Monorails to no longer operate during Evening Extra Magic Hours

[Robo]

Someone reported on another thread that Disney announced the monorail will run until 11 pm...

updated monorail closure policy

Yup.

That info is actually posted within this long, long thread, but it's always worth mentioning again.

We still don't know if that will actually come to be the real end-time, but it looks better than what so many here were first discussing.

 

[sandym718]

We went to PM EMH at Magic Kingdom on July 17th, when it was open til 3:00am. And we made it til 2:40am. There were still a lot of people in the park when we left, probably because it had been so hot during the day. We were parked in Donald Duck, as far out as you can get, because we hadn't arrived until mid-afternoon. (I admitted previously that we don't use Disney buses because of previous bad experiences.)

Upon leaving the MK we were directed to the resort monorail which, we already knew from having dinner at the GF, was running until 5:00am. There didn't seem to be any resort launches and there was no ferry at the dock. Maybe this will change after August 1st.

.

5 AM! MK was open for EMH until 3 AM twice (I think) on our last trip, but we didn't use it. I never thought about the fact that meant the monorails were running until 5 AM! And starting again in just an hour or two probably. I can understand the need for more downtime to get some work done!

 

[webcs]

Yup.

That info is actually posted within this long, long thread, but it's always worth mentioning again.

We still don't know if that will actually come to be the real end-time, but it looks better than what so many here were first discussing.

if so that was a fair compromise. i am just worried they will use it as a springboard to take away more later.

 

[Sammie]

So under the new LILO system can you ever see WDW building a turnstile gate at the entrance to the Resort Monorail station at the Magic Kingdom which requires them to insert their Key To The World cards to gain access so they can get on?

You would not even have to insert it, it would be a system like many large city buses where you simply hold it near the scanner.

This is always a very good security feature. If pools are gated like they Disneyland ones they can even restrict pool admittance. No resort ID and no pool admittance. The possiblities are endless to what it can do.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

Help me out here. For those who are advocating restricting the Resort Monorail use to only those staying or dining at the monorail resorts, can you answer the following question?

Do you want the resort monorail reserved exclusively for monorail resort guests:
a. At all times during the Resort monorail is running
b. Only from the time of closing until the express monorail stops running
c. Only after the express monorail stops running for the night
d. Both (b) and (c)

Again, I cannot believe that in this long thread, everyone seemed so upset about shutting down the two MK monorails one-hour after closing even if there are evening EMH. One of the biggest reasons given was the mode of transportation used to dine or shop in the evening when the MK closes at 7. Another reason given was what a person staying at a monorail resort will do after Epcot’s Illuminations if the MK closes at either 7 or 8.

It appears that Disney has provided a compromise with the Resort monorail staying open until at least 11:00 pm each night regardless of when the MK closes. This will help those eating/staying at the monorail resorts visit the other monorail resorts or get back to their resort/bus/car. It will also help those after Epcot closes get back to the monorail resorts. Not stopping at the TTC doesn’t seem practical at all. Restricting the monorails only to monorail resort guests seems a bit extreme even though it may have been done years ago. As someone else said, that idea worked so well that Disney stopped it. Why would they revert back?

Why take a minor positive item (i.e Disney deciding not to cut back as much as originally “announced” or leaked by agreeing to keep the MK resort monorail open until 11:00 pm) and complain that it’s not good enough as Disney should also restrict the monorail only to those staying at a monorail resort? Why not stop when we’re ahead? It seemed that early in the thread, may said they’d be satisfied if the monorail stayed open until 10:00 pm to correspond to the Epcot line.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

You would not even have to insert it, it would be a system like many large city buses where you simply hold it near the scanner.

This is always a very good security feature. If pools are gated like they Disneyland ones they can even restrict pool admittance. No resort ID and no pool admittance. The possiblities are endless to what it can do.

Can you imagine the extra lines and chaos from all those who don't understand and are denied. It could cause bottlenecks and even more confusion and longer lines - even for those self-appointed to be "entitled" to ride the monorail. Similar to the bottlenecks at the front gates every day as guests try to figure out how to use their theme park tickets or those who don't understand FP's and wait in front of the queue before their start time.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Can you imagine the extra lines and chaos from all those who don't understand and are denied. It could cause bottlenecks and even more confusion and longer lines - even for those self-appointed to be "entitled" to ride the monorail. Similar to the bottlenecks at the front gates every day as guests try to figure out how to use their theme park tickets or those who don't understand FP's and wait in front of the queue before their start time.

