Monorail Rumors

[Cheshire Figment]

Are not true.

Yesterday, while at the TTC, I was talking to a Monorails CM who used to be and ADA Compliance Inspector and asked about some construction going on at the TTC Monorail Station.

The closed off area on the Epcot Boarding Platform is installation of new water fountains, including some that will be fully accessible for people in wheelchairs.

The construction near the ramp entrances is to make it almost totally impossible for Guests to get close to the power lines/rails. This is, believe it or not, a real safety issue.

I asked specifically about rumors of making the stations ADA compliant by use of elevators or other means.

He said that technically the ramps to and from the Epcot platforms are in compliance, as they are longer than the MK ramps, they do not exceed the 1 in 12 ratio, and they have "rest areas" on the ramps.

To bring the MK platform ramps at TTC into compliance would require the complete removal of the current ramps and construction of new ramps. It would involve shutting the entire monorail system down for at least three months.

When we were talking about elevators, he said that based on compliance requirements, if they were to want to put in a elevator to one platform, they would have to put one at each platform.

So, anyway, the rumors about upgrading the platforms are just that, rumors.

 

[MidgeD79]

Thanks for the info. The ramps are tough (even if they are in compliance) to push a wheelchair up after a long day at the parks. They're hard to just walk after a long day at the parks! I guess I'll have to save some strangth to get back to the hotel.

 

[Michigan]

So if they have no plans for an elevator then they should put some kind of moving sidwalk off to the side that is designated for disabled users.

 

[Schmeck]

So if they have no plans for an elevator then they should put some kind of moving sidwalk off to the side that is designated for disabled users.

I don't think there is any 'off to the side' area available, or it would be easier to just add a less steep ramp 'off to the side' instead. Also, I'm curious as to why a moving sidewalk would have to be designated 'for disabled users'. Elevators are not labeled as such, why would a moving sidewalk be?

 

[Michigan]

I don't think there is any 'off to the side' area available, or it would be easier to just add a less steep ramp 'off to the side' instead. Also, I'm curious as to why a moving sidewalk would have to be designated 'for disabled users'. Elevators are not labeled as such, why would a moving sidewalk be?

If I remember right the elevator at EPCOT is marked with a wheelchair or has or did have a wheelchair symbol somewhere near it.

The main reason for disabled only would be because haven't you ever been going up the ramp when the monorail comes into the station they run over the top of wheelchair users to make the monorail. Now imagine that on a moving sidewalk and think about people falling over and knocking wheelchairs over while trying to not lose their balance as they jump over the chair.

Take it from me people do things to people in a wheelchair that they would never do to a walking person. An example of that is when we were going up the monorail ramp at TCC. My girls always stay to the right when they go up but this time the people on the left were going up slower then they were and out of the blue come this man that grabs the back of my daughter's chair (she doesn't have push handles because nobody and I mean nobody pushes her) and pushes her up just enough so he could run around her. Now while he was rude I didn't see him pick up the family that was on the left and move them out of the way.

 

[PattnFmly]

Wow, I never even knew there were elevators! When we go as the "whole" family, including disabled brother, there's lots of us to take turns pushing him all day. (And lifting him into rides like Haunted Mansion) We just never paid attention. I'll have to tell Mom! We always push him at WDW, it wouldn't be a pretty sight if he used his motorized chair ....

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Wow, I never even knew there were elevators! When we go as the "whole" family, including disabled brother, there's lots of us to take turns pushing him all day. (And lifting him into rides like Haunted Mansion) We just never paid attention. I'll have to tell Mom! We always push him at WDW, it wouldn't be a pretty sight if he used his motorized chair ....

The elevator at Epcot(none at MK or TTC)is on the side on your way up the ramp to go back to TTC.

 

[SueM in MN]

The elevator at Epcot(none at MK or TTC)is on the side on your way up the ramp to go back to TTC.

there are none at MK or the TTC.