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

I think the odds of them installing a resort wide gondola system is EXTREMELY low. This area has very little distance between things, so it was fairly easy to do. And this was all about Riviera resort - a billion dollars in sales by installing that gondola system. While you could in theory get a system from AK to Coronado - there would need to be a reason for the spending. Another DVC resort perhaps.
 
No - it just means if it's struck by lightning the lightning does not go to the interior. It shouldn't affect cell phone signals.
Exactly. The cars are not Faraday cages. If lightning hits the tower/cable/station you should be fine. If it happens to hit your specific car you're toast.
 
So random thought - given that the station at DHS seems much further along than the one at EPCOT, and the new attractions are opening sooner at DHS. And that the letter new seem pretty independent- any chance they bring the DHS line online sooner and do a stagered opening?

I don’t know anything about this channel but saw this video last week citing rumor that the EPCOT station go-live would be later so as to avoid bird’s eye views of Ratatouille construction.

 


I think the odds of them installing a resort wide gondola system is EXTREMELY low. This area has very little distance between things, so it was fairly easy to do. And this was all about Riviera resort - a billion dollars in sales by installing that gondola system. While you could in theory get a system from AK to Coronado - there would need to be a reason for the spending. Another DVC resort perhaps.
I agree for several reasons. Distance and speed for one reason. According to Liftblog, the current speed of a detachable gondola system is 1,000 FPM or 11 MPH. With gondola lines running +/- 10 miles (from the furthest resort to the furthest park), that makes the gondola a poor choice for transportation. Cost is another reason. Also according to Liftblog, the price tag for the current system is rumored to be $300M just for this relatively short run. Although cheaper than monorail construction, it isn't cheap. The cost for a gondola system throughout the Resort would be enormous. I think the recent implementation of cost for hotel parking is becoming clear.
 
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I don’t know anything about this channel but saw this video last week citing rumor that the EPCOT station go-live would be later so as to avoid bird’s eye views of Ratatouille construction.

So - here's what I think of this...merely opinion so means very little.

I don't think this is the case - in fact just a couple days ago I was going to post the question "Do you think they would open the gondola in stages?" with the same thought about the construction at Epcot, but then I threw that out. The reason being the Riviera resort. They will want the gondola system fully operational when that resort opens sometime in 2019. And they are more than likely looking to get it open in the summer or early fall of 2019. Right now - Copper Creek is expected to be sold out by summer 2019, and Disney will want to have Riviera pretty much done by then. They will also want the gondolas running as soon as the resort opens.

So, could we see the Epcot run open a little later than the DHS run? Sure, maybe by a few months, but by the time Star Wars is open, Riviera will be open too, and they will want the Gondola to take everyone back and forth to the two parks. No way will they wait until Ratatouille is done construction.
 
I don’t know anything about this channel but saw this video last week citing rumor that the EPCOT station go-live would be later so as to avoid bird’s eye views of Ratatouille construction.


I am pretty skeptical about that. By the time the Skyliner opens the exterior work on RAT should be pretty far along so won't be much worse then what you see when it's completed.
 


Where are all the places it might travel to? I'm looking forward to it. I remember theme parks having these and now no one does.
 
Where are all the places it might travel to? I'm looking forward to it. I remember theme parks having these and now no one does.
Gondola's have three "legs"

Pop Century/AoA to CBR
CBR to DHS
CBR to Epcot with a stop at Riviera

So 4 resorts and 2 theme parks.
 
Went to Epcot last night through the IG (we were staying BWV) and saw the stanchions for the skyway. Disney is going to have to theme or otherwise visually block a lot of the back-stage area in the vicinity of the France pavilion.

Also, from inside the park there was only one spot where I could see the top of one of the towers and that was only if I searched for it. Once the cables are strung you'll certainly see that (and the cars) as it crosses over the waterway by IG. But I don't think this is at all visually intrusive.
 
I agree for several reasons. Distance and speed for one reason. According to Liftblog, the current speed of a detachable gondola system is 1,000 FPM or 11 MPH. With gondola lines running +/- 10 miles (from the furthest resort to the furthest park), that makes the gondola a poor choice for transportation. Cost is another reason. Also according to Liftblog, the price tag for the current system is rumored to be $300M just for this relatively short run. Although cheaper than monorail construction, it isn't cheap. The cost for a gondola system throughout the Resort would be enormous. I think the recent implementation of cost for hotel parking is becoming clear.

What exactly is the 10 miles? Is that driving distance or as the crow flies? If it's driving distance the gondolas may not travel nearly that far to get from point to point which would make it faster.
 
I agree for several reasons. Distance and speed for one reason. According to Liftblog, the current speed of a detachable gondola system is 1,000 FPM or 11 MPH. With gondola lines running +/- 10 miles (from the furthest resort to the furthest park), that makes the gondola a poor choice for transportation. Cost is another reason. Also according to Liftblog, the price tag for the current system is rumored to be $300M just for this relatively short run. Although cheaper than monorail construction, it isn't cheap. The cost for a gondola system throughout the Resort would be enormous. I think the recent implementation of cost for hotel parking is becoming clear.
I agree it's not likely for long trips.

But there are areas where a local system similar in size to the one under construction could serve several resorts. I proposed Epcot, PO, OKW, SSR, and DS. A run from the Epcot front gate to stations at OKW, SSR, and DS would be about 2.25 mi., fairly direct, and would not go over any major backstage areas. A connection could serve PO, perhaps putting a singe station on the levy walk between the two parts of the resort.

Or they could make OKW a hub like they're doing with CBR, with separate lines to Epcot, PO, SSR, and a line to TL continuing to DS. That would get rid of the TL-DS shuttle buses, and it might improve TL attendance as Guests get an overhead view on the way to DS.
 
Went to Epcot last night through the IG (we were staying BWV) and saw the stanchions for the skyway. Disney is going to have to theme or otherwise visually block a lot of the back-stage area in the vicinity of the France pavilion.

Also, from inside the park there was only one spot where I could see the top of one of the towers and that was only if I searched for it. Once the cables are strung you'll certainly see that (and the cars) as it crosses over the waterway by IG. But I don't think this is at all visually intrusive.

Ratatouille will take care of most of it since it will involved theming the entire back of the pavilion.


Capture.JPG
 
Gondola's have three "legs"

Pop Century/AoA to CBR
CBR to DHS
CBR to Epcot with a stop at Riviera

So 4 resorts and 2 theme parks.

Which are ~35% of on property rooms. If you add IG area resorts using it to go to DHS then the percentage served is even higher.
 
Which are ~35% of on property rooms. If you add IG area resorts using it to go to DHS then the percentage served is even higher.

As someone who prefers staying at YC/BC, I might ride the gondola for funsies once, but I wouldn't use it to go to HS. You'd have to transfer at CBR. I'm more than happy with the current transportation options. The boats go directly to HS with only a stop at the Swan/Dolphin, and the walking path is pretty nice when it's not oppressively hot. I don't see YC/BC or BW guests using this for transportation except to go to Riviera for dining.
 
My family stays at the YC/BC/BDW hotels most of our trips, and I agree with Poetz above. The available transportation options for those hotels to DHS doesn't make sense to take the gondola. It's a 15-20min walk to DHS from those hotels, and the boat ride is roughly the same, if not longer depending on length of stops at each dock.

Now some may take the gondola to DHS from the IG, but I don't think you'll see the majority doing this due to the switch at another hotel. We'll obviously see though when this is completed.
 

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