News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

mm121

Well-Known Member
I was going to ask this. Since Riviera is a "deluxe" resort, do guests get some sort of priority or increased availability of the gondolas over Caribbean Beach?
At CB everyone exits whatever gondola they arrived on so there will be no shortage of empty ones for people to leave on.

Plus they are stored there so there may exist the possibility of adding more during busy times.
 

Ripken10

Well-Known Member
They'll likely send empty ones on a regular basis. They can radio CBR/IG if things back up to increase the number of empty ones.
IMO - the only time where it could be an issue with Riviera not having gondola's to board would be at park open. At park open, those heading to Epcot from Riviera would still have all the gondolas (empty) that start the day between CBR and Riviera. The efficiency of the system may make it a mute point. Even at the start of the day, you don't have a huge mass coming to the system all at once.

The only other two possible times of anybody having to wait any (short) amount of time for a gondola would be (a) at park close -- but that shouldn't effect those at the Riviera because the chances are those that exit at Riviera would far outnumber anybody that is trying to get a Gondola at that point in the night or (b) after any short closure due to weather -- but again this probably would be of little concern because most weather delays occur at low traffic times so it wouldn't take long for the Gondola to eliminate any crowds that waited.

Again, just my opinion, but seeing how they work in the areas I have, and the likely peak times for gondolas, the efficiency of them should handle just fine to avoid any issues at the Riviera without having to save empty ones (they could always do it in extreme circumstances, but why send empty ones if you don't need to right?).

Of course, just like a ski resort, there will be many empty gondolas even at peak, when a group is not paying attention and lets the gondola go by or gets in the wrong one (it always happens, hate being behind those people at a ski resort)
 

joelkfla

Well-Known Member
At park open, those heading to Epcot from Riviera would still have all the gondolas (empty) that start the day between CBR and Riviera.
What about all the CBR Guests, and those from Pop/AoA transferring at CBR? They'll all be on the gondolas before they get to Riviera.

If you're thinking of any cabins that may have spent the night on the rope after CBR (assuming they leave them on the rope overnight), I'm sure the rope will start running well before the opening crush.
 

joelkfla

Well-Known Member
There are more recent aerials on the county appraisers website:


View attachment 360014

Click off parcel lines in layers and in Base Map, chose 2019. It's from January.

This will eventually hit Google Earth and Maps.
Seems the OCPA map has been taken offline.

However, Google Earth now has imagery dated 12/17/2018.

I'll be surprised if new imagery makes it into Google Maps anytime soon. It still show DS before any parking garages were built; the foundations for Orange are just being laid.
 

joelkfla

Well-Known Member
So now that current imagery is available on Google Earth, I measured the actual distance between stations and calculated the travel time at 5 m/s (app. 11.2 mph). Add a minute or so for time moving thru stations for DHS & Pop, perhaps 2 minutes for Epcot.

CBR to:Distance (m)Minutes
@ 5 m/s
Est. travel
time
Epcot 2,461 8.20 10
DHS 1,177 3.92 5
Pop/AoA 928 3.09 4
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
Seems the OCPA map has been taken offline.

However, Google Earth now has imagery dated 12/17/2018.

I'll be surprised if new imagery makes it into Google Maps anytime soon. It still show DS before any parking garages were built; the foundations for Orange are just being laid.

That's odd. I was just looking at them the other day. Maybe a connection glitch to ESRI.
 

Cesar R M

Well-Known Member
I was going to ask this. Since Riviera is a "deluxe" resort, do guests get some sort of priority or increased availability of the gondolas over Caribbean Beach?
Is Rivera really marketed as Deluxe? I tough it was going to be more in the middle level executive type resort?
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
Is Rivera really marketed as Deluxe? I tough it was going to be more in the middle level executive type resort?

All DVC is classified as Deluxe, even though you have a wide range of accommodations from the two person Murphy bed studio to multi-room suites. The locations have Deluxe level amenities such as spa, gym, better-themed pools, signature restaurants, etc...
 

winstongator

Well-Known Member
Seems the OCPA map has been taken offline.

However, Google Earth now has imagery dated 12/17/2018.

I'll be surprised if new imagery makes it into Google Maps anytime soon. It still show DS before any parking garages were built; the foundations for Orange are just being laid.
I lost a morning to playing with Google Earth and all the old WDW imagery it has. I had forgotten how Downtown Disney's parking was configured before the garages. After checking that out, I looked at a lot of the resort area before the hotels (&AK) were built.
 

Bender123

Well-Known Member
IMO - the only time where it could be an issue with Riviera not having gondola's to board would be at park open. At park open, those heading to Epcot from Riviera would still have all the gondolas (empty) that start the day between CBR and Riviera. The efficiency of the system may make it a mute point. Even at the start of the day, you don't have a huge mass coming to the system all at once.

