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

[Tiki Birdland]

how about All Star>AKL>FTW? Count me "in". Hoop-De-Doo, here we come!

 

[joelkfla]

Distance as the crow flies or Skyliner runs: ~ 3.7 miles @ an estimated 12mph that is about 20min

From the WDW transportation calculator: Bus directly to Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park: Estimated Time: 24 minute

Not including how long you have to wait for the bus.

Don't know what calculator you're using, but I think it includes wait time. Google says drive time from FtW bus depot to AK is 11 minutes. That's via the new flyover at the MK toll plaza; don't know whether Disney Transport is using that route now. But even the old route via Epcot Center Dr. is just 14 minutes.

Anyhow, a direct line wouldn't be worth building, because the endpoints are not natural transfer points, being at opposite corners of the property. Maybe TTC to AK, with a boat connection to FtW.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

20 minutes without A/C... People might really have issues then

I don't think they would do a skyliner from FTW-AK.

don't YOU start

 

[Tigger's ally]

don't YOU start

Is he the one that keeps bringing up the AC?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Is he the one that keeps bringing up the AC?

no - he's the one usually correcting people and asking us to move on!!!

 

[sachilles]

I was kind of surprised that the hub for the current project was at CBR. I feel like DHS would have been a better choice. I also thought it was odd to connect to the IG instead of the front of Epcot, where you could link to the monorail. This makes me think that future build out might account for that.
I feel like the rumored new resort at the front of epcot will have some sort of alternate transport.
I can't help but think that port orleans will get the tower treatment sometime, maybe at french quarter. Linking front of epcot, to port orleans, OKW and saratoga and disney springs could serve a lot.
Also still think Fort wilderness and the new property at the campground could put a relatively smaller version to work connecting to TTC.

 

[rteetz]

I was kind of surprised that the hub for the current project was at CBR. I feel like DHS would have been a better choice. I also thought it was odd to connect to the IG instead of the front of Epcot, where you could link to the monorail. This makes me think that future build out might account for that.
I feel like the rumored new resort at the front of epcot will have some sort of alternate transport.
I can't help but think that port orleans will get the tower treatment sometime, maybe at french quarter. Linking front of epcot, to port orleans, OKW and saratoga and disney springs could serve a lot.
Also still think Fort wilderness and the new property at the campground could put a relatively smaller version to work connecting to TTC.

I disagree. I think it makes sense to have it the way it is because of which areas they decided to connect. It they connected the current areas and the hub was at DHS you’d have lines going all over the parking lots at DHS. To connect to the from of Epcot you’d need to go around the perimeter of Epcot which also seems like more of a hassle.

POFQ is small as is. Take out rooms for a tower and the resort would be impossible to get into.

 

[sachilles]

I disagree. I think it makes sense to have it the way it is because of which areas they decided to connect. It they connected the current areas and the hub was at DHS you’d have lines going all over the parking lots at DHS. To connect to the from of Epcot you’d need to go around the perimeter of Epcot which also seems like more of a hassle.

POFQ is small as is. Take out rooms for a tower and the resort would be impossible to get into.

Of course you have to be in my brain to see what I see......and that's a scary place.
I don't think DHS would change much. My Thought was IG to DHS, eliminating the boardwalk turn and riviera turn. DHS to CBR, then riveria to cbr and the values. Still a quasi hub at CBR, but an easier way to bypass the resort for direct park to park connection. :shrug: it's wishcasting anyway. They chose a different route.

For a tower at port orleans I was thinking pure addition to French quarter, not tearing down a thing. More or less bridging the gap between the south end of french quarter and OKW. Not a lot of room for a new resort, but a tower could fit nicely. I have to believe the tower thing hasn't run it's course yet. They've done it to the other 2 mods, so I feel like it's not a stretch to think they'd do it there.

 

[jknezek]

20 minutes without A/C... People might really have issues then

I don't think they would do a skyliner from FTW-AK.

I'm pretty sure that any investment Fort Wilderness gets is tied to the DVC they are going to ruin it with. The Fort has been the red-headed step child for years and it's going to remain that way. Having a DVC loom over it is the only way anything new is coming to that area.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Of course you have to be in my brain to see what I see......and that's a scary place.
I don't think DHS would change much. My Thought was IG to DHS, eliminating the boardwalk turn and riviera turn. DHS to CBR, then riveria to cbr and the values. Still a quasi hub at CBR, but an easier way to bypass the resort for direct park to park connection. :shrug: it's wishcasting anyway. They chose a different route.

For a tower at port orleans I was thinking pure addition to French quarter, not tearing down a thing. More or less bridging the gap between the south end of french quarter and OKW. Not a lot of room for a new resort, but a tower could fit nicely. I have to believe the tower thing hasn't run it's course yet. They've done it to the other 2 mods, so I feel like it's not a stretch to think they'd do it there.

I see the logic in the straight from DHS to EPCOT, only issue is you would have to change at DHS if you wanted to go to EPCOT which feels messy. Plus then people at Riviera would have to go to CBR, change there to go to DHS, change again to go to EPCOT and then do that all in reverse - and for the DVC sales pitch that needs to be the easiest journey not the longest

Not sure about ability to build towers in specific spots near Port Orleans due to all the waterways, but seems like there could be room in between French Quarter and Old Key West or in between French Quarter and Riverside

 

[OSUZorba]

• 4 seconds is not an attainable dispatch interval.
• Historically, Disney has used 72 as 40' bus capacity. Today's low-floor buses have a higher proportion of standees to seats, so something around 80 is a reasonable estimate IMO.
• Although the manufacturer says the cabins can hold 10, the consensus among posters on this and other boards is that the average number of riders per gondola will be well below 10.

