Monorails also need platform attendants, which buses do not have. Add 2-3 CMs working the load gates at every platform plus another in the control booth and those actually driving the train. I'd be surprised if there are any staff reductions at all.
I understand the "cost per mile" of new monorail track is unbelievably expensive, but I've always wondered why they didn't add a "third line" to the monorail system and have stops at:
1) Front gate at EPCOT;
2) Back gate at EPCOT;
3) Boardwalk or Yacht and Beach Club; and
4) Disney's Hollywood Studios.
The upfront cost would be high, but there wouldn't be that much track to build, at least in terms of distance. At a minimum, they would save on the expenses of running the boats between EPCOT, the EPCOT resorts and DHS. And how cool would it be to stay at any of the monorail resorts ("old" or "new" monorail resorts) and have monorail access to three parks! Just a thought!
So if you're departing DHS at closing after Fantasmic and headed back to the Contemporary, your journey would be as follows:
1. Board monorail at DHS.
2. Stop at BWV/BC
3. Stop at International Gateway
4. Stop at Epcot front entrance
5. Change trains
6. Stop at TTC
7. Change trains
8. Stop at Poly
9. Stop at Grand Floridian
10. Stop at Magic Kingdom
11. Stop at Contemporary
The bus trip is:
1. Board bus at DHS
2. Stop at Contemporary
And think about how long the waits could be not only at the DHS station but also at the Epcot and TTC stations when you have to change trains. If Illuminations ended around the time you arrived at Epcot, there could be thousands of people already waiting to board the monorail headed for the TTC.
I think monorails work well as a mass transit solution when you have a small number of stops with a large volume of traffic headed for those destinations. When you have to change trains multiple times and/or make too many stops, the benefits are diminished significantly.
