The line of trams I’ve talked about trams before. I know that a lot of people are upset that they are still not running at Walt Disney World. Yesterday I was at the Magic Kingdom and I saw the line of stationary trams in the parking lot. It got me thinking once again about trams, or the lack thereof.
When Walt Disney World reopened the trams would not have worked. It wouldn’t have been possible to keep waiting groups six feet apart, and trying to keep groups separate on a tram would have been next to impossible! Even with smaller crowds it would not have worked. Disney made the right call when they reopened.
Things are different now. Social distancing guidelines have been relaxed, and we’ve been told that we are safer outside. So why are there still no trams running? From what I’ve been told (there is no official statement from Disney) it is because there is a worker shortage. Some restaurants have not yet reopened. Others are running on limited hours, because the staff is not there. Hotels are filling up quickly, and right now you can’t book for only one night. Disney is offering hiring bonuses to housekeepers and they are still short staffed. Outside companies are transporting guests across Walt Disney World property because they don’t have enough bus drivers. These positions all need to be filled before the trams will even be considered.
I’ll be honest (I always am), it doesn’t affect me that there are no trams right now. I rarely rode them when they were available. I’m a fitness walker, and I’m also impatient. I would much rather walk to the front of a park than wait.
That said, I know that many people relied on the trams. Whether it was sore feet at the end of the night or a physical problem, they counted on them. Not having the trams is inconvenient for many.
The walk to three of the four theme parks from the parking lot really isn’t all that long. Keep your eye on the icon or the entrance, and you’ll be there soon. The Magic Kingdom is a different story. The Transportation & Ticket Center Parking Lot is huge, and it’s confusing. There’s a sign as you walk that states it’s five more minutes. You’ll get your steps in!
If you don’t want to walk, you can always buy Preferred Parking. It’s closer, but it’s also not cheap. If you’re an Annual Passholder you can upgrade to Preferred if you want and pay the difference. Some people swear by Preferred Parking for all four parks, others will only buy it for the Magic Kingdom. Then there are people like me who will not pay for it.
Some people can’t walk too far because of a medical issue, but they don’t have a disability parking permit. If that describes your situation you can ask for medical parking. If there are available spaces you will be instructed where to park with a short walk. There is no guarantee that there will be an opening. Please, do not abuse this service.
Trams are coming back to Disneyland, so maybe it won’t be too much longer at Walt Disney World. Then again, parking at Disneyland is tricky, with the parking lots across and down a busy street. I think that the trams are a higher priority at Disneyland than at Walt Disney World.