John is right! (of course) I got caught by the monorail closing

[plscott]

Hey All!
We're having a great time here in the World. Everything is beautiful and wonderful, but I did get caught in the great monorail debate last night. It is my fault, but perhaps my mistake will help someone else out. We are staying at Bay Lake Tower and yesterday visited Epcot. Had a perfect, magical day. We decided to leave the park at about 8:45 (I know because as I argued with the Monorail guy I looked at the time). The park was open until 9:00pm and there were signs stating the monorail operated until 10:00pm. Well, you already know my mistake. I guess I had tunnel vision about my itinerary and I did not keep up with the closing time of the MK. It's not that I ignored it, I just never thought about it. I should have known better (or at least that's what my wife kept telling me ). So at 8:45 we're standing at the monorail and the guy there stops us and asks where our final destination is and I told him. He says "you can't get on the monorail, you'll have to take a bus". I said "but it's 8:45!" He says "yes, but by the time you get to the TTC the resort monorail will have stopped running". We went on for a few minutes. Finally I told him that my final destination was the TTC and he let us get on the monorail. I had hoped he would be wrong (nope we ran up the ramp for the resort monorail at 9:02 and they stopped us) then I asked to get on the ferry boat so we could walk to Bay Lake from the MK (nope no transportation to MK). So, we got on a bus to contemporary. Fortunately, instead of waiting with thousands of people at Epcot there was only one other person waiting with us at the bus stop. Why didn't I want to get on the bus? Was I just being a jerk? I have a double stroller a single stroller, and my MIL has an ECV. Getting on a bus is a pain for us. However, my boys (5 year old triplets) LOVE riding Mickey's bus. So it was a happy ending after all. With only one other person at the bus stop getting the ECV on and strollers on was no problem and we got to sing "the wheels on the bus go round and round" to finish off the night. Great day with a happy ending. Just beware if you eventually want to take the resort monorail and your at Epcot on a night the MK closes at 8:00pm you must arrive before 8:45. We're off to the MK this morning and won't be home until Sunday, so flame away! I respond if I get a chance.

Paul

[SBETigg]

To me, this a major nuisance. Epcot wasn't even closed yet and you can't count on monorail transportation to your resort? I know there are buses, but that is such a hassle. If you're paying to stay at a monorail resort, you should be able to count on the transportation options you have always had there. And I have been at different times of year, even when the MK closed early, and I've never had to bus from Epcot when staying at a monorail resort because the resort monorail wasn't running. This seems crazy to me.

It didn't affect me last trip because we tried the Beach Club. But we discovered that we still much prefer the monorail resorts, so this could be an issue for me next trip.

[BrerGnat]

That is a TOTAL pain! Why would you be keeping track of MK closing time if you spent the night at Epcot? I wouldn't have known either. When I visit WDW, I am really only concerned with the park hours for the park I am currently visiting, or plan to visit that day. I have no idea what goes on, time wise, at the rest of the parks.

That is super annoying. They should run the monorail until 1 hour after whichever park closes later, be it MK or Epcot. It just makes no sense to have bus transportation to the MK resorts from Epcot, when the monorail is much more efficient.

What I want to know is, what about people who have late dinners (or even not so late) at the MK monorail resorts, who are staying at other MK monorail resorts? How do they get back to their hotel? Taxi? If I was staying at Contemporary, and had a late dinner at Poly or GF, and MK closed at 7pm, then what? You can't walk between these resorts, so what do you do?

Score another point for the Epcot resorts...

[Buttercup]

What a pain!
I hope that you're enjoying your trip! (... paying so much for a monorail resort that doesn't let you use the monorail)
Just kidding!

I actually didn't agree with John when I thought it was just a problem on Extra Magic Hours nights... but now I think I do if it's pulling Epcot into the problem on a regular night. That really *****....

[Aurora]

Plscott, thanks for reporting on your experience. This is what I was wondering when they first announced the changes. I can hardly believe how ridiculous this is.

That is a TOTAL pain! Why would you be keeping track of MK closing time if you spent the night at Epcot? I wouldn't have known either. When I visit WDW, I am really only concerned with the park hours for the park I am currently visiting, or plan to visit that day. I have no idea what goes on, time wise, at the rest of the parks.

That is super annoying. They should run the monorail until 1 hour after whichever park closes later, be it MK or Epcot. It just makes no sense to have bus transportation to the MK resorts from Epcot, when the monorail is much more efficient.

Here's exactly why the Disney excuse of early closing because of monorail maintenance makes absolutely no sense and is insulting to guests. There are ZERO maintenance or safety reasons for the MK resort monorail to close at 9 p.m. Precisely none. It simply makes it more inconvenient for everyone.

[RazdOnDis]

I have to wonder exactly how much money they're saving by doing this. They have to know the inconvenience they're causing their guests. How much does it cost to operate a monorail for an hour?

I don't mind using the buses when it's necessary. But this means that ALL the affected park guests will using the buses and it just makes a sometimes hectic situation even worse. The case of the ECV and strollers is a perfect example. We went through all the grumbling and under-the-breath comments last October when my DGS was in a wheelchair due to bone replacement surgery. The crowd can get a little restless and impatient. Not to mention trying to stow everything else and take care of children.

Bad idea.

[Victor Kelly]

First off, it is diminishing the reason to stay at a deluxe monorail resort.

