totally.. and a little means just that.. a little, like a very minor version of it.

Anyway, if someone has issues with being in enclosed spaces or has a panic attack trapped like that I can see where it could really mess with ones head.

I was locked in a small closet when I was little by a babysitter for a few hours. I had nightmares and serious issues with enclosed spaces for years after that.
Don't be too quick to think something like a minor case of PTS couldn't happen in a case like this. Everyone responds to situations like this differently.. who are you to say it wouldn't rise to the level to have PTS? Just because you don't see it as being a traumatic experience doesn't mean someone else wouldn't. Someone prone to panic attacks or claustrophobia could find being trapped like that highly traumatic.

 

[larryz]

Let's see ..... who was it that said "It's kind of fun to do the impossible."?

Was it Barry Manilow?

 

[dmccarty]

More irony, but one of the adverts showing while reading this thread is for WDW Deluxe Resorts...

Of course, the photo is at the Contemporary...

With the Monorail emerging from the resort.

I don't like lawsuits, and lordy knows there are plenty of bad ones, but there really is no excuse for people being trapped for three hours on a monorail. If this was a one time thing, then chalk it up to a stuff happens, but the monorails have been problematic for years and Disney has not fixed the problem. I will be shocked if there are not a bunch of lawsuits from this incident.

Later,
Dan

 

[StaciMay]

A friend of mine (and her family) was one of the unfortunate souls stuck on the monorail. Her family was given fast passes, a counter service meal, and cab ride to their hotel.

 

[angey77]

We were once stuck on PotC once for an hour and 45 minutes, where your boat just starts onto the unloading ramp, but too far away from the unloading area for the CMs to let us off. We had to wait for the ride to power down and back up to get out (and this was after all other boats were evacuated). This was the icing on the cake for a vacation that had many issues (broken rides, broken room charge system, etc.). We missed a lunch ADR at Biergarten because of it, and was able to schedule a dinner that night, but of course, that was about $15 more per person than the late lunch. Our compensation when getting off the ride? One FP each, until my father-in-law spoke up and said "I think the whole boat should get three each!," which we did.
I waited until we got home and emailed Guest Relations about the entire vacation, both the good and the bad, in detail. Needless to say, I received a phone call days later from a very appreciative but apologetic CM. I was told being stuck on PotC for almost two hours was totally unacceptable, and without me asking or demanding anything, was given three-day PHers for each person in our party. I was shocked!
I'm not saying expect compensation (heaven knows I was not expecting free park hoppers!), but if you have a bad experience, really consider emailing Guest Services with your concerns, even after the fact.

 

[kandb]

Kristine316, I totally agree with you. From someone who is slightly claustrophobic, I cannot even imagine being stuck for over 3 full hours in a monorail. I just think over 3 hours is totally unacceptable. We got stuck for 10 minutes on the monorail 2 trips ago, really high up in the air and after that and reading on here how the monorail has been getting stuck, I have decided not to ride it anymore. It's really ashame that Disney is ignoring the problem with the monorails and keep building more DVC at monorail resorts.

 

[drinkme]

Op, that just stinks! Sorry you lost all that time stuck on the monorail.

As for your compensation, well I agree with everyone else that it should have been more.

In June my ds12 got stuck on EE. He was on the incline going up. The part of the coaster that is outside that you can see from the ground. They couldn't get the ride going so they had to climb out of their seats. There is no handrail. Just a metal rail to walk on. People were coming off the ride crying. Ds was a little bit shaken up. He called me from his cell & he said he was a bit scared. Anyway, everyone got a fp for the ride. The park had been closed for about 45 min already so the fp was pointless. I called gs and they gave us a one time use fp to any ride for everyone on our party. We used it for TT the next day.

So, I think Disney is just starting to cut back on their comps. Things are starting to look a bit different at Disney through my eyes recently. I think I'm going to take a long break from them and try them again in about 5 years. Maybe they'll get their stuff working... Lol

 

[mom2rtk]

So, I think Disney is just starting to cut back on their comps.

I've been wondering about this very thing.

 

[seashoreCM]

Except for specific recipient guest reports, it's all hearsay and conjecture as to what each inconvenienced guest ultimately received as a result of this 3 hour monorail delay. Meanwhile for each guest inconvenienced, he should ask for something additional if what was proffered seemed insufficient. For example ask for a fastpass that can be used five times instead of just once.

Complimentary park tickets should be valued at about $12. per person per day since their use will reduce your ticket budget for a long vacation by that amount.

... son's leg* ...

Hold the door on the bus as your child or infirm party member is getting on or off. It then won't slam shut.

* The full text and poster's name went off the top of my screen a few minutes ago and I forgot which page of this thread it was on.

 

[FigmentChick]

Hi, it's me again. I just wanted to post another update. We were actually given 4 fast passes each (for our party of 6) and they assured me O'hana would not charge my card for the missed reservation...WRONG! My husband went to the concierge this morning and got that reversed but we wouldn't have known that if he didn't go down to check. We went to epcot this morning and picked up the fast passes only to find out:
1. They weren't individual passes...we had to ride as a whole group or else whatever wasn't used was wasted. Not good if you are traveling with kids who have different tastes in rides.
2. They can only be used in one park.
3. They can only be used on the day they are issued!!
Needless to say we were not happy. I think what bothered me the most is that the two people at guest services were completely indifferent to our situation. They really did not seem to think losing three hours of our vacation was a big deal. We finally ended up talking to one guest service rep who was willing to put the fast passes back on our account and split them up into groups of 4 and 2. We have to stop at guest services every time we go to a new park to pick up the passes we want to use that day until they run out. Inconvenient, yes, but at least my daughter will be able to use some.

Sadly, no one has been able to get us another reservation at O'hana I am sad that my magical feeling is gone on this trip. Hoping to get some pixie dust our way soon to get it back!

I am just totally amazed at the lack of customer service. I agree with all the previous posters. I know it will take time out of your vacation, but I would start talking to the concierge and then the hotel managers. It's absolutely ridiculous that you cannot get another seating at O'hana. That is a meal that you planned for 180 days prior to your vacation.

And then the issue with the fatpasses. And, in my opinion, that's just a crappy way to compensate you for three hours wasted.

And I, too, had the thought of "what if someone was on their way back to the resort to catch the ME and missed it?"

If you have time, visit with the concierge and hotel manager. Send an email to guest services while you're there and then as soon as you get back. I wish you all the best with this crappy situation and hope it gets resolved adequately soon.

 

[UKYRob29]

Sounds like ppl need to really relax. Does everyone have tons of anxiety now?!
Chill out and live life-things could be worse !!!

 

[CandleontheWater]

I agree with the others, its time to get firm (not rude, just serious). You need to talk to someone higher up the food chain, and you need to not take "no" for an answer. Keep asking to talk to their manager, and their manager and then their manager until someone will listen and give you proper accommodations.

If I were you, I'd be upset not only by the monorail break down, but also insulted by the way you have been treated since. I almost think Disney's reaction to the situations (i.e. one FP that could only be used that evening) would make me even angrier than the breakdown itself.

If I were you I'd be asking for a one day ticket for everyone in your party, maybe I would have been satisfied with a comped meal at the get-go, but giving you the run around has only upped the ante in my eyes. They way they have been treating you is unacceptable.