News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[Creathir]

It’s messy. And lazy.

Which is sort of the point.

To others points, it’s no worse than the giant swan and dolphin in the background, but two wrongs don’t make a right.

We just have come (from years past) to know what Disney is capable of. Giant high voltage power line looking towers just didn’t need to be here...

Why not drop them into a new station in Germany or Italy? At least then it could thematically fit...

Instead, they wanted to penny pinch and minimize capital expenditure.

 

[marni1971]

Is there any sort of plan to extend the roofline or add props on to the top of the roofs around it? They surely did their research beforehand, right?

My (personal) slightly bigger concern is walking behind the pavilion and seeing the Eiffel Tower on a roof when Rat opens.

I hope so but I’m not aware of any. The sight line issues of Rat from Showcase Plaza are being taken care of as we speak so there are some that are aware.

There’s also plans to minimise the tower view from Rat Plaza. We'll see.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Is there any sort of plan to extend the roofline or add props on to the top of the roofs around it? They surely did their research beforehand, right?

There will be new facades on the back side of the pavilion that will wrap the existing parapets. It’ll just be slightly taller parapets and some chimneys.

 

[marni1971]

There will be new facades on the back side of the pavilion that will wrap the existing parapets. It’ll just be slightly taller parapets and some chimneys.

To hide the tower? Amen

 

[lazyboy97o]

To hide the tower? Amen

I doubt they will hide much of the gondola tower. Maybe a chimney will land in just the right spot.

 

[rocketraccoon]

I'm assuming all those pictures are with some type of zoom lense? Or, zoomed and cropped in post processing? Maybe not the bridge one.

Do you have the full view shots with no zoom that a person would see without any technical enhancements? Meaning, no zoom, no telescope, no binoculars, no blinders, just an average person walking on the path looking ahead at the sites as they enjoy themselves in the park.

I'm assuming with that perspective, it's even less noticeable. Can probably still see something, but wondering how much. And, how much other stuff, like the Swan and Dolphin, also start to show up too.

Wouldn't make it perfect, but would provide some perspective on what's already in view. Forced or not.

It's about as close to what you'll see in real life can see as you can get. The first image was zoomed in digitally, not with a lens.

 

[Lensman]

Thanks @Lift Blog for those drawings.

Yes I do think that the turn station is likely to see way less strollers and wheelchairs than the other stations, but I still think it's a hole in the concept.

I also think there is something to consistency. It may be confusing to guests that aren't familiar with ski lift if not all stations have a similar method for loading.

I don't think we can call it a hole in the concept until we know what Disney is doing at the Riviera station. I mean, we're already speculating about what the design is at the terminal stations from the single tidbit that there are two turnarounds at two of the terminal stations. I think it's more of a hole in the information we have about the Riviera station.

Why not drop them into a new station in Germany or Italy? At least then it could thematically fit...

I don't understand what you mean here. Please expand if you can.

Instead, they wanted to penny pinch and minimize capital expenditure.

I don't know if I would call it penny pinching since they are allegedly already spending $300 million on this system. Some would say they are being too extravagant and as a result will be forced to charge too much more for Pop/Animation/CBR/Riviera. Can't please everyone, I guess. (though this shouldn't stop anyone from complaining on both sides, so both the penny pincher advocates and the penny pincher complainers should feel free to voice their opinions - though let's not drag it on *too* long. lol)

 

[JoeCamel]

I doubt they will hide much of the gondola tower. Maybe a chimney will land in just the right spot.

Maybe they can find somebody that knows what chimneys are all about...

 

[Creathir]

I don't think we can call it a hole in the concept until we know what Disney is doing at the Riviera station. I mean, we're already speculating about what the design is at the terminal stations from the single tidbit that there are two turnarounds at two of the terminal stations. I think it's more of a hole in the information we have about the Riviera station.


I don't understand what you mean here. Please expand if you can.


I don't know if I would call it penny pinching since they are allegedly already spending $300 million on this system. Some would say they are being too extravagant and as a result will be forced to charge too much more for Pop/Animation/CBR/Riviera. Can't please everyone, I guess. (though this shouldn't stop anyone from complaining on both sides, so both the penny pincher advocates and the penny pincher complainers should feel free to voice their opinions - though let's not drag it on *too* long. lol)

Penny pinching as in instead of opening a unique entrance into WS, they are just going to use the existing IG.

If it had been me, I would have dropped the Skyliner directly into the German or Italian pavilions.

A third entrance, directly into the park. You could even offload the ticket check to the inbound stations...

 

[JoeCamel]

Penny pinching as in instead of opening a unique entrance into WS, they are just going to use the existing IG.

If it had been me, I would have dropped the Skyliner directly into the German or Italian pavilions.

A third entrance, directly into the park. You could even offload the ticket check to the inbound stations...

So everyone on this line needs admission media for Epcot?

 

[Lensman]

Penny pinching as in instead of opening a unique entrance into WS, they are just going to use the existing IG.

If it had been me, I would have dropped the Skyliner directly into the German or Italian pavilions.

