Cycling between parks

[darrelljon]

Inspired by this thread
http://walkbikejersey.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/walt-disney-world-jekyll-and-hyde-of.html
I'd like to ask about cycling between parks and the prospects of a multi-trail loop connecting parks. What was Walt's view on bikes?

 

[Master Yoda]

I would love to see it, but I don't think the demand is there to justify the expense.

There is also the issue of liability. It is a fairly safe bet that there would be a lawsuit, justified or not, for every bike/pedestrian/vehicle interaction.

 

[darrelljon]

Wouldn't the reduction in monorail traffic, boat traffic, car parking and parking attendants and car park trains justify the cost of a segregated cycle lane loop around all the parks?

 

[Rob562]

Wouldn't the reduction in monorail traffic, boat traffic, car parking and parking attendants and car park trains justify the cost of a segregated cycle lane loop around all the parks?

It's like 5 miles between the MK area and AK. How many people on vacation do you really think would want to ride 5 miles first thing in the morning to get to a theme park?

-Rob

 

[Master Yoda]

Wouldn't the reduction in monorail traffic, boat traffic, car parking and parking attendants and car park trains justify the cost of a segregated cycle lane loop around all the parks?

Sure, if enough people used them and I don't see that happening.

Just look at reviews for the resorts like Animal Kingdom Lodge. You will hear complaint after complaint about how far people had to walk to their room. There is no way these people are even going to consider biking even 2 miles to a park.

Alongside the issue of those that won't push pedals to a park, you have those that can't. All it takes is one person that physically cant ride a bike and you eliminate the entire party of doing so.

My daughter and I are avid mountain bikers. My wife absolutely hates riding a bike. That would put us either on a bus or in a car.

 

[darrelljon]

It's like 5 miles between the MK area and AK. How many people on vacation do you really think would want to ride 5 miles first thing in the morning to get to a theme park?

-Rob

Average cycling speed is 7-8mph. MK to AK might take no more than 40 minutes.

 

[Master Yoda]

Average cycling speed is 7-8mph. MK to AK might take no more than 40 minutes.

And people complain to high heaven about a 15 minute bus ride with a 10 minute wait.

 

[darrelljon]

And people complain to high heaven about a 15 minute bus ride with a 10 minute wait.

Google Maps shows the time to cycle the route (MK to AK) as 23 minutes against 9 to drive it. That's on the current roads, a direct cycle route might be even less.

 

[Master Yoda]

Google Maps shows the time to cycle the route (MK to AK) as 23 minutes against 9 to drive it. That's on the current roads, a direct cycle route might be even less.

You are missing to point. Guests already complain about the time it takes to drive to the parks. How many do you think will actually take an option that takes longer and actually requires them to do something other than sit?

 

[darrelljon]

You are missing to point. Guests already complain about the time it takes to drive to the parks. How many do you think will actually take an option that takes longer and actually requires them to do something other than sit?

Electric bicycles are quite popular now. Couldn't guests use these? Less effort, quicker than pedal power.

 

[Master Yoda]

Electric bicycles are quite popular now. Couldn't guests use these? Less effort, quicker than pedal power.

Again, same issues. More time+more effort=too few guests using it to offset the cost.

 

[darrelljon]

Aren't the costs of other forms of transport subsidised anyway? The cost of a cycle track would save wear and tear on car parks, monorail, buses etc. and reduce the numbers using them.

 

[PhilharMagician]

WDW needs a high speed ECV loop between parks with feed zones every mile.

Very few people will want to ride a bicycle to and from parks. Better yet, who would want to ride a bike back to their resort after 12 hours in a park on their feet? Most don't even feel like walking back to a bus stop. Besides who would supply the bikes? I certainly would not bring my $2500 carbon fiber rode bike to WDW and leave it in a bike rack. Most people go to WDW to relax and do nothing besides tour the parks and eat. Every time I have gone to the fitness centers in the resorts, they were either empty or just a few people.

I love riding and would not want to ride between parks.

I could better see WDW creating bike trails in random locations possibly connecting resorts together for guests to use for exercise not their main form of transportation.

 

[HolleBolleGijs]

Biking as a form of transportation is just not the American way (for the most part). Cities don't even have safe bike paths, so I wouldn't expect this to happen any time soon.

 

[Master Yoda]

Aren't the costs of other forms of transport subsidised anyway? The cost of a cycle track would save wear and tear on car parks, monorail, buses etc. and reduce the numbers using them.

Subsidized as is government subsidized? Not at Disney. The mouse picks up the tab.

 

[Rob562]

You are missing to point. Guests already complain about the time it takes to drive to the parks. How many do you think will actually take an option that takes longer and actually requires them to do something other than sit?

Not to mention how about in July and August? Who wants to bike 30 minutes in 100-degree heat? What about the thunderstorms that crop up in the afternoon? Add rain shelters along the way?

-Rob

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Yeah, I think the folks above have summarized this pretty well -- people on vacation at WDW in no way want to ride bikes from resort to resort -- which are way further apart than you might expect them to be -- there are no walking paths either: Disney actively discourages anyone walking between resorts or parks, except for a very limited few that connect directly from one to the other and are off of all motor transportation routes. Remember, WDW is its own city, with its own police, fire, safety resources. While its near Orlando, it is not financed by Orlando. Its an area called "Reedy Creek" and it is entirely Disney owned and operated. They are going to take zero liability for things like bicycle paths, especially when absolutely nobody would use them except for a handful of people a day. Doing things like "biking" in Florida on a 90 degree 100% humidy day is just something that only madmen and Englishmen might do --

 

[Epcot-Rules]

What about the ride between MK to Epcot? That would be a heck of a ride in late July, with the humidity this summer even in the morning you would need a change of clothes. That ride in the afternoon, you'd need 3 iv bags of plasma!

 

[danlb_2000]

Aren't the costs of other forms of transport subsidised anyway? The cost of a cycle track would save wear and tear on car parks, monorail, buses etc. and reduce the numbers using them.

It would save wear an tare if it eliminated 10's of thousands of trips a year, but I think it's very unlikely you will see that level of up take. It would be a niche think that not a lot of people would do.

 

[SW_matt]

I cycle to work everyday (even after 10 hour late/night shifts) so probably wouldn't mind this too much however the thing that would get me as a brit is the heat, I wouldn't fancy arriving at a park already sweating like a stuffed pig!