When will we get a new fleet of Monorail?

[Mit88]

https://blogmickey.com/2020/08/monorail-mark-x-attraction-coming-to-epcot/



Kind of a click-baity thread title but I’m surprised this story hasnt gotten much discussion in the 5 days since this leaked.

I have my doubts that this is an actual working monorail coming to the PLAY! Pavilion as theres just not enough space in that building, and we probably would have gotten leaks prior to this. In all likelihood, it’ll probably be either a background prop, or a standstill walkthrough interactive attraction. I remember Bob Gurr mentioning a year or two ago that there were new monorails being “imagined” due to the unreliability of the current fleet. But who knows if that was actually in Disney’s plans, or if its even in the cards anymore.

Could this new Mark X Monorail “attraction?” show us what the next fleet of the Monorail would possibly look like? What would you like to see in a new fleet of Monorail? Other than doors that close, and more reliability in general.

 

[Brett Wyman]

Given the Play Pavilion's nature Im assuming this is some kind of virtual or video based simulation attraction. Probably more of a video game than a full new ride.

 

[unbanshee]

Given the Play Pavilion's nature Im assuming this is some kind of virtual or video based simulation attraction. Probably more of a video game than a full new ride.

It would definitely be cool if we could get a physical cockpit with video windows, allowing guests to pilot the monorail

 

[rteetz]

Disney isn’t going to spend money on monorails for as long as they can now. There were strong rumors that I can personally attest to of internal discussions in 2018-19. They were looking into it. I think that ship sailed.

 

[skeeter31]

Disney isn’t going to spend money on monorails for as long as they can now. There were strong rumors that I can personally attest to of internal discussions in 2018-19. They were looking into it. I think that ship sailed.

Yeah at this point hoping for a new fleet, or hoping for new lines of Skyliners to be installed are just pipe dreams. Maybe in 5-7 years they’ll be able to come back to those discussions. Just have to hope with the monorails that the doors stay on and random pieces don’t keep falling off in the Epcot parking lot over that time.

 

[Mit88]

Given the Play Pavilion's nature Im assuming this is some kind of virtual or video based simulation attraction. Probably more of a video game than a full new ride.

I think it’ll be closer to what Moana will be as an “attraction” than a simulator. Touch pads, screens. Stuff that people would probably not be comfortable taking part of in 2021 when it opens

Disney isn’t going to spend money on monorails for as long as they can now. There were strong rumors that I can personally attest to of internal discussions in 2018-19. They were looking into it. I think that ship sailed.

Don’t you think eventually they’re going to need to do something more than quick fixes? I mean, they’re very, very dated and in bad shape. I wont even go up the ramp to attempt to get on a monorail anymore, the ferry is far more reliable.

 

[Lumpy1106]

I think it’ll be closer to what Moana will be as an “attraction” than a simulator. Touch pads, screens. Stuff that people would probably not be comfortable taking part of in 2021 when it opens



Don’t you think eventually they’re going to need to do something more than quick fixes? I mean, they’re very, very dated and in bad shape. I wont even go up the ramp to attempt to get on a monorail anymore, the ferry is far more reliable.

Interesting - we had no issues at all. Well, other than the TTT to Epcot monorails were not running. That was a bummer.

 

[rteetz]

Don’t you think eventually they’re going to need to do something more than quick fixes? I mean, they’re very, very dated and in bad shape. I wont even go up the ramp to attempt to get on a monorail anymore, the ferry is far more reliable.

Eventually yes but the entire fleet is in the midst of updates currently. Many already done. Monorails are crazy expensive. That’s why they never expanded it and that’s why they’ve put off new trains for so long. Bombardier is a very challenging company to work with too.

 

[Mit88]

Eventually yes but the entire fleet is in the midst of updates currently. Many already done. Monorails are crazy expensive. That’s why they never expanded it and that’s why they’ve put off new trains for so long. Bombardier is a very challenging company to work with too.

