Disney Skyliner (Gondola Transportation System) Read Post 1 Now Open!

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I can see it!!! ;-)

(Gondola partially uncovered)

https://twitter.com/chipandcompany/status/1041352728713281537

 

[OSUZorba]

I don't think this has been posted, but Liftblog is making an educated guess of about 215 gondolas: https://liftblog.com/2018/08/31/disney-skyliner-september-update/#more-61601

 

[RRB]

That article said that there will be a total of 51 towers, 41 of which are currently standing

 

[rteetz]

That article said that there will be a total of 51 towers, 41 of which are currently standing

The ones over Hourglass lake haven’t gone up yet so that’s some of them.

 

[OSUZorba]

That article said that there will be a total of 51 towers, 41 of which are currently standing

The ones over Hourglass lake haven’t gone up yet so that’s some of them.

Missing the first tower by the Epcot station as well. They were digging the footer for it this week.

 

[rteetz]

Missing the first tower by the Epcot station as well. They were digging the footer for it this week.

That went up a couple days ago I believe.

 

[jkh36619]

Is the gondola system going to be a faster mode or are the buses still going to be the quickest?

 

[rteetz]

Is the gondola system going to be a faster mode or are the buses still going to be the quickest?

Well buses will be more limited from gondola serviced resorts when the skyliner opens. I would say yes it would be faster.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

I know information is extremely limited, but why do people assume that buses will be a full time option? Are buses always around for POFQ to DS or from WL to MK, for example?

I guess I just assumed that if you stay at a gondola resort, that is how you will get to DHS & Epcot, except when it can’t run due to weather or tech issues.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I know information is extremely limited, but why do people assume that buses will be a full time option? Are buses always around for POFQ to DS or from WL to MK, for example?

I guess I just assumed that if you stay at a gondola resort, that is how you will get to DHS & Epcot, except when it can’t run due to weather or tech issues.

I’d expect buses to continue to be an option.

Both because of volume once SWGE opens, and because some will just not want to use gondolas (fear of heights, small enclosed spaces, mere preference, etc.).

 

[Cinderumbrella]

I’d expect buses to continue to be an option.

Both because of volume once SWGE opens, and because some will just not want to use gondolas (fear of heights, small enclosed spaces, mere preference, etc.).

But why? If you are afraid, don’t book there? If it’s “supposed” to be higher capacity, I just don’t see them offering 2 modes of “free” transportation.

I’m just curious if there’s any actual information or just a lot of wishful hoping (kind of like AC was).

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

But why? If you are afraid, don’t book there? If it’s “supposed” to be higher capacity, I just don’t see them offering 2 modes of “free” transportation.

I’m just curious if there’s any actual information or just a lot of wishful hoping (kind of like AC was).

There are multiple modes of transportation at several resorts. This wouldn’t be new.

Why should Disney limit their potential audience for a hotel by excluding anyone who won’t ride the gondolas for the reasons I mentioned?

And gondolas handling more volume than buses does not mean they alone would handle enough.

 

[Roxyfire]

I know information is extremely limited, but why do people assume that buses will be a full time option? Are buses always around for POFQ to DS or from WL to MK, for example?

I guess I just assumed that if you stay at a gondola resort, that is how you will get to DHS & Epcot, except when it can’t run due to weather or tech issues.

Yes there are buses from MK to WL. In fact they're incredibly quick because it's like a 5 minute trek between the two. The only other way to get there would be by boat and that shuts down in bad weather. A comparable comparison would be buses between Epcot and the Monorail resorts, and no there isn't unless the monorail breaks down.

 

[joelkfla]

I know information is extremely limited, but why do people assume that buses will be a full time option? Are buses always around for POFQ to DS or from WL to MK, for example?

Yes, they are.

Buses are always available to DS because the Sassagoula boats don't have the capacity to handle all travelling between DS and the DVC resorts + PO.

Buses are available between WL & MK because the Motor Launches cannot accommodate wheelchairs, and also serve as an alternate mode of transportation between MK & FtW via connection.

OTOH, buses are not available between MK & the monorail resorts, nor between the Epcot resorts and Epcot or DHS. The monorails can take wheelchairs and have plenty of capacity, and the Motor Launches or walking are an available alternate mode. The Friendship Boats also take wheelchairs, and walking is the alternate mode.

In the case of the Skyliner, they will take wheelchairs and should have adequate capacity most if the time, but the only alternate mode would be buses. So it's open for debate.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Yes, they are.

Buses are always available to DS because the Sassagoula boats don't have the capacity to handle all travelling between DS and the DVC resorts.

