News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[GhostHost1000]

The tricky part might be if this ties in with DVC coming to CBR since DVC seems to be the one thing they prefer to announce later instead of sooner.

I'm beginning to wonder if there are future plans to even have a DVC wing at AoA or even Pop now as well

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Wouldn't this Gondola theory also bolister the arguement that the CBR DVC can't be a deluxe because it doesn't have "direct park access" as the others do. Wouldn't this solve that?

A lot of the DVC resorts do not have "direct" park access, so that's not an issue.

 

[Bocabear]

At the current prices, a DVC unit at a value resort would be a really hard sell... I think it would be a hard sell at a moderate resort...though in all honest, Saratoga Springs really is just a moderate resort... But I would not think it would have any appeal at a value resort at all

 

[George]

AC weight should not be an issue. A simple 12000 BTU concealed wall unit comes it at under 30 lbs.

Correct. However, they went after the best deal. First, they bought several hundred home heat pump systems. Most BTU for the buck is what the marketing material said. Hard to fit in the cabins, not clear how they're going to do the the electrical work..but they did go with the Carrier Infinite Series with a built in dehumidifier...high quality. They also purchased small humidifiers for each cabin to offset the dehumidifier so that guests "won't forget they're in Florida". Also, they did get a good deal on 50 units that weren't used on the World Trade Center

the idea being if they could cool 700 houses, they could probably do at least 30 or 40 gondolas per unit. Once again, despite the savings on the purchase, there seem to be some ill defined engineering problems that go right over my head.

 

[TeriofTerror]

Someone posted a response attacking Tom under my name, so if anyone reads that, it was not me. I responded to the thread also. I am disappointed they posted this without crediting WDWMagic, but to me it's not that big a deal since this is all from public documents.

If it makes you feel any better, I credited you (and others here) along with WDWMagic on my blog.

 

[floridaeit]

I'm beginning to wonder if there are future plans to even have a DVC wing at AoA or even Pop now as well

I've heard that Pop was going to receive an AoA type of rehab. New family suites, etc.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

do you not read any posts before posting? The Gondola system is very cheap compared Light rail, monorail or other forms of transportation. The gondolas are very high capacity. The ones in the videos hold about 20 people and can be dispatched every 15-20 seconds. the loading and unloading are seamless.

Unfortunity, you need to understand, this is not a light duty ski lift......

1. This 20 person or more gondola requires MASSIVE foundations in the soft wet ground, MASSIVE steel tower, with wings and supports.
2. The mechanics require MASSIVE AND HEAVY built gearing and power. All very expensive, while not as much as a monorail the monorail is faster and high captivity and possibly higher then light or pods.

3. The ones in the picture I was are not the ones they are going to build. We don't know for a fact what the final plans with be.

4. 20 passenger gondolas are not high capacity units,.. It will take easily 2 minutes before you manage to unload 20 passengers and strollers and reload 20 passenger ans strollers. Slower yet if you need to deal with wheel chairs and scooters. Seamless is not a word I would use.

So as I said...we need more facts.....AKK

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Wouldn't this Gondola theory also bolister the arguement that the CBR DVC can't be a deluxe because it doesn't have "direct park access" as the others do. Wouldn't this solve that?

That argument is a non-starter. DAKL doesn't have direct park access. OKW and SSR only do if you count Disney Springs as a park.

 

[Andrew C]

There is no question a gondola isn't the best option for WDW vs a cable monorail- but I dont see where it wouldnt be able to turn. I see they are roughly 80 degree turns in the areas you mention- but that's not unobtainable based on the size of the vehicle and the size of the platform. Not at all.

Speculation based on a permit is one thing- but this truly is not a "has to be a gondola" situation. Could it be? Sure. But a cable monorail is better in every instance and 80 degree turns are manageable depending on vehicle and platform size- both of which this permit does not show us.

Martin seemed to confirm earlier in this thread that the plan is for a gondola...if I am not mistaken.

 

[pvtim]

Unfortunity, you need to understand, this is not a light duty ski lift......

1. This 20 person or more gondola requires MASSIVE foundations in the soft wet ground, MASSIVE steel tower, with wings and supports.
2. The mechanics require MASSIVE AND HEAVY built gearing and power. All very expensive, while not as much as a monorail the monorail is faster and high captivity and possibly higher then light or pods.

3. The ones in the picture I was are not the ones they are going to build. We don't know for a fact what the final plans with be.

4. 20 passenger gondolas are not high capacity units,.. It will take easily 2 minutes before you manage to unload 20 passengers and strollers and reload 20 passenger ans strollers. Slower yet if you need to deal with wheel chairs and scooters. Seamless is not a word I would use.

So as I said...we need more facts.....AKK

The one fact I need to know- will they be introducing Sorcerer Class Gondolas?

