My 1st Hand Account of the Monorail Evacuation!

[cindymac11 43]

I think it took awhile to get moving, so I am pretty sure they took everyone off the train...I did hear that they used a cherry picker to evacuate the back cars, but again, I didn't see that personally. Car 1 just walked right out to the waiting staircase; I think it just depended on where you were on the train. They seemed to be prepared for everything, so I'm sure there was a way to get everyone off safely!

[ceemike...Mike & Judy 50]

Thanks for the first hand account. I saw pictures of the cherry picker and the platform, but had no idea they had you walking on the car roofs. I liked the part about the announcements to stop calling 911 & don't remove the car windows.  My biggest WDW adventure so far was being stuck on Space Mountain. Not sure I would ever want to walk on the roof of a monorail car.

[cindymac11 43]

Thanks for the first hand account. I saw pictures of the cherry picker and the platform, but had no idea they had you walking on the car roofs. I liked the part about the announcements to stop calling 911 & don't remove the car windows.  My biggest WDW adventure so far was being stuck on Space Mountain. Not sure I would ever want to walk on the roof of a monorail car.

The announcements were hysterical...partly because the guy making them was having a hard time hiding the fact that they were getting annoyed with people.  I read that one woman called 911 and told them she had her kids dump water on their heads to stay cool - um, perhaps we should drink it instead? I think all the "crazy" comes out in people when they get stressed.

 

One story reported that we were trapped for 30 MINUTES with no AC...oh the horror!!! Really people...it was a little warm, but come on!  I agree that had it been 100 degrees outside, the situation might have escalated to a danger zone more quickly, but it just wasn't that hot on that particular day.

[AuburnChris 193]

That don't make since the tow trian can tow frow anywhere on any beam.

 

The tow car is mostly metal, and it's taller than the trains are. If the problem was lightning, the solution is probably not the tow car.

 

Also, the tow car is probably not on the EPCOT line, so it'd have to switch at least a couple times to get to them.

[Lou... 3,118]

If the problem was lightning, the solution is probably not the tow car.

 

Unless I missed it, Disney has not said that the monorail was hit by lightning.

They say that it was a power failure caused by bad weather, which is not that uncommon.

Normally they shut the monorails down ASAP when bad weather begins, so that things like this don't become necessary.

Someone may have waited too long to give the shut down command.

.

Also, the tow car is probably not on the EPCOT line, so it'd have to switch at least a couple times to get to them.

 

Actually it is.

A few years ago they added a spur just outside the WL in order to stow a "Work Tractor" to service Epcot monorails. Oops, there's a flaw in the system.