Gondolas...I just can’t figure this out

[rwdavis2]

Is the lack of a/c confirmed? That would be nuts!

No it's not. The Disney Dish podcast discussed the gondolas and I don't believe Disney has a decision yet.

 

[Weedy]

Of course they’ll have air conditioning


This is a joke photo. Definitely photo shop. Enjoy the sarcasm

 

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

I’m not excited about the new gondolas & here’s why:
Ventilation-these cars will start to smell bad fast.
Climate Control
Claustrophobia-it will be very stressful to be in one of these gondolas if someone has a full on panic attack due to the enclosed space or fear of heights.
Aesthetics-imo, just not pretty looking at cables & towers
Time will tell, we'll see...

 

[AngiTN]

Will those resorts with gondola access now raise their room rates? A selling point of the Epcot resorts is the easy access to both parks....IG into Epcot, and walking to DHS. With the construction of the new platform at DHS, it's hard to see how our walk will be the same. It has to become more convoluted. Which means more will be taking the boats. So, will Disney put more boats on? I doubt it.

Of course they are.

No it's not. The Disney Dish podcast discussed the gondolas and I don't believe Disney has a decision yet.

Oh, it has been confirmed, by the manufacturer. Disney may not have a decision but I don't believe they get one, the folks making it aren't making it with AC

 

[AngiTN]

(Note: The status of buses from "gondola" resorts have not been officially announced. Some claim buses will cease; I firmly believe they will still run. Although, the frequency of buses will probably be reduced.)

I wish that I had as much confidence as you do that they'll leave the buses in place.
They don't have buses from Monorail resorts unless the monorail is down.
So logic would say they'll have no buses for gondola resorts unless the gondola is down.
Curious, what makes you think this will be different?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Several reports ...

Doppelmayr, the company that is building the gondola system for WDW
confirmed that the gondolas will NOT offer air conditioning
while at the European IAAPA Convention.

(International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions)

This blurb is poorly written, and unclear (criticizing the originator, not the quoted poster.) As written, its saying "the gondolas will NOT offer air conditioning while at the European IAAPA Convention", which means they will have it after leaving the convention.

I imagine it'll be like the old skyway

I dondont't imagine this at all.

Additionally, slatted windows and constant motion will provide air flow.

High, slotted windows - to prevent riders from "accidentally" dropping things out the window.

I've never seen the appeal of Boardwalk's nighttime 'entertainment' for non-resort guests. A magician? Not worth the time. Shopping? There is nothing at BW that can't be found elsewhere. BW really isn't all that different than most other deluxe resorts as far as entertainment goes. Sure, there's Jellyrolls, but in reality, how late are the gondolas going to run? And who wants to walk all the way back to the IG at 1am??

doubt this system will prevent 'unauthorized' parking.

Reduce, not prevent.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I've never seen the appeal of Boardwalk's nighttime 'entertainment' for non-resort guests. A magician? Not worth the time. Shopping? There is nothing at BW that can't be found elsewhere. BW really isn't all that different than most other deluxe resorts as far as entertainment goes. Sure, there's Jellyrolls, but in reality, how late are the gondolas going to run? And who wants to walk all the way back to the IG at 1am??

The Boardwalk area was created as a secondary entertainment area. There even used to be direct buses from/to Coronado Springs in the evening. Giving more people better access can increase visitor enjoyment, and encourage Disney to provide more entertainment to more people. Not everyone will stay until 1AM.

I’m not excited about the new gondolas & here’s why:
1. Ventilation-these cars will start to smell bad fast.
2. Climate Control
3. Claustrophobia-it will be very stressful to be in one of these gondolas if someone has a full on panic attack due to the enclosed space or fear of heights.
4. Aesthetics-imo, just not pretty looking at cables & towers
Time will tell, we'll see...

1. Slotted windows + constant movement will provide ventilation, just as on existing gondola systems.
2. Slotted windows + constant movement will provide ventilation, just as on existing gondola systems.
3. Primarily clear walls, and sudden-onset claustrophobia seems unlikely.
4. I got nuthin, - don't look?

 

[davper]

The Disney Dish Podcast discussed this issue and they wondered how they are going to handle the much larger number people at the IG. Just consider how many hotels will now use this as their EPCOT entrance. Big bottleneck.

Is it possible that the riders will be screened before getting on and then are let off inside the gate?

