Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom Walkway

[danlb_2000]

It looks like it will be around 0.66 miles from the MK front gate to the GF. By contrast the path to the Contemporary is .46 miles.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I hope I am wrong... I just know Florida weather, and how people feel after a day at the parks... and it is a lot farther than it looks...

The walkways from Contemporary to MK and Crescent Lake to Epcot and DHS are heavily used.

 

[JohnD]

No it is not a waste of money. Grand Floridian is not far from Magic Kingdom, compared to Polynesian's location. It's pretty much like Contemporary in terms of location right by the park. When you're staying at GF and you board the monorail to get to MK, the ride is the shortest, since the park's right there practically. However, going back is different, where you have to go through the other two hotels & TTC before getting to GF, unless you decide to take the water taxi. This is basically just offering another possible way for guests at GF to get to MK and back to the hotel instead of relying on monorail or water taxi--the same as the guests staying at Contemporary, where they can use the monorail even though it would be silly to go through all that when they can just use their walkway to get to MK. Plus this could possibly help alleviate the crowds waiting to get on the monorail. People going from MK to GF and vice versa can walk if they want instead of having to use the monorail/boat and everybody knows the monorails get super crowded at times. Anyone who complains about something minute like this is probably jealous because they know they'll never be able to afford staying at GF and so complaining about something that shouldn't mean anything to them makes them feel better. Otherwise I don't see why people think this is such a problem.

Contemporary and GF will be mirrors of each other as far as monorail and walkways are concerned. Quickest routes below (when GF walkway is finished):

Resort to MK

• Contemporary: Walking
• GF: Monorail

MK to Resort

• Contemporary: Monorail
• GF: Walking

 

[Master Yoda]

Contemporary and GF will be mirrors of each other as far as monorail and walkways are concerned. Quickest routes below (when GF walkway is finished):

Resort to MK

• Contemporary: Walking
• GF: Monorail

MK to Resort

• Contemporary: Monorail
• GF: Walking

And this is why I think the walkway will be most used at the end of the evening. There are nights were going to one of the All Stars via bus is almost quicker than going to GF via monorail.

 

[gerarar]

I wonder if the money for the Main Street Theater got relocated for this walkway...

 

[TiggerDad]

Also, I believe there is another reason for this path.

Exercise path:

 

[solidyne]

I hope I am wrong... I just know Florida weather, and how people feel after a day at the parks... and it is a lot farther than it looks...

One thing the walkway offers is the ability to make it not a whole day at the parks. To walk back mid-day to GF and to Poly is a huge deal.

I agree with the poster who earlier said this was the best thing they've done in a long time. Of course, how long will it be until they clutter the nice peaceful walkway with booths, seating, dessert parties, kiosks, etc., etc.?

And yes I am very jealous and won't be staying at either location in the foreseeable future, but I have in the past and always wanted such a path.

 

[DisDadWoz]

One thing the walkway offers is the ability to make it not a whole day at the parks. To walk back mid-day to GF and to Poly is a huge deal.

I agree with the poster who earlier said this was the best thing they've done in a long time. Of course, how long will it be until they clutter the nice peaceful walkway with booths, seating, dessert parties, kiosks, etc., etc.?

And yes I am very jealous and won't be staying at either location in the foreseeable future, but I have in the past and always wanted such a path.

Don't give them any ideas about kiosks along the way!! It hasn't happened on the walk to HS from Epcot resorts so probably won't here either. Peaceful walkways are great ways to wind down coming back.

 

[danlb_2000]

One thing the walkway offers is the ability to make it not a whole day at the parks....

How does the walkway make that any different then today?

 

[FerretAfros]

It looks like it will be around 0.66 miles from the MK front gate to the GF. By contrast the path to the Contemporary is .46 miles.

Similarly, DLR is currently completing a new pedestrian bridge and path to connect the existing Mickey & Friends and new Pixar Pals parking structures to the parks. When complete, the route through DTD will be approximately 0.70mi to the structures, plus another 0.35mi to the farthest parking spaces. Tram service will continue to be provided, but doesn’t have the capacity to handle the additional influx from the new structure.

The (temporarily?) shelved Eastern Gateway project would have placed the new transit hub and parking structure approximately 0.50mi from the parks, plus another 0.25mi to the farthest parking spaces. The only way to get to the parks from here would be on foot; no transportation or moving walkways would be provided.

Perhaps Disney is finally realizing that their parks have the density of an urban core, and the best way to meet demand is to improve pedestrian mobility. I hope that this doesn’t come at the expense of a multimodal transit system (perhaps the Eastern Gateway’s biggest flaw, in a very flawed design), but rather as an additional layer, to provide options and flexibility for all scenarios

 

[MisterPenguin]

Also, I believe there is another reason for this path.

Bigger smoking section confirmed!!!

 

[solidyne]

How does the walkway make that any different then today?

True. Monorail/boat may at times be faster. I'm mostly thinking of my times at the Contemporary, when "felt" like I could just "pop" back the room for a break. And I did that often! Mostly a psychological effect, probably, as other transport woulda worked.

 

[SKG]

It will be nice to walk and not be stuffed in a bus or monorail like a NYC subway. Good way to unwind. Again...you don't have to utilize it. It's just another transportation option.

 

[Ponderer]

Don't give them any ideas about kiosks along the way!! It hasn't happened on the walk to HS from Epcot resorts so probably won't here either. Peaceful walkways are great ways to wind down coming back.

I think having one kiosk halfway along selling water and cold drinks on a blazingly hot, humid day would be the single most beloved diversion in Disney park history.

 

[trainplane3]

Bridge is on site. It's a swing bridge as we expected. Waiting for a good source to share a picture from (aka not *that* site).

 

[monothingie]

Bridge is on site. It's a swing bridge as we expected. Waiting for a good source to share a picture from (aka not *that* site).

Very strange the bridge shows up onsite without pilings even driven or forms completed.

 

[ABQ]

Very strange the bridge shows up onsite without pilings even driven or forms completed.

I don't know anything about building a bridge, but I do wonder if what's arrived onsite is more of a construction platform to build the new bridge itself from? Again, speculating as I have no clue at all.

 

[flyerjab]

I hope I am wrong... I just know Florida weather, and how people feel after a day at the parks... and it is a lot farther than it looks...

Doubt it’s farther than Crescent Lake to DHS. We use that all of the time, as do many other people. I can’t count the number of times I have hoped for this to happen. We’d even use this staying at the Poly.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Via he-who-must-not-be-named or one of his Death Eaters:

 

[GlacierGlacier]

Ok, so I found a picture of the site on a public Snapchat post. I have no idea who the poster is, and it's not great quality, as it was taken on a smartphone at the Grand floridian, but here: