This week I had the opportunity to ride the newly refurbished Monorail Green. In addition to preventative maintenance work under the body, the interior cabins got a nice upgrade. I’m not sure what they did, but the ride definitely felt smoother than on unrefurbished trains.… Read More »Disney World rolls out refurbished Monorail Green
Earlier this year, video of Monorail Red running with one of its doors wide open surfaced online. According to one passenger, the doors opened shortly after the train left the TTC station en route to EPCOT and stayed open until they arrived in the EPCOT… Read More »New safety signs added to Walt Disney World’s Monorails
A pair of videos shared to Instagram earlier this week by a guest visiting Walt Disney World reveals what must have been a concerning moment for guests aboard the Disney monorail. A train departing the TTC and running the EPCOT loop had an open door… Read More »Passenger videos Disney monorail with open door while the train is in motion
Earlier this afternoon Monorail Blue was traveling on the EPCOT monorail loop when a person reported that a piece of metal and some other parts broke off the monorail landing about 10 feet away from him in the Amaze parking lot. @WESH this just flew… Read More »Monorail Blue loses parts becomes stuck at Walt Disney World
So totally unrelated to the previous post we hear that Walt Disney World is restructuring their Transportation management. This actually harkens back to the corporate restructuring Disney implemented early in the year, the one that resulted in all the management layoffs. Since then, Disney has… Read More »Meanwhile, Disney World restructures Transportation Division
The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary statement on the July 5th collision of two Monorails at Walt Disney World that left one cast member dead. It contains what we have to take as the most accurate description of the tragic unfolding to date. The full report can take 6 months or more.
One of the most heartbreaking details revealed by the NTSB is that the Monorail Purple pilot died while trying to switch his train into reverse and save the lives of his passengers. An upstanding young man and a hero. I hope Walt Disney World finds some way to honor his heroic actions.
Update: The Orlando Sentinel has discovered a potentially unsettling detail. The Manager who was responsible for Monorail Central Control was off property at the time of the crash, although still issuing commands through their radio. They had been asked to take over the Central Coordinator duties after the original coordinator left early due to illness. My sources tell me it’s unlikely this was a contributing factor to the crash. But having the coordinator in the station as an extra pair of eyes during switch times is probably a bonus.
The full text of the statement below the cut:
Read More »NTSB releases preliminary statement on Monorail Accident