My earlier post about the manufacturer's highest throughput claim: https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...updated-2-8-19.3578988/page-259#post-60254048

The logic on the last point is a little circular. The reason people don't think they'll be filled is because there is no system to get 4500 pph to the station to start with, except for park closing. At closing time, they probably will be close to full for 15 or so minutes. Just like buses aren't full most of the day.

I think 65 is also a closer estimate than 80 for a completely full bus.

 

[Tigger's ally]

no - he's the one usually correcting people and asking us to move on!!!

Oh, I knew..just can't pass the chance to give him a hard time

 

[DBDiz]

Of course you have to be in my brain to see what I see......and that's a scary place.
I don't think DHS would change much. My Thought was IG to DHS, eliminating the boardwalk turn and riviera turn. DHS to CBR, then riveria to cbr and the values. Still a quasi hub at CBR, but an easier way to bypass the resort for direct park to park connection. :shrug: it's wishcasting anyway. They chose a different route.

For a tower at port orleans I was thinking pure addition to French quarter, not tearing down a thing. More or less bridging the gap between the south end of french quarter and OKW. Not a lot of room for a new resort, but a tower could fit nicely. I have to believe the tower thing hasn't run it's course yet. They've done it to the other 2 mods, so I feel like it's not a stretch to think they'd do it there.

Considering that a good portion of the feasibility of selling DVC at a (previously) Moderate resort location depended heavily on the addition of amenities to the area (additional dining options, direct park transportation), the current layout placing Riviera directly onto the main route to Epcot makes the most sense. Making Riviera an afterthought by making them first go to CBR and then to a DHS main hub to transfer to other properties is a bit of a stretch.

 

[intertile]

But with a substantial impact on service level property-wide, as I'm sure they won't maintain driver staffing levels to replace Skyliner service at the current level.

Actually, the driver staffing levels won't be too impacted by the skyline. Disney is in a constant shortage of drivers. It is the only position that always has a signing bonus, and is always in demand. The skyliner will simply reduce the strain on their current drivers, but they won't be able to scale back yet.

 

[intertile]

Maybe TTC to AK, with a boat connection to FtW.

As expansion lines go, I would love these:
DHS TO AK TO AKL
TTC TO AK
TTC TO DS

 

[joelkfla]

The logic on the last point is a little circular. The reason people don't think they'll be filled is because there is no system to get 4500 pph to the station to start with, except for park closing. At closing time, they probably will be close to full for 15 or so minutes. Just like buses aren't full most of the day.

I think 65 is also a closer estimate than 80 for a completely full bus.

I think the reasons they won't be full are:

1. Scooters, and strollers if Disney lets them on unfolded, will take up 1/2 of a cabin;
2. Hopefully, Disney won't ask strangers to sit cheek-to-cheek on an undivided bench, so there might 2 parties of 2 or 1 party of 4 or 5 on each bench; parties of 6-10 might get their own cabin;
   
3. It's not worth the effort to group parties into exact 10's, except as you say, maybe at park exit.

75-80 would be a packed bus with all seats filled and 3-across standing in the front section; 65 might be more realistic in most situations.

 

[sachilles]

Considering that a good portion of the feasibility of selling DVC at a (previously) Moderate resort location depended heavily on the addition of amenities to the area (additional dining options, direct park transportation), the current layout placing Riviera directly onto the main route to Epcot makes the most sense. Making Riviera an afterthought by making them first go to CBR and then to a DHS main hub to transfer to other properties is a bit of a stretch.

I'll concede that.
Of course they could have put the hub at the Riviera though, giving them direct access to both epcot and DHS. If the hub was at the riviera, you could have the direct line from riviera to DHS. A line from riviera to IG including the epcot turn. You then would have the value line, do a midstation style stop at trinidad and then up to Riviera.
Always looking for the conspiracy, I think they had several options to make this work. So I think the current layout tells us something about future layouts(if they ever come to fruition). We just don't know what they are yet. Something akin to the monorail pilings from Epcot towards the boardwalk area.

 

[joelkfla]

Actually, the driver staffing levels won't be too impacted by the skyline. Disney is in a constant shortage of drivers. It is the only position that always has a signing bonus, and is always in demand. The skyliner will simply reduce the strain on their current drivers, but they won't be able to scale back yet.

True that Disney is always looking to hire drivers, but mostly part-time so the company can have scheduling flexibility. They won't schedule more drivers than they think they can get by with.

During the afternoon, a good portion of the buses are parked, and there are only enough drivers scheduled to meet the minimum service level of every 20 minutes. Taking drivers out of that pool to service 4 additional resorts going to 2 parks will have an impact.

Opening and closing are more complicated, but whatever service level they're maintaining with Skyliner running has to be impacted by diverting drivers & buses to replace Skyliner without warning.

 

[OKW Lover]

I see the logic in the straight from DHS to EPCOT,

I'm actually surprised that this isn't part of the project. It seems to make a lot of sense to facilitate people getting between these two parks. I could see spending a morning in DHS and then over to Epcot for the Afternoon/evening.

 

[sachilles]

I'm actually surprised that this isn't part of the project. It seems to make a lot of sense to facilitate people getting between these two parks. I could see spending a morning in DHS and then over to Epcot for the Afternoon/evening.

I suppose the argument against is the friendship boats already serve that route.