Will gondolas impact BCV/BWV experience?

[Hopefully]

Right, you must be able to have trust here, especially with the DVCs that are combined with a regular Disney hotel. I've said this before, If I could own at any DVC at Disney World it would be at the Beach Club, no doubt, so I too would have to have the faith that the books were not being cooked. But, Hilton Head will work better for us as a home resort, as it is not as far away, plus we really like it there as well.

Good Luck with your DVC choice. We own at BCV and it is perfect to us.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I agree with @Dean earlier post. I wouldn't deal with a company that I didn't have some trust in.

It's not a matter of trust. It's simply business and any prudent business model will find every avenue to fund such a project. BWV and BCV indirectly benefit as it brings people over to acces their resorts for shopping and restaurants. That's enough of a reason to include those resorts to pay a portion of the ongoing gondola expenses.

 

[Hopefully]

It's not a matter of trust. It's simply business and any prudent business model will find every avenue to fund such a project. BWV and BCV indirectly benefit as it brings people over to acces their resorts for shopping and restaurants. That's enough of a reason to include those resorts to pay a portion of the ongoing gondola expenses.

I don't disagree here. My comment was referring to the poster I quoted thought about Disney" cooking the books". Two different things

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I wonder how many will run at any given time...

Realistically, a lot.

When you look at high-end gondola systems, like Doppelmayr, the cabins can hold up to 35 passengers (https://www.doppelmayr.com/en/products/3s-gondola-lift/) and 5,000 passengers per hour/direction. Obviously, some of this is dependent on length of line, but based on the mapping of this system and intermediate stations, I think an assumption of 5,000 passengers/hour is entirely within reason.

Monorail capacity is 360 per train, although I don't think formal capacity includes "stuffing people in standing room like a Tokyo subway," so let's be generous and say 450. Gondola will have NO standing room capacity.

So you'd need 11 trains an hour to run 5k passengers per hour on the monorail. This may occur if you figure Express, Resort, Epcot.

But if they run the larger gondola units (and why wouldn't they, this is Disney and there is volume to be moved), you're looking at needing to run 10-15 cars. On a 2.5 mile cable this is nothing.

 

[disneynutz]

I don't disagree here. My comment was referring to the poster I quoted thought about Disney" cooking the books". Two different things

I don't think that they would plan to "cook the books" but often the pressures within a business can cause employees to get too creative. Aulani is one example, other major corporations have been in the news, companies like Wells Fargo, Enron, Roche Pharmaceutical, Halliburton, WellPoint, Ford Motor Company, Goldman Sachs, Wal-Mart Janitor Lock-ins, Union Carbide, and the list goes on.

Disney is a business and it's employees are expected to come up with legal ways to make more money, sometimes "legal" can be up for interpretation and sometimes they will change the rules or policies to make even more money. I never thought that DVC would restrict resale buyers and create special events that only direct and grandfathered buyers could participate in, but they did.

Bill

 

[Brian Noble]

I think if there is anyway to pass on some of the expenses to the neighboring DVC resorts (BWV and BCV) it will happen. Since the particulars wont be revealed until after the Gondolas are completed it would be foolish to think otherwise.

I will wager a mickeybar that you are wrong.

 

[SL6827]

Right, "cooking the books" is probably not the best term to use, as it seems kinda over the top. But possibly getting more "creative" is a term that seems more logical.

Good Luck with your DVC choice. We own at BCV and it is perfect to us.

Thanks! I really am hoping our trip to Hilton Head in September, our second visit, will also be our last visit paying with cash.

 

[SL6827]

This is a most interesting read, I am really enjoying everyone's opinions on this topic.

 

[disneynutz]

I will wager a mickeybar that you are wrong.

If you have detailed policy info on how DVC costs are allocated I would love to see it. IMO it's like getting a ocean view at VB. We check into the room and couldn't see the ocean. Went to the front desk to inquire, thought that we were given a wrong room. They explained that if we go onto the balcony, look to the left through the bushes, we could see glimpses of water. At BWV we booked a boardwalk view room, ended up on the village green. Again we were told that if we went onto the balcony, looked left we could see a section of the boardwalk. At Kidani, savanna view room was actually a view of the pool equipment building. Told if we went onto the balcony, looked to the right, we could see the end of the savanna a few rooms down. In each of these cases we were told by the resort that DVC determines the view categories and DVC told us that the resort does. IMO they will get away with what they can.

Bill

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I have to confess that in my first post I hadn't even thought about dues. I was- perhaps naively- and still am- wondering about the practical impact to International Gateway entrance and crowds. I must say I really like when my biggest problem is race-walking the boat (yes, I've done this) and if I fail I am maybe 20 back in line.

Welcome discussion on dues- I'm learning a lot - but somehow in my fuzzy disney math rationalization brain am able to separate dues and my actual experience. Again, silly.

I saw some reports there were no plans to expand the current IG configuration of ~4 lanes (2 guards with lines on either side) currently in place. I hope that's not true. I can't see how the current configuration with one metal detector could accommodate the gondola traffic.

 

[ScubaCat]

IMO it's like getting a ocean view at VB. We check into the room and couldn't see the ocean. Went to the front desk to inquire, thought that we were given a wrong room. They explained that if we go onto the balcony, look to the left through the bushes, we could see glimpses of water

To be fair, that's how every beachfront hotel works. The word "view" means "you can see it somehow, some way". The word "front" means it faces the water. Look for "ocean view" vs "ocean front" (or "gulf view" vs "gulf front", etc.).