A third entrance, directly into the park. You could even offload the ticket check to the inbound stations...

No, I understand what you mean by penny pinching. What I don't understand is why a gondola thematically fits with Germany or Italy but not France.

Not that I think Disney should spend millions on building a new gondola entrance outside of Germany or Italy because of thematic fit. Also, how would it be connected with the Boardwalk shops and restaurants?

On a related note, is there any benefit to Yacht/Beach/Boardwalk guests using the gondola to get to the Studios vs. the motor launch or walking? Other than when there's bridge construction, etc. Weirdly, from Boardwalk I could imagine that if the launch to the IG were at the pier it might be faster to take that and transfer to the gondola rather than wait for the launch going towards the Studios. lol

 

[Creathir]

No, I understand what you mean by penny pinching. What I don't understand is why a gondola thematically fits with Germany or Italy but not France.

Not that I think Disney should spend millions on building a new gondola entrance outside of Germany or Italy because of thematic fit. Also, how would it be connected with the Boardwalk shops and restaurants?

On a related note, is there any benefit to Yacht/Beach/Boardwalk guests using the gondola to get to the Studios vs. the motor launch or walking? Other than when there's bridge construction, etc. Weirdly, from Boardwalk I could imagine that if the launch to the IG were at the pier it might be faster to take that and transfer to the gondola rather than wait for the launch going towards the Studios. lol

I don’t think the boardwalk even comes into play from a theme perspective.

As far as Germany and Italy, both could be themed as alpine ski lodges. I suppose France could have been as well, and they could have gone directly into the pavilion in a similar fashion but instead it’s outside the IG with no real theme per se.

 

[Creathir]

So everyone on this line needs admission media for Epcot?

If connected directly, yes, you would obviously need admission to go directly into the park in this hypothetical.

 

[JoeCamel]

If connected directly, yes, you would obviously need admission to go directly into the park in this hypothetical.

Think you are well outside the realm of hypothetical - dude!

 

[larryz]

Think you are well outside the realm of hypothetical - dude!

It's not unprecedented. The Downtown Disney Monorail Station at DLR loads trains that go directly into Tomorrowland inside the park. They check tickets before they let you board.

 

[Creathir]

It's not unprecedented. The Downtown Disney Monorail Station at DLR loads trains that go directly into Tomorrowland inside the park. They check tickets before they let you board.

For sure. I remember that as a kid when we went to DL.

Though, obviously this is not the direction Disney went with, I still would have enjoyed seeing some out of the box thinking like that.

Plus, the concerns with the IG being overloaded or ruining its quaintness would have been removed.

Additionally, I think it might have been cheaper.

It would have been significantly shorter and could have had one less required turn station.

 

[CanadianGordon]

I may not like the intrusion of the towers into the sightlines, but I welcome the addition of new transportation.
Now let's think positive. What do you think will be the most photographed part while flying overhead?

Think of the view of the Epcot ball!

 

[Creathir]

I may not like the intrusion of the towers into the sightlines, but I welcome the addition of new transportation.
Now let's think positive. What do you think will be the most photographed part while flying overhead?

Think of the view of the Epcot ball!

Honestly, the money shot will be as you come down into the IG station, that should be a pretty awesome view...

 

[Lensman]

I don’t think the boardwalk even comes into play from a theme perspective.

As far as Germany and Italy, both could be themed as alpine ski lodges. I suppose France could have been as well, and they could have gone directly into the pavilion in a similar fashion but instead it’s outside the IG with no real theme per se.

I meant that practically speaking, the guests at Pop/Animation/Caribbean/Riviera resorts can relatively easily access the Boardwalk area restaurants.

Regarding theming, it seems to me that the IG is themed to France.

Also, you're sadly mistaken if you think France is an also-ran compared to Germany and Italy. I think the big four are France, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. Besides, this is an urban gondola system. It's not going to have fake snow. And I don't think any of the pavilions is themed as an alpine ski lodge.

Regarding requiring ticket media for boarding the Epcot line, I think it would make it difficult for passengers returning from the Studios to the Riviera. They'd have to eliminate through passengers at the Riviera station and force everyone to get off and then back on. Additionally there's the issue of now only being able to use the gondola during park hours. This would mean the line couldn't operate before park opening and you wouldn't be able to eat at Boardwalk restaurants after close and take the gondola back to your hotel. OTOH, I'm not sure how long the gondola would remain open after Epcot closes.

I think of the Disneyland monorail as 80% attraction, 20% transportation. I think its operating hours and downtime make it a bit marginal compared to what Disney is looking for out of the Skyliner. In the case of the Disneyland monorail, the alternative is a 10 minute walk, right?

 

[WDWTrojan]

I don’t think the boardwalk even comes into play from a theme perspective.

As far as Germany and Italy, both could be themed as alpine ski lodges. I suppose France could have been as well, and they could have gone directly into the pavilion in a similar fashion but instead it’s outside the IG with no real theme per se.

The monorail goes through a Polynesian village and a turn of the century victorian era resort - transportation systems not adhering to the theme of what it's servicing isn't exactly new.