EPCOT-International Gateway entrance?

[wagnerdanp]

Hello all,

When walking from the Beach Club towards EPCOT's International Gateway, there is a large turn around with grass in the middle. Plus the area has a cover for people to stand under. My question is, did this use to be a tram stop? Where did the tram go? EPCOT Main Entrance or around the lagoon where the yacht and beach clubs are now? Or is this turn around circle for something else, but i have never seen it used. I hope this link works for everyone so that you know what I am talking about. http://local.live.com/?v=2&sp=Point.nqvgjg863gb3_1_Why is this here?__&encType=1 *Note you may have to hit the bird's eye view.

 

[fillerup]

This covered area was a tram stop many years ago.

The trams ran to the Swan and Dolphin long before Boardwalk was built. When BW construction began, the trams ended.

I don't really remember whether Beach and Yacht had been built then - but someone will.

 

[Bug715]

I was wondering that too when I was there a month ago.

 

[dave2822]

This covered area was a tram stop many years ago.

The trams ran to the Swan and Dolphin long before Boardwalk was built. When BW construction began, the trams ended.

I don't really remember whether Beach and Yacht had been built then - but someone will.

I'm almost 100% positive Yacht and Beach were built the same year as the Swan and Dolphin (1990?)

 

[wagnerdanp]

I'm almost 100% positive Yacht and Beach were built the same year as the Swan and Dolphin (1990?)

Yes those resorts were built in 1990, so the tram stop must have been for something else. OR Disney built it with the idea to transport guests to MGM? Maybe?

 

[maelstrom]

That was for the pink and teal tram!!! We rode this in 1993 when we stayed at the Dolphin for a convention. The boardwalk itself was there, but not the resort. I think the Yacht & Beach Club may have been under construction. The tram was a great way to get to the International Gateway. My mom and I took it to get to Epcot and lounge around for a bit while my dad was doing convention stuff. I'm glad that I was able to ride it. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of it. I wish they would bring it back. :\

 

[csmat99]

That was for the pink and teal tram!!! We rode this in 1993 when we stayed at the Dolphin for a convention. The boardwalk itself was there, but not the resort. I think the Yacht & Beach Club may have been under construction. The tram was a great way to get to the International Gateway. My mom and I took it to get to Epcot and lounge around for a bit while my dad was doing convention stuff. I'm glad that I was able to ride it. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of it. I wish they would bring it back. :\

Yacht and beach club opened in 90 the same year the Swan and Dolpin opened. The tram operated I believe until just after Boardwalk (hotel) opened up in July of 1996.

 

[gardenia]

I recall staying at Yacht Club after the contruction on the BWI/BV began, and we took the trams to Epcot. I believe the year was 1995. YC, BC, Swan, and Dolphin resorts all opened in 1990, and guests at all of them had access to the trams. The Boardwalk resort opened in 1996, and the trams stopped almost immediately due to the Boardwalk foot traffic.

 

[maelstrom]

Yacht and beach club opened in 90 the same year the Swan and Dolpin opened. The train operated I believe until just after Boardwalk (hotel) opened up in July of 1996.

I wasn't sure, because I have pictures of some construction in that area. It must be of the Beach Club villas. We never stayed in the Epcot resort area again, so I didn't keep up with the status of the trams.

 

[wagnerdanp]

Does anyone have any pics of the tram?

 

[marni1971]

Somewhere, but I can`t locate it. Note to self, must clean my Hard Drives....

It was a regular parking tram in a different colour scheme.

BTW, The Swan opened early Winter 1989, the Dolphin early summer 1990 (though both had phased openings), the Yacht and Beach Clubs November 5th 1990. They were just part of the first Eisner-led expansion of the World that began March 27th 1986 with Disney MGMs Production Center groundbreaking. The expansion also included the D-MGM Studios Theme Park and parking lot, the Caribbean Beach resort, the extension of Buena Vista Drive and also Crescent Lake, connecting canals, and the International Gateway.

Now that todays pointless trivia is out of the way, I`ll try to find the tram pic.

 

[wagnerdanp]

Thank you for looking for the pic. Does anyone else have a pic of the tram?

 

[mrerk]

Somewhere, but I can`t locate it. Note to self, must clean my Hard Drives....

It was a regular parking tram in a different colour scheme.

I was picturing in my head something more like the Castaway Cay tram, but white with the "postcard" Boardwalk logo on it.

We were only on it once. I think it was 1996 when we were there for the Inaugural Indy 200 race. BW was still under construction at the time.

 

[wagnerdanp]

Does anyone know what all the stops were along the trams route? Like where at the BC, YC, Swan, and Dolphin? Also, is there a turn around like at EPCOT's International Gateway?

 

[wagnerdanp]

Does anyone know what all the stops were along the trams route? Like where at the BC, YC, Swan, and Dolphin? Also, is there a turn around like at EPCOT's International Gateway?

Any takers?

 

[mikeymouse]

I was too little to remember this^. Yes there is a loop at the IG and the covered queue has been demo'ed. There is a video on YT.

 

[WDW_Jon]

As others said, was mainly to get Swolphin guests back around the lagoon but to be honest whichever route you walk from the Dolphin in particular to the IG it’s a similar distance so Boardwalk hasn’t shortened it meaning it probably wasn’t necessary...

 

[legwand77]

Here is a video of it in action