DVC monorail resort

[BroganMc]

Instead of a 15 minute "walk" to the food court, it will likely be a fifteen minute "wait" for the elevator. LOL!

Does BWV really only have one bank of elevators? I was looking at the floorplans and couldn't believe my eyes.

Let's just hope CRV has a damn good size bank of elevators. Waiting for one at my 10 story beach condo complex is a nightmare in summer.

 

[byoung]

It would be great.

 

[jco_direwolf]

I would like to see Disney extend the monorail. There is no reason it can't be built to service every resort. Yes I'm serious! It would be a large initial investment but could eliminate most of the bus trafic. Not really that far fetched.

I don't think there is anyone that is a Disney fan that wouldn't LOVE to see the Monorail extended all over the place. It's fun and really really neat.

I don't know what how much extending the monorail would really cost, nor do I know what Disney is paying Mears for busses.

But I suspect they have done the math, and the payoff simply isn't there. I'm sure they have even considered any "extra" draw it might have.

johno

 

[Granny]

Seriously? You do realize BWV is 5 stories tall and has 383 rooms and the proposed CRV building will be 16 stories tall. The Tower currently has 15 stories. Total resort size is over 1000 rooms. 50 floors is pushing it just a tad.

I wasn't being literal. I was just trying to imagine all the SSR rooms put into one building. It might be 3 stories for all I know. Sorry if I hit a sore spot. If you have read my posts at all you know I have never bashed another DVC resort.

 

[BroganMc]

I wasn't being literal. I was just trying to imagine all the SSR rooms put into one building. It might be 3 stories for all I know. Sorry if I hit a sore spot. If you have read my posts at all you know I have never bashed another DVC resort.

Ah, I missed the lighthearted sarcasm. My bad. Trouble with forum chatter is it's so hard to convey those nonverbal qualifiers for statements.

In all seriousness though, I'm a little concerned about the proposed high rise CRV. I'm just imaging those balconies at 10-16 floors up. My beach condo is on the 9th floor and the balcony scares the daylights outa me. I can't imagine a young DVC family with those eager, climbing kiddies getting the top floors. I won't even let my nieces and nephews out on the balcony until they're 10+.

To me, that's a downside of a large CRV resort.

 

[HockeyKat]

I lived on the 34th floor of a high-rise in Chicago for 3 years. 15 floors wouldn't bother me.

If CRV happens and we can afford it, we are buying.

 

[BroganMc]

I don't think there is anyone that is a Disney fan that wouldn't LOVE to see the Monorail extended all over the place. It's fun and really really neat.

That subject comes up ALOT on and off this forum. The official line is that the cost to build is cost prohibitive. Estimates run from the $1-15 mil per mile and up. Someone recently suggested a lightrail adaptation around here.

The thing with installing a monorail system is that you still end up waiting in line for the vehicle to arrive. It's not really saving you time over a bus. But with busses you can add vehicles to service based on business at various pick up locations, upgrade and more cheaply maintain the fleet.

When we talk monorail resorts, I think we're really talking resorts closer to Magic Kingdom. Of that, 3 have a view but only one is truly ever able to give us walking distance: Contemporary. And that, ladies and gentleman, is a factor of how Magic Kingdom was built. Are we forgetting Walt intentionally put MK at the other side of a manmade lake so we were 15-20 minutes away from our cars and rooms? That way we had time to decompress from the real world and be magically transported into a land of fantasy.

I feel that best on a warm autumn or spring day as I glide across the lake on the ferry watching the real world get smaller and the Castle get bigger and bigger. Even better than the monorail ride for me.

 

[BroganMc]

I lived on the 34th floor of a high-rise in Chicago for 3 years. 15 floors wouldn't bother me.

If CRV happens and we can afford it, we are buying.

Ah, now see for me the John Hancock building had me shaking in my proverbial boots. I guess I'm a wimp with heights.

I'd buy CRV though. I'm more quick to do that than AKV. But's to be able to saunter over to MK in the AM or sneak out and over for a late night. My cousins got to do that once. Security brought them back by the scuffs of their necks before my uncle even realized they were missing. I always felt I got left out.

 

[corinnak]

Goodness gracious, how do those folks at the Polynesian handle the drudgery! Now from the Carousel...?

From the farthest carousel building, it's an easy ten minute walk to Artist's Palette. Fifteen, I guess, if you walk slowly and stop to talk to the swans.
I guess it is about fifteen minutes to walk to the boat dock, though......

What concerns me about the Contemporary is: No theme! I think I have heard this more in response to the Contemporary than I have about SSR even.

 

[BroganMc]

From the farthest carousel building, it's an easy ten minute walk to Artist's Palette. Fifteen, I guess, if you walk slowly and stop to talk to the swans.
I guess it is about fifteen minutes to walk to the boat dock, though......