 

[Beth313]

I would think security scanning for sure but then they will have to handle ticket scans separately.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I’m not excited about the new gondolas & here’s why:
Ventilation-these cars will start to smell bad fast.
Climate Control
Claustrophobia-it will be very stressful to be in one of these gondolas if someone has a full on panic attack due to the enclosed space or fear of heights.
Aesthetics-imo, just not pretty looking at cables & towers
Time will tell, we'll see...

I believe guests who are challenged with claustrophobia will know what they can handle. If they can't handle a gondola they just won't get on one.

I don't suffer from this but wondering out loud if it would be more difficult for a person with this to be in a gondola with space around them or on a bus that is packed seated and standing as most are, at least at park opening and close.

I for one am excited for the Skyliner and cannot wait for it to be open!!!

 

[dalerb]

Most gondola systems operate similarly to a ski lift with a few key differences.

The cable moves continuously to transport cars between stations. Once a car is in a station, a mechanism allows the car to be lifted off the moving cable and into a loading platform. Once passengers have disembarked and boarded, the car is placed back onto the main moving cable and leaves the station.

Under some circumstances, the main cable will stop. If too many cars accumulate on the loading platform and a station is unable to accept any more, that is called a "station backup." Then, the main cable must be stopped before the next car arrives, and cannot be restarted until the next car is dispatched.

If scooters are allowed to be loaded on the gondola, I question how many "station backups" will occur. The scooter drivers have a hard time getting on and off the buses. I just can't see them boarding and unloading quickly enough to not cause a cable stoppage.

 

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

The Boardwalk area was created as a secondary entertainment area. There even used to be direct buses from/to Coronado Springs in the evening. Giving more people better access can increase visitor enjoyment, and encourage Disney to provide more entertainment to more people. Not everyone will stay until 1AM.

1. Slotted windows + constant movement will provide ventilation, just as on existing gondola systems.
2. Slotted windows + constant movement will provide ventilation, just as on existing gondola systems.
3. Primarily clear walls, and sudden-onset claustrophobia seems unlikely.
4. I got nuthin, - don't look?

I read that about the slotted windows/movement but with the volume of people that the gondolas will serve plus the heat & rainy conditions in Florida, idk. We'll all see how it plays out.
The claustrophobia thing might be unlikely, but not impossible & it would be stressful for all involved. Just curious how any type of medical emergency on one of these gondolas will be addressed?

 

[AngiTN]

I would think security scanning for sure but then they will have to handle ticket scans separately.

Why? Why can't it be like the monorail at MK? Where you go thru security before boarding but ticketing at MK

 

[Corinne]

The last I read, each car will hold 8 people. I'm sure the CMs will be pushing to load each car as quickly as possible.
From a purely personal point of view, I am not happy with making the IG at EPCOT busier. I like having a quiet, almost private entrance.

Ditto. Although over the last few years it hasn’t been very private. I am so disappointed they decided to add this, especially to the IG.

 

[DanBoris]

If scooters are allowed to be loaded on the gondola, I question how many "station backups" will occur. The scooter drivers have a hard time getting on and off the buses. I just can't see them boarding and unloading quickly enough to not cause a cable stoppage.

The gondolas can easily accommodate scooters, they level load so the scooter can role right on. The stations will have a unique double loading area, one part of which will likely be for scooters so they will have more time to load. It's even possible that they can momentarily stop the cars in this loading area.

 

[DanBoris]

No it's not. The Disney Dish podcast discussed the gondolas and I don't believe Disney has a decision yet.

At this point in the construction, they would had already made a decision. AC is not something that can easily be tacked on later, it requires special equipment in all the cars as well as the stations. Despite what was said on Disney Dish, everything else is pointing to no-AC. This is not actually surprising since there are only two single cable gondola systems in the world that have AC. AC is very challenging to implement on these systems.

 

[DanBoris]

Have they announced estimated times to get from the different resorts to the parks via gondola?

Nothing official, but estimates are that the trip should take no more the 15 minutes between any to end points (e.g Pop to park, or Epcot to DHS), depending on how long it takes to transfer at the CBR station.

