New Monorail Station

[PragmaticIdealist]

I usually avoid giving Disney free advice, but, since plans are underway for a new monorail station in Tomorrowland, I thought there might be a chance to offer a suggestion that could alter the current thinking T.P.O. and W.D.I. have about the monorail service.

I would recommend that Disney close Tomorrowland Station and open a new station between the two parks, instead. In that way, Guests would be able to transfer from the monorails to the Disneyland Railroad, the Main Street Vehicles, and the main entrance of D.C.A. relatively easily. And, Guests entering by way of the monorail would be made to use the main entrance and enter Main Street, U.S.A., which is an essential part of the Show.

The current configuration is completely outmoded. With the new arrangement, day-Guests would be able to use the parking valets and D.D. parking areas to reach the main entrances of both parks, and Hotel Guests would be able to do the same. Additionally, Guests of both Disneyland and D.C.A., as well as Hotel Guests, could potentially have unlimited access to the monorail service. Guests of Downtown Disney could potentially also use the monorail for a separate fee to gain previews of both the new park and The Magic Kingdom or to simply enjoy a pleasant excursion.

To preserve the quality of the show, though, the monorail trains would have to reverse their course and proceed from the west station to: the Grand Californian; D.C.A.; the East Esplanade; Disneyland; Central Plaza; the outskirts of Fantasyland; Mickey's Toontown and "it's a small world"; and, Tomorrowland. The trains would, then, exit Disneyland and make station-stops at the central piazza in the Outer Lobby.

Guests leaving the trains would receive an elevated view of Main Street Station and the rest of Main Street, U.S.A. from this vantage point, and Guests still on board would be able to view the piazza and the larger-than-life postcard that serves as the entrance to D.C.A. from the other side of the trains.

A well-designed station between the two parks could also incorporate a more elaborate entrance to The Magic Kingdom and a more prominent "Disneyland" sign. The existing monorail guideway makes a natural peristyle that could be used to much better effect, and Disneyland definitely needs a more interesting entrance.

[Morrigoon]

Don't you feel it would needlessly block sightlines in the esplanade?

I'm not sure how to feel about this suggestion. First, I didn't realize they were redesigning the station (if it ain't broke..) Second, the monorail is intended to be futuristic. Sure some cities have them now, but it's still futuristic to most folks. At first I thought you intended they should be dropped off on Main Street, but then I realized you meant for them to drop off in the esplanade.

I think a station located there would be quite in the way, especially for early morning and mid evening entry lines. Now, if they were to move the entry gates out to the current bag checks and allow free passage between the two parks, then a monorail stop in the middle could be just the thing. But I don't realistically see that happening.

I think a better idea would be to add a DCA station.

[FormerDiz]

Actually I've always thought that putting a station outside the park was a good idea. If they put it over near the kennels it wouldn't block anything.

They should also expand the system to go to Mickey and Friends and add a Grand Californian stop (maybe even a Paradise Pier Hotel stop).

They could run more trains that way and keep the system moving nicely.

[ALIASd]

A monorail station at Main Street USA would put a modern era/futuristic transportation system into the early 1900's theme...without a flux capacitor or Mr. Fusion.

[Morrigoon]

Okay my bad, just saw the mention in Al's article about the station

(smacks forehead)

[innerSpaceman]

Who would be served by a monorail station in the Esplanade?

Guests of the Grand Cal would have to walk further to the other station than they would to the Esplanade station itself. Paradise Pier Guests are not anywhere near the other station either, and wouldn't save any time by walking to the DTD station to get to the Esplanade station. Disneyland Hotel guests would find it a mockery of their monorail waiting time if they were merely taken a few hundred yards further into DTD rather than all the way into the interior of the Park.

Monorail service would be great from the Esplanade to the parking structure, but a peoplemover would be more suited to such a heavily traveled route.

I'm afraid the spacial arrangements of the hotels at the Disneyland resort do not fit well into the model of monorail service to the theme park entrances. Just silly.



(As a fairly constant guest of the Disneyland Hotel, I can tell you that monorail service to deep inside Disneyland is one of the major perks of that hotel, and one which guests have become adoringly accustomed to over the last 40 years or so.)

[Disney Vault]

Sounds like some of you are getting too lazy. Everything at the resort is in walking distance. They don't need a bunch of Monorail stops around the resort.

[Morrigoon]

There should be an in-DCA stop - or at least an in-GCH stop.

Lazy isn't the issue. People pay a premium for a perk.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

I don't like the idea of a Esplanade station. It would mean waiting in line for the monorail, traveling for about a minute, and then being dumped off to stand in line some more. I rather like the fact that if the front entrance is crowded, you have another way into the park.

Concerning a DCA stop, I love the idea but I'm not sure how you work that our logistically. If you only pay to get into Disneyland, what is to stop you from getting off inside DCA? If you only let people on who are allowed into DCA, then what about the DTD folks. I'm just not sure how you work that out unless everyone who gets into one park gets into another.