 

[marni1971]

Absolutely. You're drastically cutting down on the amount of concrete needed for the beams. You only need concrete for the piers and footers. Nothing in between. On top of that, it's a lot cheaper to ship cable that it is to ship fully cast, custom monorail beams across the country. I think a lot of people forget that all of the original monorail beams were custom cast and poured outside of Florida and brought in via rail. The shipping costs alone would be astronomical in today's dollars.

Ironically the EPCOT beams were cast on property and the plant was bought by the company to shortly begin work on the LBV spur.

 

[devoy1701]

Unless this is powered by a dedicated non fossil fuel power plant, it will still rely on fossil fuel and at best ofset a fraction of fossil power needs.

They did just build that big solar farm in the proximity of DHS and Epcot.

 

[DVCOwner]

At the current prices, a DVC unit at a value resort would be a really hard sell... I think it would be a hard sell at a moderate resort...though in all honest, Saratoga Springs really is just a moderate resort... But I would not think it would have any appeal at a value resort at all

It is not the cost per point that would be needed at a moderate vs. deluxe; it would be the number of points per night for a stay in the same type of room. So if it cost 60%-75% less points to stay in a two-bedroom at a moderate resort, then the cost would not be a hard sell.

 

[MarkTwain]

I think the idea of Disney introducing any new transportation options, especially something more interesting than you'd see in a mid-sized city (like buses), is exciting. A gondola would be a lot of fun to ride and to see from the ground.

I guess I'm just... confused?... about the whole proposal. It's a lot of investment to connect a bunch of properties which can already be traveled in other ways, such as by boat or by walking. The only new addition to the transit system is Caribbean Beach, and this seems like a lot of work to just connect to one moderate resort... even one with upcoming DVC.

Another concern is that this still doesn't solve a major connectivity problem for WDW... that the monorail system doesn't connect in any way to the Epcot/Crescent Lake/DHS boat and walking route, without being able to go through Epcot. It seems like if Disney built one more gondola station to the north of Epcot and adjacent to the Epcot monorail station, then it would also allow the gondola path to connect to the monorail route. Currently the only option is to walk through Epcot, which is a long process and a problem for anyone unable to get into the park.

And I know this has been mentioned elsewhere, but I'm still surprised Disney would build a system so easily affected by inclement weather. Even if other options are available. Combine with this the (probably) slow speed and it seems like a lot of money for less-than-optimal efficiency.

I guess I'm just still grumpy that they're not putting the money into a monorail system instead.

 

[peter11435]

There is no question a gondola isn't the best option for WDW vs a cable monorail- but I dont see where it wouldnt be able to turn. I see they are roughly 80 degree turns in the areas you mention- but that's not unobtainable based on the size of the vehicle and the size of the platform. Not at all.

Speculation based on a permit is one thing- but this truly is not a "has to be a gondola" situation. Could it be? Sure. But a cable monorail is better in every instance and 80 degree turns are manageable depending on vehicle and platform size- both of which this permit does not show us.

The turn could be manageable but they would be unnecessary at a location like WDW. You're not building through tight city streets. If they were using cable monorail they would be able to have curves and would not be locked in to these linear paths. And cable monorail would not necessary be more efficient as you would be limited in the number of trains that could operate on the line.

And lastly. It's a gondola

 

[George]

A lot of the DVC resorts do not have "direct" park access, so that's not an issue.

A simple swim from my VWL home and a simple jet pack swoop from by BCV home beg to differ.

 

[bhg469]

I only fear how this will look. Its easy to make beams look cool. Cables stretching across the property.. Not so cool.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

All your concerns were answered previously in this thread. Just read the entire thread and click on the links provided for more info. Gondola systems can be high capacity, fast loading and moving, stop to allow personal vehicles without stopping the whole system, and there are many ways to hide views of back lots.[/QUOTE

1. Depending on the size of the gondolas capacity could be equal or greeter than the current bus system. Gondolas exist that can hold more than half what a bus holds.
2. Loading buses is also slow. This would likely be easier as wheelchairs and ECV could drive right in and out much more efficiently than the buses. Strollers also and they would not need to be folded like on the buses.
3. Sight lines could be an issue but it's also something that could be worked through and done properly

yes..all true..........and the faster, and the more by pass rails needed and power and mechanics, the price is flying higher and flying until your not far from the monorail.........Let be honest here.....we all now how fast a loading is slowed with a stroller and wheelchair and scooter etc at WDW....families ........this will often not be a fast loading.

As I said before we need more details.... AKK

 

[DisneyJeff]

I only fear how this will look. Its easy to make beams look cool. Cables stretching across the property.. Not so cool.

I doubt that the cables will be a problem visually. I'd be more concerned about the look of the towers.

 

[RSoxNo1]

So there's a Gondola ride coming to Epcot, got it.