why stay at a skyliner resort ?

[fla4fun]

That doesn't make any sense whatsoever.
You are talking about more people driving who are staying at a resort.
People who are staying at a resort don't pay to park at the parks.

It makes sense from the standpoint that some on property guests may rent cars they would not normally rent, and pay the associated resort parking fees, simply to avoid the gondola if they feel that strongly about it.

I agree with not passing judgment until they are up and running, but I will not be booking a gondola resort in hot weather until we start getting the feedback. The passive air flow may keep it comfortable for many people, but my heat tolerance is pretty low so odds are if it’s above 75 outside I will probably be uncomfortable. But that is just me. I like the idea of gondolas in general and I am looking forward to riding during my winter visits.

 

[HopperFan]

Because you actually like the resort.

I would stay because I like the resort itself. POP is a favorite for us with over 35 stays. We will not be using the skyliner but will continue to stay IF they don’t raise the price ... due to skyliner.

 

[dansdad]

I would stay because I like the resort itself. POP is a favorite for us with over 35 stays. We will not be using the skyliner but will continue to stay IF they don’t raise the price ... due to skyliner.

Ditto.

 

[HopperFan]

If they no longer offer buses to HS and Epcot, we'll be driving.

They will but maybe less often. I prefer driving to Epcot due to long distance to bus stops and I don’t mind driving to Studios. MK is only one I prefer bus.

I don't think the Gondolas can be any hotter that the FriendShips!lol

I won’t ride them anymore. Hot and slow. I’d rather walk.

I'd be shocked if disney runs reguar bus service when gondolas are operational

Disney posted on Twitter there will still be buses.

 

[HopperFan]

Ditto.

Question: Will you now be requesting a village that won’t have cables/gondolas going overhead?

 

[snappy]

I can see them going to a longer period between buses and combining routes. They could run one bus to AoA, Pop, and CBR instead of three separate buses, which would take longer and use fewer buses. The gondola will be the faster option, and if people don’t like gondolas and don’t have a car, there’s always Uber/Lyft/Minnie Van. It is possible that they will go to no buses eventually though. I would not put it past them.

I think guests who don’t like or feel comfortable with gondolas will stay elsewhere, rent a car, or Uber if the bus situation is a problem. They will deal with it.

 

[dansdad]

Question: Will you now be requesting a village that won’t have cables/gondolas going overhead?

Probably not. It won't bother us. We weren't bothered by all the posts, etc during our last CBR stay. Granted there were no cables and no gondolas, but even with a post right next to our building we weren't bothered.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I can see them going to a longer period between buses and combining routes. They could run one bus to AoA, Pop, and CBR instead of three separate buses, which would take longer and use fewer buses. The gondola will be the faster option, and if people don’t like gondolas and don’t have a car, there’s always Uber/Lyft/Minnie Van. It is possible that they will go to no buses eventually though. I would not put it past them.

I think it's worth noting how much trouble they have recruiting bus drivers. The main staff for gondolas can be staffed far more easily. DCP can staff a gondola station.

 

[writerguyfl]

Yes. The gondolas in London, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Medellin all operate in most weather conditions, including rain. The main limited for gondolas is high winds. Outside the United States, trams, gondolas, and funiculars are common, supplementing other mass transportation systems in an effort to reduce pollution, traffic, and crowding. They're tons cheaper to build than subways, highways or rail lines.

As you noted in an earlier post, this isn't the first rodeo for Dopplemayr (the manufacturer). They have construction almost 15,000 ropeways in 95 countries across 6 continents. Here's their website, for anyone interested:

https://www.doppelmayr.com/en/the-group/facts-and-figures/

I do think the issue for some people is based on what you wrote above. Here in the United States, ropeways are novelties (like in theme/amusement parks), in scenic locations (like Palm Springs, CA), or found in ski resorts. It's tough for people to envision this system as a means of transportation because that use is so unfamiliar to many.

The only mass transportation installation of a ropeway that I know of in the United States is the Roosevelt Tramway in New York City. It's been operating since 1976. There have been zero fatalities and I believe only two major extended outages where people were "trapped" in the car. The reason why they were stuck was because there wasn't a back-up generator. Disney will have back-up systems in the event of a power outage.

I'm certain Dopplemayr sees Disney World as a golden opportunity to change the hearts and minds of people living in the United States. They want everything to work perfectly because it potentially opens up the US market for mass transportation ropeway systems. If Disney World vacationers see how easy the gondola is, they are more likely to support ropeway systems in their home towns.

 

[Upatnoon]

The top reason Disney is doing this is to reduce the number of buses and workers needed. It also will move guests faster to the parks, where they can start spending money instead of all that time spent wasted on the bus or waiting at the bus stop. Guests want to get to the parks faster. People hate waiting. Also, Hollywood Studios will have a lot more guest traffic thanks to Star Wars.

