A Look Back to the Future-The Disney Monorails

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

6-13-2024

Department

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Abstract

Walt Disney originally envisioned the monorail as a reliable and safe public transit system for the future. The first Disney monorail system opened in June 1959 as merely an attraction taking people on a scenic trip around Disneyland in Anaheim, California, while also showcasing the practicality of monorails for use as public transportation. When Walt Disney World opened in Orlando, Florida, in 1971, the Disney monorail was an important feature of the new amusement park, and today over 50 million annual passengers ride the monorail system. Although monorails have not become a popular public transit alternative in the United States, they are probably the most recognized icons of Disney parks, and what many visitors consider as future transportation. This paper explores the history of the Disney monorails at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and the Tokyo Disney Resort, the evolution of the Disney monorail trains, characteristics of the systems, operations, and challenges.

Publication Title

International Conference on Transportation and Development 2024: Transportation Planning, Operations, and Transit - Selected Papers from the International Conference on Transportation and Development 2024

ISBN

[9780784485521]

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS