News Round Up 2017

[rteetz]

I thought the skyliner was going to the international gate, not going to the front. I don't see them extending it for that.

Yep it is.

 

[sachilles]

I just don’t see them routing the gondola system to this resort. Think of this resort as more boutique and deluxe. It will have immediate park access like resorts in Paris or Tokyo.

It is not going to the front gate.

We were discussing our thoughts, as to why it seems odd that they wouldn't have designed it access the front, if a resort was imminently planned for the front of the park.

I was suggesting it seems odd to no make some sort of non bus access from the front of the park to the IG side, if said resort was to be built.

There are all kinds of side benefits to that, and that was the tangent we went off on.

For me, my root concern is having to burn up a gate admission to get from a resort in front of the park to a popular place at the other gate of the same park. Especially when they are geographically close, and the existing bus route is particularly long to accomplish the same goal.

 

[rteetz]

It is not going to the front gate.

We were discussing our thoughts, as to why it seems odd that they wouldn't have designed it access the front, if a resort was imminently planned for the front of the park.

I was suggesting it seems odd to no make some sort of non bus access from the front of the park to the IG side, if said resort was to be built.

There are all kinds of side benefits to that, and that was the tangent we went off on.

For me, my root concern is having to burn up a gate admission to get from a resort in front of the park to a popular place at the other gate of the same park. Especially when they are geographically close, and the existing bus route is particularly long to accomplish the same goal.

Why would the skyline system access one park at two different points? It is already going to the IG entrance no need for it to go to the front especially when the monorail is there.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I thought the skyliner was going to the international gate, not going to the front. I don't see them extending it for that.

it is, the point was it there will be a hotel at the front of EPCOT could they extend it to that hotel as well, which would get another hotel on the skyliner and get all of the skyliner hotels connected to the monorail to get to MK

 

[rteetz]

News

2018 merchandise now out

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/11/photos-complete-line-2018-logo-merchandise-released-walt-disney-world/

 

[jlundeen]

Why would the skyline system access one park at two different points? It is already going to the IG entrance no need for it to go to the front especially when the monorail is there.

I think what they are saying is it would give folks at the new resort in front of Epcot access to the Boardwalk area as well as the boat to HS other than the buses or needing a ticket to hike through Epcot.

Also...I know there are times when I'm at one side of Epcot and I'd sure LOVE to have a quick access to the other side...but that's mostly cause I'm old and try to find ways to conserve energy and steps.

Also, it would give those folks in the Epcot resorts a way to get to the monorail without needing to bus or have a ticket for Epcot...... convenience!!

 

[jknezek]

Why would the skyline system access one park at two different points? It is already going to the IG entrance no need for it to go to the front especially when the monorail is there.

I think part of the problem is the way people think about transportation. In my opinion, Disney provides transportation from the resorts to the parks, because that is where they want you to go. Over the years, as Resort Hopping has become it's own activity and the quality of Disney Dining has caused people to venture to different resorts just to eat, people seem to think that the transportation should connect the resorts to each other. Disney is pretty clear on this point. It doesn't. If you want to resort hop, for the most part you have to go to a park or DS and connect. Now, some transportation, like the resort line, the upcoming Skyliner, and the Friendship boats, stop at multiple resorts as a matter of convenience and capacity, but for the most part, you must go to a park first.

When someone starts talking about connecting a front of EPCOT to a back of EPCOT resort without going through the parks, it's because they are misunderstanding the goal of the transportation from Disney's point of view. That already exists by walking to or from the front of EPCOT bus station, but there is no reason to go direct since it bypasses where they want you to be... in the Parks. Now, like every thing else there are a few exceptions. The small boats between FW, WL and Contemporary come to mind as some of the only transportation that doesn't connect resort to park. Are there any others?

 

[sachilles]

Why would the skyline system access one park at two different points? It is already going to the IG entrance no need for it to go to the front especially when the monorail is there.

The Monorail is irrelevant.

There is no need for the skyliner to go the front gate in the current scenario, I agree with that.

This stems from the rumored resort to be built at the front of the park. My feeling is that if resort was likely or imminent, then it would have been more likely that the skyliner would have been designed to connect to the front of the park. Especially if this resort had any size to it.