 

[AngiTN]

I've never seen the appeal of Boardwalk's nighttime 'entertainment' for non-resort guests. A magician? Not worth the time. Shopping? There is nothing at BW that can't be found elsewhere. BW really isn't all that different than most other deluxe resorts as far as entertainment goes. Sure, there's Jellyrolls, but in reality, how late are the gondolas going to run? And who wants to walk all the way back to the IG at 1am??

I doubt this system will prevent 'unauthorized' parking. It will mean a lot of transferring if using the gondola system. The allure of parking at BW seems to be 'watch the fireworks, stroll back to BW, grab an ice cream (maybe), hop into the car and drive away'. It's about convenience. When I was just there, last week, the number of cars in the guest parking lot was incredible over the weekends...Food and Wine time. It was hard to find a spot to park. However, during the week, much easier, lots of open spaces. Same thing late at night on the weekends.

I'm really not trying to be negative. But, if I'm paying a boatload of money to have direct access (boat, walking) from my resort to a park, I find it odd that there are going to be value resorts that will have similar capabilities. Hop on the gondola and go to DHS and Epcot. Will those resorts with gondola access now raise their room rates? A selling point of the Epcot resorts is the easy access to both parks....IG into Epcot, and walking to DHS. With the construction of the new platform at DHS, it's hard to see how our walk will be the same. It has to become more convoluted. Which means more will be taking the boats. So, will Disney put more boats on? I doubt it.

YOU may not see the appeal but believe it or not, others do.
We are traveling with a family next week that has asked specifically to go to the Boardwalk one night to see the entertainment. The boys are going to watch the game at ESPN and us girls are going to hang out and watch the buskers. We sit on our balcony and watch crowds gather to watch them all the time. They gather a pretty substantial crowd. And not just from guests staying at BWI

 

[lvdis]

I don't know all the routes of the gondolas but I'd trade resort to park gondolas for park to park ones. I really miss that express bus that you could pay for that ran between parks - I'd like to be a able to park hop with the convenience of the gondola and without having to walk out of the park, catch the bus/boat, go through security again.

This is what I want! Easy park to park transportation.

 

[Anthony1971]

I've never seen the appeal of Boardwalk's nighttime 'entertainment' for non-resort guests. A magician? Not worth the time. Shopping? There is nothing at BW that can't be found elsewhere. BW really isn't all that different than most other deluxe resorts as far as entertainment goes. Sure, there's Jellyrolls, but in reality, how late are the gondolas going to run? And who wants to walk all the way back to the IG at 1am??

I doubt this system will prevent 'unauthorized' parking. It will mean a lot of transferring if using the gondola system. The allure of parking at BW seems to be 'watch the fireworks, stroll back to BW, grab an ice cream (maybe), hop into the car and drive away'. It's about convenience. When I was just there, last week, the number of cars in the guest parking lot was incredible over the weekends...Food and Wine time. It was hard to find a spot to park. However, during the week, much easier, lots of open spaces. Same thing late at night on the weekends.

I'm really not trying to be negative. But, if I'm paying a boatload of money to have direct access (boat, walking) from my resort to a park, I find it odd that there are going to be value resorts that will have similar capabilities. Hop on the gondola and go to DHS and Epcot. Will those resorts with gondola access now raise their room rates? A selling point of the Epcot resorts is the easy access to both parks....IG into Epcot, and walking to DHS. With the construction of the new platform at DHS, it's hard to see how our walk will be the same. It has to become more convoluted. Which means more will be taking the boats. So, will Disney put more boats on? I doubt it.

Back in the days of pleasure island -- when it was really crowded in the 90's the Boardwalk was advertised for nighttime entertainment with both Jelly Rolls and Atlantic dance which is now a shell of what it once was and they did also advertise the entertainers and showed crowds. Interestingly also back in that time you could NOT board the Resort monorail unless you were staying at one of the monorail resorts there was a person there checking the then cards... I like staying at the Poly but the crowds on the resort monorail from the parking lot or just for a ride is not very convenient for guests here paying a super premium to be the MK resorts... But it certainly does not make the short trip any slower.. I have enjoyed staying at BW as well -- not one of my favorite resorts-- but I just truly do not see how this will impact the time from resort to entrance and back... I do see it having a chance to of bringing back what the BW was and no it was never meant or advertised as part of the resort but rather the resort was overlooking a busy BW like you would expect to find at Atlantic City if you were to look out of your hotel window... I am sure in years to come Disney will build on the BW area and give you more to love and enjoy.