Monorails to no longer operate during Evening Extra Magic Hours

[kaytieeldr]

IMHO the walk back and forth from BLT/CR to MK really isn't that bad at all...we walked it muliple times during our Nov stay last yr...one time we took the circut on the monorail it actually took longer...


the path never seemed overly crowded at any time of the day and it didn't neccessarily seem longer or harder even walking back at 2 am

yes it can be tough for those that easily tire or just are worn out after a full day at the park...but I am just saying it's very doable and nice


I wonder though if it will fill up come the monorail not running as long we have a MK EMH night planned in Jan next yr...have to wait and see...we wouldn't opt to take the monorail either way...

my main bug is the EP track...that really stinks to have to take a bus back to BLT when we look forward and enjoy the perk of the monorail...yes the monorail does get packed and crowded like buses but always seems quicker...are there even buses that go to/from EP to CR? andd the other monorail resorts

my DH and I are planning on an EP EMH night in Oct... not to thrilled about this change, based on lines may opt to do a cab back now. have to just wait it out...at least it's only us and not w/ our kids in tow that's always the best part of monorial not having to carry/hold the sleeping child you have to take out of the stroller...

As of, I think, July 11 - yes. One route for Polynesian/Grand Floridian, one for Contemporary/BLT/TTC.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Or, let's give guests a free three-extra hours in the park at night instead of charging them $10 to $12 for E-ticket night OR charging them $50 for the hard-ticket PPP.

Or, let's give guests free transportation from the airport instead of charging them bus transfer fees.

Or, let's give guests free dining at less busy times of year (or room discounts, bounce-back offers, 4/3 offers, children play/stay free, etc.).

Or, let's rehab attractions and make them better or let's build new world class attractions and keep park ticket price increases in line with previous years.

Or, let's add a new high-tech light show What a great site. Thanks for sharing. the Castle for our MK guests and not charge them any extra.

Is the glass half-full or half-empty? Why is it that on threads like this, we only focus on the take-aways and not the additions?

I have to admit, I admire your attitude. Don't let the naysayers get you down!

 

[kaytieeldr]

My guess is that the free DME is the next thing to go. I mean, quite honestly, they are leaving a lot of money on the table with that one. All they have to do is price it 10-20% less than a Mears bus round trip, (and less than a taxi roundtrip, and less than a weekly rental car fare (plus parking)) and people will still take it. Mears charges $34 per adult and $27 per child for a round trip. For a family of 4, that is $122 before tax and tip. A taxi will cost around $110 round trip before tip. And a rental car plus parking will be a lot more than that. Realistically, Disney can start charging a $75 add-on per reservation for DME services and not lose many customers. Why they provide this service for free is a real mystery.

Well, why they provide it is no mystery at all. Guests onsite with no personal transportation spend all their discretionary vacation funds onsite.

While it's nice you think $75 is a reasonable price per reservation, many would disagree with you. The many couples or solos who visit WDW shouldn't and won't subsidize transportation for the parties of four, five, or six (infant under three free), and are as entitled to the comfort, theming, fun, and service of Magical Express as the large parties.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Well my novel idea is to raise services and prices.

I would pay more for e-nights if they were truly limited, a LOT more.

Do away with DME and free dining. Do away with customized tickets and raise park prices to support rehabs and new rides. I am sure this thread is on its way out as we all (myself included) have strayed from the monorail hours topic.

Why do away with customized tickets? Why force somebody to buy something they're not going to use - one or more features in this case? In fact, why do away with any product people are buying, or any service they're using that ultimately provides a financial benefit?

 

[morethananyonex]

Well, why they provide it is no mystery at all. Guests onsite with no personal transportation spend all their discretionary vacation funds onsite.

While it's nice you think $75 is a reasonable price per reservation, many would disagree with you. The many couples or solos who visit WDW shouldn't and won't subsidize transportation for the parties of four, five, or six (infant under three free), and are as entitled to the comfort, theming, fun, and service of Magical Express as the large parties.