The only other two possible times of anybody having to wait any (short) amount of time for a gondola would be (a) at park close -- but that shouldn't effect those at the Riviera because the chances are those that exit at Riviera would far outnumber anybody that is trying to get a Gondola at that point in the night or (b) after any short closure due to weather -- but again this probably would be of little concern because most weather delays occur at low traffic times so it wouldn't take long for the Gondola to eliminate any crowds that waited.

Again, just my opinion, but seeing how they work in the areas I have, and the likely peak times for gondolas, the efficiency of them should handle just fine to avoid any issues at the Riviera without having to save empty ones (they could always do it in extreme circumstances, but why send empty ones if you don't need to right?).

Of course, just like a ski resort, there will be many empty gondolas even at peak, when a group is not paying attention and lets the gondola go by or gets in the wrong one (it always happens, hate being behind those people at a ski resort)

Just watch the traffic patterns of mornings at the bus stops...People straggle in randomly for most of the morning. I doubt there will be any huge crush of people. It will be busy, but there are two big advantages...Riviera is fairly small compared to the others and the rest of the resorts will be pretty spaced out. The system should have no problem with it. Just think of how many people get left behind at opening for a bus, now increase that capacity by 10 fold and you can see that the natural spacing of people will be pretty simple to account for.

The big issue will be at close, but I doubt that will be much of a wait...there will be waits, but nowhere near what the bus is.
 

Doug Means

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure if its been posted on this thread yet, sorry if it has, but i have a few questions:
  1. how many people an hour can this system handle?
  2. do the gondolas have AC?
  3. How do they evacuate the gondolas in a stoppage emergency (over land and over water)?
  4. Are the gators in the water?
  5. what about the florida lightening?
  6. will the gondola resorts still have bus service?

am i missing something?
 

rle4lunch

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure if its been posted on this thread yet, sorry if it has, but i have a few questions:
  1. how many people an hour can this system handle?
  2. do the gondolas have AC?
  3. How do they evacuate the gondolas in a stoppage emergency (over land and over water)?
  4. Are the gators in the water?
  5. what about the florida lightening?
  6. will the gondola resorts still have bus service?
am i missing something?

  1. alot
  2. no
  3. very carefully
  4. most likely
  5. think of it as a tower of terror bonus scene if you end up being struck whilst riding
  6. yes

not being snarky, but there's answers to these questions in the past 800 pages. I realize that you shouldn't have to wade through 800 pages of answers, but these questions are literally posted every couple days, along with the various death scenarios for each. *sigh.
 

beertiki

Well-Known Member
The wait for the gondola will be better than a bus stop, because the line will constantly move, and you will be able to see that you are getting closer and closer.

One of the worst experiences you can have on a Disney vacation is to end up in a bus line for your resort at closing , and know that you will not have a space on the next bus. Then you sit there and watch as 2 busses for Port Orleans pass by and leave less than half full. An hour later you make it back to your resort. A close 2nd is in the morning, except you watch 2 busses pick up for Epoct.

Give me a constantly moving line with an end I can see anyday.
 

OG Runner

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure if its been posted on this thread yet, sorry if it has, but i have a few questions:
  1. how many people an hour can this system handle?
  2. do the gondolas have AC?
  3. How do they evacuate the gondolas in a stoppage emergency (over land and over water)?
  4. Are the gators in the water?
  5. what about the florida lightening?
  6. will the gondola resorts still have bus service?
am i missing something?
  1. Supposedly more than the buses.
  2. Never even think of asking that question again.
  3. Bungee cords.
  4. Yes, included at no extra charge.
  5. Again, included at no extra charge.
  6. Sure, with no set schedule. They are going to look for a way to get you on the gondolas.

You asked the AC question, so, yes, you are missing something. :joyfull:
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
I'm not sure if its been posted on this thread yet, sorry if it has, but i have a few questions:
  1. how many people an hour can this system handle?
  2. do the gondolas have AC?
  3. How do they evacuate the gondolas in a stoppage emergency (over land and over water)?
  4. Are the gators in the water?
  5. what about the florida lightening?
  6. will the gondola resorts still have bus service?
am i missing something?

  1. About 2,400 - 3,000 PPH. Or, three packed buses worth every 6 minutes.
  2. No, vents top and bottom with air flowing at its speed of 11 mph.
  3. The gondolas are low enough that trucks/pontoons with arms and scissor lifts can lower people.
  4. Always. The gondolas don't travel underwater.
  5. Lightning (no 'e') affects gondolas like the ferry transports, they close when it's close and buses are deployed in their stead.
  6. Probably not, except maybe a very reduced schedule. So, get over your fear of heights, or wait 45 minutes for a bus, or drive yourself, or Lyft, or chose some other resort.
 

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