As it stands now with the rumor, this resort would not have access to the boardwalk area unless you burn a park admission to get there, which would be a shame, as they are in very close proximity. Having access to the boardwalk area would be a huge perk. I'll write again, that it could be solved without the skyliner or any mechanical transportation by simply running a path down the exterior of the spine of Epcot.
I think the link to the boardwalk area is important as I believe it will become even more popular once the skyliner opens, as it will gain some critical mass from visits from Rivieria, cbr and AOA guest traffic. I think that area has the potential to be a very cool area in the next decade.

 

[rteetz]

I think what they are saying is it would give folks at the new resort in front of Epcot access to the Boardwalk area as well as the boat to HS other than the buses or needing a ticket to hike through Epcot.

Also...I know there are times when I'm at one side of Epcot and I'd sure LOVE to have a quick access to the other side...but that's mostly cause I'm old and try to find ways to conserve energy and steps.

Other than dining there isn't much to do at the BW and I am sure this hotel would have deluxe style dining. This hotel also has all of Epcot in terms of dining and if they really want to go to BW they can go through Epcot.

 

[rteetz]

I think part of the problem is the way people think about transportation. In my opinion, Disney provides transportation from the resorts to the parks, because that is where they want you to go. Over the years, as Resort Hopping has become it's own activity and the quality of Disney Dining has caused people to venture to different resorts just to eat, people seem to think that the transportation should connect the resorts to each other. Disney is pretty clear on this point. It doesn't. If you want to resort hop, for the most part you have to go to a park or DS and connect. Now, some transportation, like the resort line, the upcoming Skyliner, and the Friendship boats, stop at multiple resorts as a matter of convenience and capacity, but for the most part, you must go to a park first.

When someone starts talking about connecting a front of EPCOT to a back of EPCOT resort without going through the parks, it's because they are misunderstanding the goal of the transportation from Disney's point of view. That already exists by walking to or from the front of EPCOT bus station, but there is no reason to go direct since it bypasses where they want you to be... in the Parks. Now, like every thing else there are a few exceptions. The small boats between FW, WL and Contemporary come to mind as some of the only transportation that doesn't connect resort to park. Are there any others?

Minnie Vans...

 

[jknezek]

Minnie Vans...

Well yeah. But that isn't complimentary transportation. Not exactly what I was thinking about but fair enough.

 

[rteetz]

The Monorail is irrelevant.

There is no need for the skyliner to go the front gate in the current scenario, I agree with that.

This stems from the rumored resort to be built at the front of the park. My feeling is that if resort was likely or imminent, then it would have been more likely that the skyliner would have been designed to connect to the front of the park. Especially if this resort had any size to it.

As it stands now with the rumor, this resort would not have access to the boardwalk area unless you burn a park admission to get there, which would be a shame, as they are in very close proximity. Having access to the boardwalk area would be a huge perk. I'll write again, that it could be solved without the skyliner or any mechanical transportation by simply running a path down the exterior of the spine of Epcot.
I think the link to the boardwalk area is important as I believe it will become even more popular once the skyliner opens, as it will gain some critical mass from visits from Rivieria, cbr and AOA guest traffic. I think that area has the potential to be a very cool area in the next decade.

I don't see a need if there is a resort built there either. The monorail is relevant in that its a transportation option the resort has just like the MK resorts. The other Epcot resorts currently don't have that.

I can't see this resort being that huge either. Of course it would be deluxe.

Minnie Vans or Uber is an option is people are really dying to get to the Boardwalk which I don't think they are.

 

[rteetz]

Well yeah. But that isn't complimentary transportation. Not exactly what I was thinking about but fair enough.

I get your point I just think if people really want to go to a location there are ways to do it.

 

[sachilles]

I think you are an anti-boardwalkite.

 

[jknezek]

I get your point I just think if people really want to go to a location there are ways to do it.

Oh I agree. It does Disney no good to tell them they can't spend money dining at another resort. But... that doesn't mean they created the transportation system to work that way.

 

[jlundeen]

I think part of the problem is the way people think about transportation. In my opinion, Disney provides transportation from the resorts to the parks, because that is where they want you to go. Over the years, as Resort Hopping has become it's own activity and the quality of Disney Dining has caused people to venture to different resorts just to eat, people seem to think that the transportation should connect the resorts to each other. Disney is pretty clear on this point. It doesn't. If you want to resort hop, for the most part you have to go to a park or DS and connect. Now, some transportation, like the resort line, the upcoming Skyliner, and the Friendship boats, stop at multiple resorts as a matter of convenience and capacity, but for the most part, you must go to a park first.