Also, having people become a captive audience at Disney is arguably worth far more to them then any reasonable amount they could charge for DME. I mean the example of $75 for a family versus the hundreds and hundreds of dollars they could potentially be spending on food alone? No brainer there.

 

[mom2rtk]

If Disney ever did away with DME, I wonder if Universal would start subsidizing car rentals for Disney guests..........

The problem of course is that once someone starts evaluating options for transportation, stepping off-property for some time at Universal becomes much more doable, as does eating off-property....... shopping for souvenirs at the outlet malls...... buying your toiletries at Wal-Mart instead of the highly marked up prices in the gift shops.

 

[morethananyonex]

If Disney ever did away with DME, I wonder if Universal would start subsidizing car rentals for Disney guests..........

The problem of course is that once someone starts evaluating options for transportation, stepping off-property for some time at Universal becomes much more doable, as does eating off-property....... shopping for souvenirs at the outlet malls...... buying your toiletries at Wal-Mart instead of the highly marked up prices in the gift shops.

Exactly. And there goes the dining plan, because how valuable is that if you aren't planning to be at Disney for all of your meals? I would be shocked if they actually followed through and eliminated it, too many of their "money makers" are associated with people being a captive audience.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I respectfully disagree. All of the things mentioned above cost money and are most certainly passed on to the customer. Whether it be increased ticket prices, increased food prices, increased room prices or even increased merchandise prices. No way do I for a moment believe that Disney is "giving" these things away. They are a business and their bottom line (and shareholder dividend payments) are the motivating factor. That's their prerogative. But if they start removing these things, will prices go down? Of course not. Yet the customer will be losing services/perks or whatever you want to call them.

Interesting. Wouldn't it make more sense that increased ticket prices are applied to increased park operating costs (maintenance, payroll, supplies, improvements, taxes, utilities...); increased food prices applied to increased associated costs (food, supplies, taxes, maintenance, payroll, improvements/renovations, taxes...); increased room rates for increases resort costs (refurbishments, supplies, linens, payroll, taxes...); increased merchandise prices for higher merchandise expenses (costs, payroll, utilities, taxes, shipping, maintenance...)? Plus the ticket prices and room rates cover expenses seemingly not paid - like transportation, and its associated costs.

Cutting back one form of transportation by two hours per night a few nights a week and replacing it with another form of transportation genuinely isn't cutting anything. Anybody wooed by the monorail will still have a minimum of fourteen hours per day to ride it.

 

[morethananyonex]

Cutting back one form of transportation by two hours per night a few nights a week and replacing it with another form of transportation genuinely isn't cutting anything. Anybody wooed by the monorail will still have a minimum of fourteen hours per day to ride it.

If the monorail was interchangeable with any other form of transportation the monorail resorts wouldn't be the most expensive ones on property. I see what you're getting at, but people aren't paying big bucks for monorail resorts to have it shut down before parks close (and I mean actually close).

Somewhat unrealistic (but the closest example I could come up with),but if they for whatever reason decided to shut down the walkways in the Epcot resort area an hour after regular close, those resorts would lose their appeal for me greatly. Even if they provided a bus that connected all the resorts on the "loop" and DHS/Epcot, it would not hold the same appeal as walking.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Not going to go into each thing here and argue about them because that wasn't my intent. My intent was to show how long the list of things being changed (for the worse)/taken away is. You seem to be in the, "Disney can do no wrong," You would be wrong. I can be extremely critical when it's since you--like others--love to rationalize all of these changes...it's for safety, costs for food/etc. have gone up so why can't Disney raise prices, but they're giving you a refillable mug, etc. If it makes you feel better to rationalize these things that way, more power to you. However, it is what it is and these things have all be discussed to death elsewhere and each one of these rationalizations has been picked apart in those threads. I wasn't rationalizing anything. I was providing explanations for some of your points.

Long story short, if you're one of the, "Disney can do no wrong," people, then Disney could do anything and you'd find a reason why it's a good thing or make an excuse for them (as you're doing here). No excuses; see comment above I, on the other hand, have no qualms about calling Disney out when I see things like this. Rather than rationalize/make excuses for them, I feel it's better (for everyone) to call them on it in the hopes they might stop the madness.

