News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[Kman101]

I will forever smile and feel warm and fuzzy hearing “¡Por favor manténgase alejado de las puertas!”

I have to say they looked in very good shape inside the few times I took them. I noticed no smell either. I was very happy. I just get a bit sad that they look dated and a tad faded on the outside but that's to be expected. Dirt and the sun happens I'm greedy in wanting them to look a little sleeker though I do have a fondness for how they look.

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

If I remember correctly, not to contradict you, but I believe the only custom part of the monorail is the nose cone. The body's are off the shelf models from Bombardier.

In my understanding, Disney sold the rights to manufacture its structural designs to Bombardier years later. But the original (Mark I) monorail designs were by Bob Gurr at WED, and they were unlike anything that had been built before. To this day, the WDW monorail is unique (the only other Mark IV is in Las Vegas, and it looks so different that one wouldn't know it's the same structural design unless that's pointed out).

@egg I think that's a good point about your seeing gondalas at ski resorts. I suppose part of my concern about gondalas stems from their seeming relatively commonplace - at amusement parks, zoos, of course ski places, etc.

Is this really any worse than having buses running around all over property or even (gasp) unthemed boats ferrying guests around all over the place?

I don't feel too much like I'm in another world when I see thousands of normal cars driving about too.

I think the generic buses do pose a similar problem (they can pull people out of feeling like they're someplace really special), and I believe it would be preferable if the buses were customized (like in TDR). I have in fact brough this up a few times in other discussions.

Regarding cars/roads, in an imaginary perfect world, it would be optimal if the roads with cars were separate and not visible from Disney bus roads, or even if there were a central location for parking/drop-off and boarding Disney transport instead of people driving to each park/resort - but that's a pipe dream right now. I don't think cars pose the same problem as buses and gondolas because they're not part of Disney, but rather just entering Disney from the outside world. People bring their own cars into Disney just like they wear their own clothes into Disney.

 

[Figment2005]

I will forever smile and feel warm and fuzzy hearing “¡Por favor manténgase alejado de las puertas!”

I have to say they looked in very good shape inside the few times I took them. I noticed no smell either. I was very happy. I just get a bit sad that they look dated and a tad faded on the outside but that's to be expected. Dirt and the sun happens I'm greedy in wanting them to look a little sleeker though I do have a fondness for how they look.

I've been off the last few days, has monorail Blue made its appearance yet?

 

[Capsin4]

There's something to be said for branding. I think there's probably little doubt for most people that the monorails are disney unlike unbranded buses mixed among nondisney transportation even if they're on disney property. There's no need to differentiate the monorails, unlike the buses, and I'd expect the gondolas be be treated more like the monorails. I agree slapping something on them wouldn't be theming any more than the monorail skins are. It's clearly branding and advertising, if anything. I'd expect them to be treated more like the monorails than the buses.

 

[Kman101]

I've been off the last few days, has monorail Blue made its appearance yet?

I have to admit I never glance at the stripe of color on the monorail! LOL I'm so awful about that. But I was in one that seemed to have the air working really well .... sounds like a few people were in the World this last week maybe they can better answer? @flynnibus @gmajew

I will say the MK/TTC monorail wasn't available until around 5/6pm on 3/29. Any idea why? I love taking the ferry so I didn't really mind (and it was being held for me as I ran down the ramp with my just bought coffee, even had an exchange with the captain about being on our second cup! LOL ... it's the little things) but they were very clear it wouldn't be up until 6pm.

 

[Figment2005]

I have to admit I never glance at the stripe of color on the monorail! LOL I'm so awful about that. But I was in one that seemed to have the air working really well .... sounds like a few people were in the World this last week maybe they can better answer? @flynnibus @gmajew

I will say the MK/TTC monorail wasn't available until around 5/6pm on 3/29. Any idea why? I love taking the ferry so I didn't really mind (and it was being held for me as I ran down the ramp with my just bought coffee, even had an exchange with the captain about being on our second cup! LOL ... it's the little things) but they were very clear it wouldn't be up until 6pm.

They are still doing occasional shutdowns from 11:30 - 6 during the week to perform some beam maintenance. Probably got caught in that.

 

[Kman101]

They are still doing occasional shutdowns from 11:30 - 6 during the week to perform some beam maintenance. Probably got caught in that.

Oh right. I forgot about the beam maintenance.

 

[Figment2005]

Oh right. I forgot about the beam maintenance.

The last couple of weeks they have been doing work to the doors on the Contemporary.

 

[gmajew]

I have to admit I never glance at the stripe of color on the monorail! LOL I'm so awful about that. But I was in one that seemed to have the air working really well .... sounds like a few people were in the World this last week maybe they can better answer? @flynnibus @gmajew

I will say the MK/TTC monorail wasn't available until around 5/6pm on 3/29. Any idea why? I love taking the ferry so I didn't really mind (and it was being held for me as I ran down the ramp with my just bought coffee, even had an exchange with the captain about being on our second cup! LOL ... it's the little things) but they were very clear it wouldn't be up until 6pm.

I saw a blue monor rail on the tracks this week but I did not ride st all this trip. Tried a different DVC this trip then my home resort the grand floridian.

 

[Figment2005]

I saw a blue monor rail on the tracks this week but I did not ride st all this trip. Dirtied a different DVC this trip then my home resort the grand floridian.

It was probably monorail Teal. Blue was still being finished as of Friday.

 

[gmajew]

It was probably monorail Teal. Blue was still being finished as of Friday.

It could of been. Did not look that closely. Will say was scared to death of the bus transportation after hearing all the horror stories. But we had no issues ever with them and waited less then 10 min ever to get on them.

Longest ride was to HS as we had to make a stop that was not planned the driver said

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think the generic buses do pose a similar problem (they can pull people out of feeling like they're someplace really special), and I believe it would be preferable if the buses were customized (like in TDR). I have in fact brough this up a few times in other discussions.

The Disney Resort Cruiser is a great example of just slapping characters on something and that being considered special. Mickey shapes don't create an experience.

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

The Disney Resort Cruiser is a great example of just slapping characters on something and that being considered special. Mickey shapes don't create an experience.

This is a fair criticism. My perception is that the Resort Cruiser buses do it pretty well - with custom-shaped windows and lights incorporated into a nice aesthetic - but I wouldn't fault someone for thinking otherwise.

My general reasoning in favor of having some kind of (well-designed) customization on otherwise-generic transport is to create a reminder that "this is someplace different from your everyday life / the world outside."

Obviously, it would be optimal to simply not have generic transport in the first place.

 

[lazyboy97o]

This is a fair criticism. My perception is that the Resort Cruiser buses do it pretty well - with custom-shaped windows and lights incorporated into a nice aesthetic - but I wouldn't fault someone for thinking otherwise.

My general reasoning in favor of having some kind of (well-designed) customization on otherwise-generic transport is to create a reminder that "this is someplace different from your everyday life / the world outside."

Simple, good design that works was at the heart of differentiating Walt Disney World. Above all a good transit system should be good at transit. It doesn't need to be a loud distraction.

 

[flynnibus]

I have to admit I never glance at the stripe of color on the monorail! LOL I'm so awful about that. But I was in one that seemed to have the air working really well .... sounds like a few people were in the World this last week maybe they can better answer? @flynnibus @gmajew

I will say the MK/TTC monorail wasn't available until around 5/6pm on 3/29. Any idea why? I love taking the ferry so I didn't really mind (and it was being held for me as I ran down the ramp with my just bought coffee, even had an exchange with the captain about being on our second cup! LOL ... it's the little things) but they were very clear it wouldn't be up until 6pm.

Did not see blue... but also didn't have a lot of time around the beam. One of the beams was down in the afternoon on Thursday I believe.

 

[mitchk]

So, permits are filed and this is a go! How long will this take to get built
I'm actually very excited about it though

 

[jpeden]

It was probably monorail Teal. Blue was still being finished as of Friday.

Is blue replacing another color?

 

[biggy H]

Wraps would be awful. There is nothing magical about floating billboards.

Make them look like doors and voila... the Monsters Inc Doors ride comes to life....

 

[rocketraccoon]

Forgive me for not reading the last 100 pages, but is there an estimate on how long it'd take to get from one park to the other?

 

[danlb_2000]

Forgive me for not reading the last 100 pages, but is there an estimate on how long it'd take to get from one park to the other?

@marni1971 believes they will run between 12 to 16 miles per hour. At 12 mph that would be about 3 minutes for each leg of the trip, so Epcot to DHS would be about 9 minutes travel time plus the time it takes to change cars at the south CBR station. These are just estimates but they give you an idea of how quick it could be.