You know, I'm taking a stopwatch and notebook with me on my trip in May. I've got 5 speeds on my powerchair from "crawl" to "fastwalk" (1-4.5 mph). I keep hearing that the distances are so loooooong in SSR, even from OKW owners. But when I was there in December it didn't seem like anything at all. Even scrolling the bird's eye view in satellite doesn't seem bad.

Now OKW on the otherhand... Yes, I'll take my stopwatch and notebook there too.

However, where my mileage varies is this "hop a bus" thing OKW'ers advocate. If you're in a powerchair or scooter, it's a far more complicated and time-consuming process. All that drop the ramp, secure the tiedowns, unsecure the tiedowns, redrop the ramp business.

What concerns me about the Contemporary is: No theme! I think I have heard this more in response to the Contemporary than I have about SSR even.

Sure there's a theme! I know because my dad loathes it.

What they need is a themed pool with giant rocketslide, track lighting similar to Space Mountain, freeze-dried ice cream, a moonbase playground (with fake "real" moonrocks), and a signature alien greeter in the lobby.

Oh, in-room lighting should all be touch lamps, all plasma/LCD TVs (no chunky 20th century CRTs thank you), and doors be the sliding kind that make that "whoosh" sound from Star Trek.

Wouldn't hurt to have a lounge that doubles as a greenhouse and is called The Hydroponics Bay. Arcade should be strictly virtual 3D style.

And I think all rooms should have a personal voice activated computer interface nicknamed HAL. Just don't let him near any space anomolies or bomb bay doors.

 

[fishermouse]

From the farthest carousel building, it's an easy ten minute walk to Artist's Palette. Fifteen, I guess, if you walk slowly and stop to talk to the swans.
I guess it is about fifteen minutes to walk to the boat dock, though......

What concerns me about the Contemporary is: No theme! I think I have heard this more in response to the Contemporary than I have about SSR even.

I had the same response a while back on this subject, DW and I walk a lot so I thought the same thing. "only takes a couple minutes to walk to DTD. I was promptly and rightfully, reminded that at WDW many of the guest are families with small children and/or granparents. I can see where the distance might be a problem for some. There is a resort bus, somewhat of a hassle for strollers ETC. but every resort has it's drawbacks. Personally I enjoy walking around the resort and love the fact that I can walk to DTD more than I do being able to walk to Epcot and MGM. In a perfect world I could walk to all the parks and DTD, get rid of all the bus trafic.

 

[corinnak]

I had the same response a while back on this subject, DW and I walk a lot so I thought the same thing. "only takes a couple minutes to walk to DTD. I was promptly and rightfully, reminded that at WDW many of the guest are families with small children and/or granparents. I can see where the distance might be a problem for some. There is a resort bus, somewhat of a hassle for strollers ETC. but every resort has it's drawbacks. Personally I enjoy walking around the resort and love the fact that I can walk to DTD more than I do being able to walk to Epcot and MGM. In a perfect world I could walk to all the parks and DTD, get rid of all the bus trafic.

That is true about small children and grandparents. Our party had two 8 year olds, a 4 year old and a 3 year old. I don't know how it would have gone if we had had a toddler, but the preschoolers RACED through the resort, and especially on arrival night, we really appreciated that there was plenty of space for them to burn off that travel energy.

If we had had my 88 year old grandmother along, as we did at OKW in October, I think we would have appreciated the elevators and the ability to still park in the nearby parking lot and drive to the main parts of the resort.

Let me add, though, that I am sure that for some families, even that amount of foot travel is prohibitive. You are right about every resort having its drawbacks.


Brogan - I will look forward to your powerchair findings. I see your point about "hop on a bus" being easier said than done when you've got a chair to load in and strap down.

That is some "out of this world" "contemporary" theme planning. I agree that it would be fun to have a current "future" themed resort in the mix. Not sure if that is the direction they will go, but it is fun to think about. I love the "woosh" sound for the doors. And HAL - too funny!

 

[BroganMc]

Brogan - I will look forward to your powerchair findings. I see your point about "hop on a bus" being easier said than done when you've got a chair to load in and strap down.

You just have to wait another 2 months. Believe me, I'm far more anxious than anyone for my trip report. (Mostly cause it means I'm outa this blasted winter and into my favorite warm fantasyland.)

Oh and just another thought for the non-wheelies to ponder. Being a powerchair user you don't wear-out your feet but distance is an issue. These things do run on batteries and need a loooong time to recharge. A day at Epcot trolling the nations and I'm down to half power and have to plug it in overnight. 8-12 hours for a recharge cycle.

I'm gonna throw in PO as well just see how it all measures up. I might be getting pushed home back at least I'll have fun!