I could be wrong, but it appears you missed the beginning of my reply - where I said "...won't dispute everything you've said (some because it's indisputable..."

 

[disney_bob]

If the monorail was interchangeable with any other form of transportation the monorail resorts wouldn't be the most expensive ones on property. I see what you're getting at, but people aren't paying big bucks for monorail resorts to have it shut down before parks close (and I mean actually close).

Somewhat unrealistic (but the closest example I could come up with),but if they for whatever reason decided to shut down the walkways in the Epcot resort area an hour after regular close, those resorts would lose their appeal for me greatly. Even if they provided a bus that connected all the resorts on the "loop" and DHS/Epcot, it would not hold the same appeal as walking.

I don't stay at the Polynesian or Contemporary because they are on the monorail line. I stay because they're awesome hotels near one of my favorite parks. Having a hotel 1/2 way between Epcot and TTC on the monorail line wouldn't be enough to get me there. They aren't the most expensive simply because the monorail is there.

I can't speak for everyone's reason for staying at these resorts. But neither can you.

 

[Planogirl]

I don't stay at the Polynesian or Contemporary because they are on the monorail line. I stay because they're awesome hotels near one of my favorite parks. Having a hotel 1/2 way between Epcot and TTC on the monorail line wouldn't be enough to get me there. They aren't the most expensive simply because the monorail is there.

I can't speak for everyone's reason for staying at these resorts. But neither can you.

I'm one who doesn't feel that the monorail resorts are worth the cost even with full monorail service yet I agree with you. Some people will continue to stay at these resorts simply because they like them, enough said.

 

[kaytieeldr]

As I stated in my original post, basically I have paid for my trip and built up a very excited 8 year old to stay in his "dream" hotel. we booked with a PIN so I am not paying full price. I would have chosen differently at the time I booked if I knew this was going to happen. It would not be built up in his head. Can I change now? Yes I can. Will I? No. It would break my son's heart at this point. I don't understand why the rehab/ refurb schedule can be published way ahead of time so I know I don't need a watermarks and more ticket but booking my trip for the advertised "perk" of the monorail is no longer available.

For what it's worth I emailed Disney and am awaiting a repsonse. Just voiced my disappointment.

All due respect, I couldn't find any other post from you on this subject. Were you maybe signed in on your husband's account? Anyway - again respectfully - are you planning to spend so many late nights at Epcot and/or MK that needing to take a (direct) bus instead of a monorail or two will be a true hardship?

It's entirely possible little advance notice was given because - especially after the very recent incident reported by FireDancer - a very recent decision was made that shutting down the system for a few hours nightly made more sense than shutting it down entirely for x weeks or months. After all, this thread about reducing operations about six hours weekly is over 1,000 posts. Can you imagine the reaction over a complete closure????

disclaimer: this is a conversation; I don't believe, feel, or claim that Disney can do no wrong

 

[kaytieeldr]

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[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

If the monorail was interchangeable with any other form of transportation the monorail resorts wouldn't be the most expensive ones on property. I see what you're getting at, but people aren't paying big bucks for monorail resorts to have it shut down before parks close (and I mean actually close).

Somewhat unrealistic (but the closest example I could come up with),but if they for whatever reason decided to shut down the walkways in the Epcot resort area an hour after regular close, those resorts would lose their appeal for me greatly. Even if they provided a bus that connected all the resorts on the "loop" and DHS/Epcot, it would not hold the same appeal as walking.

Well one of the reasons we like to stay at the Contemporary is being close to the Magic Kingdom and having the walkway which goes there. However we also liked having the Resort Monorail access for visiting the Polynesian and Grand Floridian, because with that it's very easy to do.

Now as for the example you gave about the Epcot Resort Area and the walkways from Epcot and Hollywood Studios, not sure if you knew this but a few months ago the boat dock at the Yacht Club/Beach Club was closed for renovation. However during that time they offered bus transporation to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. So even though you could walk to both parks from either resort at least they came up with an alternate plan for those who only wanted to take the boats and not the walkways.

