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

[gap2368]

Do we have any idea when this is going to open beyond Fall 2019? We're going at the end of August...

I just booked pop for the first week in September, finger crossed it is opened. it will be so hard to just look at it for my April trip

 

[joelkfla]

I hate to be a Disney (Debbie) downer but I don’t think the area to the back side is for pulling cabins off to load wheelchairs. Many years ago I worked at Skyway at WDW. On the Tomorrowland side is where the cabins were stored (in a warehouse). So this looks to me where extra cabins will go.
Will it be possible to load them and put them online??? Hopefully

The 2 storage areas are at the CBR station. They're clearly visible in aerial photos, and there are currently a large number of gondolas stored in one of them. The 2nd is still under construction.

 

[jade1]

Guests have enough trouble boarding a parked bus.

Some "knees" I know will have an easier time getting on (and off) the Skyliner than a parked bus, unless there's a small step up on these I'm not seeing.

 

[NotUrsula]

I could be wrong but I thought what Spaceguy was saying is that if you put security at the entrance to the Skyliner they would have to search 6-10 people every 10-12 seconds or security would become the bottleneck keeping the Skyway from running at full capacity.

That's how I read it, too. However, Disney mgmt have been quoted numerous times over the past couple of years saying that the company has a goal of eventually placing all major transit systems behind security. If that is the case, the entrance paths would have to be deliberately designed to be very long, in order to allow guests to go through bag check and be able to generate crowd mass beyond it again before entering the Skyliner's load queue area.

The other option for security in front would be to set up the security barrier as a very wide array with MANY bag check lines disgorging into a small central funnel. I can't see that option being chosen, simply because it would be too labor-intensive to staff enough checkpoints to make the process move quickly enough to keep the gondolas filled in the morning.

 

[jade1]

If people can get on rides like haunted mansion, peter pan, little mermaid, finding nemo, spaceship earth and the people mover they won't have issues with the skyliner.

 

[rteetz]

I hate to be a Disney (Debbie) downer but I don’t think the area to the back side is for pulling cabins off to load wheelchairs. Many years ago I worked at Skyway at WDW. On the Tomorrowland side is where the cabins were stored (in a warehouse). So this looks to me where extra cabins will go.
Will it be possible to load them and put them online??? Hopefully

This isn't the Tomorrowland Skyway. The only place for skyliner storage is at CBR.

 

[NotUrsula]

If people can get on rides like haunted mansion, peter pan, little mermaid, finding nemo, spaceship earth and the people mover they won't have issues with the skyliner.

The rides have moving platforms at the same speed as the ride vehicles. The Skyliner won't. I'm not saying there will be a problem, just pointing out it's apples to oranges, or at least tangerines to oranges.

Those rides also have a CM walking backward on the moving platform as you enter it, and asking "How many?, and then pointing to the car you are supposed to board. Do we anticipate that that will be happening on the Skyliner platform (well, minus the walking backward part)? Videos I have seen of current rope tramways of this type typically do not have attendants directing traffic on the load platform, but for a tourist clientele, it wouldn't surprise me if it were done.

 

[The Pho]

Those rides also have a CM walking backward on the moving platform as you enter it, and asking "How many?, and then pointing to the car you are supposed to board. Do we anticipate that that will be happening on the Skyliner platform (well, minus the walking backward part)? Videos I have seen of current rope tramways of this type typically do not have attendants directing traffic on the load platform, but for a tourist clientele, it wouldn't surprise me if it were done.

Most (if not all) gondolas and trams have somebody standing directing the line when to load. I can’t think of any that haven’t, and I’ve been on a lot of them.

 

[Weedy]

This is what the park close exit at EPCOT will look like minus the skis lol. Do you think they could board this fast ha!

 

[OSUZorba]

About 3:30 today.

