News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[Doug Means]

Does anyone think that Disney is waiting to fix the Yeti at EE until the gondola system is done and open? I thought it may happen after Pandora opened, but now it might be the gondolas slowing this down

 

[Kman101]

Still makes no sense to offer buses at resorts connected to the gondola to DHS and Epcot when their goal is to have fewer buses on the roads. But they could run one bus an hour and call it "buses are still offered".

I agree. But I never thought they'd do away with them, at least right away, despite what folks in the know were saying. I'm sure it's still the plan, ultimately. I guess maybe it's better to just still offer regular service instead of trying to get busses to take over when the gondolas are forced to stop (not to mention I assume it's also for the expected "mass crowds" that will be descending soon, guests need more options when there's so many of them and one of the things they have acknowledged is trying to "improve" the arrival experience). Summer time storms and hurricane season are around the corner ...

 

[Incomudro]

I don't understand being "really concerned" ... gondolas without AC have existed and from personal accounts, aren't a big deal. There's plenty of ventilation.

And according to the article on WDWMagic here, busses will still be offered (what happened to those insisting busses would no longer be offered?) so no one is being forced to use the Gondola system

The difference is, these are being used in Disneyworld and guests expectations of comfort are likely to be higher than elsewhere.
For instance, if one were to board a gondola in oh... A hillside in Panama - a person wouldn't expect much.
A gondola system in WDW comes wit higher expectations.
That's the way it is.

 

[DisneyOutsider]

Does anyone think that Disney is waiting to fix the Yeti at EE until the gondola system is done and open? I thought it may happen after Pandora opened, but now it might be the gondolas slowing this down

If they wanted to fix it, it would already be fixed.

I certainly don't believe it's contingent on other non-AK related projects being completed. We've gotten zero indication that there are plans in place to fix it. At this point, don't hold your breath on that thing ever returning to form.

 

[truecoat]

Attachment point for ecv tiedown ?

Tie downs won't be used on a gondola.

 

[JoeCamel]

I'm going to use the ski-gondola example here again. I have, on occasion, felt uncomfortably warm in ski gondolas, even on cold winter days, and while riding models with tinted windows with the window slats open. On sunny days, there's simply too much greenhouse effect.

But now the caveats: The main front and rear facing windows on ski gondolas usually don't open, expect for a small area on top, so you experience only a minor amount of airflow in the direction of travel. Also, the occupants of a ski gondola, if they have just completed a run down the mountain, usually give off quite a bit of body heat. Presumably, Disney guests won't be in such a hypermetabolic state during their ride.

I'm hopeful these things don't turn into flying sweatboxes, but not completely convinced it won't happen either.

I hope you are not wearing your ski togs in these. It's Florida, a jean shirt over your tee shirt is good for all but the coldest days

 

[Club Cooloholic]

I agree. But I never thought they'd do away with them, at least right away, despite what folks in the know were saying. I'm sure it's still the plan, ultimately. I guess maybe it's better to just still offer regular service instead of trying to get busses to take over when the gondolas are forced to stop (not to mention I assume it's also for the expected "mass crowds" that will be descending soon, guests need more options when there's so many of them and one of the things they have acknowledged is trying to "improve" the arrival experience). Summer time storms and hurricane season are around the corner ...

There are many guests on ECVs and they can not take the gondolas.
Edit: Also some guests might refuse to ride out of fear of heights or whatever.

 

[Casper Gutman]

There are many guest on ECVs and they can not take the gondolas

Is this correct? Can ECVs not take the gondolas?

 

[Andrew C]

Is this correct? Can ECVs not take the gondolas?

Unless there was a new report I missed, that is incorrect....

 

[iowamomof4]

There are many guests on ECVs and they can not take the gondolas.
Edit: Also some guests might refuse to ride out of fear of heights or whatever.

ECV's DO fit on the gondolas!!! The benches even lift up to make more room.

 

[mwf5555]

Still makes no sense to offer buses at resorts connected to the gondola to DHS and Epcot when their goal is to have fewer buses on the roads. But they could run one bus an hour and call it "buses are still offered".

so many choices, could rent a car? Uber?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Still makes no sense to offer buses at resorts connected to the gondola to DHS and Epcot when their goal is to have fewer buses on the roads. But they could run one bus an hour and call it "buses are still offered".

I don't see much chance of that happening. They have all sorts of resort-wide communications that say buses come "on average, every 20 minutes." I think you'll continue to see a 20-minute cadence, with a decrease in the volume of buses during peak times (when they're running much more frequently than 20 minutes) because they won't be filling as many.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

ECV's DO fit on the gondolas!!! The benches even lift up to make more room.

They do, where did you see that? I saw that there was room for wheelchairs, this is different than a scooter. Will they have to flip up both benches if they can, and if that is the case, then people will be riding alone?

 

[Notes from Neverland]

The cabins are much larger than people are assuming. They can easily accommodate an ECV. I'm really puzzled by all of these new concerns that have been addressed.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

The cabins are much larger than people are assuming. They can easily accommodate an ECV. I'm really puzzled by all of these new concerns that have been addressed.

I had not been following this as closely as others, and was just reading what was posted I had saw said wheelchairs, which are certainly a whole different manner than most EVCs in dimension and weight.

 

[skyphotographer]

All these negative comments from something new that nobody here has even ridden in...unbelievable. If you don't want to use it, then don't. It's not like a security checkpoint, you don't have to participate. There are other modes of transportation available. My only complaint is that it won't be in operation for my upcoming May trip.

 

[lazyboy97o]

My main concern is simply deja vu. They tried the passive ventilation in the Cali monorails and that went horribly wrong that still results in closures when the temp gets too high. The preemptive strike of forced air in the stations looks like an attempt to fight back... but I’m still really concerned.

The Mark Vs also has passive ventilation and didn’t have the problems of the Mark VII which reduced the open area and rearranged the seating away from the windows.

 

[JoeCamel]

I had not been following this as closely as others, and was just reading what was posted I had saw said wheelchairs, which are certainly a whole different manner than most EVCs in dimension and weight.

Simple answer, they pull in and back out. Same as the monorails

 

[Kman101]

The difference is, these are being used in Disneyworld and guests expectations of comfort are likely to be higher than elsewhere.
For instance, if one were to board a gondola in oh... A hillside in Panama - a person wouldn't expect much.
A gondola system in WDW comes wit higher expectations.
That's the way it is.

The Gondola AC wouldn't ultimately be as beneficial as some think. Half the monorails' AC don't work, or you can barely feel it make a difference (and when the AC is off, you are enclosed without ventilation, unlike the Gondola). But I was on one (a monorail) that had very nice cold AC a few weeks ago ...

 

[truecoat]

I had not been following this as closely as others, and was just reading what was posted I had saw said wheelchairs, which are certainly a whole different manner than most EVCs in dimension and weight.

ECV's are the same width as a wheelchair and they weigh a whole lot less then a power wheelchair.