Trams to have doors

[seanyred]

I've read elsewhere that WDW is fitting doors on the parking lot Trams. Is this true? And if so...Why? I'm guessing for safety purposes, but I would think the doors would slow people getting on and off. Maybe they have had to many guests getting on and off while the trams are moving?

[Melanie]

I haven't heard this for WDW, but doors were recently installed at Disneyland. Maybe that's what you read about?

[Disney4us2]

Disneyland's trams now have doors. I don't really pay attention to the loading, but it doesn't seem to be slower. Maybe it was at the beginning when the CM's were getting used to them. Maybe they were seeing how they worked at Disneyland first before doing all the trams at WDW.

[seanyred]

I read it on another WDW Fan site that is usually very reliable. What I read stated WDW not DL. I'm more or less just wondering about the reasoning behind it.

[4myprincesses]

On our recent September trip, we rode the trams as a family for the first time ever. Prior to, we had always traveled with my mother who is handicapped.

I was really surprised at the amount of people that did not follow directions "Exit to the drivers right" or "Wait until the tram stops" or my favorite "please sit down while the tram is in motion." People were holding their kids up in the air to see whatever it was in the moment while we were bouncing along the parking lot, lol! I imagine language barrier is part of this. The one time, a lady exited on the wrong side at the TTC, unfolded her stroller (obviously on the wrong side of the yellow line) and then proceeded to walk all the way around the tram kids trailing behind her. Meanwhile, the tram attendant kept saying over the speaker to please stop and go back through the tram, hold onto your children, oncoming trams, etc, etc...anyone who could understand English was watching this lady go about her path shaking their heads.

All that to say, I wouldn't blame them for putting doors on the things, might be better off dealing with pinched fingers than kids bouncing off or people walking right into the path of another tram.

[2Epcot]

All that to say, I wouldn't blame them for putting doors on the things, might be better off dealing with pinched fingers than kids bouncing off or people walking right into the path of another tram.

The doors don't lock, so it still requires that the guests to follow the CM's instructions. The doors do slow things down a little bit, but seem to work OK at Disneyland.

[BrerGnat]

Mostly what the doors accomplish at DL are keeping it to FIVE guests per row. You can't "hang" your feet/legs in the stairwells anymore. This was a huge problem at DLR. Not so much anymore.

What I hate is how heavy the doors are, and that they "auto shut", due to their weight. If the person before you doesn't hold it until you've got it, it slams. Hard!

[brownie]

I'm surprised they didn't make them automatic doors. That would help to control the exit directions.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Pictures have surfaced online that the trams at Animal Kingdom already have doors on them...

[Christine]

Pictures have surfaced online that the trams at Animal Kingdom already have doors on them...

They indeed are here. Saw them on my last outing

[DizneyFreak2002]

They indeed are here. Saw them on my last outing

And I do not think they look that bad...

[Melanie]

And I do not think they look that bad...

Cool! I'll have to check them out when I go this week.

[Kim Possible]

im glad because i almost fell off onec, it was scary.

im glad ak for them first! thats where i almost fell so yay i guess

[Melanie]

Chris (2Epcot) has provided some pics of the Disneyland trams to give us an idea of how it looks/works. Thanks Chris!

[Buttercup]

I think it's a great idea. When you've got your arms full of bags, strollers, etc. plus kids to make sure are sitting still and safely inside the tram, well we've had some rides that were kind-of nerve wracking so the doors just adds a little more safety to the whole thing.
I'd rather wait the extra 5 seconds for a door to open and close than have my kid fly out the side of the tram going around a corner.

[stephntampa]

We were at Animal Kingdom yesterday and the tram we rode to the park had doors, but when we returned to our car the tram didn't have doors. It seems they retrofitted existing tram cars, and would imagine it will take some time to fit all the cars.. how many tram cars do you think Disney has?

[crltkcagle]

I think its a good idea. It may slow things down a bit but it will prevent accidents from occurring.

[Hazmat]

As much as I think there a sensible step forward it also saddens me that the trams have worked perfectly for years, but in modern times people seem to have gotten more stupid and are looking for any way possible to claim/complain.. Its health and safety gone mad.. Forgotten how many times people were asked to remain seated when I was in the world last.. Sad really...

"Rant Over" :mickey:

[Melanie]

Ok, here's what I was told today. As of today, there is only the one tram with doors which is operating at AK. Within the next few days, another will come into service, and then another very soon after that. The entire fleet, resort-wide, will be converted by January.

Testing is at AK I presume because it's the slowest park? The CM I spoke to said it's been interesting, that folks will just walk up to the door and stand there waiting for it to open automatically. I see that always being a problem with first time visitors.

[seanyred]

Ok, here's what I was told today. As of today, there is only the one tram with doors which is operating at AK. Within the next few days, another will come into service, and then another very soon after that. The entire fleet, resort-wide, will be converted by January.

Testing is at AK I presume because it's the slowest park? The CM I spoke to said it's been interesting, that folks will just walk up to the door and stand there waiting for it to open automatically. I see that always being a problem with first time visitors.

People are ver conditioned to automatic doors, especially at Disney. If you really think about it other than your hotel room door, what doors aren't automatic at WDW? It will take some adjusting but people can adapt.

[Joannelet]

It looks really nice with the doors. I do think it is for safety reasons why they were added. I remember being really little thinking "I could fall out of this."
People would always have limbs etc hanging out when they were carrying strollers, kids etc.
I would think that if it was in place for people exiting the wrong way wouldn't they have put automatic doors on so they can control them like they do on the monorail? Only one side would open upon exit.
Do both sides still open upon stopping to exit?

[Melanie]

Do both sides still open upon stopping to exit?

Well, since they are manual, there is nothing stopping someone from opening either side.

[Buttercup]

They definitely should go for automatic doors. What if someone doesn't properly close/latch the doors themselves? Hello, lawsuit, Disney... some silly person will probably try to come along and say it's not their fault they couldn't close the door properly and they fell out onto the street... it's Disney's fault somehow because they weren't monitoring if doors were properly latched. :crazy: And that's in addition to the whole 'getting off of the tram on the wrong side' problem.

[Mousemates]

People are very conditioned to automatic doors, especially at Disney....It will take some adjusting but people can adapt.

I suppose...but they better not ask us to manually start flushing commodes too...most of us are far too spoiled to go back to doing that again. ;)

[BluewaterBrad]

I suppose...but they better not ask us to manually start flushing commodes too...most of us are far too spoiled to go back to doing that again. ;)

Good one.:mickey: