News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[Imagineer45]

This idea has probably been mentioned before somewhere in the 1000+ pages of posts, but I think extending the Skyliner south to ESPN WWoS and then west to the All-Stars is the best extension idea. The only busses regularly serving WWoS come from Caribbean Beach, Pop Century, and the All-Stars because that is where the vast majority of the athletes stay, so this extension would allow Disney to cut all of the bus routes to WWoS. Plus, an aerial view over WWoS, which would likely be required for the All-Star extension, provides great views of the fields and games while not showing any backstage areas. If the All-Star station is in between Music and Movies and the WWoS station is next to the arena, the line could avoid crossing over any fields and avoid potential gondola interference for games. The new line would likely need to have its own haul rope and have its Pop Century/Art of Animation station directly across the bridge from the existing Skyliner station to provide an easier transit option for passengers going straight through.

Any westward expansion from DHS would cut right through the park and expose backstage, eastward expansion from Caribbean Beach to Typhoon Lagoon/Disney Springs would cut through non-Disney owned Bonnet Creek, and northward expansion from Epcot would not go anywhere useful, so I think this is the most logical expansion.

As a side note, how has WDW not implemented a cost-cutting measure in eliminating all Epcot/DHS busses to Skyliner resorts? I know they were reduced, but they still exist.

 

[larryz]

This idea has probably been mentioned before somewhere in the 1000+ pages of posts, but I think extending the Skyliner south to ESPN WWoS and then west to the All-Stars is the best extension idea. The only busses regularly serving WWoS come from Caribbean Beach, Pop Century, and the All-Stars because that is where the vast majority of the athletes stay, so this extension would allow Disney to cut all of the bus routes to WWoS. Plus, an aerial view over WWoS, which would likely be required for the All-Star extension, provides great views of the fields and games while not showing any backstage areas. If the All-Star station is in between Music and Movies and the WWoS station is next to the arena, the line could avoid crossing over any fields and avoid potential gondola interference for games. The new line would likely need to have its own haul rope and have its Pop Century/Art of Animation station directly across the bridge from the existing Skyliner station to provide an easier transit option for passengers going straight through.

Any westward expansion from DHS would cut right through the park and expose backstage, eastward expansion from Caribbean Beach to Typhoon Lagoon/Disney Springs would cut through non-Disney owned Bonnet Creek, and northward expansion from Epcot would not go anywhere useful, so I think this is the most logical expansion.

As a side note, how has WDW not implemented a cost-cutting measure in eliminating all Epcot/DHS busses to Skyliner resorts? I know they were reduced, but they still exist.

If there are very few buses going to WWoS, there's a likely reason for that -- low traffic to start with. Hence, does it really make sense to string a bucket line that way?

As for bus reduction, but not elimination... as discussed previously (many, many times!), there's a segment of the population that just can't or won't get into the buckets. They still need transportation to the parks. The result: the reduced vice eliminated schedule.

 

[Magic Feather]

This idea has probably been mentioned before somewhere in the 1000+ pages of posts, but I think extending the Skyliner south to ESPN WWoS and then west to the All-Stars is the best extension idea. The only busses regularly serving WWoS come from Caribbean Beach, Pop Century, and the All-Stars because that is where the vast majority of the athletes stay, so this extension would allow Disney to cut all of the bus routes to WWoS. Plus, an aerial view over WWoS, which would likely be required for the All-Star extension, provides great views of the fields and games while not showing any backstage areas. If the All-Star station is in between Music and Movies and the WWoS station is next to the arena, the line could avoid crossing over any fields and avoid potential gondola interference for games. The new line would likely need to have its own haul rope and have its Pop Century/Art of Animation station directly across the bridge from the existing Skyliner station to provide an easier transit option for passengers going straight through.

Any westward expansion from DHS would cut right through the park and expose backstage, eastward expansion from Caribbean Beach to Typhoon Lagoon/Disney Springs would cut through non-Disney owned Bonnet Creek, and northward expansion from Epcot would not go anywhere useful, so I think this is the most logical expansion.

As a side note, how has WDW not implemented a cost-cutting measure in eliminating all Epcot/DHS busses to Skyliner resorts? I know they were reduced, but they still exist.

The main issue is that busses aren't "regularly" scheduled to ESPN at all. They have a few buses during very busy events that even change in their frequency during the day, but other than that, nothing really. Plus, the only way to make a straight line to ESPN that is somewhat clean from Hourglass Lake would drop people off towards the back of the overflow parking area. The line would go mostly unused for large parts of the year, as well.

That said, you are correct in your comment that an expansion to Springs would be difficult without cutting through Bonnet Creek, which is why any transportation proposal to Disney Springs that used a gondola system has never been a legitimate proposal, despite what some people have made up. As of now though, Disney is content with their bus lanes, just like another park. However, on the off-chance that a Skyliner expansion ever happens/ happened, it would go West, but not over Hollywood Studios. That said, I have a feeling that Skyliner expansion will very well become the next "Monorail Expansion."

 

[MisterPenguin]

If there are very few buses going to WWoS, there's a likely reason for that -- low traffic to start with. Hence, does it really make sense to string a bucket line that way?

Indeed. Gondolas are an omnimover type of ride and are financially feasible when there is sustained high traffic between too points. For intermittent surge traffic that has many 'endpoints', buses make better sense.

 

[Kobe!!]

Do we know how much the skyliner system cost?

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Does anyone else recall the rumor that Animal Kingdom would be receiving its own new non-Skyliner-based mode of Transportation to and from the park?

My inclination is to suspect the general success of the Skyliner may end up precluding a unique system from being implemented, but I'd be interested in knowing what they had in mind.