Buses are available between WL & MK because the Motor Launches cannot accommodate wheelchairs, and also serve as an alternate mode of transportation between MK & FtW via connection.

OTOH, buses are not available between MK & the monorail resorts, nor between the Epcot resorts and Epcot or DHS. The monorails can take wheelchairs and have plenty of capacity, and the Motor Launches or walking are an available alternate mode. The Friendship Boats also take wheelchairs, and walking is the alternate mode.

In the case of the Skyliner, they will take wheelchairs and should have adequate capacity most if the time, but the only alternate mode would be buses. So it's open for debate.

Thanks. So if the gondola is can accommodate wheelchairs & ECVs, I guess I just don’t see them keeping the buses as a full time option (since it seems that is the main reason there are multiple options at other resorts to a single park.) Especially if capacity is all it’s rumored to be.

 

[DieHardJoe]

I can't imagine no bus service being available, for the reason mentioned that the gondolas could potentially be inoperable for considerable periods of time due to T-storms as well as other mechanical issues. And to have to quickly put buses into service for an unknown length of time, possibly more than once in the same day, just doesn't seem like it would be easy to do versus having them run as they do now. And as others have said, there are a number of resorts with more than one mode of transportation already, so this would not be anything new. As a resort guest, I would like to have a reliable (and imediately available) backup plan to get to/from the parks.

 

[OSUZorba]

I can't imagine no bus service being available, for the reason mentioned that the gondolas could potentially be inoperable for considerable periods of time due to T-storms as well as other mechanical issues. And to have to quickly put buses into service for an unknown length of time, possibly more than once in the same day, just doesn't seem like it would be easy to do versus having them run as they do now. And as others have said, there are a number of resorts with more than one mode of transportation already, so this would not be anything new. As a resort guest, I would like to have a reliable (and imediately available) backup plan to get to/from the parks.

This is how they currently handle the Epcot resorts. If a storm comes up, the boats shut down and buses are pulled off other routes to cover the 5 Epcot resorts from Epcot and DHS.

I don't know that there will be no bus service, but I see it being very limited, like the buses from MK to TTC.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

I can't imagine no bus service being available, for the reason mentioned that the gondolas could potentially be inoperable for considerable periods of time due to T-storms as well as other mechanical issues. And to have to quickly put buses into service for an unknown length of time, possibly more than once in the same day, just doesn't seem like it would be easy to do versus having them run as they do now. And as others have said, there are a number of resorts with more than one mode of transportation already, so this would not be anything new. As a resort guest, I would like to have a reliable (and imediately available) backup plan to get to/from the parks.

But many resorts currently only have 1 method of transportation now (POP & CBR in particular). So why now would they suddenly have 2 full time options for certain parks.

Please know that I don’t care one way or the other what the ultimate decision is. But in a thread this long, I’m just curious what is news, what is rumor, what is speculation, what is wishful hoping and what is armchair imagineering.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Yes, they are.

Buses are always available to DS because the Sassagoula boats don't have the capacity to handle all travelling between DS and the DVC resorts + PO.

Buses are available between WL & MK because the Motor Launches cannot accommodate wheelchairs, and also serve as an alternate mode of transportation between MK & FtW via connection.

OTOH, buses are not available between MK & the monorail resorts, nor between the Epcot resorts and Epcot or DHS. The monorails can take wheelchairs and have plenty of capacity, and the Motor Launches or walking are an available alternate mode. The Friendship Boats also take wheelchairs, and walking is the alternate mode.

In the case of the Skyliner, they will take wheelchairs and should have adequate capacity most if the time, but the only alternate mode would be buses. So it's open for debate.

Thanks. So if the gondola is can accommodate wheelchairs & ECVs, I guess I just don’t see them keeping the buses as a full time option (since it seems that is the main reason there are multiple options at other resorts to a single park.) Especially if capacity is all it’s rumored to be.

In addition the only way to get from, say the Poly to EPCOT is the monorail - and monorail that at times gets as high as these gondolas will get - so only having one mode, that isn't buses, also has precedent

Seems like still up for debate what will happen to the buses - with some insiders saying all buses will be eliminated from the gondola resorts to ECPOT and DHS and some thinking it will just be greatly reduced

In the end, Disney is building these to increase profits - and part of that is from being able to charge more for the hotel rooms, but part of it is also from expense savings as running these will be much cheaper than buses

 

[jade1]

Thanks. So if the gondola is can accommodate wheelchairs & ECVs, I guess I just don’t see them keeping the buses as a full time option (since it seems that is the main reason there are multiple options at other resorts to a single park.) Especially if capacity is all it’s rumored to be.

Keep in mind selling Riviera, scaredy cats have money as well.