News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[Maeryk]

@WDW1974 has indicated on his thread that they will be moving away from the Deluxe/Moderate/etc category labels.

I've suspected for a while that they are going to start offering multiple levels at the same resort, as people want the theming but not the service level at the moderate and economy resorts. I don't see, say, the monorail loop adding any "dirt cheap" rooms, but I can certainly see the economy or moderates adding a concierge level experience for those willing to pay the upcharge.

 

[NYwdwfan]

I think it's an age thing with most people. The older people just remember motels being the only places where doors open to the outside. But there are plenty of luxury resorts all over the world that are this way. Obviously more in warmer climates but what makes a hotel luxury come down to the basics. The quality of bed/furniture/bathroom, the lobby (no doesn't have to be like WL) and level of service provided.

For me it's a bug thing. I feel like I'm more likely to end up with things flying around my room if the door opens to the open air.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Excellent. Ideally, I hope the buses become limited to the "feeder" system that connects a resort (think internal shuttle) to the larger transport system. They can also serve as emergency back-up in cases of unexpected problems.

Ugh, why? Transfers are horribly inefficient, especially with strollers and ECVs. I don't object to non-bus transportation, but I want origin-to-destination one way trips.

Start at The American Adventure and race somebody to Peter Pan's Flight. I guarantee you the person who walks to the Beach Club and takes the resort bus will be there before the person who walks to the Epcot monorail, rides it to the TTC, transfers to the Magic Kingdom line, then rides the express loop to the park entrance.

 

[rudyjr13]

I believe it's being considered along with other projects.

Property wide it seems the busses could become the supplement, not the main form of transit.

Your last point, is somewhat an exciting and big deal for Disney. Why don't they properly get ahead of a story like this with an official announcement? I understand when they hold back new attractions because they don't want people waiting to book for the new attraction but this seems like a great PR positive for them.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

For me it's a bug thing. I feel like I'm more likely to end up with things flying around my room if the door opens to the open air.

Having stayed at OKW, SSR, and the Treehouses many times, I can tell you that is not an issue at all. Really no different than opening your balcony door to enjoy an adult beverage.

 

[marni1971]

Martin, could you hint at how many potential modes we might be looking at if all these transportation plans go forward??

I'm afraid I can't elaborate further at the moment.

I will say the gondolas are near term. Anything else is medium to long term.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Ugh, why? Transfers are horribly inefficient, especially with strollers and ECVs. I don't object to non-bus transportation, but I want origin-to-destination one way trips.

Start at The American Adventure and race somebody to Peter Pan's Flight. I guarantee you the person who walks to the Beach Club and takes the resort bus will be there before the person who walks to the Epcot monorail, rides it to the TTC, transfers to the Magic Kingdom line, then rides the express loop to the park entrance.

My feeder system comment refers to internal resort buses that could bring guests from outlying rooms to the resort's transportation station. At some WDW resorts, like Old Key West or Saratoga Springs, the farthest rooms can be upwards of a 1/2 mile from the lobby. Giving guests the option of taking a shuttle to the station isn't unreasonable, and that's where buses can fill the role. But of course you could always forego the bus and walk through the resort.

 

[Kamikaze]

This is Disney's press release, not Tom's article, which I think you are referring to. According to Disney's own words, it will feature "suites and concierge level services". That said, they may create a new category and/or call it something other than Deluxe (e.g. "Business Deluxe"). Also, this is a new hotel in addition the existing Moderate Resort Hotel, so it will be a mix, similar to CBR, which will likely be a Deluxe Villa (DVC) Resort along with the existing Moderate Resort Hotel. The context is something similar could happen at AoA and/or Pop Century, especially if they want to subsidize a Gondola development and operation with a DVC conversion at those resorts.

Who the heck is Tom?

Coronado Springs already has suites and business concierge. It isn't a deluxe now.

Also, they won't switch a family oriented resort like Pop/AoA to a business-oriented one. And they won't mix the two. Simply doesn't make sense. Could they add a tower at the resort for more family rooms? Sure, but that doesn't change its category.

@WDW1974 has indicated on his thread that they will be moving away from the Deluxe/Moderate/etc category labels.

Which is one of those 'doing something for no reason' things. It easily puts resorts in a certain 'level' for guests. Just call Coronado something different - 'Business' and let it have its own category if its that big of a deal.

 

[Maeryk]

My feeder system comment refers to internal resort buses that could bring guests from outlying rooms to the resort's transportation station. At some WDW resorts, like Old Key West or Saratoga Springs, the farthest rooms can be upwards of a 1/2 mile from the lobby. Giving guests the option of taking a shuttle to the station isn't unreasonable, and that's where buses can fill the role. But of course you could always forego the bus and walk through the resort.

I've never stayed at those, but don't they have multiple bus stations like POR has? Where sure, it may be a hike to the lobby (it was for us in the princess rooms at POR), but it was only like, a five minute walk to the bus station on the ring.. which had the added benefit of being before the lobby stop, so empty buses.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Who the heck is Tom?

