Monorails to no longer operate during Evening Extra Magic Hours

[asta]

I really don't see them running the express monorail to service the guests parked at TTC. The managers of the Contemporary, Polynesian and Grand Floridian would be slammed with massive amounts of complaints.

If you were going to run anything it would be the resort monorail as it services both resort and non resort guests. Based on what was written earlier I am going to go out and say that its highly unlikely that the express beam will stay up any longer than 1 hour after park closing.

Actually, the express monorail only runs for 1 hour after MK closes anyway so there isn't any real change there.

I agree. It only makes sense to run the resort monorail if you are only going to run one because it can serve both the resorts and the TTC.

 

[Oglet]

Now I find this funny

If asked for specifics:

Q) We booked our resort specifically along the monorail system – will this change our ability to access this mode of transport?
A) Guests will continue to have access to the monorail system until one hour after regular park close. At that time, watercraft (where applicable) and additional buses will be available to transport guests to their destination.

Q) Why am I just learning about this now (as I booked my reservations awhile ago)?
A) This adjustment was recently implemented.

Q) Will this mean I will wait longer (for buses) when monorails aren’t operating?
A) No. Watercraft (where applicable) and additional buses will be available to transport guests to their destination.

 

[kaligal]

I wish they would go back to paid E-Ticket nights.

Ditto.

I'd also like to go back to lots of a.m. EMHs.

 

[asta]

But we all know if they went back to E-ticket night, the price would be a lot higher, as would be their "limited number". Just witness the evolution of the hard ticketed parties.

You're probably right. I have never been to the holiday party nights. I assumed these would be smaller crowds but It sounds like I was wrong.

 

[bellemeeko1]

Perhaps, but if it is a factor, it is a very small contributor, yet often the only thing critics consider a possibility.


I don't know what to tell you - I remember the 1980s very differently. Heck, we could not even afford to think of visiting WDW before then.





That's truly not a big deal. It's very simple: Park closes, leave. Problem solved.

You dont have a very nice attitude towards anyone.....this may not affect you personally but it does a lot others.....

 

[musicmama]

We check in to Pop on July 17, and there are evening EMH during our short stay. I admit that I am a bus snob and only use our rental car to get between resorts as we park-hop (we have done all 4 parks in 1 day before and intend to again this trip). It will be interesting to see what happens at 3:00am when I'm trying to get back to my rental car at the MK parking lot. In the past, boats have been shut down long before the parks were truly empty at the end of evening EMH so we may well be asking the Security CMs for a ride back!

 

[kaligal]

You're probably right. I have never been to the holiday party nights. I assumed these would be smaller crowds but It sounds like I was wrong.

They were smaller crowds. It was so very much better. That's why some are saying they'd like to go back to that.

 

[M5ward]

Okay..exactly who do you address complaints to about this change? Yes, there are people who will be negatively impacted by the monorail "closing" time. Those who use wheelchairs or ECVs will have longer waits even if there are more buses.
So..WHO DO YOU ADDRESS COMPLAINTS TO?

 

[asta]

We check in to Pop on July 17, and there are evening EMH during our short stay. I admit that I am a bus snob and only use our rental car to get between resorts as we park-hop (we have done all 4 parks in 1 day before and intend to again this trip). It will be interesting to see what happens at 3:00am when I'm trying to get back to my rental car at the MK parking lot. In the past, boats have been shut down long before the parks were truly empty at the end of evening EMH so we may well be asking the Security CMs for a ride back!

That brings up a funny idea and a replacement for the monorail service. Just wait and use Security for a private ride back to your car/resort. Less crowded, air-conditioned and less walking.

 

[Oglet]

That brings up a funny idea and a replacement for the monorail service. Just wait and use Security for a private ride back to your car/resort. Less crowded, air-conditioned and less walking.

You might even be able to hit the security guy up for one of his donuts ;-)

 

[asta]

You might even be able to hit the security guy up for one of his donuts ;-)

Would that count as 1 CS credit on the dining plan?

 

[chocovrdmicears]

The new *Job I Wouldn't Want at Disney* - the CM's who have to stand at the Monorail entrances when this new policy goes into affect - having to tell hoards of guest who didn't read this thread "Sorry - Monorails are no longer running."

 

[E&K's Dad]

Actually, the express monorail only runs for 1 hour after MK closes anyway so there isn't any real change there.

