Monorail 1984

This is the 7.8 mile trip from the Ticket and Transportation Center to EPCOT that I shot in 1984. A practically identical video shot from the pilot's cabin in 2006 can be seen at a YouTube video called "WDW EPCOT MONORAIL FRONT VIEW." In both videos, it's monorail yellow arriving. If you watch both videos simultaneously, side-by-side, you can see just how much things have changed in 22 years. WARNING!: If you actually DO this, you qualify as a Disney obsessee with a lot of time on your hands!

At the end of this video is a short dedication to Austin Wuennenberg, the 21-year-old young man who lost his life in the early morning hours of July 5th while shuttling a very few passengers back to the TTC. Austin had likely been enjoying his July 4th evening, doing something he loved, carefully and thoughtfully, when fate stepped-in. Of all those involved in Austin's death, it seems he was the only one doing everything right. Austin was, and is, a hero.

Quoting a reader's comment from the Orlando Sentinel, "Sounds to me like the ONLY person who didn't have the ability to stop this from happening is the one innocent young man who died."

The Austin montage near the end of this video is credited to Mom2i&e on Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kpcphotographydesign/).

The final photo composition at the end is credited to Kiki FL. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kikifl/3670967777/

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• monorail
• 1984
• TTC
• ticket
• transportation
• center
• EPCOT
• Austin
• Wuennenberg
• Disney
• World
• Epcot
• in
• memory
• One
• Rail
• Family
• cast
• Walt
• Walt Disney World

[metropolan]

Wow...I watched your WDW video. Very nice HD work! Very nice editing and sound editing! I notice these things! Felt like I was there for a few minutes.

I remember those door buttons, and the sound they made, too. It was the row of black buttons on the outside behind the pilot's door, right? I just watched it again just now, and I think there are a few muffled door clicks at 0:57. Just the same, a clean, close shot of the doors popping open would've been fun. Can you say solenoid actuators?

[FrankG5874]

1984 I went to Disney World that Summer with my folks and my Aunt, and this trip would mark the first time we would go with my mom's friend and her family. Also that year my fourth girlfriend was born, and I was ten years old. Plus The Cosby Show debuted on NBC and that brought NBC back from the DEAD! So 1984 was a good year.

[metropolan]

@FrankG5874 Thank you, Frank! I love the Magic Kingdom and Epcot.

Yes, 1984 was a good year. We were all a lot younger!

[anomalousclouds]

Very cool upload. As a kid (and still today) I've always been kind of a closet railbuff, and the WDW monorails from the standpoint of a child were the motherload. Only visited WDW with family twice and I was never old enough to go off on my own, I would have loved to ride the monorails just for the hell of it. Perhaps I'll go back when I have kids one day. (although I loathe screaming little brats and theme park lines!) haha.

[metropolan]

@anomalousclouds Thanks for watching, Ross! I'm single and in my 50's, and I STILL wish I could go back and ride in the front of the monorail again.

[utubeguy35]

@metropolan - when i went to WDW in 2006, i got to ride in the front seat. The controls on the Mark VI (1989-) were so much newer, but this was before the upgrade in 2007 to a touch screen system. Since July 5th, 2009, you can't ride there anymore due to the fatal accident that killed a driver on Monorail Purple(?)

[metropolan]

@utubeguy35

You watched all the way to the end....right?

[rmikeyp73]

Wish you had video of them closing the doors...That was my favorite to watch the CM walk along the monorail and shut the doors...Also liked it when the monorail person would push the buttons and the doors would open and have almost a "pop-crack" type of sound.

[utubeguy35]

1984 was an epic year. It introduced the Ghostbusters, the awesome Ghostbusters song, and this epic monorail. I kind of like this monorail a little better than the Mark VIs. BRING TEH 80S BAK!

[utubeguy35]

@metropolan - The Mark IV actually looks cool! Your video is awesome! I guess back in 1984, it was against park rules to film the cockpit of a monorail. But in the 2000s, I don't see people saying "ERASE THAT TAPE!" Mark VIs are made since 1989, and have a touch screen since 2007.

[utubeguy35]

@metropolan - Yeah, I saw the tribute, i just forgot his name, that's all!