Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom Walkway

[Kamikaze]

They are desperate to provide any viable route of transport to remove the strain on the monorails and roads. Also, I believe there is another reason for this path.

There has to be a reason. They didn't just decide to finally build it without one. Something else played a factor in it. A new resort, an expansion, extended monorail downtime, something.

 

[Kamikaze]

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.

They've taken away most of what used to exist outdoors at Boardwalk, so I'd say never.

 

[ToTBellHop]

There has to be a reason. They didn't just decide to finally build it without one. Something else played a factor in it. A new resort, an expansion, extended monorail downtime, something.

Mmmhmm

 

[monothingie]

The more I look at it,

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...

It winds up being about a 5 minute longer walk than that to the CR Entrance

 

[Monorail_Orange]

There has to be a reason. They didn't just decide to finally build it without one. Something else played a factor in it. A new resort, an expansion, extended monorail downtime, something.

Agreed. There's more to this, and if I am reading some of our insider's hints earlier, they've confirmed as much as they can, which is there are ulterior motives in play.

 

[ABQ]

The more I look at it,

It winds up being about a 5 minute longer walk than that to the CR Entrance

And if it means not having to wait on the unreliable monorail or, if you're staying in a room close to the boat dock, not having to fold up a stroller to get aboard a launch, then the walk will take less time overall than dealing with all that. Most people realize they are going to be walking all day long anyway, so starting with the new walkway is not going to hinder them.

 

[monothingie]

Mmmhmm

 

[nickys]

Agreed. There's more to this, and if I am reading some of our insider's hints earlier, they've confirmed as much as they can, which is there are ulterior motives in play.

I don’t see that they are ulterior motives. Just other motives.

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Thursday, August 8, 2019. A better view of the bridge work for the walkway between the Grand Floridian Resort and the Magic Kingdom.

Note the swing bridge has already been delivered to the site, however the footings for the bridge have not even begun yet.

 

[PuertoRekinSam]

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.

I for one will also be more then happy to walk from the MK all the way to the TTC parking lot. Yes I realize the distance; and I realize it will not really save me time compared to waiting for the monorail/ boat. But I will gladly make the trek.

 

[danlb_2000]

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.

No, that looks like the actual bridge.

 

[sndral]

They are desperate to provide any viable route of transport to remove the strain on the monorails and roads. Also, I believe there is another reason for this path.

Applying logic here, if it were a future new resort adjoining the path, why build the path now? We haven’t even seen balloons suggesting a future resort have we? Thus no immediate need to provide access for a resort a couple of years away. So a new resort can’t be the driving force for building the path now after all these years.
The second possibility is that due to the building they’ve already done - VGF, BLT tower, Poly conversion - the existing transportation options aren’t up to the task & the path is an attempt to lesson existing crowding.
The third possibility is that there is planned reduction in the existing transportation - either monorails being reduced or boats.
I hope it’s not the boats - I love the boats.

 

[Beacon Joe]

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

I like his site and his podcast. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Not sure of the reason for the hatred of the guy expressed here. If it's for his silly rumor mongering, I'll point you to our rumor sub. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[larryz]

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.

Just remember to time it so that they won't be putting the Water Pageant to bed as you're trying to cross that canal...

 

[MisterPenguin]

I like his site and his podcast. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Not sure of the reason for the hatred of the guy expressed here. If it's for his silly rumor mongering, I'll point you to our rumor sub. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

His rumor mongering is silly at times. It's right at times. Hilariously wrong at other times. Clickbaity all the time. Taken from other sources without attribution at times. Refusing to admit he was wrong a lot of times. All served with a side of personal unpleasantness.

 

[MisterPenguin]

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

View attachment 396752

Anthropologie has really diversified the products they provide!

 

[monothingie]

Applying logic here, if it were a future new resort adjoining the path, why build the path now? We haven’t even seen balloons suggesting a future resort have we? Thus no immediate need to provide access for a resort a couple of years away. So a new resort can’t be the driving force for building the path now after all these years.
The second possibility is that due to the building they’ve already done - VGF, BLT tower, Poly conversion - the existing transportation options aren’t up to the task & the path is an attempt to lesson existing crowding.
The third possibility is that there is planned reduction in the existing transportation - either monorails being reduced or boats.
I hope it’s not the boats - I love the boats.

At Disney, unless you are inside a park, walking is never to be considered a primary method from getting from point A to point B.

Consider the possibility that the area where the Venetian resort was proposed gets developed. I believe there were height balloons seen there recently and there has been chatter about developing it again. Assuming it gets a monorail station, that means extended down time between CR and TTC, and implementing shuttle Monorail service between MK and TTC via GF and Poly. A walkway helps considerably with this.

 

[Creathir]

Is It possible this path will eventually be for foot traffic, but some other conveyance initially.

Trams for instance.

I’m thinking there is an expected extended monorail downtime in the near future.

 

[durangojim]

It is all an incredible waste of money for the ten people that will bother to walk from the Grand Floridian...
I would expect the budget for this nonsense to crest a million dollars that could be spent on substantive improvements to the parks that people would actually use.

I think many, maybe even a majority who have stayed at the GF more than once have wanted a walkway to the MK for the past 30 years. Especially since there is already a walkway from the MK that goes to the canal already.

 

[durangojim]

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...

I think there are a lot of people, my family included, who love to walk to DHS or Epcot from the Epcot resorts. I see this being no different for MK.