News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[Incomudro]

This isn't directed at you personally, but of course strollers can be folded and carried on and off the gondola in the same way they need to be folder to travel on buses. Of course scooter and wheelchair uses aren't able to fold in general, but getting a scooter off should be far easier.

On NYC public transportation, strollers are supposed to be folded - and the child carried on - before boarding.
Not everyone does this of course... Most people probably don't. But the intention is take make boarding quicker for all, and safer for the child.

 

[joelkfla]

On NYC public transportation, strollers are supposed to be folded - and the child carried on - before boarding.
Not everyone does this of course... Most people probably don't. But the intention is take make boarding quicker for all, and safer for the child.

I saw a NYCT video of the head of the agency assisting a woman by carrying an unfolded stroller down the stairs of an El station.

 

[Incomudro]

I saw a NYCT video of the head of the agency assisting a woman by carrying an unfolded stroller down the stairs of an El station.

Most people commence entry on to the subway car with the child strapped in the stroller out in the lead as a sort of battering ram.
Quite dangerous for the little one.

 

[orky8]

This isn't directed at you personally, but of course strollers can be folded and carried on and off the gondola in the same way they need to be folder to travel on buses. Of course scooter and wheelchair uses aren't able to fold in general, but getting a scooter off should be far easier.

Like I said, wheeling the stroller on and off is fine, but it gave me the perspective to see what scooters are going through and why it is going to cause issues. When you wheel the scooter off the back wheels are going to stop their lateral movement. This is going to cause the entire scooter to begin pivoting so that it is no longer coming out perpindicular to the gondola as the front wheels are still inside it being pulled in the direction the gondola is going. So, the scooter needs to really floor it out of there but I bet people instinctively do the opposite, which is slowly back out. The slower you go, the more the pivot and I can just see how it causes issues.

I was only offering my experience with the stroller to say that I can see why this is causing issues for scooters based on that stroller experience. With the stroller, this pivoting action is very noticeable even though the gondolas move slowly in the station, by the time I step out and get the stroller out, where my feet first stepped out is a good 6 inches from where the front wheels exit. No big deal when pushing the stroller, but if a scooter’s back wheels end up 6 inches different from the front it’s going to start twisting and I think this is causing many slow downs on the Epcot line.

 

[GoofGoof]

Like I said, wheeling the stroller on and off is fine, but it gave me the perspective to see what scooters are going through and why it is going to cause issues. When you wheel the scooter off the back wheels are going to stop their lateral movement. This is going to cause the entire scooter to begin pivoting so that it is no longer coming out perpindicular to the gondola as the front wheels are still inside it being pulled in the direction the gondola is going. So, the scooter needs to really floor it out of there but I bet people instinctively do the opposite, which is slowly back out. The slower you go, the more the pivot and I can just see how it causes issues.

I was only offering my experience with the stroller to say that I can see why this is causing issues for scooters based on that stroller experience. With the stroller, this pivoting action is very noticeable even though the gondolas move slowly in the station, by the time I step out and get the stroller out, where my feet first stepped out is a good 6 inches from where the front wheels exit. No big deal when pushing the stroller, but if a scooter’s back wheels end up 6 inches different from the front it’s going to start twisting and I think this is causing many slow downs on the Epcot line.

To add to what you are saying, a large number of scooter drivers at WDW are inexperienced at maneuvering the vehicles as well. You have visitors who are regular users of electric wheelchairs or scooters who may have less of a problem but for the novice drivers who are renting and are not regular users it may pose an even bigger challenge

 

[Creathir]

To add to what you are saying, a large number of scooter drivers at WDW are inexperienced at maneuvering the vehicles as well. You have visitors who are regular users of electric wheelchairs or scooters who may have less of a problem but for the novice drivers who are renting and are not regular users it may pose an even bigger challenge

This right here was always my concern with the Skyliner and the scooters.

It’s one thing for a long time, regular user to easily board a gondola while it is in motion, but it is completely different for an inexperienced driver to do so.

And imagine had Disney not built out the HA loading sections. Every line would have these problems, only magnified since each station (not just Riviera) would have scooters loading and unloading. Earlier in this thread those of us who brought this up were sanctimoniously dismissed as borderline heretics for expressing this concern...
Yet here we are...

I’m confident Disney will get it figured out, either with process, physical station improvements, or moving Riviera HA to buses, but they’ll address it in the long term, I have no doubt.

 

[Goofyernmost]

On NYC public transportation, strollers are supposed to be folded - and the child carried on - before boarding.
Not everyone does this of course... Most people probably don't. But the intention is take make boarding quicker for all, and safer for the child.

When I was in the public busing business, they were to be folded, no exceptions. No fold, no ride! It is a safety issue because a stroller cannot be secured in case of a sudden stop. Strollers become projectiles. Not only would the child be injured but other riders are also involve by being hit by it. Same thing if your wheelchair and scooter spaces are filled already, if another bus is scheduled within 20 minutes they must wait. If it would be longer you called in and someone had to come out and pick them up with another bus or a smaller vehicle with a handicap lift available.

 

[Horizons '83]

Something I can't seem to find through search but is the fastest way to get from HS to Epcot still boat transportation or would skyliner be the best option now?

 

[trainplane3]

Something I can't seem to find through search but is the fastest way to get from HS to Epcot still boat transportation or would skyliner be the best option now?

I'm pretty sure it's Skyliner/walking over the boats.

 

[larryz]

Something I can't seem to find through search but is the fastest way to get from HS to Epcot still boat transportation or would skyliner be the best option now?

As long as you don't run into one of these situations, I'd take the Skyliner. But you'll know as soon as you get to the station.

