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

[unbanshee]

Darn! Looks like they put back the green canvas screening on the chain-link fence.

Yep, it's still a construction site

 

[Weedy]

Some video of the old Skyway to get us excited (not that we need it) for the opening in a few weeks

 

[Ponderer]

Some video of the old Skyway to get us excited (not that we need it) for the opening in a few weeks

Oh, how I miss the Skyway. More than even riding it, I just loved the feeling of looking up and seeing all these cabs soaring along. It added a wonderful kinetic energy to the park and it’s something I’ve really looking forward to recapturing with the Skyliner.

 

[Jorjabelle]

Awe, thanks for the view of 20,000 leagues and Toad’s Wild Ride. Man, the Cake Castle was just hideously ugly.

 

[DBDiz]

Darn! Looks like they put back the green canvas screening on the chain-link fence.

Yep, it's still a construction site

If I had to guess, the canvas came down to prevent the fences from becoming wind sails in the projected hurricane force winds. Now that the threat is gone, they were able to safely go back.

 

[OSUZorba]

If I had to guess, the canvas came down to prevent the fences from becoming wind sails in the projected hurricane force winds. Now that the threat is gone, they were able to safely go back.

Yeah, they took the screening down everywhere on property for Dorian. I think there previous posters were disappointed it didn't stay down because that would show the fence was likely about to come down. Since they put the screen back up I'd lose hope for soft openings soon.

 

[joelkfla]

Yeah, they took the screening down everywhere on property for Dorian. I think there previous posters were disappointed it didn't stay down because that would show the fence was likely about to come down. Since they put the screen back up I'd lose hope for soft openings soon.

Well, partly that. But mainly I just wanted to watch the gondolas moving through the station.

 

[Weedy]

19 more sleeps until the Skyliner opens

 

[SgtTibbs]

19 more sleeps until the Skyliner opens

I wish I got that much sleep.

 

[cranbiz]

Remember the gate at the southwest corner of the Epcot charter lot? It used to go back to some storage shipping containers. Recent aerial views show those containers have been removed, and a road built connecting the gate to the area of the helipad.

There also is (or was) a gate right next to the location of the IG Skyliner station, where you made the left turn between the International Showplace and the IG Cast Shuttle stop. I never saw that gate open, but I think it was used during foot races.

They could use that gate and the new road to shuttle Guests from the Skyliner station to the Epcot bus lot when they get stranded by a Skyliner shutdown. I don't know if that's the plan, but the option exists, and it's curious that the all of a sudden they built that backstage road to the bus lot gate.

I forgot about that gate at the charter lot. I knew about the gate near the IG but like you, I never saw it open. There is also the gate at RCFR that they use for fire and ambulance backstage access that could be used in an emergency. I could see using those gates if there were stranded guests due to a shutdown or some other emergency, but not on a regular operational basis. As a rule, we both know that WDW prefers to keep guests out of backstage areas with a few notable exceptions like the express transportation experiment, Main St bypass, Epcot NYE exit, Run Disney events, etc.

 

[joelkfla]

I forgot about that gate at the charter lot. I knew about the gate near the IG but like you, I never saw it open. There is also the gate at RCFR that they use for fire and ambulance backstage access that could be used in an emergency. I could see using those gates if there were stranded guests due to a shutdown or some other emergency, but not on a regular operational basis. As a rule, we both know that WDW prefers to keep guests out of backstage areas with a few notable exceptions like the express transportation experiment, Main St bypass, Epcot NYE exit, Run Disney events, etc.

Yes, not during normal operations.

I don't know how they plan to inform Guests inside Epcot when the Skyliner is down. Historically, they've done a really poor job of even informing Guests leaving DHS when the boats are down. (And as a PP said, you really can't expect the average Guest to check the Skyliner status on their smart phone every time they head out of the park.) But I think they might shuttle Guests from the Skyliner station to the bus lot at least until they get the word out about any shutdown.

 

[Mikey15]

Epcot walls still up, but IG security work is really what's ongoing, station itself seems ready.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1171068711639375873

At least I know it'll be open when I'm there! (October)

 

[cranbiz]

Yes, not during normal operations.

