Monorail to VWL

[ziravan]

The new cabin construction comes within about 150 yards towards the current monorail line. See pics below. It wouldn't be much in terms of cost to move the monorail line over just a bit and add a VWL station at the end of cabin row.

Probably not in the plans. But. It should be.

 

[ziravan]

Monorail barrier in foreground

 

[ziravan]

Monorail barrier in foreground

 

[ziravan]

I was surprised to see how close cabin construction is to the current monorail line.

If they added a monorail link to VWL - and it looks like it would be very doable, then I think they could sell those points at the premium they want.

Also, monorail station by the cabins give the cabins a boost in location advantage.

 

[disneynutz]

Is that beam the Epcot monorail? Even adding a station would cost millions and while the cabin guests would like the location, it isn't the best for the other resort guests.

Bill

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Is that beam the Epcot monorail? Even adding a station would cost millions and while the cabin guests would like the location, it isn't the best for the other resort guests.

Bill

No, not the Epcot monorail. That doesn't swing around past Bay Lake nor 7 Seas at all.

If I'm thinking correctly the one closest would however be the Express monorail and the inside loop is the resort monorail so that would add a complication.

Adding WL/VWL as a monorail resort though could be huge, but I'd be shocked.

 

[ziravan]

I was on the resort monorail.

 

[ziravan]

Closer look at construction. Clearly cabins aren't over the water. Plumbing and piping in view.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The last monorail built in the US cost ~$150 million per mile. While it can be done more cheaply, this is filled-in swampland so I make no assumptions.

I think it is safe to assume it wouldn't be a rounding-error kind of cost, though. Even low-end per mile for monorails runs in the $50 million range.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

 

[ziravan]

The last monorail built in the US cost ~$150 million per mile. While it can be done more cheaply, this is filled-in swampland so I make no assumptions.

I think it is safe to assume it wouldn't be a rounding-error kind of cost, though. Even low-end per mile for monorails runs in the $50 million range.

The extra length would be about 1/5th of a mile, so $10 million.

Another $10 million for a station.

So $20 million. Let's say I'm off by half: $40 million total cost.

If VWL2 has 4 million points, that's $10/point.

What's the value of selling VWL as a monorail resort? $10/pt?

More? I think more. I don't see how they sell VWL2 for $170/point. They can't sell Poly for that, hence the discount to $158ish.

If selling VWL2 generates the same monthly sales churn at $20 point higher because of a monorail, then it would be a phenomenal addition.

 

[Granny]

The last monorail built in the US cost ~$150 million per mile. While it can be done more cheaply, this is filled-in swampland so I make no assumptions.

I think it is safe to assume it wouldn't be a rounding-error kind of cost, though. Even low-end per mile for monorails runs in the $50 million range.

They'd have better chance (costwise) of building a station on the existing line and then just building bridges/walkways over to it from WL. I don't see that as feasible for a resort like WL since it would only really be easy monorail access from the cabins on that end.

Closer look at construction. Clearly cabins aren't over the water. Plumbing and piping in view.

View attachment 184154

Cabins have always been planned as land based cabins along the waterfront...not out over the water like the PBV bungalows. But by all appearances and filing information, the cabins will be larger than the Poly bungalows which suggests the possibility of 3BR cabins.

 

[MJ6987]

If they were going to do this, wouldn't it be easier to leave the monorail as it is and just stick a station by the existing rail with a gangway /walkway / path to the resort?

 

[disneynutz]

Disney likes the DVD/DVC because direct sales gets them money now but I get the feeling that they don't have much pull when it comes to discounts, perks, or adding a monorail station unless it makes Disney a ton of extra money.

Bill

 

[zaccaglin]

There are no current plans to expand the monorail at anytime in the near future. The monorail system is currently undergoing other major projects, anything as a new station or moving beamway would be on the very very back burner.

Another reason why this would be challenging is that the rumored site above is right at the base for the contemporary hill. Resort trains leaving the contemporary have a speed limit of 40mph from the time the exit the contemp until about 9pylons before the TTC. When leaving the contemp and coming down that hill the trains reach about 47mph before the pilots engage breaking to bring back down to 40mph and avoid and overspeed. Putting a station there could prove to be too dangerous.

 

[ziravan]

There are no current plans to expand the monorail at anytime in the near future. The monorail system is currently undergoing other major projects, anything as a new station or moving beamway would be on the very very back burner.

Another reason why this would be challenging is that the rumored site above is right at the base for the contemporary hill. Resort trains leaving the contemporary have a speed limit of 40mph from the time the exit the contemp until about 9pylons before the TTC. When leaving the contemp and coming down that hill the trains reach about 47mph before the pilots engage breaking to bring back down to 40mph and avoid and overspeed. Putting a station there could prove to be too dangerous.

Those are engineering obstacles searching for engineering solutions.

I have no doubt you're right about not expanding to include VWL.

My point is it's a shame considering how they're building VWL out practically to the monorail.

Prospective DVC members are going to tour the cabins and watch the monorail swoosh by practically overhead and wonder why VWL was left out.

 

[pmaurer74]

I think the room costs at WL would be higher and more popular if it was a monorail resort. I would be happy and willing to walk from VWL over to the monorail station if they put one in.

 

[BillPA]

The monorail has too many stops now. If they want a monorail resort build it along the EPCOT run, there is miles of open space there.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

All of the monorail stops are at the entrance to the resort ( lobby). This would not be so with VWL. Who wants to hike to a monorail station? The second monorail stop at the Poly( name escapes me) is a hike even though some taut how close it is to Pago Pago. If I can't get off at the lobby entrance I'd rather take a bus, or boat in VWL's case.

 

[ziravan]

All of the monorail stops are at the entrance to the resort ( lobby). This would not be so with VWL. Who wants to hike to a monorail station? The second monorail stop at the Poly( name escapes me) is a hike even though some taut how close it is to Pago Pago. If I can't get off at the lobby entrance I'd rather take a bus, or boat in VWL's case.

Bring it in behind the cabins and nestled into the corner of the building and that solves the hike problem and gives it enough extra track to overcome the "contemporary hill" problem mentioned earlier.

In any case, even if left out by cabins, what we're talking about, really, is selling points. Advertising. VWL being a monorail resort would make great advertising.

Shoot. Having to hike to the monorail could even be spun as theming for the resort by an enterprising guide...