One thing I will say though, DCA sorely needs some transportation. Great place for a skyway if you ask me.

[aerinpegadrak]

I think all the hotels need better connections to the parks. A GCH stop for the Monorail is sort of a no-brainer, because the Monorail goes right through the hotel. I also think there should be some sort of connection between the Paradise Pier Hotel and Paradise Pier itself - a skyway or a bridge or something. Making the resort better connected gives all guests more dining options (i.e., going to Yamabuki for dinner doesn't require a hike) and provides further incentives for hotel guests (i.e., more convenient access to the parks).

[aerinpegadrak]

Concerning a DCA stop, I love the idea but I'm not sure how you work that our logistically. If you only pay to get into Disneyland, what is to stop you from getting off inside DCA? If you only let people on who are allowed into DCA, then what about the DTD folks. I'm just not sure how you work that out unless everyone who gets into one park gets into another.

One thing I will say though, DCA sorely needs some transportation. Great place for a skyway if you ask me.

I don't think it would be too huge of a problem, logistically. You'd have to stick a pair of ticket takers at each station. The stations outside the parks would require you to scan your ticket before you boarded (Downtown Disney already does this), and the stations inside the parks would require you to scan your ticket before you can leave the station to enter the park. If someone tried to take the Monorail from DTD into DL without a ticket, or with a one-park ticket that had already been used for DCA, they would not be allowed to enter the park and would have to get back on the Monorail.

I definitely agree that DCA really needs some form of transportation. We Californians loooove our transportation, but the only way to get around DCA is hoofing it. Doesn't make sense...

[PragmaticIdealist]

Disneyland Hotel guests would find it a mockery of their monorail waiting time if they were merely taken a few hundred yards further into DTD rather than all the way into the interior of the Park.

(As a fairly constant guest of the Disneyland Hotel, I can tell you that monorail service to deep inside Disneyland is one of the major perks of that hotel, and one which guests have become adoringly accustomed to over the last 40 years or so.)

Downtown Disney creates a dead-end. The monorail service could solve that problem for day-Guests.

Guests of the Disneyland Hotel have always been able to walk to the main entrance of Disneyland, and, still, walking is the only way to reach it. Walking is definitely the only way to reach any part of Disney's California Adventure.

Guests of the Paradise Pier Hotel are at an even greater disadvantage. Walking to the monorail station west of Disneyland Drive is better than walking all the way to the main entrances of the parks.

The Disneyland Railroad and the Main Street Vehicles provide service between Town Square and Tomorrowland, so as long as those Attractions are operating efficiently, transfering should be convenient.

I can visualize an open platform to the North of the existing monorail guideway at the main entrance of Disneyland. The entrance to the station might be near the kennel and the exit might be near the picnic area. The structure should be graceful and unobtrusive, and it might further incorporate two buildings housing elevators and other essentials on both sides of the main entrance to Disneyland. The buildings might serve as pylons to the gates of Disneyland and might mark the points at which the peristyle begins and ends.

The monorail system began as a Tomorrowland Attraction, but the nature of the service has changed so much that it really belongs to the Outer Lobby now.

[innerSpaceman]

Well, Disneyland Hotel guests do not want wait-in-line transportation to the wait-in-line of the Disneyland entrance; they want and deserve wait-in-line transportaiton to bypass the other wait-in-line.

I'm all in favor of requiring one's first entry of the day to be through the main entrance, but that's more to do with theme preservation rather than practical transportation issues.

[Mickey'sGirl]

But can someone post a link or a map of the current DL Monorail track/stops. I'm getting so confused trying to picture the current placement.
Thanks Buddy

[merlinjones]

I disagree with the premise of the post. With the current track layout, two outside stations would serve no one really - since the DTD station is not close enough to the hotel to be any big deal for guests (they still have to walk a long ways) - and it certainly doesn't reach to the parking lot - - now that would be great - - to take the monorail from the parking lot to the gate, but it isn't likely to ever happen with the cost of track, it seems.

So instead, how about eliminating the DTD station and building a new one within DCA? - - then the Monorail would become a truly useful (and still scenic) service that transported guests from one park to another - - I might actually use DCA more that way, since I enjoy riding Monorail through Disneyland - - won't go to DCA now if I can avoid it. Leaving and entering the parks through the entrance is a real drag (it disrupts the storytelling of the day at Disneyland, away from the outside world - - not to mention that the entrance to DCA is so homely who wants to walk through it?). Such a service between parks (or perhaps by Skyway if not the Monorail) would really make park hopper tickets far more attractive for day-users. It's like you are going to another "land" instead of another, worse park.

In any event, something must be done to improve the views from the Monorail within DCA - -this was very poorly planned. Contrast the fine scenic views within Disneyland with the subway-style ride through DCA - - it hardly builds anticipation to visit such a dull looking place...