When the gondolas begins, most guests will use it. Disney will, of course, reduce the bus service because of the lack of demand. They aren't going to run a bunch of empty buses. They are counting on this. Part of how they are paying for the gondolas is by cutting costs.

Guests who have a fear of heights will have a big decision to make when they miss their bus and the next one leaves in 90 minutes.

The real issue for Disney is what do you do if the gondola system goes down and you've fired 20 percent of your bus drivers?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The real issue for Disney is what do you do if the gondola system goes down and you've fired 20 percent of your bus drivers?

Not going to be an issue. They cannot recruit enough bus drivers as it is. No one is getting fired. it

 

[Spaceguy55]

With all the tinting and wraps to block out the light , I'm just wondering if these will be abused for smoking , vaping, etc...... after all, you will have these to yourself if even for only 5-10 minutes..a lot can happen.
Will there be video monitoring or post ride inspections ?
Feel free to use your imaginations..

 

[jerseygal]

Looking forward to trying for the first time in cooler weather, then going from there by hearing feedback about the warmer months. Always nice hearing about new modes of transportation and new resorts...looking forward to hearing more about Riviera Resort.

 

[AngiTN]

It makes sense from the standpoint that some on property guests may rent cars they would not normally rent, and pay the associated resort parking fees, simply to avoid the gondola if they feel that strongly about it.

I agree with not passing judgment until they are up and running, but I will not be booking a gondola resort in hot weather until we start getting the feedback. The passive air flow may keep it comfortable for many people, but my heat tolerance is pretty low so odds are if it’s above 75 outside I will probably be uncomfortable. But that is just me. I like the idea of gondolas in general and I am looking forward to riding during my winter visits.

The OP wasn't stating it from more people driving period, but more people driving to the parks, vs using the buses. So I was taking it that these people had already had a car, not that they opted to bring a car when they didn't already have one. That wasn't part of the original discussion.

I guess I don't understand. The gondolas temperature levels can't possibly be hotter than the parks themselves. If your heat tolerance can handle the park for hours surely your heat tolerance level can handle the gondola for a few minutes, no? If you aren't at the parks when it's above 75, then the temps in the gondolas aren't going to be all that high.

 

[snappy]

As you noted in an earlier post, this isn't the first rodeo for Dopplemayr (the manufacturer). They have construction almost 15,000 ropeways in 95 countries across 6 continents. Here's their website, for anyone interested:

https://www.doppelmayr.com/en/the-group/facts-and-figures/

I do think the issue for some people is based on what you wrote above. Here in the United States, ropeways are novelties (like in theme/amusement parks), in scenic locations (like Palm Springs, CA), or found in ski resorts. It's tough for people to envision this system as a means of transportation because that use is so unfamiliar to many.

The only mass transportation installation of a ropeway that I know of in the United States is the Roosevelt Tramway in New York City. It's been operating since 1976. There have been zero fatalities and I believe only two major extended outages where people were "trapped" in the car. The reason why they were stuck was because there wasn't a back-up generator. Disney will have back-up systems in the event of a power outage.

I'm certain Dopplemayr sees Disney World as a golden opportunity to change the hearts and minds of people living in the United States. They want everything to work perfectly because it potentially opens up the US market for mass transportation ropeway systems. If Disney World vacationers see how easy the gondola is, they are more likely to support ropeway systems in their home towns.

Interesting. So WDW connecting 2 parks and a number of resorts is like the guinea pig. I hope it succeeds. I won’t partake but family members will.
I see it working in some cities with high density population. It was done in 1984 further south to ferry people across the river to the worlds fair in New Orleans, and was later dismantled. The actual Ferry boats that my mom used to go to college back in the late 40’s are still subsidized and in operation.

In where we now live, things are way too spread out for gondolas. It’s not a tourist area. Public transport has never worked out here, and there’s a lack of financial resources to support gondolas anyway. We can’t cut back on the cost of bus service because the bus service is basically non existent. Does anyone have any reliable info about how much Disney is sinking into this? I bet it’s bit being taken out of executive bonuses.

 

[AngiTN]

With all the tinting and wraps to block out the light , I'm just wondering if these will be abused for smoking , vaping, etc...... after all, you will have these to yourself if even for only 5-10 minutes..a lot can happen.
Will there be video monitoring or post ride inspections ?
Feel free to use your imaginations..

You can have filters to block heat without blocking sight.

 

[Spaceguy55]

 

[Hopefully]

I believe you have misunderstood this picture. This is not the operational mode.
And it is highly unlikely that anyone will have a gondola alone.
I think your imagination is working overtime

 

[snappy]

When I looked at the structure across the canal from the friendship boat dock at HS, I wondered if there will be a chicken exit on the gondola platform?

 

[StageTek]

Disney Confirms Skyliner Gondolas Will Not Have Air Conditioning"
So why stay at a connecting Skyliner resort ?

Because I like the resort. The lack of air conditioning on the gondola will have no effect on my decision to stay at a Skyliner resort.