News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[Unplugged]

I see a lot of references to "walking through EPCOT" to get to the gondola. Keep in mind, if anyone were to try to take that long way to Riviara, they will require Park Hopper. Not everyone gets that option.

 

[flynnibus]

Yes, but worst case this is 8 every 20 or 30 seconds which is faster then they can get through security screening.

Worse case is the 'arriving 30mins before opening' crowd which would build up because the guests keep coming, but don't get in, so the backup builds. This is adding several new hotels to the IG entrance, so that morning rush can be bigger. But who really gets to EPCOT before opening anyways

 

[AEfx]

True, I keep forgetting the plan is to have them inside security.

That is what makes it one hell of a benefit, IMO. I used to love to use the Valet parking at Universal because of the private security check point alone.

 

[Kamikaze]

I don't find your logic convincing. I think a person can go to the parks and have a wonderful time, and yet still disapprove of changes they make here and there.

Oh, I agree 100% with that. But using the word 'unacceptable' to describe one of those things isn't correct if you plan to turn around and ignore it.

For instance - I hate FP+. I hate the whole idea of planning them 60 days out, I hate that it artificially creates lines on attractions where they shouldn't have them. I did not go to WDW for quite a while because of it. But I would never call it unacceptable, because it would make me a hypocrite to say that, then turn around and visit anyway. There are plenty of other words that more correctly describe what you want to convey.

 

[Kamikaze]

I see a lot of references to "walking through EPCOT" to get to the gondola. Keep in mind, if anyone were to try to take that long way to Riviara, they will require Park Hopper. Not everyone gets that option.

I don't know why this is suddenly an issue anyway. This system is not designed to facilitate park to park or resort to resort transport. It is meant for guests at four resorts to get to two parks. Nothing more. That is why it doesn't go to the front of Epcot - there isn't a reason to send it there. The guests from those four resorts can get in the IG entrance just as easily.

 

[mmascari]

I think you may be missing the point of detachability.

Most ski lifts have a non-detachable anchor to the rope (i.e., the cable). When the lift gets to the 'end' of a circuit, it whips around the turning gear at the same speed it was always traveling. Skiers have to quickly hop off and slide out of the way.

These detachable gondolas, when they get into the station, de-clamp from the rope. They are no longer moved by the cable. The cable goes whizzing past them. Instead, the gondolas move slowly by some usually rubber wheels giving people ample time to get in and out. Then, when it's the next to go, it re-clamps onto the rope and speeds off at the velocity of the cable.

High speed quad lifts (chairs that seat 4, or more) have been working this way for many many years already at ski resorts, detaching and everything. In fact, they go so slow at drop off that it's almost a problem trying to ski away, there's no push from the chair.

While gondolas may only be at larger resorts, even small ones may have 1 or 2 high speed chairs. Usually on a main route that needs to move more people faster. At a large resort with gondolas on that main route, even the smaller lifts might be high speed detachable quad or bigger.

Only the small low crowd stuff or older resorts are still using basic chairs that don't detach sitting 2 or 3. Once I was on a quad that didn't detach, but the outside moves through the station so fast, it's much harder to use. That's why they start to detach for 4, 5, or 6 people.

 

[bclane]

I don't know why this is suddenly an issue anyway. This system is not designed to facilitate park to park or resort to resort transport. It is meant for guests at four resorts to get to two parks. Nothing more. That is why it doesn't go to the front of Epcot - there isn't a reason to send it there. The guests from those four resorts can get in the IG entrance just as easily.

What WDW needs, imho, is a 4 park gondola transport system for passholders and parkhoppers....and of course it should be themed to Star Wars just because Star Wars rules.

 

[Goofyernmost]

That would be kinda hard to avoid. In the pic below, the red lines are the cables. They might be lower, and not likely to be any higher.

And due to the forced perspective, the 8-person gondolas will look to be like the giant ones that can hold 30.

View attachment 232860

Unacceptable. Un - freaking - acceptable!

Imagineers aren’t even allowed to talk about their projects with other Imagineers. Disney is so layered and compartmentalized, it’s very easy for this sort of thing to happen and feeds into the high cost of Disney projects.

It always amazes me to see how inefficient TWDC is at building these types of projects. After all these years you would think they, senior management, would realize and make some changes. Then again it's the same company that can't figure out how to make a decent website work so it shouldn't be that surprising.

It always amazes me that someone can put up a picture, self made, within their imagination, of what they think it might look like and so many people start to criticize the thing that doesn't even exist yet. Instead of being critical of the depiction itself in all its homemade glory and cutouts to show forced perspective and elevations they get upset with Disney and management for making such a colossal mistake in engineering imagineering. And now we even know someone that has such an insider situation that he knows what the imagineers talk about amongst themselves.

I have an idea, why not wait until thin air and guesses are replaced by something real and then be opinionated about reality and not just someone elses thought. It could be correct or it might not be, we will see with time. What would upset me the most would be the obvious cost cutting measures of doing all the landscaping with badly cut out pictures of trees and bushes. For $100.00 a day we should at the very least get plastic one. The Dollar store has whole walls full of cheap, plastic foliage.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Yep. I plan on returning some day, but it’s expensive. I keep having kids and they keep raising the price.

Check with your doctor, they know what causes that "having kids" problem now. It's fixable!

