Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom Walkway

[DisneyOutsider]

What does this say about the state of thing when the welcome transportation improvement for the guests staying in some of the most expensive rooms on property is to add nearly an extra mile to their day (two if we're talking round trip) to their walk to avoid the problems with what Disney is already providing them to the park they paid to be closest to?

Not saying there's anything wrong with walking if that's what you want to do for fun or health but wanting to walk to avoid the hassle of Disney's transportation speaks to a problem of Disney's creation here, in my opinion, and certainly doesn't feel like it should be the mindset of someone who is spending hundreds of dollars a night on a "premium" room.

You're trying really hard to find a complaint here with this project, and it made me laugh.

 

[MrPromey]

You're trying really hard to find a complaint here with this project, and it made me laugh.

Look - I couldn't care less about it, personally. I won't be staying at the GF any time soon so it doesn't impact me much one way or the other.

Like I said, if this is something you want because you enjoy the walk or want to do it for other personal reasons - more power to you. In fact, for people that like to jog, I'm sure they'll like being able to go all the way around in the future.

Let me be clear, I absolutely do not see this project in-and-of-itself as a negative in any way.

And I'm not trying hard to do anything, here. It's just when people are saying this is preferable to dealing with the exiting crowds in the transportation that Disney is providing with quotes like "...left the Magic Kingdom at closing time, and seen the lines for the monorail and the resort launch, you would know that this walkway will get used a lot." and " Anyone who’s had to fight the evening resort line monorail from the MK will probably appreciate this path." which is probably about 70% of the people staying at the Grand Floridian, I find it funny that this is a welcome solution for that kind of problem.

Monorails have always backed up at prime times but there was a time back before Vacation clubs and room expansions (you know, that came with zero transportation enhancements to handle the extra capacity) at the monorail resorts when this kind of thing wasn't all that much of an issue.

Back in the day, the biggest problem at closing was people using this instead of the express line or the ferry to get back to the Ticket and Transportation because there wasn't much of a wait. Their focus back then was tying to keep non-monorial resort guests off the monorail line to keep the wait short-to-nonexistant for people who paid to stay at those resorts.

Again, to be clear, I'm not complaining about this project at all, just that it makes me laugh that people paying $700+ a night for a hotel room are looking at this as a solution to a problem they have with their "premium" experience - one that only began after Disney overbuilt the number of rooms reliant on the existing infrastructure.

A number of people in this thread are praising Disney for how great of a job they apparently do at getting ahead of this kind of stuff when it looks to me like they've been behind for years.

Maybe that makes me crazy or a "hater" or whatever for thinking that kind of enthusiasm and/or relief sounds a little Stockholm-ish but I know one of the things I'm not looking forward to after a long day at the MK is the opportunity for more walking - especially at those room prices.

Maybe I'm just lazy?

I don't know but somehow I doubt people staying at the Four Seasons around the corner would have a need for this due to issues with their provided transportation.

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

I think the latest photos are offering a clue as to the CONSTRUCTION of the new swing bridge.

I originally thought that this would be two "halves" on each shore, with a Center Support. And I could not figure out how boats would get past the Center support, in that narrow channel. I was dead wrong.

Looking at the delivered bridge? It's on one shore, and just about as long as the total channel width (eyeball). It also has extra structural support below the walking surface.

That bridge is far more a "draw bridge" than a "swing bridge". It's going to elevate on one shore.

 

[networkpro]

What does this say about the state of thing when the welcome transportation improvement for the guests staying in some of the most expensive rooms on property is to add nearly an extra mile to their day (two if we're talking round trip) to their walk to avoid the problems with what Disney is already providing them to the park they paid to be closest to?

Not saying there's anything wrong with walking if that's what you want to do for fun or health but wanting to walk to avoid the hassle of Disney's transportation speaks to a problem of Disney's creation here, in my opinion, and certainly doesn't feel like it should be the mindset of someone who is spending hundreds of dollars a night on a "premium" room.

Obviously you've never gotten stuck in a Grand Floridian monorail people jam.

 

[MrPromey]

Obviously you've never gotten stuck in a Grand Floridian monorail people jam.

That's totally my point.

For the prices Disney is charging guests at the Grand Floridian, there should be no "Grand Floridian monorail people jam". There didn't used to be back when tickets were cheaper, room rates were cheaper (with fewer of them on the monorail line), and dinosaurs roamed the earth.

Besides, the reality is it isn't just a "Grand Floridian jam". You're slumming it with those people going to the Contemporary and Polynesian, too. You know that, right?

 

[nickys]

I think the latest photos are offering a clue as to the CONSTRUCTION of the new swing bridge.