Thanks for the video. I got right at 10 seconds again. There is going to be a little less time to board than I thought there would be. Right around 30 seconds to get on, and probably the same to get off. This shouldn't be an issue, but if they push the speed up to 4500 pph, that time will drop to 24 seconds. I am not sure if 24 seconds would be enough time with how many people seem completely clueless when boarding things.

It looks like there were two gondolas in the ADA lane, is that right?

 

[OSUZorba]

Those rides also have a CM walking backward on the moving platform as you enter it, and asking "How many?, and then pointing to the car you are supposed to board. Do we anticipate that that will be happening on the Skyliner platform (well, minus the walking backward part)? Videos I have seen of current rope tramways of this type typically do not have attendants directing traffic on the load platform, but for a tourist clientele, it wouldn't surprise me if it were done.

Disney will definitely have ushers, probably a few. Someone up front to break people into groups, someone telling the party when to start walking out of the queue and another one point and trying to rush people on.

 

[joelkfla]

Aerial footage from Attractions Magazine includes views of Riviera and CBR stations:

 

[NotUrsula]

This is what the park close exit at EPCOT will look like minus the skis lol. Do you think they could board this fast ha!

Of course the speed of that video is done for laughs, but it looks more-or-less realistic played at 1/2 speed. What's interesting about it when you look past the silly zooming is that most of the cars are leaving with no more than 3 occupants.

 

[Tigger's ally]

Aerial footage from Attractions Magazine includes views of Riviera and CBR stations:

Excellent video. Really shows the pools at the Riv. Cool.

 

[cranbiz]

Humans are heard animals and Disney is an experienced sheepdog. I have no doubt they will be able to get people into a Gondola like Babe get's sheep into pens.

Hopefully this will happen. From first hand experience, directing guests sometimes is like herding cats.

Some "knees" I know will have an easier time getting on (and off) the Skyliner than a parked bus, unless there's a small step up on these I'm not seeing.

Got nothing to do with "knees" or other physical issues. I have those knees too. It has everything to do with little Sarah and Timmy fighting over who sits where, someone holding up the line because they want the Frozen gondola and not the pirates one. This is going to happen no matter how good you are at herding sheep.

 

[jade1]

Got nothing to do with "knees" or other physical issues. I have those knees too. It has everything to do with little Sarah and Timmy fighting over who sits where, someone holding up the line because they want the Frozen gondola and not the pirates one. This is going to happen no matter how good you are at herding sheep.

Steps (even one) are much more difficult for some in our group, that's because they have bad knees.

These might have no step up at all, but who knows at this point for sure.

 

[Roxyfire]

Got nothing to do with "knees" or other physical issues. I have those knees too. It has everything to do with little Sarah and Timmy fighting over who sits where, someone holding up the line because they want the Frozen gondola and not the pirates one. This is going to happen no matter how good you are at herding sheep.

Honestly this needs to be on parents a lot more. It's great when we have a choice but often we do not. I would expect, however, Disney is highly aware of this and will ask people to stand to the side if you're waiting for a particular gondola. Sometimes we ask to sit in the front or back of a rollercoaster because it's more fun. We have no problem waiting in line for that spot. I would expect the point to be totally moot during most times of the day.

 

[Moliphino]

Honestly this needs to be on parents a lot more. It's great when we have a choice but often we do not. I would expect, however, Disney is highly aware of this and will ask people to stand to the side if you're waiting for a particular gondola. Sometimes we ask to sit in the front or back of a rollercoaster because it's more fun. We have no problem waiting in line for that spot. I would expect the point to be totally moot during most times of the day.

My dad used to enjoy singing "You Can't Always Get What You Want" at us.

 

[Roxyfire]

My dad used to enjoy singing "You Can't Always Get What You Want" at us.

I got that a lot as well, lol.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Steps (even one) are much more difficult for some in our group, that's because they have bad knees.

These might have no step up at all, but who knows at this point for sure.

They should be basically on level with the platform - think more getting on the monorail vs climbing into a bus