The State & Future of the Monorails (WDW)

[Mr. EPCOT]

Back in the old old trains we'd get a "door unsafe" light. Now that could be anything from a door loose to full open (you'd have to check the mirrors). Of course you couldn't do anything (these were the old manual doors). If a door was ajar going into the contemporary it would just get sheered off (now you know why that support is so big) and land there. 90% of the time it was just the door wasnt fully clicked but it was closed.

Yeah, we got a similar alert on the Mark VIs so we'd know why our train was stopping. But I don't remember a door just literally popping all the way open, just maybe being slightly ajar like you said.

 

[rhino4evr]

the reality is that you could probably find a way to jump to your death on a number of Disney attractions. I mean most ski lifts operate in the open air. So the idea that the monorail is now SUPER DANGEROUS!!! Is a little silly.

Hey kids, don't jump off the balcony please. Thanks, Hotel Management...

 

[SeventyOne]

Weeks? You're sure about weeks? 3 days ago is the first account I've seen that was originally posted over at magic.

Went up late Christmas week/New Years Eve weekend. First noticed them 12/30, hadn't been there a few days earlier. Should add that they also had the driver spiel at every stop "Please don't lean on the doors." Agreed it looks like they knew they had an issue in retrospect--I assumed the problem was overcrowding.

 

[SeventyOne]

the reality is that you could probably find a way to jump to your death on a number of Disney attractions. I mean most ski lifts operate in the open air. So the idea that the monorail is now SUPER DANGEROUS!!! Is a little silly.

Hey kids, don't jump off the balcony please. Thanks, Hotel Management...

Huge difference between that and being in a monorail car with 2o of your closest friends when a door pops open unexpectedly. They pack those things like Tokyo subways during busy times these days.

 

[rhino4evr]

Huge difference between that and being in a monorail car with 2o of your closest friends when a door pops open unexpectedly. They pack those things like Tokyo subways during busy times these days.

This is true.

 

[Alicia]

the reality is that you could probably find a way to jump to your death on a number of Disney attractions. I mean most ski lifts operate in the open air. So the idea that the monorail is now SUPER DANGEROUS!!! Is a little silly.

Hey kids, don't jump off the balcony please. Thanks, Hotel Management...

Huge difference between that and being in a monorail car with 2o of your closest friends when a door pops open unexpectedly. They pack those things like Tokyo subways during busy times these days.

Not to mention you don't stand on an open air bench ski lift, nor park strollers with kids in them or wheelchairs inside, level with the open wall, ready to roll out.

 

[rhino4evr]

Not to mention you don't stand on an open air bench ski lift, nor park strollers with kids in them or wheelchairs inside, level with the open wall, ready to roll out.

It's dangerous for sure, but in most cases, people would realize this and stay clear of the area. It would be dangerous if the monorail was packed to capacity though.

 

[Andysol]

All these people on FB were basically say "oh its not major... they just want free tickets" "Well, dont go out the door" etc etc. Like people dont realize how dangerous this could have been.

Exactly. It could have gone very, very bad considering the door was closed and just popped open on a turn, no less.

Comments on Facebook are full of complete idiots. That's why I don't do it. At least theyd get banned here.

 

[s8film40]

It's dangerous for sure, but in most cases, people would realize this and stay clear of the area. It would be dangerous if the monorail was packed to capacity though.

Or if someone was leaning on the door when it popped open.

 

[Teebin]

And the Brits are running with it… the passengers were chastised?

Video shows Disney monorail traveling with the door open | Daily Mail Online

 

[Mad Dog]

All these people on FB were basically say "oh its not major... they just want free tickets" "Well, dont go out the door" etc etc. Like people dont realize how dangerous this could have been.

You are so right about the danger potential.... I rarely pay attention to the often extraordinary support for Disney missteps & shortcomings on social media sites....Dusty Sage, editor of Mice Age, had an interesting take on Disney apologists the other day.Dusty, "Disney bought a company called Yellow Shoes years ago and integrated them into their internal social media and PR. They are actively disrupting the comments on many blogs and social media sites, including Mice Chat. They are actually violating the law by not disclosing they are paid by Disney to post here and elsewhere.....More often than not these comments just aren't real. Disney plays really dirty on the social media side".....Sure makes you wonder about some of the more outrageous comments we sometimes read.