I don't know how they plan to inform Guests inside Epcot when the Skyliner is down. Historically, they've done a really poor job of even informing Guests leaving DHS when the boats are down. (And as a PP said, you really can't expect the average Guest to check the Skyliner status on their smart phone every time they head out of the park.) But I think they might shuttle Guests from the Skyliner station to the bus lot at least until they get the word out about any shutdown.

Doing a really poor job of guest notification about the boats being down is an understatement.

 

[Scalemaster34]

Yes, not during normal operations.

I don't know how they plan to inform Guests inside Epcot when the Skyliner is down. Historically, they've done a really poor job of even informing Guests leaving DHS when the boats are down. (And as a PP said, you really can't expect the average Guest to check the Skyliner status on their smart phone every time they head out of the park.) But I think they might shuttle Guests from the Skyliner station to the bus lot at least until they get the word out about any shutdown.

I suspect walking will be the solution....

I can see the Skyliner being as much an attraction as a means of transportation. Expect wait times during peak period will be enough that guest will need to know before getting there. Adding Skyliner to MDE might solve a number of potential issues. Like with other attractions MDE can warn about "down times".... but then if it's not running you should be able to see that long before getting to the station.

 

[joelkfla]

I suspect walking will be the solution....

I can see the Skyliner being as much an attraction as a means of transportation. Expect wait times during peak period will be enough that guest will need to know before getting there. Adding Skyliner to MDE might solve a number of potential issues. Like with other attractions MDE can warn about "down times".... but then if it's not running you should be able to see that long before getting to the station.

But it's not an attraction. It will be the primary means of transportation (eventually perhaps the only means) between Epcot and 3 of the largest resorts on property. Guests have a reasonable expectation of transportation to be running as scheduled, save extraordinary circumstances. In Florida, thunderstorms are not extraordinary circumstances.

You can't expect them to check their phones to see which of 2 opposite directions to head for transportation. And you can't expect them to walk half a mile to get to the exit, and then be told, "Sorry, you have to walk another 3/4 mile in the rain and lightning to get a bus," unless you want a lot of angry Guests.

 

[FinnsMom7]

I suspect walking will be the solution....

I can see the Skyliner being as much an attraction as a means of transportation. Expect wait times during peak period will be enough that guest will need to know before getting there. Adding Skyliner to MDE might solve a number of potential issues. Like with other attractions MDE can warn about "down times".... but then if it's not running you should be able to see that long before getting to the station.

I would consider that once you are at IG, walking over to BWI or BC for the buses would be one alternative.
Personally I may do this next week during my off site stay if we decide to leave Epcot and are in UK area. instead of walking all the way to the front - will just grab a Dis Springs bus and then walk from there.

 

[nkosiek]

Epcot walls still up, but IG security work is really what's ongoing, station itself seems ready.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1171068711639375873

At least I know it'll be open when I'm there! (October)

They went all in on the France/Art Noveau theme. These look a lot like certain Metro stations in Paris.

 

[seashoreCM]

What is the walking distance to the farthest boat served resort from International Gateway.

Somewhere a few days ago someone metioned that boat service from Epcot to Hollywood Studios was omitted from a certain resort transportation guide card. Perhaps all the better: (1) the boat is terribly slow, and (2) the boat might go out of service without notice and walking to the front of Epcot to take a bus is therefore a more reliable choice.

Bus service was mentioned in the transportation guide card as an alternative option for the Skyliner resorts. Better it stayed that way, i.e. not discontinued.

 

[joelkfla]

What is the walking distance to the farthest boat served resort from International Gateway.

That would be the Dolphin. On Google Maps, it's 14 minutes for 0.7 mi.

 

[Scalemaster34]

But it's not an attraction. It will be the primary means of transportation (eventually perhaps the only means) between Epcot and 3 of the largest resorts on property. Guests have a reasonable expectation of transportation to be running as scheduled, save extraordinary circumstances. In Florida, thunderstorms are not extraordinary circumstances.

You can't expect them to check their phones to see which of 2 opposite directions to head for transportation. And you can't expect them to walk half a mile to get to the exit, and then be told, "Sorry, you have to walk another 3/4 mile in the rain and lightning to get a bus," unless you want a lot of angry Guests.

I don't know... having guest walk another 3/4 mile didn't stop them from moving the Studio buses.

I expect the Skyliner is going to only be an auxiliary means of transportation. If there was a plan for buses behind the IGW... they would have factored that into their construction. Because it will be a very common thing to see the Skyliner go down.