Disney Skyliner (Gondola Transportation System) Read Post 1 Now Open!

[KYMickey]

I wouldn't worry about getting stuck on the gondola much. Even if the motor stops they can still manually pull the cars in unlike the monorail which requires evacuation.

That's certainly true if the motor fails or something similar happens but if the cable becomes jammed at 1 of the towers that's not an option.

 

[Turn the Page]

That's certainly true if the motor fails or something similar happens but if the cable becomes jammed at 1 of the towers that's not an option.

Good point. I have never heard of that happening but that certainly doesn't mean it's impossible.

 

[nkosiek]

This is one of the reasons why WL is our favorite MK resort. I have a fear of getting stuck on the monorail going between Epcot and the TTC. And although the busses can be a pain, you are highly unlikely to get trapped on them. I really enjoyed staying at Beach Club and being able to walk to two parks, but we like the themeing at WL better and WL was cheaper than BC for a few years...now they are about on par with BC, so might be worth it to try again. And with the gondolas, maybe it'd be worth it to try CBR, CSR, or Riviera...or even Pop, now with the updated rooms too. If the gondolas work more reliably than the monorail, I could see the gondola resorts pulling folks away from the monorail resorts, and possibly even the Epcot resorts.

Uh, no. People stay near MK to be near MK. Sure, there may be some who decide to give it a whirl along the gondola resort line a time or two but I don't forsee MK people choosing to stay over at those gondola resorts over the amenities (read pool, bars, restaurants) available around the 7 Seas Lagoon/Bay Lake.

Also, why would people leave the Boardwalk, Beach Club, and Yacht Club to go to the gondola resorts? Surely being able to walk to two parks is better than the gondola.

 

[danikoski]

Uh, no. People stay near MK to be near MK. Sure, there may be some who decide to give it a whirl along the gondola resort line a time or two but I don't forsee MK people choosing to stay over at those gondola resorts over the amenities (read pool, bars, restaurants) available around the 7 Seas Lagoon/Bay Lake.

Also, why would people leave the Boardwalk, Beach Club, and Yacht Club to go to the gondola resorts? Surely being able to walk to two parks is better than the gondola.

Cost. Disney keeps raising room prices at the Deluxe resorts, yet not adding a whole lot to them, especially the monorail resorts. The main draw for the monorail resorts has become unreliable, and in the case of the red train door incident and the chunk of the monorail that fell off into the Epcot parking lot, unsafe. There are tons of food options on the gondola route and it puts you within riding distance of two parks, for the fraction of the cost of staying at the monorail resorts. This is going to become even more pointed when SWGE opens.
The draw from the Epcot resorts will be cost. Now we don't know what exactly the cost will be of the gondola resorts, but people already choose to stay at Swan and Dolphin instead of BC/YC or BW due to cost, and now they may have more options that put them a quick gondola ride away from the Crescent Lake area.

 

[sachilles]

Good point. I have never heard of that happening but that certainly doesn't mean it's impossible.

Never heard of it happening either, and I worked in the industry for 18 years. If you get that kind of failure, there is some gross negligence going on.

 

[derekleigh]

This might have already been discussed so my apologies for repeating, but:

- will these gondolas be open to everyone, including non-resort guests?
- What is the expected seating capacity per gondola?
- If one wanted to go from Epcot to DHS or vice versa, would that party need to get off at every stop in between or would they stay in the gondola?

I realize all these answers may not be known, but if anyone could shed some light on it, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[rteetz]

This might have already been discussed so my apologies for repeating, but:

- will these gondolas be open to everyone, including non-resort guests?
- What is the expected seating capacity per gondola?
- If one wanted to go from Epcot to DHS or vice versa, would that party need to get off at every stop in between or would they stay in the gondola?

I realize all these answers may not be known, but if anyone could shed some light on it, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

They should be open for everyone.

8-10 people per gondola. That could be different if there is a wheelchair or ECV though. Not sure if there will be seats or not.

You would only have to get off at CBR and transfer to a new gondola to go from Epcot to DHS.

 

[derekleigh]

They should be open for everyone.

8-10 people per gondola. That could be different if there is a wheelchair or ECV though. Not sure if there will be seats or not.

You would only have to get off at CBR and transfer to a new gondola to go from Epcot to DHS.

Thank you! My family and I always stay at a villa in Clermont, and while it may seem petty, I would love to ride these on our next trip (planning for 2021 at the moment).

 

[NJlauren]

To be honest with the age of DD we really love being able to walk/monorail as many places as possible to avoid folding up the stroller. The folding isn’t what is annoying its removing everything under it that drives me crazy!

If I could wheel the stroller on to the gondola it would be a selling point for me.

However, we have stayed at the POP but I’m not going to lie room size also plays a large role. We stayed at the beach club, best western and the POP this trip (nor’easters had us extending and moving). And the POP room seemed so small in comparison to the others. I may try Caribbean Beach or AoA in a suite, but a regular room at POP or AoA for more then a night or two even with the Gondola probably isn’t happening.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

To be honest with the age of DD we really love being able to walk/monorail as many places as possible to avoid folding up the stroller. The folding isn’t what is annoying its removing everything under it that drives me crazy!

If I could wheel the stroller on to the gondola it would be a selling point for me.

However, we have stayed at the POP but I’m not going to lie room size also plays a large role. We stayed at the beach club, best western and the POP this trip (nor’easters had us extending and moving). And the POP room seemed so small in comparison to the others. I may try Caribbean Beach or AoA in a suite, but a regular room at POP or AoA for more then a night or two even with the Gondola probably isn’t happening.

