Adding a New Gate! (but not where you'd think)

[skprnck]

In regards to the Animal Kingdom, it's kinda out there. The reason, I've heard, that there is no monorail out to Animal Kingdom is that it was considered too expensive. Now, why they put the entrance facing the other way from the monorail center is beyond me, but allowing that, what if they built a second gate into Animal Kingdom, similar to the second gate into Epcot? They could use Rafiki's Planet watch and some of that left over space behind Asia to create something newer, maybe with a theme of caring for animals in a more fururistic and enviromentaly friendly future, like Animal Tomorrowland.
Now, this wouldn't replace the original entrance, which most guests would probably still use. But don't you think it would help resort guests and tons of other guests if they could get to Animal Kingdom from the TTC? I think it would help make the least visited area of the park more accesible as it would be its own entrance...thingy? the entrance aspect would make the train from Rafiki a lot more sensible, as it would be an entrance land and not just any old land.

What do you think?

[Bryce05]

Even Rafiki's Planet Watch is further from the TTC than Epcot... If they were going to cough-up for a monorail all the way to Rafiki's, then why not go the little extra to the park's front gate?

Also, having to wait for a train to get from the entrance to the park/park to the exit would be a royal pain.

A monorail to DAK would be awesome, but it should be to the front gate.

[skprnck]

I will admit, you've got me about the train. That feature probably doesn't help that part if the park at all. Oh well.

But I'm not letting up on my Rafiki re-theme idea in whole! The Scotsman in me says to hold on to the bitter end! (but then again I'm half Irish)

[ti2gr]

Your idea is really not that bad, however it's not all unused land behind Rafiki's. Behind the Animal Kingdom are various backstage and support facilities. There are things like the tree farm, there is the canine/security facilities as well as waste management. Things I don't think Disney really wants day day guests flying over in a monorail.

At one time (before EPCOT opened) where Disney actually had a model on display of what is now Downtown Disney which had a monorail station and it's own line.

I think it would be great to turn the TTC into a true transportation hub with monrail lines leading to Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney very similar to what we have now with EPCOT. - or- a line that makes stops only at EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.

At each park a separate line (similar to the Magic Kingdom Resort line)
At Epcot a resort line monorail with stops at Yacht & Beach, Hollywood Studios, Boardwalk and Caribbean Beach/Pop Century Resorts.

At Animal Kingdom, the resort line would cover the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Coronado Springs, and All Star Resorts. At All Star Resorts perhaps 2 stops, with one near Sports and the other near Movies. Given the size of these resorts perhaps a higher capacity monorail system.

At Downtown Disney the resort line would be for Pop Century/Caribbean Beach, Saratoga Springs, Old Key West and Port Orleans Resorts.

At Downtown Disney, guests would have to show a resort ID (room key), annual pass, cast member ID or a paid parking receipt to board the monorails. This will cut down on people parking at the shopping area to avoid parking fees at the parks. The parking receipt could be a detachable card incorporated into parking receipt currently given at the toll plazas. Those without these credentials would have to pay a fee equal to the parking fees charged at the parks.

[MJMcB]

I think Disney is done with monorails. Its too much money

[Tyler1994]

That would be such a good idea, although it costs SOO much to build a monerail line.

[MarkTwain]

I think Disney is done with monorails. Its too much money

... and yet that argument doesn't sit well with me. If they could build a monorail track through miles of swampland to EPCOT Center in one of the most financially-troubled times in Disney history (early 1980s), why couldn't they do it today? An expansion of the monorail lines definitely seems like a good idea to me; it's just a matter of WDW management's will.

[3rdshiftCM]

When you consider a Monorail expansion, track and station construction is not the only cost factors to consider.

Any expansion would also have to include the addition of a new fleet of trains to operate the new line or lines and that number would depend on how many stops, how many guests expected and distance traveled.

So if you consider that the WDW system has/had 12 trains running on 3 lines with 6 stops total and the greatest distance traveled is from the TTC to EPCOT any large expansion like the ones suggested would require at least 12 more trains to operate properly and thats a low ball.

So as much as we would all like to see the Monorail expanded, I don't think it will ever happen.

[Coastierox]

Monorail or not, they need something more than the buses... A ground tram type thingy wouldn't be too bad. But all in all I have to admit that the stupid bus system is probably the most cost effective. One can dream though.

[MJMcB]

... and yet that argument doesn't sit well with me. If they could build a monorail track through miles of swampland to EPCOT Center in one of the most financially-troubled times in Disney history (early 1980s), why couldn't they do it today? An expansion of the monorail lines definitely seems like a good idea to me; it's just a matter of WDW management's will.

not really. Its the stockholders. They couldn't justify the tremendous cost to the shareholders when buses work just fine. The monorail is not cost effective

[MarkTwain]

not really. Its the stockholders. They couldn't justify the tremendous cost to the shareholders when buses work just fine. The monorail is not cost effective

...Fair enough. I suppose there was also the issue of "Walt's Ghost" with the Epcot line, because Walt specified a monorail would connect the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT.

Monorail or not, they need something more than the buses... A ground tram type thingy wouldn't be too bad. ...

That's light-rail, and I agree it's their best bet. A lot of cities are turning to light-rail to address their mass-transit woes. It's efficient, cost-friendly, and considerably more exciting than the average city-bus.

[GhostHost2]

I say that all the theme parks, water parks, hotels, and Downtown Disney should be connected via monorail.

[ORD84]

That's light-rail, and I agree it's their best bet. A lot of cities are turning to light-rail to address their mass-transit woes. It's efficient, cost-friendly, and considerably more exciting than the average city-bus.

I wholeheartedly agree that Light Rail would be the most cost effective...the light rail cars could even be disguised to look like the monorails, heck if a bullettrain can at least from the side look like a monorail you can theoretically make anything look like one...ahh the wonders of fiberglass/aluminum and the ways we can shape them.

I say that all the theme parks, water parks, hotels, and Downtown Disney should be connected via monorail.

I agree, but justifying the cost I think Light Rail would be the way to go in this instance, due to the fact that it's an easier justifyable cost to the stockholders...isn't light rail after the initial setup cost cheaper than busses anyways?

[skprnck]

The public transportation in Walt Disney World just needs to be kicked up. A good idea would be to vary to travel forms throughout the resort, from boats to light rails to WEDways to... snails. I would recommend at least building one more monorail, to allow the monorail to keep it's status as the dominant Disney transport, but really, just a more sophisticated way of moving about the parks would be nice. Sersiouly, if they want guests to stay in the hotels, they gotta. THe biggest con to staying on property is the transportaion...and cost(but that goes without saying) And wouldn't it help their parkhoppers if you could actaully hop around the parks?

[Eric5675]

Now I'm not a WDW expert by any means but I rmeember reading that there are concrete bases in the ground for another line that went unused because funding stopped when Eisner came in. Does anyone have more information on this?