I'm wondering if they'll make the gondolas be within a security checkpoint. That would help BW/BC guests tremendously. In other words, set up the security checkpoint like they have it for the monorail resorts so that when people get off at IG, they're already past security. Otherwise, security lines could be an issue there. Part of me doubts that'll happen, but we'll have to wait and see like everything else.

 

[CarolMN]

I would be shocked if any of the EPCOT resorts (both DVC & non-DVC) had to pay anything for the gondolas. They are of no transportation benefit to any of the guests of those resorts. Perhaps some portion of the cost/upkeep will be assessed to the Boardwalk merchants (The DVC resorts do not receive any portion of the revenue the Boardwalk merchants & restaurants generate and do not pay any of their expenses). Note that the EPCOT resorts do not pay any of the costs associated with the monorails and that the Disney Springs establishments pay for the bus service to DS.

Several years ago, there was an allocation issue with how the costs of the boats & buses were proportioned between the resorts. As I recall, that's when we learned that the individual resorts paid a share of the transportation costs between the resort and the parks. The EPCOT resorts (including the Disney hotels) share the costs of the boat & bus transportation between those resorts and EPCOT & DHS. The resorts that the gondolas serve will share the cost of the gondola transportation between those resorts and EPCOT / DHS.

I can see that an occasional guest of the EPCOT resorts may want a ride on the gondolas, but walking/boating over to EPCOT to take a gondola to DHS will not be a regular choice, just as going though EPCOT to take a monorail to the MK is not a frequent choice.

I am not at all worried about BWV/BCV dues going up because of the gondolas. The plans do not show a stop at any of the EPCOT resorts.

 

[BLLB]

I would be shocked if any of the EPCOT resorts (both DVC & non-DVC) had to pay anything for the gondolas. They are of no transportation benefit to any of the guests of those resorts. Perhaps some portion of the cost/upkeep will be assessed to the Boardwalk merchants (The DVC resorts do not receive any portion of the revenue the Boardwalk merchants & restaurants generate and do not pay any of their expenses). Note that the EPCOT resorts do not pay any of the costs associated with the monorails and that the Disney Springs establishments pay for the bus service to DS.

Several years ago, there was an allocation issue with how the costs of the boats & buses were proportioned between the resorts. As I recall, that's when we learned that the individual resorts paid a share of the transportation costs between the resort and the parks. The EPCOT resorts (including the Disney hotels) share the costs of the boat & bus transportation between those resorts and EPCOT & DHS. The resorts that the gondolas serve will share the cost of the gondola transportation between those resorts and EPCOT / DHS.

I can see that an occasional guest of the EPCOT resorts may want a ride on the gondolas, but walking/boating over to EPCOT to take a gondola to DHS will not be a regular choice, just as going though EPCOT to take a monorail to the MK is not a frequent choice.

I am not at all worried about BWV/BCV dues going up because of the gondolas. The plans do not show a stop at any of the EPCOT resorts.

CarolMN, you said this much better than I did! Thanks.

 

[ScubaCat]

I'll walk from BCV to the gondola station to take it over to DHS. Anything to avoid the 0.002 knot speed boats is good by me! Especially for the fun ride and if it's inside the security bubble (meaning I can go through security outside EPCOT IG instead of at DHS).

 

[lisaviolet]

I'll walk from BCV to the gondola station to take it over to DHS. Anything to avoid the 0.002 knot speed boats is good by me! Especially for the fun ride and if it's inside the security bubble (meaning I can go through security outside EPCOT IG instead of at DHS).

I named the boats years ago - Molasses.

 

[lisaviolet]

Yes I think the gondolas will affect the area.

For the better. More people the better in my eyes. There are times I am out on the boardwalk and wish it was busier.

 

[ScubaCat]

Yes I think the gondolas will affect the area.

For the better. More people the better in my eyes. There are times I am out on the boardwalk and wish it was busier.

Maybe, but there are often BTGs et.al. at the value and moderate resorts. People are a little sensitive saying this stuff, and I understand that, but the truth is that one of the "features" of the deluxes is being able to avoid them. I don't need 175 girls in matching attire screaming some garbage right by SAB half the day. If they can't help themselves in line for rides and attractions, that's fine, but at least I have SOME escape from it as things currently stand.

 

[lisaviolet]

Maybe, but there are often BTGs et.al. at the value and moderate resorts. People are a little sensitive saying this stuff, and I understand that, but the truth is that one of the "features" of the deluxes is being able to avoid them. I don't need 175 girls in matching attire screaming some garbage right by SAB half the day. If they can't help themselves in line for rides and attractions, that's fine, but at least I have SOME escape from it as things currently stand.

Time will tell. But like I said I am happy to have more people in the area. Including 175 girls in matching attire - never met them though. And as for the boardwalk specifically I have never seen that area as part of my deluxe resort, as an amenity. And I own there.

I see it as a place of the more the merrier.

 

[ScubaCat]

Including 175 girls in matching attire - never met them though

Oh, you'll meet them eventually. You'll hear them long before you see them!



Scan some of the general park and resort threads for more fun stories. (do a search for "BTG" or "BTGs")

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I'm open to increased presence on Boardwalk but certainly not looking for Main St USA density. In its current state I'm not sure there's much of a "draw" for guests not staying there... wonder if they'll reimagine shopping and entertainment or make places like Boardwalk Bakery better equipped to handle high volume. Fingers crossed it means all good things!!