Disney World Monorail Breakdown & Guest Evacuation Near EPCOT
The Walt Disney World Monorail had a breakdown between EPCOT and the Transportation & Ticket Center, necessitating an evacuation of guests by the Reedy Creek Fire Department. This post shares what we know so far, plus commentary about the overdue replacement of the WDW monorail fleet.
To quickly bring you up to speed, monorail yellow suddenly stopped due to a failure of some sort (more on that below) this morning as it was carrying guests on the EPCOT beam at Walt Disney World. The breakdown was first reported at 9:50am Eastern by FOX 35 News in Orlando.
Reedy Creek confirmed to Central Florida news stations that the Walt Disney World monorail was stuck near the EPCOT toll plaza, and that both Reedy Creek Fire Department and Orange County Fire Department responded to evacuate guests. Based on the timing of photos and reports, it appears that the evacuation took a little over an hour (approximately) to complete.
One guest who was trapped on the monorail told FOX 35 News he could smell the burning rubber and a bit of smoke. “There was a loud bang explosion, and then we kind of saw a big flash of light. After that, the monorail slowed down,” the guest told the local Orlando news outlet.
Social media posts show emergency crews from Reedy Creek and Orange County evacuating guests from the Walt Disney World monorail with hydraulic lifts:
A Disney World monorail came to a complete stop this morning while on its way to Epcot. A passenger on board told me they heard a loud explosion sound & then a flash of light. His cart was evacuated about 15 mins ago. Working to confirm what caused it to break down. @fox35orlando pic.twitter.com/BhyMVQ6GSQ
— Pattrik Perez (@PattrikPerez) October 31, 2023
Following the evacuation, Walt Disney World issued a statement: “This morning, the monorail experienced a flat tire near the EPCOT parking lot toll plaza. No guests or cast members have reported injuries, and all passengers were safely evacuated.”
Note that this is not the first time a monorail has suffered a prolonged breakdown in the last month. Monorail lime had to be towed by the tractor just last week; monorail yellow was stuck on the EPCOT beam about a month ago for several hours with no passengers aboard, causing the EPCOT line to operate in shuttle mode (meaning it doesn’t circle the inside of the park, just goes back and forth between EPCOT and the TTC stations…taking a lot longer as a result). And those are just the extended breakdowns we know about!
As noted above, it was monorail yellow that was evacuated on Halloween. Walt Disney World did a staggered refurbishment or refresh of the monorail fleet back in 2021, with yellow reentering the lineup in December of that year.
Turning to commentary, you might recall that in late 2018 through 2019, there were rumors that Walt Disney World was in negotiations with Bombardier to purchase a new monorail fleet. Despite Disney and Bombardier both (repeatedly) denying this rumor, it persisted. Several sources corroborated the rumor, including Disney Legend Bob Gurr, who is known for designing over 100 ride vehicles–including both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Monorails.
Regardless, nothing ever came of that rumor and it fizzled out even pre-COVID. Whatever chances existed of Walt Disney World getting a new monorail fleet were likely fully killed by the closure and phased reopening.
Irrespective of that, Walt Disney World will likely need to replace the current monorail fleet in the not-too-distant future. At some point, Disney’s legal department will step in and demand that the monorails either be replaced and the system (again) modernized, or they stop operating due to the liability they present.
Running this fleet indefinitely risks further incidents, which could expose the company to negative PR or worse. Walt Disney World’s monorails have become increasingly unreliable in recent years, to the point that if we have an ADR or are otherwise tight on time, we typically avoid them due to fears of a breakdown or delay.
Likewise, we actually now prefer staying at Skyliner resorts because the gondolas are more predictable and reliable than the monorails. (Save for during summer storm season, when that is very much not the case!) Not only that, but the pricing premium isn’t as high along the Skyliner.
This is really unfortunate, as longtime Walt Disney World fans likely remember a time when the monorail was nice and efficient. Likewise, those who have visited Tokyo Disney Resort in recent years no doubt have witnessed firsthand what that is still like, with monorails that run on time, don’t randomly break down, etc.
In fact, Tokyo’s much newer monorails were just replaced a few years ago with brand-new models! Tokyo Disney Resort replaced its well-maintained and reliable monorail fleet that was 18 years old at the time. Florida’s fleet has been in use since 1989, are now over 30 years old, and break down for extended periods so frequently now that it’s become a non-story when they do (unless there’s an evacuation!).
Not to go into too much of a tangent, but we are huge fans of Tokyo’s Disney Resort Line and think it’s worth showing Walt Disney World fans the stark contrast between Florida’s fleet and Japan’s. (The above image is of the Kawaii-tacular Duffy Monorail from a few years ago–just take a look at these photos!).
In fairness, it’s worth noting that, pursuant to laws governing public transportation in Japan, fares are charged on the monorail. Single use tickets are around $2.50, while 4-day unlimited passes cost roughly $13 per adult. It’s also fair to point out that the differences between the two resorts’ monorail systems are also reflective of cultural attitudes towards mass transportation.
