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

[sachilles]

I suspect the current alignment is accounting for stations we do not currently know are in the plan.
Reason for that supposition is this:
If you connected the Boardwalk turn station to DHS instead of the CBR tower(north). Your travel distance from Epcot to CBR south would be shorter, and therefore cheaper. Your connection from either CBR location to DHS would be unchanged. Your connection from epcot to DHS would be shorter.

With the currently believed lines it is shorter ride to epcot for someone in the CBR tower to epcot. I see that as the only benefit of that alignment to a guest at the CBR tower.

So this presumes that price for the project has a consistent per mile price. It also presumes there isn't some hidden cost, with the direct boardwalk to dhs connection that we are not privy to making this the most financially prudent route.

So they either value the occupants desires in the CBR tower(plausible if it's a DVC), over the cost savings of a more efficient route. Or the routes they have chosen line up with other unknown parts of the project we've yet to figure out.

 

[sachilles]

Great example. People think of these things as being high up in the air - they only need to be high enough to go over whatever is below them. The proof that they are keeping these low is the fact they are cutting a swath through the trees between CBR and DHS. Those Gondolas are going to run below the treetops.

While I agree with you that they will keep them low, they are cutting the swath to aid in construction as much as anything. You need to get the equipment in to pour the footings, and allow construction equipment. You also want an accessible maintenance just as you would with above ground telephone/electrical lines.

 

[erin1715]

These things are such an eyesore. I hate this idea.

 

[focusondisney]

These things are such an eyesore. I hate this idea.

Like, like, like!

 

[focusondisney]

Disney is all about theming. IF this map is accurate
you would have the gondolas going over France in EPCOT;
over Caribbean Beach Resort; being visible from all of the
EPCOT resorts. Breaks the theming in each case. Not good show.
.

That's the old Disney. Apparently the current Disney is all about the money.

 

[Harry Wallace]

These things are such an eyesore. I hate this idea.

I can see your point. However, they can look really good if they are done right, which Disney tends to be quite good at doing. I personally think they'd look best if they aren't covered in character theming and are just simple, sleek and modern.
Some would say that the monorail tracks are an eyesore!

 

[Killer Fish]

I think it would be awesome.

 

[Roxyfire]

Some would say that the monorail tracks are an eyesore!

Ya know, they kind of are. They look so dirty in some spots. It reminds me of how some people's homes have weird green or dark stains on the siding. I just want to take a power washer to it.

 

[Harry Wallace]

Ya know, they kind of are. They look so dirty in some spots. It reminds me of how some people's homes have weird green or dark stains on the siding. I just want to take a power washer to it.

Yes I agree TBH, I didn't want to upset any hardcore monorail fans The part I hate the most is the "DANGER!" signs every couple feet. It doesn't exactly scream "family vacation" to me, but I guess they have to be there.

 

[Roxyfire]

Yes I agree TBH, I didn't want to upset any hardcore monorail fans The part I hate the most is the "DANGER!" signs every couple feet. It doesn't exactly scream "family vacation" to me, but I guess they have to be there.

Agreed, I love the monorail cars, just not the platforms. They definitely are a relic of their time period!

 

[Tardisblue]

I think it would be awesome.

Same. That is until the self driving robot pods are finally incorporated and buses, monorails, gondolas, and boats become meaningless. Need to go from AKL to Grand Floridian? Summon a pod on the MDE app and away you go.

 

[Harry Wallace]

Same. That is until the self driving robot pods are finally incorporated and buses, monorails, gondolas, and boats become meaningless. Need to go from AKL to Grand Floridian? Summon a pod on the MDE app and away you go.

So pretty much just free Uber without the awkward conversations?

 

[Tardisblue]

So pretty much just free Uber without the awkward conversations?

Precisely.

 

[Sweettears]

Is there backlash because POFQ has boats that run to Disney Springs while CBR and CSR do not?

