Archive for September 11th, 2009

There are children who visit Walt Disney World and depart utterly convinced that the monorail is one of the major attractions.  Disney’s amazing monorail system is only one of many modes of transportation around the property, but it’s surely the most interesting.

Twelve Mark VI six-car trains transport up to 364 guests each, over more than 14 miles of track on three lines, at speeds of 15 to 40 mph.  The Resort Line travels in a circuit around the Seven Seas Lagoon with stops at the Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the Ticket and Transportation Center, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.  The Express Line ferries passengers between the Magic Kingdom and the Ticket and Transportation Center, while the EPCOT Line provides service between the Ticket and Transportation Center and EPCOT.  Guests staying at the “monorail” resorts near the Magic Kingdom can hop on the monorail directly from their hotels, and travel around the Resort Line or change trains at the Ticket and Transportation Center to get to EPCOT.

Each train is named according to the color of its stripe:  Monorail Red, Monorail Silver, Monorail Purple, etc.  The stripes on Lime and Coral have “deltas” along their length to distinguish them from Green and Pink.

Elaborate safety systems ensure that trains remain a specified distance from each other, and a train will be brought to a stop until the one ahead has moved away.  There are emergency evacuation plans for every eventuality, and the Reedy Creek Fire Department even has a fire truck which is specially designed for monorail rescue.  There are also custom tow-tractors to move trains from the beam.

Although pre-recorded commentary about upcoming stops, passing landmarks, and special events is narrated by a different cast member, the famous phrase, “Please stand clear of the doors…..” still features the original voice of Jack Wagner.

Carrying more than 50 million passengers each year, the Walt Disney World monorail is one its most recognizable symbols.