Americans are comfortable with crumbling or non-existent mass transit infrastructure, and many efforts to improve public transportation have been undermined. We are a car culture, and in its defense, the roads around Walt Disney World are great–and getting better! By contrast, public transportation is the lifeblood of Japan, and there’s great national pride in these systems. It’s also easy for guests there to draw comparisons to their real-world rail options, such as the Shinkansen (bullet train). But I digress.
Many Walt Disney World fans have speculated that the monorails ceasing to run is exactly what management wants. In my view, this is a baseless conspiracy theory. Once you get past the operational expenses, it’s not all that plausible that Walt Disney World wants to get rid of the monorails. Yes, the system costs money to operate and maintain, and a new fleet would easily cost north of $100 million.
However, the monorails are the main selling point of Deluxe Resorts near Magic Kingdom. Without them, the price ceiling on those rooms is not nearly as high. While the argument can be made that the stratospheric pricing of all Deluxes is not in line with the offered amenities, that differential is most pronounced at these monorail results–and that’d be even more so without the monorail, which is a significant draw. Even with a perceived strong economy and operational monorail system, the occupancy rate at these resorts is nowhere near 100%.
If you’re skeptical of this, contrast room pricing at Pop Century and Caribbean Beach in 2024 with rates in 2019 and earlier. While all resorts have increased in price over that time, there have been outsized percentage increases at the Skyliner resorts. (This is something we actually just discussed at length in Skyliner Gondolas Closing for Routine Refurbishment in Early 2024. Pretty much the same sentiment applies with the monorail.)
To that point, replacement of the monorail fleet necessitating extended, system-wide downtime is actually a double-edged sword. Room rates at the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and Contemporary are likely part of the reason a thorough overhaul has yet to occur to the Walt Disney World Monorail.
With each of the recent resort overhauls, refurbishments, and DVC expansions at these resorts, there have been issues. Guest satisfaction and occupancy have taken hits, as did the frequency of guest recovery efforts. All of this has had a cost, and so too would significant scheduled monorail downtime. Personally, I think it would’ve been savvy to do this before opening the new Poly DVC Tower and further burdening the already overburdened monorails, but what do I know!
Regardless, the current monorail system cannot operate indefinitely, so something has to give. Just like Spaceship Earth, an announcement of more than a ‘band aid’ refurbishment is an inevitability at some point. Although I wouldn’t bank on it, perhaps we’ll hear something official by next summer’s D23 Expo. Here’s hoping!
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Your Thoughts
Have you experienced downtime or delays with the Walt Disney World Monorails in the last few years? Do you think the monorail fleet is due to be replaced? Have you experienced the monorail at Tokyo Disney Resort? How does it compare to the WDW Monorail for you? Think it’s time WDW guests held the monorail to a higher standard? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment of this news? Any questions? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Last time we rode them, it was just stifling hot, and they weren’t even that crowded. I remember riding them in the 90s as a kid and always feeling so refreshed by the AC when stepping on, but now I feel like I can barely breathe everytime I’m in them because it’s just lukewarm like the AC can’t keep up or is barely working. Blech!
We lived in Japan for 7 years. Japanese trains are pristine. Seats are upholstered in a velveteen fabric that would last about two months in NYC. I am not surprised that the monorail there is reliable. In Japan the trains actually run on time, practically to the second.
2 months in NYC? You’re a very generous witch. Maybe back in 1949? I’d write more but I’m in the subway right now and a stranger is demanding my phone.
Disney needs a practical wise financial department. Instead of giving millions to the recent fired Chapek; spending money on lawsuits with the state governor (which Chapek caused); increasing top executive salaries (while ignoring the important cast members’ salaries); changing the colors of road signs (not for the better); now looking to change the name of WDW; making costly changes on rides (for political reasons ONLY); and building more and more DVC resorts (without adding more entertainment for these additional guests) – instead Disney Corp should be spending money on safety needs. They say: “if something is not broken – don’t fix it!” Well Disney I say this should be your motto. Instead your motto is: “don’t replace or repair esentials – until they don’t work at all!” Even Roy Disney would never agree with these new executives. He was the money man – but he chose wisely!!!
The monorail system has recently been the subject of Florida politics. Florida house bill HB1305 recently stripped Disney of its right to inspect the monorail system and gave it to the State. I suspect some of what we are seeing is blowback from that decision.
I doubt one is related to the other–it’s probably coincidental.
The monorail has had issues with breakdowns for years, they’ve just quieted in the last couple following the rolling refurbishments. Now that the band-aid appears to be falling off, we’re seeing issues again.
Walt Disney World can still inspect and maintain the monorails–in fact, they have a duty to do so. The state also now has the authority to inspect them. In theory, this should create more of an incentive to repair and/or replace them since the state could suspend service. Again, all in theory. I don’t think this will end up amounting to any material change in practice; it was purely political.
This is actually incorrect – the legislature botched the monorail inspection bill in a hilarious way.
They made it apply in districts created by local act instead of districts created by special act.
Therefore, it doesn’t apply to Disney – instead, it applies to… nobody!
Couple of years ago, my son ended up talking to one of the mechanics for the Monorail. The guy said if you knew how bad a shape they are really in, you would not ride them.
