opinion on restricted Golf cart paths

[starbuc71]

I know this must have been brought up a year or so ago, but can anyone shed some light on why they blocked the bridge from the pool to the meadows trading post from Golf cart usage and also why they blocked the path from the 1400 loop to the campfire? Did someone get hurt by a too fast cart or was Disney just assuming it was a safety hazard and closed it off. It was so nice to stay in our favorite loop (800) and be able to get to the pool over the bridge with the cart. Everytime we go I forget to ask why this happened. yet the poles on the cart path that are so narrow by the pool must have some time caused a rental to ram it.

 

[clkelley]

I think with the improved pool, they realized there would be a LOT more pedestrian traffic in that area and didn't want golf carts zoomin through.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Yes, what Carol said.

I don't know of any specific incident, but the configuration of the bridge behind the Trading Post was a dangerous situation. There was a period of time, several years ago, when golf carts were prohibited from using the bridge. But, the 1400 loop was not blocked-off.

I understand why they did it, but I don't like how it is set up now. On one of our recent visits, an ambulance needed to use the road that comes in adjacent to the tennis courts to get to a guest who needed medical attention at the pool. Castmembers had to block off golf cart traffic on the only entrance/exit to the pool. It is not a good situation.

With the $$$ that Disney charges for golf carts, they ought to construct a dedicated golf cart bridge somewhere behind the Trading Post, maybe toward the 1300 loop, and then another path leading from Big Pine Drive to the new golf cart parking area. There is plenty of space to do this. Problem solved.

TCD

 

[NLPRacing]

I can't remember what the real reasons were, but IMO, it was to keep golf cart traffic down near the pool, Meadow Trading Post & loop 1400. For example, if you're staying in loop 300 and want to go to the Meadow Trading Post, you could take a short cut thru loop 1400, go by the pool and go over bridge and you were there. I could see where that might be a safety concern. Now, regardless of what loop you're in, you have to drive around on the main roads to get to the pool and/or Meadow Trading Post. Unless you want to "walk" on foot like a sucker.

 

[ftwildernessrick]

Yes, what Carol said.

I don't know of any specific incident, but the configuration of the bridge behind the Trading Post was a dangerous situation.

I agree.


With the $$$ that Disney charges for golf carts, they ought to construct a dedicated golf cart bridge somewhere behind the Trading Post, maybe toward the 1300 loop, and then another path leading from Big Pine Drive to the new golf cart parking area. There is plenty of space to do this. Problem solved.

Good idea - get them to do it.

TCD

If I had to guess the reason for the cart path close off from the 1400, was because the golf carts were:
1) driving too fast for the congestion from foot traffic to the pool & campfire program.
2) the headlights from the carts were shining on & distracting from the movie screen.

I always made sure that I drove mine at a near crawl when foot traffic was around; and when the movie was on, I would turn my headlights off & leave my marker lights on, when I drove close to the campfire program.

 

[DisCamper]

My money is on Disney closed it for safety. That area has been a problem for Disney for years. I read somewhere I think it was last year a girl riding a bike hit a cart head on in that blind spot corner. She was hurt really bad and right after that Disney closed the bridge to carts.

 

[starbuc71]

Yes, what Carol said.

I don't know of any specific incident, but the configuration of the bridge behind the Trading Post was a dangerous situation. There was a period of time, several years ago, when golf carts were prohibited from using the bridge. But, the 1400 loop was not blocked-off.

I understand why they did it, but I don't like how it is set up now. On one of our recent visits, an ambulance needed to use the road that comes in adjacent to the tennis courts to get to a guest who needed medical attention at the pool. Castmembers had to block off golf cart traffic on the only entrance/exit to the pool. It is not a good situation.

With the $$$ that Disney charges for golf carts, they ought to construct a dedicated golf cart bridge somewhere behind the Trading Post, maybe toward the 1300 loop, and then another path leading from Big Pine Drive to the new golf cart parking area. There is plenty of space to do this. Problem solved.

TCD

I totally agree. It would be so nice to have a golf cart only bridge say from the meadows trading post parking lot to the back side of the big slide with a golf cart parking area. I guess this would be considered a dream...lol Wallking 2 youngsters, 2 strollers, about 2 bags of pool crap and drinks and snacks for the kids would be so much easier with the cart in sight of the pool. I think there are more safety concerns after the campfire or movie is over and a ton of carts are flying down the only path especially where the two post are located behind the pool baths. They will never listen to us and build the dream bridge. We should start a campain to build the dream bridge and parking lot

 

[des1954]

While I don't like the fact that the path behind the movie screen was closed off, I understand why they did it. When we drove our cart in that area after dark, I always crept along for fear of hitting a child who was bike riding without lights on their bikes. Also, a lot of carts would park on the grass by the snack shack to watch the movies, and leave their headlights on.

What I DON'T like is the cart parking for the Meadow Pool. It was very poorly designed and difficult to navigate.