 

[King Racoon 77]

Forget the gondola's ... how long till we get these
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41399406

 

[britain]

It always amazes me that someone can put up a picture, self made, within their imagination, of what they think it might look like and so many people start to criticize the thing that doesn't even exist yet. Instead of being critical of the depiction itself in all its homemade glory and cutouts to show forced perspective and elevations they get upset with Disney and management for making such a colossal mistake in engineering imagineering. And now we even know someone that has such an insider situation that he knows what the imagineers talk about amongst themselves.

I have an idea, why not wait until thin air and guesses are replaced by something real and then be opinionated about reality and not just someone elses thought. It could be correct or it might not be, we will see with time. What would upset me the most would be the obvious cost cutting measures of doing all the landscaping with badly cut out pictures of trees and bushes. For $100.00 a day we should at the very least get plastic one. The Dollar store has whole walls full of cheap, plastic foliage.

Sure sure, but if I wait for it to actually be built, I have to go into 'silver lining' mode and still look for the good in the situation. In this early mock-up stage, I can play armchair art director and give a thumbs up or down.

Maybe that nuance was missing from my post. When I said "Unacceptable" it was more along the lines of "Send this back to the drawing board, because I wouldn't approve that, if I were in charge." But if that's what they end up doing - shrug.

 

[britain]

Check with your doctor, they know what causes that "having kids" problem now. It's fixable!

Ha! Nah, I'm having too much fun - even if it means fewer trips to WDW.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Sure sure, but if I wait for it to actually be built, I have to go into 'silver lining' mode and still look for the good in the situation. In this early mock-up stage, I can play armchair art director and give a thumbs up or down.

Maybe that nuance was missing from my post. When I said "Unacceptable" it was more along the lines of "Send this back to the drawing board, because I wouldn't approve that, if I were in charge." But if that's what the end up doing - shrug.

Yes, I knew... the word unacceptable is really a throw away word. And could just as well have been a comment on the depiction and not the reality.

 

[raymusiccity]

Forget the gondola's ... how long till we get these
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41399406

I want to see their faces when he cranks up those rotors!

 

[lazyboy97o]

It always amazes me that someone can put up a picture, self made, within their imagination, of what they think it might look like and so many people start to criticize the thing that doesn't even exist yet. Instead of being critical of the depiction itself in all its homemade glory and cutouts to show forced perspective and elevations they get upset with Disney and management for making such a colossal mistake in engineering imagineering. And now we even know someone that has such an insider situation that he knows what the imagineers talk about amongst themselves.

I have an idea, why not wait until thin air and guesses are replaced by something real and then be opinionated about reality and not just someone elses thought. It could be correct or it might not be, we will see with time. What would upset me the most would be the obvious cost cutting measures of doing all the landscaping with badly cut out pictures of trees and bushes. For $100.00 a day we should at the very least get plastic one. The Dollar store has whole walls full of cheap, plastic foliage.

Is this supposed to be another sarcastic joke? Disney has difficulties with coordination and there are policies in place that reinforce those difficulties. That is fact and not based on a facetious rendering.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Is this supposed to be another sarcastic joke? Disney has difficulties with coordination and there are policies in place that reinforce those difficulties. That is fact and not based on a facetious rendering.

OK, fact from where? How do you know that to be the truth? Can it be verified by more then one, perhaps angry, individual? Might be true, might be distorted thoughts of someone that didn't get their own way. So, therefore, yes sarcasm. Something I use often when I question statements that are presented as fact.

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Tuesday, September 26. Tree removal on the patch of land in front of Hollywood Studios entrance in preparation for gondola station construction.

Steel pilings in Hourglass lake between Pop Century and Art of Animation resorts for gondola station.

 

[MisterPenguin]

It always amazes me that someone can put up a picture, self made, within their imagination, of what they think it might look like and so many people start to criticize the thing that doesn't even exist yet.

Just so you know, those cable lines are rendered in Google Earth Pro. They follow the path of the gondola stations as indicated by permit filings. Their height was made to clear the tree line. All the other 3D objects in GEP were created with laser imaging and photography guided by GPS. Then, GEP allows one to move within the 3D rendering and see what one would see in real life.

So, not my imagination. But I'd venture to say a pretty accurate rendering based on science, technology, theory of relativity, computer science, math, and a very educated guess. The only wild card is where the intermediary towers will be... which would only make the view... less aesthetic... and create more hairs caught on fire.

 

[DisneyJeff]

Photo update as of Tuesday, September 26. Tree removal on the patch of land in front of Hollywood Studios entrance in preparation for gondola station construction.

Is there any indication of how they plan on reworking the security perimeter at DHS? This location is currently located pretty far outside the current secure area. If i'm not mistaken, the area for the gondola station is the area in yellow below. The red line is the current security checkpoint. I thought the plan was to have the entire gondola system in the secure zone.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Is there any indication of how they plan on reworking the security perimeter at DHS? This location is currently located pretty far outside the current secure area. If i'm not mistaken, the area for the gondola station is the area in yellow below. The red line is the current security checkpoint. I thought the plan was to have the entire gondola system in the secure zone.

View attachment 233410

Without moving too much around, here is one way they can do it. Of course, they have the option of moving everything around for an even better layout...