A friend used to work for security at Disney and he told me (no idea how true) that Siemens offered to replace AND build new stations connecting the parks for free. All that Siemens wanted was to have their logo on the cars, not even a big one, just a small on on each car. Disney refused. This was about 4 years ago, seems hard to believe that they would not go for it. Then again, we are talking about Disney management who makes some really WTH decisions.
“At some point, Disney’s legal department will step in and demand that the monorails either be replaced and the system (again) modernized, or they stop operating.”
At this point I’m beginning to suspect that only a major fatality incident will spur WDW into action. The current monorails are the Mark VI. They came into service in staggered fashion from 1989-1991, replacing the Mark original Mark IV monorail trains that came online in 1971. The Mark IVs were phased out from 1989-1991, meaning each monorail train served for 18-20 years. The current Mark VI trains have been in service for 32-34 years. There was s major staggered refurbishment from 2019-2022. Note the start date, meaning WDW had cancelled the idea of getting new trains BEFORE the Covid shutdown. The Mark VI had a planned service life of 20 years, and we’re now 12-14 years past that, depending on the individual monorail train. Any personal injury attorney will jump all over such figures if there are ever serious casualties or deaths in a monorail accident. I would not be surprised if Disney legal has made repeated warnings about the advisability of replacing the system. I just think the bean counters have run the numbers and don’t care.
Paul, 100% agree with you. The liability for those monorails is amazing. I can’t believe there hasn’t been a lawsuit that hit the news yet already, honestly. I’m very leery of how the new Poly tower is going to impact the masses riding on it, too. I’m hearing more and more complaints of how Polynesian beaches are overrun and the CH is packed and chaotic. Add in another few thousand every night — ughhhh.
Wow, the staggered refurbishment started in 2019? I knew the rumors fizzled out pre-closure, but for some reason, I thought the refurbishment didn’t begin until ~2021.
Sure hope enough people are still around at Disney who learned lessons from BTMRR at Disneyland in the early 2000s.
Tom, that’s another reason I am sick that they didn’t perform much long-term necessary maintenance during the closure. There’s no guarantee proper maintenance would have prevented the incident at BTMRR by finding the flawed parts, but it could’ve.
“Any personal injury attorney will jump all over such figures if there are ever serious casualties or deaths in a monorail accident.”
They would try but as an engineer I would counter that is irrelevant, because the monorails have continued to perform, carrying an impressive number of people daily with practically zero injuries. Almost ALL equipment is kept in operational status long after the initial planned period of obsolescence in every industry. Do you replace all of your appliances every time a slightly more efficient version is released? I didn’t think so.
In what universe is this ‘perceived strong economy’ located? Wherever that might be, those folks are in serious need of psychiatric evaluation. Inflation has barely slowed, and with more Middle East turmoil and the rise of fools making fools of themselves across the nation recently, it’s likely to get worse. And I hope you don’t need a new vehicle any time soon, because those are about to jump up even more.
I still maintain that it was colossally stupid for Disney to stop all construction and maintenance work during the unnecessary closure, and that includes the monorails. There is no scenario in which the monorails go away. It’s just not going to happen. Nostalgia, yes, but also the resorts as Tom noted.
Thinking of Walt Disney’s vision for Epcot, the monorail is one of the last vestiges of that. Not that it’s WDW’s responsibility, but people learning about the virtues of mass transit – who don’t live in cities that have good transit systems – is some great edutainment. There’s nothing magical about arriving somewhere by bus. There’s a reason why it’s $10 on a bus from DC-NYC, whereas Amtrak regularly sells out of seats on the same route at over $500.
I’m looking forward to the next generation of monorails at the Disney resort that needs a *lot* of love right now.
I know it’s been a decade plus since Kevin Yee posted his Declining by Degrees theory, but my mind immediately went there when reading this. Deferred maintenance is a tricky game to play and only gets trickier and more expensive the longer it’s deferred.
Tom, thanks as always for the updates. We’re scheduled to be there for the 1st week of February and I’m beginning to wonder if there’ll be anything standing by then… 😉
Even just doing basic algebra and reviewing previous monorail fleets, the Mark VI is seriously overdue for replacement by a Mark VIII.
(It’s getting to the point where we’re only a few years from Disneyland needing to start planning on replace their Mark VII fleet with the Mark IX!)
Disney is a lot of things but they’re not completely stupid. They couldn’t possibly do without the monorail. Have you tried to leave the Parks after the fireworks? Imagine no monorail. Even as a rumor it makes no sense.
Now the rumor that Disney offered a lightning lane on Genie+ for evacuating the monorail is very believable.
Too bad WDW didn’t use the money to build the now closed Star Wars resort to replace the monorails, it would have been money better spent!
**correction….WITHOUT being political (not with)
And I am referring to CFTOD
I am shocked that the new reedy Creek hasn’t taken them out of service yet (as part of the ongoing feud between DeSantis and Disney) and to be honest, I expect something to happen real soon. Here’s hoping that it’s done with being political and causing an uproar. Reddy Creek could force Disneys hands, but hopefully it’s done in private and not in the media.
Regardless……These need to be replaced……..yesterday