News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[joelkfla]

So, how does this work from leaving the park? Is it still every 20 the other way around? And how does this affect when the park closes for the night and your still in FW having to high tail it over to International Gateway and the CM's barricade you going back that direction when it closes for the night...I'm a late night person so I'd like to make sure I can still get over to the Skyliner after the park closes...

They may be scheduled to leave the parks every 20 minutes, but the difference is that coordinators can more easily make adjustments to handle loading levels leaving the parks. But if there's not an overflowing queue at the load zone, you'll probably be waiting until the next 20-minute scheduled departure. At park closing, buses aren't scheduled; they're dispatched as the coordinator sees best.

 

[drizgirl]

I'm sure if one or more lines go down, they add more busses to go back to every 20 minutes for the duration.

I'm sure they will. The question is how long will that take.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

I wonder how this will effect the efficiency of the Skyliner. If lines will be longer, slower loading etc

 

[peter11435]

Rather bold given the continued reports of issues with the Epcot line.

Maybe this means they feel those issues have been resolved?

I still doubt bus service will end completely.

They started by no longer posting bus times on the digital signs for these routes and encouraging skyliner use, now they are reducing the interval of bus dispatches. They are slowly taking the steps to the eventual elimination of bus service.

 

[Disney Analyst]

They started by no longer posting bus times on the digital signs for these routes and encouraging skyliner use, now they are reducing the interval of bus dispatches. They are slowly taking the steps to the eventual elimination of bus service.

Which was always the plan with the skyliner being built.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Cast members will not stop you from going to international gateway at any point

I had to explain to a cast member that I was going to mouse gear in order to pass him. While you are correct that I was not stopped, they are getting pretty aggressive imho.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Well who’d have thought it?

Yup, pretty shocking alright!

 

[peter11435]

I had to explain to a cast member that I was going to mouse gear in order to pass him. While you are correct that I was not stopped, they are getting pretty aggressive imho.

I don’t know where you were at the time or what direction you were heading. But cast members will not stop you from going to international gateway. Remember there are 5 resorts out there even before the skyliner. They may however restrict what route you can take to get to IG.

 

[peter11435]

Which was always the plan with the skyliner being built.

Exactly

 

[Goofyernmost]

All pretty shocking. Can you imagine? Why on earth would they spend millions of dollars to build an alternative transportation system and not keep running the old one at the same time. What a head scratcher!

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I don’t know where you were at the time or what direction you were heading. But cast members will not stop you from going to international gateway. Remember there are 5 resorts out there even before the skyliner. They may however restrict what route you can take to get to IG.

I was walking from near the pin store / kiosk towards mouse gear. I never said they would stop people from going to IG, just saying that I was stopped and asked where I was going when I was headed to mouse gear. It seemed a bit aggressive to me. But that’s my opinion.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

All pretty shocking. Can you imagine? Why on earth would they spend millions of dollars to build an alternative transportation system and not keep running the old one at the same time. What a head scratcher!

Busses run on the regular 20 minute interval at wilderness lodge despite boats also running correct?

 

[Goofyernmost]

Busses run on the regular 20 minute interval at wilderness lodge despite boats also running correct?

I don't know. Do they run buses every 20 minutes all day long to MK? It says in one of there promotional things that they provide boat travel to MK but bus transport to all the other parks. Also if they do, perhaps it is because they cannot meet the necessary capacity using boats like they can with the Gondola's that even completely outrun the Buses in people and speed to those venues. Even if it stops once in awhile. Which it won't always do.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I don't know. Do they run buses every 20 minutes all day long to MK?

I think so? I know I’ve taken the bus from wilderness lodge to mk and the wait seemed normal.

 

[nickys]

I think so? I know I’ve taken the bus from wilderness lodge to mk and the wait seemed normal.

That could also be because not all the boats can take ECVs.

 

[peter11435]

That could also be because not all the boats can take ECVs.

This. The boats are not always accessible and have a significantly lower capacity than the skyliner. Buses are necessary to adequately meet demand.

 

[GoofGoof]

Busses run on the regular 20 minute interval at wilderness lodge despite boats also running correct?

Those are the smaller boats. The Friendship boats run between BC/YC/BW and both EPCOT and DHS and there are no regular busses to either of those parks from those resorts. That’s probably the better comparison.

 

[Victor Kelly]

If the bus service is so tried and true, why do you drive?

Because I do not like my schedule dictated to me. I am a professional driver and enjoy my freedom. The busses can take the sheep.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Because I do not like my schedule dictated to me. I am a professional driver and enjoy my freedom. The busses can take the sheep.

Basically the same reason that I do. I was a bus driver for a few years before I got into management. Still drove, but not constant. I find no fear in driving around WDW or the area outside of WDW. So it saves me a lot of time and frustration and unpleasant odors that I get with buses at Disney. I would not fear the Gondola's for a second and I truly believe that whatever bugs the system has right now, will be worked out given enough time. And since no one is obligated to stay at a Gondola Resort it is silly to keep talking about them. Either you do or you don't, there is no try. Thank you Yoda!

 

[GoofGoof]

Because I do not like my schedule dictated to me. I am a professional driver and enjoy my freedom. The busses can take the sheep.

When they are working properly the gondolas are continuously moving and loading so they are actually designed to remove that element of having your schedule dictated to you. There’s no waiting 20-40 mins for the next bus to arrive or running to try to catch the bus before it pulls away. I think that was part of the appeal vs busses. I know things aren’t working exactly as planned right now, but in theory the system can be a more pleasant overall experience vs waiting for the bus...at least from that one aspect.