 

[morethananyonex]

I don't stay at the Polynesian or Contemporary because they are on the monorail line. I stay because they're awesome hotels near one of my favorite parks. Having a hotel 1/2 way between Epcot and TTC on the monorail line wouldn't be enough to get me there. They aren't the most expensive simply because the monorail is there.

I can't speak for everyone's reason for staying at these resorts. But neither can you.

I didn't intend to imply I was speaking for everyone, I guess next time I'll add "some" in front of people lol. I know there are people out there that will stay there regardless.

Staying at any of the 3 monorail resorts, you are most definitely paying for the convenience of being on the monorail line, even if that is not your reason for staying there. That is what I was trying to get at.

 

[JLS]

WOW. Made it most of the way through this thread. I agree with the posters who point out that during most people's stay this will only impact 1 evening, and that is assuming that EMH is used (for most people with young children who go during the summer, a midnight - 3:00 a.m. EMH is not a realistic option). Does it take away a convenience perk, yes. But I am very surprised to read that some people are willing to cancel their vacation over this. It reminds me of a lot of posts that you read on the Resorts Board where post about something - often fairly minor in the grand scheme of things - that "ruined" your vacation. Having to take a bus or boat on one night or wait longer instead of having the monorail hopefully would not be the cause of a ruined vacation - unless you let it!

 

[morethananyonex]

WOW. Made it most of the way through this thread. I agree with the posters who point out that during most people's stay this will only impact 1 evening, and that is assuming that EMH is used (for most people with young children who go during the summer, a midnight - 3:00 a.m. EMH is not a realistic option). Does it take away a convenience perk, yes. But I am very surprised to read that some people are willing to cancel their vacation over this. It reminds me of a lot of posts that you read on the Resorts Board where post about something - often fairly minor in the grand scheme of things - that "ruined" your vacation. Having to take a bus or boat on one night or wait longer instead of having the monorail hopefully would not be the cause of a ruined vacation - unless you let it!

For a third of the year, MK closes at 7 on many nights in additional to the 1 EMH night. EMH is not the only issue here, it's the parties at MK as well. Although it has now been said that Disney is undecided about those nights, if they do decide to shut it down at 8 that is where the biggest problems will be, IMO.

The monorail isn't just transportation to the resorts, it's transportation around the resorts as well. Even if you aren't planning on attending the parties, you no longer have monorail access to the other resorts on the line for ADR's etc after 8 p.m.

Convenience perk? Maybe, but taking away that perk is enough to stop me from wanting to book at one of the 3 resorts.

 

[rie'smom]

I don't stay at the Polynesian or Contemporary because they are on the monorail line. I stay because they're awesome hotels near one of my favorite parks. Having a hotel 1/2 way between Epcot and TTC on the monorail line wouldn't be enough to get me there. They aren't the most expensive simply because the monorail is there.

I can't speak for everyone's reason for staying at these resorts. But neither can you.

This is something that I would have to disagree with because the resorts are not worth the $$$ IMO. If these resorts were anywhere else people, in general, would balk at the price Disney asks.

 

[racefanof88]

As you mentioned a couple of posts later, their profits have been increasing this year. Profits are not a black and white kind of thing. Many things affect profits. I can tell you, their profits have not been down due to a lack of guests over the past few years. So the money has been lost elsewhere (I don't mean they're losing money on their parks--they aren't).

My guess--but I don't have the breakdown of their numbers--is they're losing more money from guests because they/we aren't spending nearly as much as we used to. Lots of reasons for that. So, in answer to this, they decided to get more people in so offered their, "discounts," which, once you really look into it, aren't really much of a discount (no matter how you rationalize them). On the surface they seem like such a great deal but, once you dissect what they're, "giving," us, you quickly realize they aren't really giving us anything at all.

Someone had posted a while back that Disney spends a lot of money to build and maintain attractions. Well, Disney also gets millions from the corporations that sponsor some of the attractions, think GM and TT, which I guess in a round about way, through the bailouts..........US..........