 

[Magic Feather]

Does anyone else recall the rumor that Animal Kingdom would be receiving its own new non-Skyliner-based mode of Transportation to and from the park?

My inclination is to suspect the general success of the Skyliner may end up precluding a unique system from being implemented, but I'd be interested in knowing what they had in mind.

The only recent proposal I saw involved the Lodge as one terminus of a transport system that would run through a good chunk of WDW. Unfortunately, it’s been a while since I have seen something to suggest that those plans are still actually being worked on.

 

[Horizons '83]

Do we know how much the skyliner system cost?

North of $250M if I remember correctly.

 

[WEDway Inc & Company LLC]

Everyone:
*sits at home bored*
Universal:
Patents Skyliner 2.0

 

[flynnibus]

A dynamically loaded gondola system PLUS autonomous driving vehicles PLUS jumping in and off between the two networks...

what could possibly go wrong?

 

[Disstevefan1]

New rule, one skyliner per person to ensure safe distancing.....

 

[danlb_2000]

A dynamically loaded gondola system PLUS autonomous driving vehicles PLUS jumping in and off between the two networks...

what could possibly go wrong?

 

[Imagineer45]

North of $250M if I remember correctly.

That is absolutely absurd if true. The largest urban gondola system in the world, Mi Teleferico in La Paz, Bolivia, was similar to WDW's when it opened with three Doppelmayr built lines except it was over a mixture of private and public land, was longer at 6.2 total miles, and had 11 stations. WDW's system had the cost advantages of only being over Disney property, only being about 2.9 total miles, and having only 5 stations (plus one turn station). Mi Teleferico's original three lines cost $234 million in 2014, which would be $252 million in 2019 with inflation when the Skyliner opened. Given the differences between the two systems, the Skyliner should not have even come close to that total amount. Even ski resorts, who have increased costs due to a short construction window and limited uphill construction access, have lower costs per mile and station. Steamboat's new Doppelmayr gondola, which replaced their entire old gondola, was constructed similarly in 2019 for $15 million and travels about 1.7 miles.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

That is absolutely absurd if true. The largest urban gondola system in the world, Mi Teleferico in La Paz, Bolivia, was similar to WDW's when it opened with three Doppelmayr built lines except it was over a mixture of private and public land, was longer at 6.2 total miles, and had 11 stations. WDW's system had the cost advantages of only being over Disney property, only being about 2.9 total miles, and having only 5 stations (plus one turn station). Mi Teleferico's original three lines cost $234 million in 2014, which would be $252 million in 2019 with inflation when the Skyliner opened. Given the differences between the two systems, the Skyliner should not have even come close to that total amount. Even ski resorts, who have increased costs due to a short construction window and limited uphill construction access, have lower costs per mile and station. Steamboat's new Doppelmayr gondola, which replaced their entire old gondola, was constructed similarly in 2019 for $15 million and travels about 1.7 miles.

Well there’s 5 themed stations, each with unique architecture and theming.

There’s the access road clearing.

There’s the cost of the emergency evacuation boat.

I’m guessing when buying this system, the big cost is the stations and turn stations, not the distance or terrain traveled.

 

[nickys]

Well there’s 5 themed stations, each with unique architecture and theming.

There’s the access road clearing.

There’s the cost of the emergency evacuation boat.

I’m guessing when buying this system, the big cost is the stations and turn stations, not the distance or terrain traveled.

Plus the unique double loading system. And the cost almost certainly includes the preparation work. And one of the stations is literally in a lake.

Plus the Disney premium you have to add on.

 

[halltd]

View attachment 465570

Link to patent for casual reading?

 

[danlb_2000]

Link to patent for casual reading?

Patent Public Search | USPTO

appft.uspto.gov

 

[admiralDax]

That said, you are correct in your comment that an expansion to Springs would be difficult without cutting through Bonnet Creek, which is why any transportation proposal to Disney Springs that used a gondola system has never been a legitimate proposal, despite what some people have made up. As of now though, Disney is content with their bus lanes, just like another park. However, on the off-chance that a Skyliner expansion ever happens/ happened, it would go West, but not over Hollywood Studios. That said, I have a feeling that Skyliner expansion will very well become the next "Monorail Expansion."

An expansion to Disney Springs would not require cutting through Bonnet Creek. WDW (or Reedy Creek) still owns enough land, between Buena Vista Drive and the Bonnet Creek development to facilitate that. In fact, according to an Imagineer that posts on USENET, when Buena Vista Dr was overhauled and widened recently, the bridge over the access canal that goes through OKW was raised for the possibility of boat transport between DS and CBR. *** "for the possiblity", meaning no immediate plans to do anything there, just future planning. On the other hand, my opinion is that they still would not extend the Gondola system to DS for the same reason that there are no busses from DS to the parks, to make it hard for anyone to cheat the parking cost by parking (free) at DS and using Disney Transport to get (directly) to the parks. OF COURSE this is all just my opinion so no need to correct me if you think I'm wrong.

PS. The very same Imagineer once said that the "current" Gondola system would never go further west than it does now. She said that the western area of WDW might get it's own, small, transportation system, like the Gondolas, but that the plan is (was) to connect the eastern area resorts and parks / the western area resorts and parks / the northern area resorts and parks, by a larger, more efficient system of some sort.

 

[wedenterprises]

I'd love an old school street trolley from AKL to AK. I think the name of the game is a continued variety of transportation experiences.

 

[peter11435]

I'd love an old school street trolley from AKL to AK. I think the name of the game is a continued variety of transportation experiences.

I’d love the wildlife express trains being re purposed for this use.