The change would be that it won't be running for resort guests who drive to MK rather then using Disney Transportation that choose to stay for EMH or to any guest attending a hard ticket event.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Because you can't WALK to the parking lot from MK. You either have to take the (slow) ferry or the monorail.

I still say, if anyone reads the wdwmagic.com article thoroughly/literally, that the Express monorail isn't affected. Add in that the Magic Kingdommis only 50% of the parks offering both monorail access and Evening EMH, and that even many people with cars tend to use WDW transportation to get to the MK, and, well, maybe people are panicking a bit too soon?

Regarding the "slow" ferry - I can't find my Unofficial Guide at the moment, but from what I remember the ferry holds three or four times as many passengers as a monorail train, but takes less than twice as long to travel between the park and the TTC.

 

[baler31]

I still say, if anyone reads the wdwmagic.com article thoroughly/literally, that the Express monorail isn't affected. Add in that the Magic Kingdommis only 50% of the parks offering both monorail access and Evening EMH, and that even many people with cars tend to use WDW transportation to get to the MK, and, well, maybe people are panicking a bit too soon?

Regarding the "slow" ferry - I can't find my Unofficial Guide at the moment, but from what I remember the ferry holds three or four times as many passengers as a monorail train, but takes less than twice as long to travel between the park and the TTC.

I agree, however the express monorail has not been running during EMH for quite sometime. Therefore I take the memo to mean no monorail service for MK.

 

[musicmama]

I'm not sure that a donut at 3am would be worth 1 snack credit (unless it was fresh from Main Street Bakery). But a tip, hmm?

And I know at least twice during evening EMHs on previous trips that the boats actually stopped running before the monorails, so I am concerned about getting back to my car. We only started staying on-site for the EMH, and if evening EMHs get further impacted, staying off-site looks much more attractive again.

I'll be happy to report my experiences starting July17th.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yes it does. You and a lot more people will be trying to get onboard the ferry to the TTC instead of the monorail. As if crowds weren't bad enough...

It sounds as if WDW is going to provide buses to replace monorail service. Wouldn't that have to include the TTC?

 

[baler31]

I'm not sure that a donut at 3am would be worth 1 snack credit (unless it was fresh from Main Street Bakery). But a tip, hmm?

And I know at least twice during evening EMHs on previous trips that the boats actually stopped running before the monorails, so I am concerned about getting back to my car. We only started staying on-site for the EMH, and if evening EMHs get further impacted, staying off-site looks much more attractive again.

I'll be happy to report my experiences starting July17th.

The boats were not running on our last three trips this year. However, I believe this is cost cutting with an eye to least impacted. All of the EMH we have attended at MK have been very sparsely attended (that would be the reason we go from 12-3) we did not wait in line for anything and the monorail were basically empty on the returns. So for saving quite a bit of $$$ they will not be actually impacting that many guests.

Many guests think they will be impacted but would not have attended the EMH anyway and will quickly get over the loss. However, it is a large part of the reason we continued to stay on property (overall EMH experience not just monorail) but without the monorail and characters it no longer makes up for the lack of a true luxury resort and we will most likely stay more frequently at the Waldor/Ritz and Four Seasons when it opens.

 

[onelilspark]

You never could. You had to take the monorail to the TTC, then switch to the Resorts monorail - riding three quarters of the way around the 'local' loop before finally arriving at your resort. Now it seems you'll be able to take a bus directly from Epcot to the Contemporary. For guests in that position, this change actually appears positive.

Except that it seems whenever I take a bus, I'm always standing next to someone who doesn't know how to hold on and at every turn slams into me.

Thanks, but I'd rather switch on the monorail.

Plus, don't the monorail resorts usually share a bus at other parks? Why wouldn't they do that during EMH at Epcot?

 

[mickeygirl14]

Like some PPs said, my concern isn't for those EMH - it's for those later ADRs and shopping and especially the parties (MNSSHP). We go at a time of year that MK isn't open that late, it's not crazy hot, so we can tour all day and then do a later ADR for dinner (we eat late at home too). This impacts my dining and I've already gotten those ADRs at 180 days out. Not to mention our evening at MNSSHP. I think making this kind of change with so little notice (people are having to book and make ADRs so far in advance) upsets me. I'm totally rethinking that extra money that we're spending to stay at CR...