I originally thought that this would be two "halves" on each shore, with a Center Support. And I could not figure out how boats would get past the Center support, in that narrow channel. I was dead wrong.

Looking at the delivered bridge? It's on one shore, and just about as long as the total channel width (eyeball). It also has extra structural support below the walking surface.

That bridge is far more a "draw bridge" than a "swing bridge". It's going to elevate on one shore.

I don’t see how you’re jumping to the conclusion it’s a drawbridge?

Yes, it’s going to reach right across the canal. But it could simply swing through 90 degrees, rather than lift up vertically like a drawbridge, which needs a cable system of some kind. In fact I doubt they would install a system to elevate it completely to 90 degrees vertically. Swinging it round would be far easier.

 

[danlb_2000]

I think the latest photos are offering a clue as to the CONSTRUCTION of the new swing bridge.

I originally thought that this would be two "halves" on each shore, with a Center Support. And I could not figure out how boats would get past the Center support, in that narrow channel. I was dead wrong.

Looking at the delivered bridge? It's on one shore, and just about as long as the total channel width (eyeball). It also has extra structural support below the walking surface.

That bridge is far more a "draw bridge" than a "swing bridge". It's going to elevate on one shore.

It's called a swing bridge on the Reedy Creek map. A swing bridge doesn't need to rotate in the middle, here is an example that rotates from one end.

 

[HoldenC]

This bridge will likely get me back to the Magic Kingdom. There is nothing I despise more than parking at the TTC and taking the boat or monorail over. I would much rather power walk around the lagoon and right into the park

 

[danlb_2000]

This bridge will likely get me back to the Magic Kingdom. There is nothing I despise more than parking at the TTC and taking the boat or monorail over. I would much rather power walk around the lagoon and right into the park

That's going to be a long walk.

 

[HoldenC]

That's going to be a long walk.

I'm still young and fit enough to do it once a week

 

[ToTBellHop]

Look - I couldn't care less about it, personally. I won't be staying at the GF any time soon so it doesn't impact me much one way or the other.

Like I said, if this is something you want because you enjoy the walk or want to do it for other personal reasons - more power to you. In fact, for people that like to jog, I'm sure they'll like being able to go all the way around in the future.

Let me be clear, I absolutely do not see this project in-and-of-itself as a negative in any way.

And I'm not trying hard to do anything, here. It's just when people are saying this is preferable to dealing with the exiting crowds in the transportation that Disney is providing with quotes like "...left the Magic Kingdom at closing time, and seen the lines for the monorail and the resort launch, you would know that this walkway will get used a lot." and " Anyone who’s had to fight the evening resort line monorail from the MK will probably appreciate this path." which is probably about 70% of the people staying at the Grand Floridian, I find it funny that this is a welcome solution for that kind of problem.

Monorails have always backed up at prime times but there was a time back before Vacation clubs and room expansions (you know, that came with zero transportation enhancements to handle the extra capacity) at the monorail resorts when this kind of thing wasn't all that much of an issue.

Back in the day, the biggest problem at closing was people using this instead of the express line or the ferry to get back to the Ticket and Transportation because there wasn't much of a wait. Their focus back then was tying to keep non-monorial resort guests off the monorail line to keep the wait short-to-nonexistant for people who paid to stay at those resorts.

Again, to be clear, I'm not complaining about this project at all, just that it makes me laugh that people paying $700+ a night for a hotel room are looking at this as a solution to a problem they have with their "premium" experience - one that only began after Disney overbuilt the number of rooms reliant on the existing infrastructure.

A number of people in this thread are praising Disney for how great of a job they apparently do at getting ahead of this kind of stuff when it looks to me like they've been behind for years.

Maybe that makes me crazy or a "hater" or whatever for thinking that kind of enthusiasm and/or relief sounds a little Stockholm-ish but I know one of the things I'm not looking forward to after a long day at the MK is the opportunity for more walking - especially at those room prices.

Maybe I'm just lazy?

I don't know but somehow I doubt people staying at the Four Seasons around the corner would have a need for this due to issues with their provided transportation.

I do pay premium for the right to walk to a theme park. See also Contemporary, Yacht, Beach, and BoardWalk, which command a premium. As does Grand California, the closest hotels at DLP, and the hotels at Universal that don’t require a bus. Humans have legs and any hotel within a mile of a park will be accessible more quickly on foot than any other option. This is even more acutely the case at times where peak demand is placed on the transportation system.

It is a luxury to not have to wait in line. I assume a VIP monorail line for reserved cars for the wealthy on the monorail would be unpalatable to most?