Possibly, a problem with folks wanting special treatment...non MK resort guests, expecting or demanding entrance.

I really don't understand, why is it wrong for a guest to receive a privilege or service...i.e. monorail service for MK resort guests. Hey, no monorail access on EEMH is going to affect me and my family...B-I-G-T-I-M-E. But, I don't begrudge, monorail resort guests having access.

 

[DebbieB]

Can you imagine the extra lines and chaos from all those who don't understand and are denied. It could cause bottlenecks and even more confusion and longer lines - even for those self-appointed to be "entitled" to ride the monorail. Similar to the bottlenecks at the front gates every day as guests try to figure out how to use their theme park tickets or those who don't understand FP's and wait in front of the queue before their start time.

I could see an issue at park closing or after the parades and fireworks when large numbers of people are exiting at once. But what about the other times? The resort monorail is sitting there, there is no line and they are going to tell people they can't use it? Plus they would have the extra expense of providing alternate transportation when the resort monorail could handle everyone.

 

[Sammie]

Can you imagine the extra lines and chaos from all those who don't understand and are denied. It could cause bottlenecks and even more confusion and longer lines - even for those self-appointed to be "entitled" to ride the monorail. Similar to the bottlenecks at the front gates every day as guests try to figure out how to use their theme park tickets or those who don't understand FP's and wait in front of the queue before their start time.

No I can not imagine, cities everywhere limit people with tickets to mass transit, moving way more people than Disney. Surely everyone that goes to Disney World is not stupid.

If they did this they would communicate it to all far in advance.

I am not advocating anything, simply say that the future technology will be there.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

Possibly, a problem with folks wanting special treatment...non MK resort guests, expecting or demanding entrance.

I really don't understand, why is a wrong for a guest to receive a privilege or service...i.e. monorail service for MK resort guests. Hey, no monorail access on EEMH is going to affect me and my family...B-I-G-T-I-M-E. But, I don't begrudge, monorail resort guests having access.

Disney encourages everyone (resort guests and non-monorail guests) to enjoy either monorail line. How is that demanding entrance? From another viewpoint - it could be the monorail resort guests demanding that they have exclusive riding rights even though Disney doesn't agree.

Again, if Disney is keeping the monorail open until 11:00 pm, why are we bickering about this issue? Can't we just accept the victory (albiet a small one) as Disney isn't cutting back service as much as originally thought?

This isn't about cutting service back on EEMH. This is about certain monorail resort guests who will never be happy no matter what Disney does as long as they have to continue to share with others.

And I've said many times on this thread, I understand there are many times that Disney reserves certain things to guests who pay for it or have "earned" it such as Platinum Castaway Club perks, concierge lounges, VIP lounges and viewing areas, etc. However, the monorail has not been exclusive as long as I've been going to WDW. I can't imagine Disney changing it now as that would be very un-PC.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

No I can not imagine, cities everywhere limit people with tickets to mass transit, moving way more people than Disney. Surely everyone that goes to Disney World is not stupid.

If they did this they would communicate it to all far in advance.

I am not advocating anything, simply say that the future technology will be there.

They've been communicating how to use FP's for over 10 years and yet many guests don't understand it.

Disney will always have hundreds, if not thousands of first-timers nearly every day. Many of those will be completely clueless even if Disney communicates for months or years in advance. I'm not saying that guests are stupid, just naive and inexperienced. Not everyone goes that often.

 

[Sammie]

They've been communicating how to use FP's for over 10 years and yet many guests don't understand it.

Disney will always have hundreds, if not thousands of first-timers nearly every day. Many of those will be completely clueless even if Disney communicates for months or years in advance. I'm not saying that guests are stupid, just naive and inexperienced. Not everyone goes that often.

It is the same when people travel to foreign countries and want to use subways, trains etc. You would have some but eventually they would figure it out.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

It is the same when people travel to foreign countries and want to use subways, trains etc. You would have some but eventually they would figure it out.