It wasn’t consistent. And was down frequently in both of my December trips 2 weeks apart. I planned on gondola-ing from studios to Epcot. Met with this.
View attachment 438715

 

[Rhinocerous]

I'm pretty sure it's Skyliner/walking over the boats.

How long to walk over the Skyliner? Like a ninja hopping from car to car.

 

[Kamikaze]

Something I can't seem to find through search but is the fastest way to get from HS to Epcot still boat transportation or would skyliner be the best option now?

The boat was never the fastest because of all the stops at the resorts.

Assuming no (or minimal) stops or waits on the Skyliner, its the fastest, followed by walking, followed by the Friendship boats. If you're a really fast walker (~4mph), then walking would be fastest. But average walking pace is ~3mph, so most people would be faster talking the Skyliner.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

In all honesty, walking, the boats, and the skyliner take about the same time. If the skyliner has no line at CB and no slow-downs or stops it’s 3-5 minutes faster I think?

A non-stop boat would be faster for sure. Do you remember when Disney would operate non-stop DHS to Epcot boats during busy seasons? I do.

 

[GoofGoof]

Something I can't seem to find through search but is the fastest way to get from HS to Epcot still boat transportation or would skyliner be the best option now?

Assuming no breakdowns Skyway is faster.

If you are in a hurry, late for a reservation or just short on time overall the fastest way may very well be the best option. I would factor in overall experience as well as scenery/views. The boat ride is relaxing with some nice scenery that mirrors the walking trail. Skyway gives you a unique birds eye view over or next to several resorts and the edge of the parks.

 

[Gabe1]

Something I can't seem to find through search but is the fastest way to get from HS to Epcot still boat transportation or would skyliner be the best option now?

We timed it in December. One on the boat the other on the Skyliner. Note the Boat had just pulled up and was boarding. I went on the Skyliner. The boat beat us by about 3 minutes.

If you miss a boat and need to wait 20 minutes until the next boat obviously in that case the Gondola would be the clear winner absent of breaking downs or long pauses.

Often Roll the Dice. You can't avoid on not running into Gondola down situations with the Caribbean/Epcot leg of the gondola. Best to look up, see if the Epcot line is running and ask the boat captains when the next boat is coming. Given the two choices being somewhat equal I do prefer the ride on the gondola though it gets rather un-comfy when you are riding in close quarters with odd guests, happened only twice to us. It is rather close in there.

 

[Horizons '83]

We timed it in December. One on the boat the other on the Skyliner. Note the Boat had just pulled up and was boarding. I went on the Skyliner. The boat beat us by about 3 minutes.

If you miss a boat and need to wait 20 minutes until the next boat obviously in that case the Gondola would be the clear winner absent of breaking downs or long pauses.

Often Roll the Dice. You can't avoid on not running into Gondola down situations with the Caribbean/Epcot leg of the gondola. Best to look up, see if the Epcot line is running and ask the boat captains when the next boat is coming. Given the two choices being somewhat equal I do prefer the ride on the gondola though it gets rather un-comfy when you are riding in close quarters with odd guests, happened only twice to us. It is rather close in there.

Great insight! Thank You

 

[flynnibus]

We timed it in December. One on the boat the other on the Skyliner. Note the Boat had just pulled up and was boarding. I went on the Skyliner. The boat beat us by about 3 minutes.

That is crazy... given how long it takes for the boat to pull up, be secured, wait to dispatch, then time to dock, to secure, to let people off, etc... and the slow transit itself. Normally I avoid the boats unless they are just getting ready to leave because they hold so long waiting to depart, and all the overhead it takes for them to dock. How many waits did you have on the skyliner for it to fail to beat the boat?

 

[Bender123]

That is crazy... given how long it takes for the boat to pull up, be secured, wait to dispatch, then time to dock, to secure, to let people off, etc... and the slow transit itself. Normally I avoid the boats unless they are just getting ready to leave because they hold so long waiting to depart, and all the overhead it takes for them to dock. How many waits did you have on the skyliner for it to fail to beat the boat?

Even with the docking, the route is basically a straight line, while the Gondola is, basically, the outside of a rectangle, with a reload in the middle. The Gondola covers a heck of a lot more distance. Even at a higher speed of travel, the boat just travels a much shorter distance.
The true way to measure it would be to take the entire average process over many trips. The overall process would be something like randomly start a timer as two people walk through the exit at the studios and stop when the person arrives at Epcot. Most likely, the average wait for a boat to actually arrive for you to board will quickly kill off the travel time advantage.

For example, lets say two people leave the Studios at the same time and one heads for the gondola and the other for the boat, buuuut….the boat just pulled away and that person has to wait for the next one before boarding. Its entirely likely that in the 10-15 minutes waiting for the next boat, the Gondola person is already pulling out of the Riviera station and on the last leg of the trip.

If everything is perfect and the boat is there, the boat is slightly faster, but in any situation where you would need to wait for the boat, the gondola will almost always be the better option.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

The boat really doesn’t take that long... it just seems like it because the 3 resort stops are pretty close together so it’s a lot of starting and stopping. I’m not surprised at all that the boat beats out the skyliner.

 

[Gabe1]

That is crazy... given how long it takes for the boat to pull up, be secured, wait to dispatch, then time to dock, to secure, to let people off, etc... and the slow transit itself. Normally I avoid the boats unless they are just getting ready to leave because they hold so long waiting to depart, and all the overhead it takes for them to dock. How many waits did you have on the skyliner for it to fail to beat the boat?

One pause on Epcot portion. Remember you have to transfer to the studio line at the Caribbean. On the Epcot line you can visually see how close that is to to the Studios as you are directed to the Caribbean and reboard to the Studios. It is really a pleasant ride. Much better than any other option. They can’t pack it like buses and monorail. Plus most of the is pretty.