I didnt know Bombardier was hard to work with. Thats interesting, and would certainly cause issues to build new ones. I’m just hopeful that one day they can make the Monorail special for all guests as it once was. Its one of the first things people think of when they think of Disney Parks, but its certainly lost its luster over the last decade

 

[rteetz]

I didnt know Bombardier was hard to work with. Thats interesting, and would certainly cause issues to build new ones. I’m just hopeful that one day they can make the Monorail special for all guests as it once was. Its one of the first things people think of when they think of Disney Parks, but its certainly lost its luster over the last decade

I should clarify that it’s more about their timelines. Bombardier doesn’t get things done on time. Monorail companies aren’t abundant and they did the current trains. Disney has talked to other companies in recent years.

 

[Polydweller]

I should clarify that it’s more about their timelines. Bombardier doesn’t get things done on time. Monorail companies aren’t abundant and they did the current trains. Disney has talked to other companies in recent years.

Quite true about Bombardier, however, they have a deal to sell the entire train division to Alston of Germany. Last I heard it’s waiting European approval but when it goes ahead that alleviate the problems Bombardier had had meeting orders.

 

[Vern60]

I thought there was a pretty good write up on this on the Disney Tourist Blog. It's the last portion of a rather long article, scroll till you get to the monorail pic if not interested in reading the rest.
https://www.disneytouristblog.com/d...attraction-plummeting-numbers-dining-changes/

 

[Vern60]

And, while I'm at it, if you like monorails and fast trains this is one awesome read, (lots of great pics!). It's from the SCMaglev and Railway Park museum in Japan. Man, Tom, the author is right, some of these would look sooooo cool at Epcot!
https://www.travelcaffeine.com/scmaglev-railway-park-nagoya-japan-shinkansen-museum/

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

Given the Play Pavilion's nature Im assuming this is some kind of virtual or video based simulation attraction. Probably more of a video game than a full new ride.

I wonder if it will feature virtual break-downs, evacuations, and odors?

 

[Brett Wyman]

I wonder if it will feature virtual break-downs, evacuations, and odors?

And the virtual smell of sweat and old band aids.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

How often is the monorail actually evacuated? I honestly feel like people exaggerate the unreliability of the monorails. I hear a lot about it but it just hasn’t been our experience. People talk about the condition, but they’re in the process of updating them and the updates are nice

We often stay at monorail resorts and in the last 3 years, we’ve stayed at VGF, Poly, and BLT. Took the monorail quite a bit as we spend a lot of time at MK and Epcot, and love doing resort loops to visit the other resorts to eat, shop, etc. Even when we don’t stay at a monorail resort, we always do resort loops on an MK day. We have only experienced long monorail downtime once and they compensated us appropriately. Are we just very very lucky?

We still think the monorail is magical and special, but I guess we must be in the minority Once a Disney bus we were on got in a car accident - that was much worse situation and delay than any monorail issue we’ve experienced over the years.

 

[hertamaniac]

When they do the replacements, I want to see adequate onboard energy storage. The premise is that in the event of a line/unit failure, it can move to the next station for passengers to disembark.

 

[rteetz]

When they do the replacements, I want to see adequate onboard energy storage. The premise is that in the event of a line/unit failure, it can move to the next station for passengers to disembark.

Power options were being looked at the last time they were serious about upgrades.

 

[hertamaniac]

Power options were being looked at the last time they were serious about upgrades.

They need to look at power and energy, but I know what you meant. A major design issue is the heat rejection if they opt for onboard storage; the ambient temperatures will have a profound effect on the storage. Anyway, I've addressed in more technical detail a few years ago in one of our threads so no need for me to go down that route again.

 

[Jake]

Skyline is replying Buss. Not only replacing the bus, but doing better service. Replacing bus drivers with lower paying CM to board the SL. This will save money in the long run.
Because it saves money and fixing the long lines to get on a bus. Don’t think it’s totally dead. If Disney go back to getting people back in the parks and starts to make money. SL May be the first thing to start up.

After fixing Epcot somehow