That is some "out of this world" "contemporary" theme planning. I agree that it would be fun to have a current "future" themed resort in the mix. Not sure if that is the direction they will go, but it is fun to think about. I love the "woosh" sound for the doors. And HAL - too funny!

At the very least they can require all CMs to wear those alien antenna headbands. You know, something sparkly, neon and on a bouncy spring. The kids will ADORE them!

 

[spiceycat]

you can't compare a DVC resort to the current CR.

a DVC 2-bedroom is much bigger than a CR room. So is a 1-bedroom. Although the CR rooms are little bigger than studios. Still can't see thousands- first of all this tower is a lot smaller than the CR tower.

but the design it looks about half the size. of course that make be an illiuison - because it is curved.

My guide is still saying she doesn't know.

 

[crisi]

Any resort that strays either direction from the "median" size is unbalancing.

Balance can be reestablished by creating or reducing demand, but its a near impossibility to really project the demand and set the variables appropriately before the resort is even built.

There is a whole 'nother discussion over whether or not "balance" is even desireable.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Ignoring CRV for the moment lets say Disney suddenly realizes that Universal might just have something going with its idea and changes the Trans and Ticket center parking lot over to a parking garage to free up land near the Magic Kingdom resorts. Still using shuttles to get you to trans and ticket because I hate the slidewalks...or maybe even a light rail.

You could now choose to construct in one of two areas.

1. build something straddling the T&T area turning it into the urban mecca it should have been. This automatically makes it the most convenient of the monorail resorts because you'd be able to walk downstairs to either side of the platform. Of course T&T is now subterranean except for the Ferries.

2. build the Poly DVC in the now freed up MK parking lots. You might be able to build it close enough to have as short a walk to the monorail that Poly lovers have (in other words not particularly close from many locations).

This resort will be probably be the same size as both parts of Boardwalk but without the convention area unless Disney has more convention business than it can handle. And it'll be a bit higher...maybe 7 floors. Given what Universal was able to do with their old parking lots I'd imagine Disney would produce something decent to look at in theirs...especially if the Poly people could enjoy it too. Maybe a new lake or Friendship canal that they could put more hotels around!

Now having imagined this monstrosity the OP's question can be answered. Would people buy here and what impact would it have on the little 3? As someone previously mentioned VWL lovers would rejoice. If it were option one I think it would sell out pretty quickly because it'd be unique in its one stop monorail access to EPCOT and MK. Depending on how its built some or perhaps many rooms would have good MK/Ferry/Monorail views. With a feature pool that is as attractive as YC/BC's I think it would relieve the stress on VWL & BCV. I'm not sure BWV has that much stress on it. Access to the pool area would have to be designed to be restrictive to begin with since all you'd have to do to get to it is exit at T&T from the monorail.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I just took a look at Google earth. Although I think a parking garage in the MK would be a great idea you don't need to build it. Although from a Disney magic point of view I think its a good idea. For much of the year no more parking in the roasting heat.

My monstrosity could start over where the T&T ticket building is and curve around the station towards the lake. The new DVC'ers would just walk into the existing area to get to the monorail. They'd have an entry just beyond the ticket gates. The remainder of the bus lot would be transformed into an oasis except for the car and bus noise. No worse than parts of SSR or OKW.

The charter busses would be exiled to airfield.

 

[jade1]

How would everyone feel if DVC builds CRV or another monorail resort and it has exactly the same number of rooms as SSR? TIA

CRV would be closer to the MK entrance than Splash Mountain according to Google Earth. That would be Magic of ginormous proportions.

 

[spiceycat]

okay you are moving - the bus parking (which would upset a bunch of people - because Disney put it there because of the monrail) - this is generally offsite buses - although the water park bus come here too.

what about the kennel you moving that too. How about the drop out point - that would need to be moved.

then after these is the monrail itself - you plan on moving it?

if Disney was going to do a parking deck - they would have with Studios - remember parking there for a year or so was a nightmare.

although if AKV does have parking beneath it - maybe Disney might change it policy.

remember that both the bus parking and drop off - are there for the monrail.

besides there is another place for it. closer to Tahiti (okay not a big one).

I like the plans for the CRV and hey being able to walk to the MK. that will be 3 parks that DVC member can walk too - Epcot, Studio & MK!!!!

although would love the Polyn. first WDW resort we stayed in and still love it. Just love OKW and VWL a bit better these days.

 

[BroganMc]

okay you are moving -

Quite a lot, it seems. I hadn't realized.

There is an area between the TTC and Contemp on satellite images. I wonder if they'd ever build there.

I agree with you though. I like the theming of the Poly better than Contemp or even GF. If they ever built a standalone resort, maybe they could come up with something similar. I'm fascinated with PO resort. Perhaps space on the Epcot line for a standalone with a relaxing theme.