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

[vacationer1954]

Note how surprised and delighted they were to have "their own cabin".

 

[jade1]

Note how surprised and delighted they were to have "their own cabin".

Not a surprised as a Disney guest will be if it happens.

Although off peak it will prob be pretty common IMO.

 

[Coach Holden]

Someone who has some decent intel, what's the percentage of the Gondola's being open by August 5th?

 

[rteetz]

Someone who has some decent intel, what's the percentage of the Gondola's being open by August 5th?

Maybe 50/50? Disney keeps saying Fall but they are moving right along that it could be earlier. They are taking way longer than most other gondola systems.

 

[Dr.Mickey]

Someone who has some decent intel, what's the percentage of the Gondola's being open by August 5th?

I think the only safe bet is that opening day for the gondolas will not be August 31.

I have no intel to offer, but early August would not surprise me to allow time to work the kinks out before Star Wars Midway Mania descends on DHS.

 

[rteetz]

I think the only safe bet is that opening day for the gondolas will not be August 31.

I have no intel to offer, but early August would not surprise me to allow time to work the kinks out before Star Wars Midway Mania descends on DHS.

I think you mean August 29th

 

[Dr.Mickey]

I think you mean August 29th

Yup. Too clever for my own good. Not the last time, either, I suspect.

 

[NotUrsula]

The special stationary loading loop is almost surely designed specifically for ECV's. It is possible for someone pushing a wheelchair or stroller while on foot to time their step speed to roll onto a slow-moving gondola, turn it around once on board, and roll off at the station. The stationary loop is more about UN-loading, which will often have to be done in reverse. (3 reasons why, even though the gondolas are decent-sized: 1) other guests present in the cabin, meaning one of the benches has to be down, which makes it difficult to turn the mobility device during the gondola ride, 2) turning radius of the ECV, and 3) most importantly, level of "driving" experience of the average Disney guest using an ECV. Some of them are personally-owned, but you can see while in the parks that the vast majority of them are rentals.)

Unlike the monorails, the gondolas don't load from both sides. You have to maneuver out the same door you entered through, and that takes a bit more time.

 

[rstevens333]

I was looking at rooms today and places like Pop show transportation options of "bus, skyliner" in Disney's hotel listings. Is that new?

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

I was looking at rooms today and places like Pop show transportation options of "bus, skyliner" in Disney's hotel listings. Is that new?

That's been mentioned as popping up since it was announced that it would service Pop century and art of anamation.

 

[Spartan86]

I was looking at rooms today and places like Pop show transportation options of "bus, skyliner" in Disney's hotel listings. Is that new?

No it has been there a while .

 

[rstevens333]

Ah, gotcha! Not sure how I've never noticed it before.

 

[BabybetterDisney]

Then why did you say earlier that Disney wouldn't have ECVs in them?

I was wrong. But like I said in the post, it was just a thought and I could be wrong. I was thrown off by Disney's word choice of "wheelchair." I don't know why I didn't think of looking up the London gondola sooner. It's the obvious answer to the ECV question. There are people who posts online their experience of driving their scooter onto the gondola. Backing out was tricky, but that's the only inconvenience.

 

[jade1]

I don't know why I didn't think of looking up the London gondola sooner. It's the obvious answer to the ECV question.

Disney improved on London's ECV loading, by adding an extended loop so it can stop while the other cabins can keep going-not make everyone else wait.

 

[ThistleMae]

I'm just really happy that I'll have a place to sit after park closing. After a long day and night, standing on the bus to get back to POP is my least favorite thing. Not to mention that POP bus station always has the longest line and is furthest away from the park exits.

 

[Spaceguy55]

POP/AOA rescue boat/pontoon ?

 

[scrappinginontario]

That doesn't appear to show the same "extra" loop that Disney installed.

The 2nd loop completely stops without slowing the rest down.

You just beat me to this @Spaceguy55! I was talking with a bus driver Wed night and he mentioned this exact boat although if I understood him correctly (and I may not have) he said he watched them practicing this in hourglass lake but that could be wrong. It might just have been the boat he'd seen and was describing that. Regardless, what he described was what the video you linked shows. Seeing it makes it much more understandable as I couldn't quite figure out how pontoon boat and platform worked together but now it all makes sense. Thank you for posting this!!

The driver I spoke with confirmed that buses will continue to run to Epcot and DHS from the Skyliner resorts due to fears people have but he also mentioned something I had not heard before. His understanding is that service animals will not be permitted to use the Skyliner. I cannot confirm/deny this but it was what he had been told. I guess this is another thing we'll need to wait and find out with time.

 

[OSUZorba]

POP/AOA rescue boat/pontoon ?

That's what it looks like to me.

 

[Spaceguy55]

Rob says in the video that he was not sure about ecv's...I think they will be able to just lift or assist most people out and then into a wheelchair already on the platform..no need to unload ecv's from the gondola's unless absolutely necessary for the rider.That would just add unnecessary weight and time in an emergency situation.
Hopefully as fast as they put that together it means they are closer to starting the Skyliner for guests

 

[eliseisawkward]

You just beat me to this @Spaceguy55! I was talking with a bus driver Wed night and he mentioned this exact boat although if I understood him correctly (and I may not have) he said he watched them practicing this in hourglass lake but that could be wrong. It might just have been the boat he'd seen and was describing that. Regardless, what he described was what the video you linked shows. Seeing it makes it much more understandable as I couldn't quite figure out how pontoon boat and platform worked together but now it all makes sense. Thank you for posting this!!

The driver I spoke with confirmed that buses will continue to run to Epcot and DHS from the Skyliner resorts due to fears people have but he also mentioned something I had not heard before. His understanding is that service animals will not be permitted to use the Skyliner. I cannot confirm/deny this but it was what he had been told. I guess this is another thing we'll need to wait and find out with time.

I would be shocked if service animals weren’t allowed. Service animals are legally allowed anywhere a person is allowed, so it is likely that to be ADA compliant they would have to allow service animals.