When someone starts talking about connecting a front of EPCOT to a back of EPCOT resort without going through the parks, it's because they are misunderstanding the goal of the transportation from Disney's point of view. That already exists by walking to or from the front of EPCOT bus station, but there is no reason to go direct since it bypasses where they want you to be... in the Parks. Now, like every thing else there are a few exceptions. The small boats between FW, WL and Contemporary come to mind as some of the only transportation that doesn't connect resort to park. Are there any others?

Does anyone else remember WAY BACK WHEN the buses all went EVERYWHERE? Our first WDW trip in the mid 80's, they handed out a little card with pictures of colored flags on them...each flag represented a different route - for example from Resort A to Park A, or Resort A to Resort B, etc. It was very confusing...you just had to wait for the right bus and you could go anywhere. Not sure when they changed to having to basically go to a park to get to another resort...

 

[sachilles]

This is a different conversation, but the way the bus system works, is the park is the hub. It makes plenty of sense.
So if you want to go to a different resort, you need to choose a park to change buses at. Which park you choose can have huge effect on how long your journey is.

At one point in time, the hub was to be the transportation center...which made more sense when it was just the magic kingdom and Epcot.

They've definitely changed transportation philosophies a time or two.

I think folks look at the skyliner as perhaps another large switch, but short term I think it is just an experiment to see if it will work in practice. So sometimes make me wonder when I see the planned routes and wonder if it is just a short term plan, or whether the route was chosen with an eye towards the future.....as they can sometimes be different approaches.

 

[jknezek]

Does anyone else remember WAY BACK WHEN the buses all went EVERYWHERE? Our first WDW trip in the mid 80's, they handed out a little card with pictures of colored flags on them...each flag represented a different route - for example from Resort A to Park A, or Resort A to Resort B, etc. It was very confusing...you just had to wait for the right bus and you could go anywhere. Not sure when they changed to having to basically go to a park to get to another resort...

When you only had 3 to 5 resorts, FW, Contemporary, Poly, and maybe GF and CB, only 2 parks (MK, EPCOT), and Lake Buena Vista Village and maybe Typhoon Lagoon, that works. When you have 20+ resorts, 4 parks, Disney Springs, and 2 water parks, it's a little more problematic.

 

[wnwardii]

simply running a path down the exterior of the spine of Epcot.

Unfortunately, doing this may not work either. I recently did a Backstage Magic Tour. We started at the front of Epcot and then walked backstage and got on a Mears bus and drove backstage to the American Pavillon. I saw just able all of the backstage area of Epcot. I don't see them putting a path through the backstage area.

I haven't recently looked at an ariel view of either side of Epcot, but I don't think there really is any way that a path could be built that would basically go behind the show buildings of Future World and yet be separated from the backstage area. Basically they would have to create a tunnel for this to happen and I just don't think there is space to make this happen. The backstage area has lots of buildings that are really close together. You just don't realize it when you are actually in the park.

 

[jlundeen]

When you only had 3 to 5 resorts, FW, Contemporary, Poly, and maybe GF and CB, only 2 parks (MK, EPCOT), and Lake Buena Vista Village and maybe Typhoon Lagoon, that works. When you have 20+ resorts, 4 parks, Disney Springs, and 2 water parks, it's a little more problematic.

Yeah, I don't think there were a lot of the Mod resorts then, probably no values... but we were at Beach Club, and I know Yacht Club was there too, and I think Boardwalk was just opening...(might have been the next trip though). And EPCOT was open, and Hollywood Studios (MGM then) was open, and DT Disney... But it certainly wouldn't work today. It's pretty good the way it is now, especially with the schedule boards at the resorts. I wish they would put those in the parks too! But it can always be improved upon.

I think the addition of the Minnie Vans is great for larger groups and families with little kids... We loved the convenience on our last trip, but we sure wouldn't use it for everything. We were sure glad to have that option because of bus delays (waited about an hour at the resort), though, once when our FOP FP was in danger of being lost!