Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Monorail's Shutting Down Early?


It seems as though the Walt Disney Resort has taken a strange new measure in keeping costs down at the Happiest Place on Earth. As has been stated on numerous places on the internet, Disney has decided that as of July 11 the Epcot monorail will cease operation one hour after park closing. That includes nights in which Epcot has Extra Magic Hours (EMH). Magic Kingdom will follow suit starting August 1.

Many people who know me might be prepping themselves for one of my famous soapbox rants. Sadly, this is not one of those nights. The reason being... I understand why they are doing this, and am shocked that this has not happened in the past. I have been killed on discussion forums because I do not view this as a big deal, but honestly is it.

 I have a certain belief about this whole situation.


The idea of EMH is so that Walt Disney Resort guests can have extra time in the parks to enjoy the attractions without the added crowds. If you are brave enough to weather fatigue and crying children, this is an excellent time to ride attractions that you love until your heart is content. In my belief the Monorail at night is for guests who are staying off property that are going home for the evening. They need the Monorail to get them back to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). In Epcot the Monorail has an even less function as it is only necessary for guests who started at Magic Kingdom. My question is this: If you are a Disney Resort guest, how are you getting to Magic Kingdom on a night that they have EMH?

My guess would be that 9 times out of 10 guests will be using the Disney Resort bus line. It takes you from resort to park, and I know I have used it exclusively on many of my trips. If this is the case then why is the Monorail closing a big deal. It is not being used by resort guests, and those who need rides to the TTC are guests who were trying to stay in the park much later than they were supposed to anyway. I am not trying t be vindictive or act holier than thou, but the EMH is designed for resort guests, and therefore Disney should make an attempt to keep it that way. Though this is not their reason for the change, I think that it might be an added bonus. Logically the Monorails closing an hour after park closing is not a huge deal. The only resorts really affected are the Grand Floridian, Polynesian and the Contemporary (and this has a walkway straight from the entrance) If the company decides to only cease the express monorail, they will probably need less trains, and less workers. This is not a major issue. It may be a cost effective solution to a longtime problem.

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