Tom Bricker. Disney Tourist Blog. @WDWFigment I think.

 

[Kamikaze]

Tom Bricker. Disney Tourist Blog. @WDWFigment I think.

Well, I have no idea what 'article' he wrote but I've clearly never read it.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Tom Bricker. Disney Tourist Blog. @WDWFigment I think.

No, Tom Corless - definitely different person and a much poorer excuse for a Tom than Tom Bricker.

Tom Corless runs WDW NT, a site that is not looked on favorably here (for good reason). Occasionally he breaks solid information, more often than not he takes information from elsewhere and claims at his own, and/or he gets 4% of a story and makes up the remaining 96%.

Tom Bricker on the other hand has a great blog on photography and traveling the Disney parks around the world. He's also a well respected member of the WDWMagic community.

 

[Maeryk]

Who the heck is Tom?

Coronado Springs already has suites and business concierge. It isn't a deluxe now.

Also, they won't switch a family oriented resort like Pop/AoA to a business-oriented one. And they won't mix the two. Simply doesn't make sense. Could they add a tower at the resort for more family rooms? Sure, but that doesn't change its category.



Which is one of those 'doing something for no reason' things. It easily puts resorts in a certain 'level' for guests. Just call Coronado something different - 'Business' and let it have its own category if its that big of a deal.

I don't actually think it's doing "something for no reason". I think disney is rightly seeing that the trend in hotels has moved from "X star hotel" to being able to accommodate guests of a wide income spectrum with equally wide spectrums of rooms. Things like Trivago and such have made it possible for people to stay at what would be considered a 4 or 5 star hotel for pretty much holiday in prices, and I suspect Disney is quite savvy about that.

Plus mixing up the accommodation levels at what are currently perceived as "cheap" resorts, allows the people (like me) who go for club level to stay there, enjoy the perks, and see a new resort.

 

[Daveeeeed]

Well it seems like marni was saying there could be a direct line from AKL to AK something along the lines of Harry potter train. If so it will even be better.

That's what I've thought it's needed for years.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Tom Bricker on the other hand has a great blog on photography and traveling the Disney parks around the world. He's also a well respected member of the WDWMagic community.

Thanks. I had gone away from WDWMagic for awhile and was confused to see sudden hostility to the Tom Bricker I remembered and everyone seemed to like. Didn't know if he got lumped into the "lifestyler" group that people love to bash.

 

[englanddg]

No, Tom Corless - definitely different person and a much poorer excuse for a Tom than Tom Bricker.

Tom Corless runs WDW NT, a site that is not looked on favorably here (for good reason). Occasionally he breaks solid information, more often than not he takes information from elsewhere and claims at his own, and/or he gets 4% of a story and makes up the remaining 96%.

Tom Bricker on the other hand has a great blog on photography and traveling the Disney parks around the world. He's also a well respected member of the WDWMagic community.

I had deleted my comment, but yeah, I first read that as Tom Corless as well.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

I've never stayed at those, but don't they have multiple bus stations like POR has? Where sure, it may be a hike to the lobby (it was for us in the princess rooms at POR), but it was only like, a five minute walk to the bus station on the ring.. which had the added benefit of being before the lobby stop, so empty buses.

Yes, they do. From memory, I think Coronado, Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans Riverside, Old Key West, and Saratoga all have multiple stops within the same resort. The treehouses also have 2 stops I think.

But that's my point. Disney knew that, given the sprawling design of these, having only 1 bus stop at the lobby would mean long walks from some of the rooms. In planning for transportation infrastructure that isn't buses, Disney is going to be balancing number of stations vs. walking distance vs. cost. And that's where there may still be utility in using buses to feed people to the nearest gondola/rail/whatever station.

Having multiple resorts using one station is also a factor (we already see this with AoA and Pop sharing a station). Take a resort like Port Orleans. Is it better to have separate stations for French Quarter and Riverside, or do you put one station between them and have people walk/shuttle there? All Stars are another example - 3 individual stops or 1 centralized one?

 

[yaksplat]

I'm afraid I can't elaborate further at the moment.

I will say the gondolas are near term. Anything else is medium to long term.

I've been curious about your posts. You get information that that one would think is confidential, yet you are able to convey some of it. It seem like you have tiered information. You don't don't offer any directly yet you can confirm things, yet other things you know you can't leak.

just an observation

all appreciated of course.

 

[NearTheEars]

I believe it's being considered along with other projects.

Property wide it seems the busses could become the supplement, not the main form of transit.

Adding these resort-specific transportation options seems like a no-brainer. Especially with a resort like AKL and a park like AK.

Just like if there was a SW resort with transportation that dropped you off right inside the new land.

 

[marni1971]

I've been curious about your posts. You get information that that one would think is confidential, yet you are able to convey some of it. It seem like you have tiered information. You don't don't offer any directly yet you can confirm things, yet other things you know you can't leak.

just an observation

all appreciated of course.

I say what I can. Which often isn't nearly all of what I want to.

Put another way, I'm not fond of being the one to break everything. Many people read these forums. And I have many friends whom I want to keep as friends.