 

[OLSinFLA]

And the Brits are running with it… the passengers were chastised?

Video shows Disney monorail traveling with the door open | Daily Mail Online

Red LINE? LOL..... plus I swear thats a picture of coral, not red

 

[SeventyOne]

And the Brits are running with it… the passengers were chastised?

Video shows Disney monorail traveling with the door open | Daily Mail Online

Heard second-hand last night that the EPCOT CMs first reaction (btw, who, along with plenty of other EPCOT CMs, should've noticed this as it made it's park loop) was to criticize guests for not picking up the phone in the monorail and reporting it. Which is completely unacceptable, but maybe illustrates the attitude in Transportation that allows something like this to happen. Honestly, should be firings from the monorail platform all the way up to VP.

 

[s8film40]

Heard second-hand last night that the EPCOT CMs first reaction (btw, who, along with plenty of other EPCOT CMs, should've noticed this as it made it's park loop) was to criticize guests for not picking up the phone in the monorail and reporting it. Which is completely unacceptable, but maybe illustrates the attitude in Transportation that allows something like this to happen. Honestly, should be firings from the monorail platform all the way up to VP.

I do wonder if it was really a criticism or more like a question like “did you pick up the phone to let someone know?”. As a former monorail CM that was one of my first thoughts as well, but I know most people aren’t aware those are even there so there definitely should be no expectation for a guest to report something like that. Would be good if they did though. Especially considering this could have been a lot worse. Had the door not been all the way open and was sticking out farther it would have hit the railings likely sending it back through the large glass side window next to that lady seen sitting in the video.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Hopefully when we get new monorail trains, screens will be added to show a visual for emergencies.

 

[Nick]

I do wonder if it was really a criticism or more like a question like “did you pick up the phone to let someone know?”. As a former monorail CM that was one of my first thoughts as well, but I know most people aren’t aware those are even there so there definitely should be no expectation for a guest to report something like that. Would be good if they did though. Especially considering this could have been a lot worse. Had the door not been all the way open and was sticking out farther it would have hit the railings likely sending it back through the large glass side window next to that lady seen sitting in the video.

Yeah, thinking about it, that's actually probably part of protocol when something is wrong is to ask if they used the phone. Now, of course, tone matters a lot so I could see someone taking that question the wrong way.

I mean, when a monorail pulls into the station with the door already open, you know you've got a problem on your hands. One that most of those CMs probably didn't know exactly how to fully react to as it was so bizarre and for all they knew, someone could've died on the way in.

It was a high stress situation all around the way I see it. One we wouldn't have if Disney would just pony up for new monorails...

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Heard second-hand last night that the EPCOT CMs first reaction (btw, who, along with plenty of other EPCOT CMs, should've noticed this as it made it's park loop) was to criticize guests for not picking up the phone in the monorail and reporting it. Which is completely unacceptable, but maybe illustrates the attitude in Transportation that allows something like this to happen. Honestly, should be firings from the monorail platform all the way up to VP.

As an engineer (mech and industrial) things happen. They just do. But it’s the safety reporting processes and flagging systems BY THE CAST that should catch this. Calling a phone in the cab for a door open while going between TTC and Epcot would solve NO issues. That being a default response points to incompetence at some level(s) of WDW transportation.

 

[s8film40]

Hopefully when we get new monorail trains, screens will be added to show a visual for emergencies.

Doesn’t really matter if no one pays attention. I was trained to look in the mirrors while driving. I can’t imagine driving all the way from TTC to entering the Epcot station without noticing that.

 

[rhino4evr]

TBH, she probably thought to herself, that if she called, the whole train would have probably been e-stopped and evacuated, and she didn't want to miss that hard to get Frozen fast pass.

Plus shaming on social media is way more profitable.

 

[s8film40]

Calling a phone in the cab for a door open while going between TTC and Epcot would solve NO issues.

It would certainly help. A stopped monorail with an open door is far less dangerous than a moving monorail with an open door. This could’ve been much worse and someone could have died, in that scenario someone reporting it would have potentially avoided that. Now that doesn’t mean there should be any expectation at all for guests to report this, but like I said if someone had the knowledge and presence of mind it definitely would’ve been a good thing.