" TRON " Monorail debut on Epcot Line

Since yesterday Epcot guests can see a bit of the TRON universe zipping high above their heads as renderings of yellow and blue light cycles have transformed one WDW monorail. A blue light cycle zips to the left along one side of Walt Disney World's "highway in the sky" and the yellow light cycle zooms to the right. This specially customized "TRON" monorail takes guests between Epcot and Walt Disney World's Transportation Center.

As always it's Inside the Magic who did the best video showing not only the train moving around Epcot but also inside the Transportation Center when the train stopped inside the station.



This next short video shoot by BravaCentauri shows the TRON Monorail moving inside Epcot at sunset.



Is it a good idea or a bad idea to have WDW monorails customized - and, in this case advertizing a movie? Let's say that the theming with this TRON visuals is okay, specially for the Epcot line. But let's hope it's not the beginning of a series, WDW monorails are not billboards and should be used for advertizing only exceptionally.

Video: copyright Inside the Magic, BravaCentauri

Disney World monorails crash, killing 21-year-old monorail driver - Edited with crash explanation video

Very sad news from WDW today. For the first time in 38 years a deadly accident happened between two monorails and a 21 years old monorail driver died.

"A monorail train at Walt Disney World crashed into the back of another train early Sunday, killing one driver, according to an amusement park spokesman and a witness interviewed by CNN.

The crash occurred about 2 a.m. at one of the monorail stops at Disney World in Florida, said the witness, who requested anonymity.

Walt Disney World spokesman Mike Griffin said the crash happened at about 2 a.m. Sunday, on one of the monorail's last runs of the day.

Austin Wenneberg, 21, a Disney employee who was piloting one of the monorails died at the scene of the accident, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said. One other employee was transported to Florida Hospital Celebration. The second driver's injuries were not serious, Griffin said.

"Today we mourn the loss of our fellow cast member," said a statement by Mike Griffin, Disney's vice president for public affairs. "Our hearts go out to his family and to those who have lost a friend and co-worker."

The statement said the monorail was shut down, "and we will continue to work closely will law enforcement to determine what happened and the appropriate next steps."

The witness said one monorail train rammed into the back of a stationary train. A photo of the crash provided by the witness showed the front car of a train badly damaged where it hit another train at a station.

According to the witness, a family of six in one train was freed from a damaged car. The witness said the family was shaken but uninjured."

All Disney and more condolences goes to the family of the cast member who died in this dreadful accident.

You can read more infos about what happen on Mice Chat or the Orlando Sentinel. However a former WDW monorail pilot just released this interesting video explaining how the accident probably happened.



Leave a comment or discuss this article on D&M english forum on Mice Chat

Text From CNN.com and Orlando Sentinel

Picture from CNN.com

The former video shoot seconds after the crash has been removed from Youtube. The original video is at www.clickorlando.com

Spaceship Earth and WDW monorail Behind the scenes

Here is another great "behind the scenes" video about Spaceship Earth and the WDW monorail with Disney legendary imagineers Marty Sklar and Bob Gurr. Take the time to look at it, you will love it!




Photo and Video : copyright Disney