Love your optimism. I just hope that this is a moot point and Disney stays away from this suggested monorail elitism.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Disney encourages everyone (resort guests and non-monorail guests) to enjoy either monorail line. How is that demanding entrance? From another viewpoint - it could be the monorail resort guests demanding that they have exclusive riding rights even though Disney doesn't agree.


This isn't about cutting service back on EEMH. This is about certain monorail resort guests who will never be happy no matter what Disney does as long as they have to continue to share with others.
. However, the monorail has not been exclusive as long as I've been going to WDW. I can't imagine Disney changing it now as that would be very un-PC.

ID was checked, at the resort monorail..for years. So, at some point, Disney changed their minds. Guess, they could revisit, that decision.

I thought, this thread was about Disney cutting service for EEMH, events, etc. ? I don't view, this as a "guest issue..with sharing", but Disney deciding, which group will hurt them most(financially). Face it, TIIC blew this one. Not very well thought out. Definitely, an "oops" moment. IMO

 

[kaytieeldr]

Better hope? Better hope? Seriously? WDW isn't going to leave anybody stranded. They will provide transportation until all guests are out of the Magic Kingdom.

Well at least anyone staying at Saratoga Springs knows that if they just miss the bus or don't want to get on because there are no seats, they have the option of waiting for another one to arrive. Once the Monorail's have are shut down for the evening those guests leaving the Magic Kingdom and staying at the Polynesian and Grand Floridian better hope there are more boats being added or buses so they can get back. So that's why it's not fair to compare the Monorail's to the Buses.

 

[TLSnell1981]

They've been communicating how to use FP's for over 10 years and yet many guests don't understand it.

Disney will always have hundreds, if not thousands of first-timers nearly every day. Many of those will be completely clueless even if Disney communicates for months or years in advance. I'm not saying that guests are stupid, just naive and inexperienced. Not everyone goes that often.

But, they seem to figure out, how to enter the park. Why would exiting, be more difficult?

 

[cindyfan]

Wrong. It's called the "resort monorail" so anyone going from the MK or the TTC can use that line to get to any one of the three resorts at which that loop stops. If your premise were correct, it would be called the "resort monorail guests only" loop - which it's not, WDW not being as exclusionary or elitist as some of the posters here.

no.... right! You just stated.... "anyone" .... can use it to get to any of the three resorts! I should have said "staying or dining at one of the three.... which I just added!
Which is exactly what I meant..... going to one of the three resorts... not as an option to get from MK to TTC.

 

[kaytieeldr]

no.... right! You just stated.... "anyone" .... can use it to get to any of the three resorts! I should have said "staying or dining at one of the three.... which I just added!
Which is exactly what I meant..... going to one of the three resorts... not as an option to get from MK to TTC.

If the Resorts monorail were not an option to get to the TTC from any of its other stops, it wouldn't stop at the TTC - or using that LILO system, guests who boarded at the MK (including Polynesian guests staying closer to the TTC) would somehow be prevented from exiting any train there.

That's not going to happen. Walt Disney World isn't nearly as discriminatory as some of the posters in this thread.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

You would not even have to insert it, it would be a system like many large city buses where you simply hold it near the scanner.

This is always a very good security feature. If pools are gated like they Disneyland ones they can even restrict pool admittance. No resort ID and no pool admittance. The possiblities are endless to what it can do.

Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't Epcot testing a new entrance system where guests would have the bar codes of their tickets scanned when coming in and not inserting them into the machine.

 

[doconeill]

Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't Epcot testing a new entrance system where guests would have the bar codes of their tickets scanned when coming in and not inserting them into the machine.

It was more of a "no turnstile" system with 6 I think kiosks in a half circle, where you could scan in and enter if you had an ECV, stroller, etc. without having to deal with the turnstile, gate, etc. But they did use the barcodes to scan people faster instead of the magstripe.

I can see going to a total barcoded system (assuming Disney isn't too concerned about duplicating tickets, and with the biometrics they probably aren't) as its more reliable but they'd need to replace all the FP kiosks, etc. as well.

Although RFID would be the ideal, the costs of that per ticket are probably still WAY higher, given the disposable nature of the tickets.