Second it is a a reduction in service which all of us have been noticing over the years.

They cut 1 of 3 forms of transportation to and from MK. Monorails, boats, and buses.

I do not feel it is right for EMH guests that are at MK or Epcot get penalized by going to EMH by not being able to ride the monorail. So if you park at MK and hop to EPCOT, miss the close off time, you are penalized.

This just does not make good business sense to me. Especially since DVC is coming to all of the monorail resorts. Bang, one selling point gone right off the bat.

And, I hate to say this but, Universal got it right when they built their parking garages. Yes it is a walk but there are motorized walkways to and from City Walk. It may not be to the entrance, but it is a far better system.

At least install a wedway loop then from MK to TTC. Heck make it elevated to by 10 feet. Look at the original design that Walt had and you will see a dedicated wedway line from Epcot to MK.

[W24toISMdirect]

There is NO possible justification for how Disney can charge a premimium for Monorail Resort, and then you would not be able to get from Epcot to Contemporary using the Monorail. I don't, and probably won't even stay at a monorail resort, but this is simply outrageous and guests at Contemporary, Polynisian and Grand Floridian should not be tolorating it. For the price they are chraged for such a service, it should be available more than it would ever need to be.

No excuses, unacceptable... and if it's safety issue, fix it. If you can't fix it, drop the price. Period.

[Goes4FastPass]

Every service cut is a savings to the corporation.

One-stay-at-time guests like me can rant and say if enough cuts take place I will go to WDW less...

...but what about people who have paid in advance for decades of BLT? They're called DVC members who have BLT as their 'home'. Yeah, I know the Disney Corp didn't promise them monorail service but boy would I be disappointed.

[A Big Kid]

I changed my january reservations from the Poly to POR FQ because I was not going to pay extra for an advertized perk that does not exist.

[T--]

You watch Illuminations and MK closes at 8 or 9. You either have to catch a bus or drive to Epcot.
Bummer.

[BrerGnat]

I changed my january reservations from the Poly to POR FQ because I was not going to pay extra for an advertized perk that does not exist.

I sort of feel like you should write to Disney to tell them that.

Money talks. If enough people do this, they will have a problem.

[A Big Kid]

I sort of feel like you should write to Disney to tell them that.

Money talks. If enough people do this, they will have a problem.

Done. Right after I changed my reservations, I let them know. I sent them confirmation numbers, dates, etc.

[tundramom]

We just got home last weekend and got caught in the morning. This may be the norm, but I've never run into it in the past....Staying at VWL, waiting one AM for EPCOT bus with many other plus ECV....waiting...I finally say, hey let's hop a MK bus and monorail over? MK buses running every 10' like clockwork, stroll over to Monorail station- Express line closed ! Take resort line to TTC and then bus. When I asked a Monorail CM when Express line opens in AM he said "usually around 11" Really???

[A Big Kid]

We just got home last weekend and got caught in the morning. This may be the norm, but I've never run into it in the past....Staying at VWL, waiting one AM for EPCOT bus with many other plus ECV....waiting...I finally say, hey let's hop a MK bus and monorail over? MK buses running every 10' like clockwork, stroll over to Monorail station- Express line closed ! Take resort line to TTC and then bus. When I asked a Monorail CM when Express line opens in AM he said "usually around 11" Really???

I dont have a clue what you just wrote.

[MrPeetrie]

What I want to know is, what about people who have late dinners (or even not so late) at the MK monorail resorts, who are staying at other MK monorail resorts? How do they get back to their hotel? Taxi? If I was staying at Contemporary, and had a late dinner at Poly or GF, and MK closed at 7pm, then what? You can't walk between these resorts, so what do you do?

Score another point for the Epcot resorts...

What an excellent point!!!

[LVT]

For my spreadsheet, I need 2 monorail times columns? or is it 3? Epcot to TTA, TTA to MK and Resort loop.
I enjoyed the monorail.

[VWL Mom]

We just got home last weekend and got caught in the morning. This may be the norm, but I've never run into it in the past....Staying at VWL, waiting one AM for EPCOT bus with many other plus ECV....waiting...I finally say, hey let's hop a MK bus and monorail over? MK buses running every 10' like clockwork, stroll over to Monorail station- Express line closed ! Take resort line to TTC and then bus. When I asked a Monorail CM when Express line opens in AM he said "usually around 11" Really???

Wait, so was just the express lined closed or is there no Epcot service at all in the morning?

[badkitty]

It seems absolutely silly to me that the monorail can't take you back to your MK resort after EPCOT closes. I'm not even talking about EMH but regular park hours. The Monorail transportation is one of the main perks.

I love the AKL but my main complaint is the bus service. The buses are horrible. The way they jerk to a stop and jerk to move forward. It is awful on my back when I'm standing (which is 95% of the time because you wait so long for bus, so we all cram on). I wouldn't want to spend the money on the Poly or GF and have to take the bus. Ugh.

[mickeys_princess_mom]

What I want to know is, what about people who have late dinners (or even not so late) at the MK monorail resorts, who are staying at other MK monorail resorts? How do they get back to their hotel? Taxi? If I was staying at Contemporary, and had a late dinner at Poly or GF, and MK closed at 7pm, then what? You can't walk between these resorts, so what do you do?

Score another point for the Epcot resorts...

I'm going to be in this position, so I'm watching for some answers?.....