IMO, you're overthinking this. Operating costs won't be a monorail-sized expense. In fact, one of the primary reasons for extending service to Pop/AOA may be to cost-justify the entire thing. According to the proposed diagrams, that POP/AOA spur is very small. Building the entire system just for (approx) 2000 rooms at CBR is probably a non-starter. But when you can spend just a little more and service another 2000 hotel rooms and 1000 suites, the entire system is moving a LOT more guests...and eliminating a lot more buses.

We know monorails are very expensive. That's a non-starter in this day and age. But these gondolas may prove to be more cost effective than buses.

Supply and demand for POP/AOA will take care of itself. Perhaps Disney tries to juice rates due to the unique transport system. People will either pay it...or they won't.



Maybe temporarily. 15 years ago Disney thought crowds would swamp Animal Kingdom Lodge to view the savanna and they restricted access. But that didn't last long.

If the gondola system gets people from Epcot/DHS over to CBR or POP to browse and maybe spend a few dollars, Disney will be quite content with that. Nobody is skipping theme parks to ride the gondolas all day, and it costs Disney about the same to operate the system regardless of passenger count.

The distance in everyone of those legs is less than a mile. The distance from IG (the closest "station") is about FOUR miles. And there's already a monorail that does this.

It's all about what will make them money. "CBR/AOA/Pop connect directly to TWO parks" and "CBR/AOA/Pop connect directly to THREE parks, but one is a 5 mile skyride away" gets you the exact same revenue. In addition, Disney doesn't want to encourage MORE people to go to MK. They want to encourage them to go to the other parks. There's no benefit at this stage to Disney.

remember the days when imagineering spent their time on creating new rides and parks instead of how to make more money off of existing resort properties?

I do think it's a cool concept and will add a lot to WDW. I just wish that they would get as creative with the rest of the development. However I am encouraged by some of the projects in process but we shall see.

 

[Sweettears]

Ya know, they kind of are. They look so dirty in some spots. It reminds me of how some people's homes have weird green or dark stains on the siding. I just want to take a power washer to it.

Can you stop by my house? I have a constant battle with black mold on my siding with relatively new construction.

 

[Sweettears]

Yes I agree TBH, I didn't want to upset any hardcore monorail fans The part I hate the most is the "DANGER!" signs every couple feet. It doesn't exactly scream "family vacation" to me, but I guess they have to be there.

At least they are in the same style as the new alligator warning signs by every body of water.

 

[Roxyfire]

Can you stop by my house? I have a constant battle with black mold on my siding with relatively new construction.

I feel like it might be a little cathartic, at least the first few times.

 

[beastlyprince]

It's a little over a mile because it's not very straight line. My wife did DHS to Beach Club in about 20 minutes. You could probably go directly to Epcot in 20-25 minutes. 15 minutes would be a pretty darn fast pace, but I suppose it is possible. It's definitely faster to walk than to take the boats...because the boats stop 3 times. (DHS-Swolphin-BC/YC-BW-Epcot) but the boat takes about 30 minutes.

Using Google maps it's shorter to go from the International Gateway to Hollywood Studios via Boardwalk rather than by Yacht and Beach Club. If you cut through the Boardwalk lobby you'd save yourself a few steps.

 

[DOOM1001]

Ya know, they kind of are. They look so dirty in some spots. It reminds me of how some people's homes have weird green or dark stains on the siding. I just want to take a power washer to it.

I live right behind MK and usually come into the parks through the back entrance by where they store the monorail and trains,my point is that if you think the monorail beams are dirty and stained you need to see them in that backstage area as you can tell its obvious that there is some sort of cleaning done to them in the areas where guests see them as you can tell there's a certain point like just past Space mountain where the beams go from somewhat dirty but not horrible to just downright grungy and are probably pressure cleaned 1 time for every 5 times they're cleaned in the general guest areas.

 

[Lightsoutx12]

I think it is a neat idea. But I wonder if it would be free or if there would be some sort of fee in order to use it.