Throughout Our Journey

Estelle and Melissa, from This Happy Place Blog and Mouse on the Mind respectively, are back with Kill, Marry, Refurb this month with a topic I just couldn’t refuse: transportation. When people think about transportation at Walt Disney World the mostly think about the monorails and the bus systems, but there is so much more to consider when you are talking about such a wide open topic.

For those of you who may need a reminder, Kill, Marry, Refurb is based upon a game of a similar name, though the switch to ‘Refurb’ here is appropriate and, shall we say, more family friendly. The gist is that you have a given topic and you have to choose one item in the category to get rid of (Kill), one that you love (Marry), and one which you think needs some TLC (Refurb). Sounds pretty simple right?

Kill – Monorail Wraps

I get it, Disney has a ton of properties now and the monorail gives them a great way to advertise about upcoming feature films. Just the sound of a monorail attracts guests’ attention. The size of the monorails give designers a ton of room to work with, which provides the opportunity to think outside of the box in terms of what goes into the advertisement. I’m also the first to admit that I was smitten with I first saw a light cycle zooming by onboard the Tronorail, but with time I’ve had a chance to reconsider. The monorails are a staple of Disney transportation, they cut a striking silhouette, everyone has a favorite stripe color they look for, and they deserve a bit more respect that to be used as a moving billboard.

Marry – Watercraft

I don’t carry if it is a ferry, one of the Friendships, or, my personal favorite, the motor launch, the watercraft of Walt Disney World is one of my favorite ways to travel. If you are traveling across Bay Lake, Crescent Lake, the Seven Seas Lagoon, or down the Sassagoula River, there is no better way to travel. There is no question there are quicker ways to get about, but none are quite as elegant. They also fill guests with a since of nostalgia, one of Walt Disney World’s founding principles. Plus, when you consider the fumes surrounding the bus stations, the chance to feel the wind in your hair and breathe in some fresh air is an experience that just can’t be beat.

Refurb – Transportation and Ticket Center

The Transportation and Ticket Center used to be the central hub through which all guests passed through on their way to parks, resorts, and all their adventures in between. In fact, the multitude of ticket booths had, in their heyday, lines pouring away from their windows. It was the first stop and the most exciting place to be as you decided where to go and how to get there! These days it is a sparsely populated area, where many of the once bustling areas now sit all but abandoned, and is a place that most guests see as a nuisance, if they pass through it at all. It may be time to demolish some of the ticket booths, spend a little money on revitalizing the area, and give the Transportation and Ticket Center a purpose once more.

What would you Kill, Marry, or Refurb when it comes to Walt Disney World transportation?