 

[Beacon Joe]

What does this say about the state of things when the welcome transportation improvement for the guests staying in some of the most expensive rooms on property is to add nearly an extra mile to their day (two if we're talking round trip) to their walk to avoid the problems with what Disney is already providing them to the park they paid to be closest to?

Not saying there's anything wrong with walking if that's what you want to do for fun or health but wanting to walk to avoid the hassle of Disney's transportation speaks to a problem of Disney's creation here, in my opinion, and certainly doesn't feel like it should be the mindset of someone who is spending hundreds of dollars a night on a "premium" room.

LOL.

 

[cmb5002]

I don’t see how you’re jumping to the conclusion it’s a drawbridge?

Yes, it’s going to reach right across the canal. But it could simply swing through 90 degrees, rather than lift up vertically like a drawbridge, which needs a cable system of some kind. In fact I doubt they would install a system to elevate it completely to 90 degrees vertically. Swinging it round would be far easier.

While I agree it will be a swing bridge, a drawbridge does not require any cabling necessarily. Drawbridges can operate exclusively with hydraulic pistons.

 

[easyrowrdw]

Monorails have always backed up at prime times but there was a time back before Vacation clubs and room expansions (you know, that came with zero transportation enhancements to handle the extra capacity) at the monorail resorts when this kind of thing wasn't all that much of an issue.

Back in the day, the biggest problem at closing was people using this instead of the express line or the ferry to get back to the Ticket and Transportation because there wasn't much of a wait. Their focus back then was tying to keep non-monorial resort guests off the monorail line to keep the wait short-to-nonexistant for people who paid to stay at those resorts.

Again, to be clear, I'm not complaining about this project at all, just that it makes me laugh that people paying $700+ a night for a hotel room are looking at this as a solution to a problem they have with their "premium" experience - one that only began after Disney overbuilt the number of rooms reliant on the existing infrastructure.

How did they do this? Is there any talk of trying to actually limit the resort line to resort guests again? That would certainly increase the appeal of staying in those resorts.

I do wonder how many more guests are on the line because of DVC, though. The Polynesian only added bungalows, which even all full is only 160 people. Bay Lake Tower is the biggest. I've never stayed there, but I always hear how much owners like to walk to and from MK. I guess it mostly is Grand Floridian owners inconvenienced by crowded monorails, but it's at least one of (maybe the) smallest DVC resorts.

 

[EdnaMode]

I do like to walk for fun and/or fitness, but even if that wasn't the case, for those who have mobility, walking was, is and will always be the most flexible and simple form of transportation available. None of the other modes of transportation are ever going to run with the level of frequency walking can provide, no matter how many transportation options are developed and no matter how frequently they run.

There are people who choose resorts based on the logistics and convenience of how they plan their days at Disney parks and I appreciate having the *choice* to do this among the other *choices* for transportation. There might be problems with some of the other forms of transportation, but this is a great addition to what's already available at GF.

 

[Admiral01]

From the Monorail on Sunday, August 11.

 

[larryz]

I think the latest photos are offering a clue as to the CONSTRUCTION of the new swing bridge.

I originally thought that this would be two "halves" on each shore, with a Center Support. And I could not figure out how boats would get past the Center support, in that narrow channel. I was dead wrong.

Looking at the delivered bridge? It's on one shore, and just about as long as the total channel width (eyeball). It also has extra structural support below the walking surface.

That bridge is far more a "draw bridge" than a "swing bridge". It's going to elevate on one shore.

Doesn't look to me like it's stressed to lift from one end.

Now, if you wanted to lift it from BOTH ends, that might work... four hydraulic columns, one on each corner, could do the trick.

 

[sy278]

I think the latest photos are offering a clue as to the CONSTRUCTION of the new swing bridge.

I originally thought that this would be two "halves" on each shore, with a Center Support. And I could not figure out how boats would get past the Center support, in that narrow channel. I was dead wrong.

Looking at the delivered bridge? It's on one shore, and just about as long as the total channel width (eyeball). It also has extra structural support below the walking surface.

That bridge is far more a "draw bridge" than a "swing bridge". It's going to elevate on one shore.

It is a swing bridge opening such as the one indicated by below by danlb_2000.

It's called a swing bridge on the Reedy Creek map. A swing bridge doesn't need to rotate in the middle, here is an example that rotates from one end.

View attachment 398047

You can see in the new photos one end of it is curved:

From the Monorail on Sunday, August 11.
View attachment 398123

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

That's going to be a long walk.

Not if you break it up. 1st stop Mizner's. 2nd Stop Tambu Lounge. Then on to the TTC parking lot. I can see this becoming a new "ride" for me at least.

Also will make the GF and Poly dining options a little more viable.

 

[NormC]

It is not a drawbridge. It is a swing bridge.