Definitely hear you about the strollers and is such a benefit to be able to roll them onto the monorail. Obviously we don't know for sure but there was talk that ECVs would be able to move on to these (perhaps with having to lift up the benches or something) so I would think strollers would be able to roll on to them as well ... if so, that would be an attractive "plus" for people with stroller aged kids

 

[tlmadden73]

Cost. Disney keeps raising room prices at the Deluxe resorts, yet not adding a whole lot to them, especially the monorail resorts. The main draw for the monorail resorts has become unreliable, and in the case of the red train door incident and the chunk of the monorail that fell off into the Epcot parking lot, unsafe. There are tons of food options on the gondola route and it puts you within riding distance of two parks, for the fraction of the cost of staying at the monorail resorts. This is going to become even more pointed when SWGE opens.
The draw from the Epcot resorts will be cost. Now we don't know what exactly the cost will be of the gondola resorts, but people already choose to stay at Swan and Dolphin instead of BC/YC or BW due to cost, and now they may have more options that put them a quick gondola ride away from the Crescent Lake area.

Right . .people already choose moderate and value resorts for the cost savings and take the buses. Now with an "easier" "monorail-like" transportation option for those resorts to two of the parks (one of which will be HUGELY popular soon), they will be even more popular. I mean . .as much as I would love to stay on the monorail line for my recent trips with my young children (to get to MK quickly and easily) .. it just isn't worth the extra $200-300 a NIGHT.

But I suspect the cost of Pop Century and Art of Animation and Caribbean Beach resort will now go up due to its "transportation" amenity.
Pop and Art were already the most popular Values and now will be even moreso (which means prices will just go up).

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Right . .people already choose moderate and value resorts for the cost savings and take the buses. Now with an "easier" "monorail-like" transportation option for those resorts to two of the parks (one of which will be HUGELY popular soon), they will be even more popular. I mean . .as much as I would love to stay on the monorail line for my recent trips with my young children (to get to MK quickly and easily) .. it just isn't worth the extra $200-300 a NIGHT.

But I suspect the cost of Pop Century and Art of Animation and Caribbean Beach resort will now go up due to its "transportation" amenity.
Pop and Art were already the most popular Values and now will be even moreso (which means prices will just go up).

The respective refurbs of the Values will, and likely already has for POP, also likely increase room prices.

Depending on the price difference of the All-Stars after the refurbs in comparison to POP and AOA it's entirely possible people may see the gondola as a perk they would be willing to pay extra for when maybe they wouldn't have chosen to spend more for POP or AOA before.

 

[skier_pete]

Never heard of it happening either, and I worked in the industry for 18 years. If you get that kind of failure, there is some gross negligence going on.

Never heard of a cable snag either - but I remember a few years back at Whistler a pole went down - THAT was a pretty serious mess.

 

[skier_pete]

But I suspect the cost of Pop Century and Art of Animation and Caribbean Beach resort will now go up due to its "transportation" amenity.
Pop and Art were already the most popular Values and now will be even moreso (which means prices will just go up).

This is far and away a certainty. (Althought AoA prices are already pretty damn high for what you get.)

Though truthfully "pretty damn high for what you get" describes every Disney resort now, doesn't it?

 

[Turn the Page]

Never heard of a cable snag either - but I remember a few years back at Whistler a pole went down - THAT was a pretty serious mess.

Yikes. I bet it was.

Also, it seems pretty unlikely anyone will get stuck on the gondola overnight like those people on the chairlift a few years ago.

 

[MommaBerd]

Never heard of a cable snag either - but I remember a few years back at Whistler a pole went down - THAT was a pretty serious mess.

This is definitely information I didn’t need to know...

 

[skier_pete]

This is definitely information I didn’t need to know...

No one was killed though - it was pretty low on the mountain. (Don't read if you already stress about the gondolas.)

http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/...+Whistler+gondola+accident/1083212/story.html

 

[MommaBerd]

No one was killed though - it was pretty low on the mountain. (Don't read if you already stress about the gondolas.)

http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/...+Whistler+gondola+accident/1083212/story.html

I looked it up immediately after I read your post...definitely wasn’t as bad as I imagined!

 

[Katie & Glen]

Considering that insiders on multiple sites are suggesting that, in addition to the parking fees recently instituted, Disney will be moving away from a value, moderate, deluxe pricing scheme to a location / access pricing schem - I would certainly expect pricing at the gondola resorts to go up higher than the regular annual price increase.

 

[Turn the Page]

Considering that insiders on multiple sites are suggesting that, in addition to the parking fees recently instituted, Disney will be moving away from a value, moderate, deluxe pricing scheme to a location / access pricing schem - I would certainly expect pricing at the gondola resorts to go up higher than the regular annual price increase.

Eh, do you really think it will change that much though? I mean the deluxe resorts almost all already have better location/ park access than the moderates and values. I can see the gondola increasing the price at AoA, Pop, and CBR of course, it is another amenity that the other resorts in their class won't have, but I'm not real sure how moving away from a deluxe/moderate/value pricing model in favor of location/access model would really change anything.

I get getting rid of the labels but you're still going to have the ritzier resorts with more and nicer amenities being closer to the parks (except for AKL, WL, and even Riviera really depending on what finishes they go with). I imagine it will just be some sort of pricing spectrum like most hotels are. You have All Stars at the bottom with GF and Poly at the top with everything else sort of falling in between which is what they have now, the broad categories are just labeled.