News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[Maeryk]

CSR already offered (past tense since that building is coming down for the new tower) concierge service at only one building, and at a higher price point.

Yep. And if I remember reading the announcement when they ceased that, it will be coming back. But I think it's going to become a broader trend across a lot of the resorts. I think they are severely limiting themselves in only offering X price point (+/-) in some of the larger resorts. I also (based on how empty the DVC stuff at Poly was first week of feb) think that they aren't getting as much DVC membership as they had hoped for, and may be switching gears on the planned, already approved expansions to some of the resorts.

 

[rfc0001]

Who the heck is Tom?

Tom Corless @ WDW NT - his article claimed they were "Business Deluxe" so I was assuming this was the "misquote" being referred to.

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 didn't mean to infer AoA/Pop Century would become "business" oriented, just that CSR is adding a "deluxe" hotel to a Moderate Resort, as is CBR, therefore the same could happen to a Value (add a moderate, DVC conversion, etc.).

 

[TiggerDad]

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.

You just called me "old"

 

[DrewmanS]

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.

Cities have been looking for the silver bullet solution to transportation requirements for decades (if not centuries). The reality is, that the best transportation systems are an interconnected blend of transportation modes. Using trains from outlining areas to city centers (high volume cars with low frequency). Subways or light rail to move people between high density centers (medium volume cars with higher frequency). Cable cars, trollies, gondolas for point to point needs (low volume cars with high frequency but limited destinations). Busses to service low volume or remote areas (scalable to fit the requiremnts).

As WDW has grown, the demands on the current transportation system has increased exponentially. An ever increasing bus fleet adds to the the road congestion. It only makes sense that RCID look for new ways to move guests around the resort. Pick the correct type of system to move guests within resort areas, between resort ares, from "outlying areas", and to the parks. Systems that can handle surges (park closing) and changes in flow (conventions, runDisney, or new attractions). No one system will prove the solution, but properly coordinating an integrated system of monorail, skyway, light rail, trams, and boats supplemented with (not centered around) busses and reducing car traffic through the major arteries is the key to long term planning and growth. Now that I think of it, kind of sounds like designing the transportation system for an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow!?!

 

[csmat99]

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.

the great responsibility of having such great power.

On another note spirit mentioned a possible DVC and/or hotel with entrance I believe right into epcot. Is this just blue sky or closer to happening then we think? If were to happen where would it most likely be?

 

[HauntedPirate]

You just called me "old"

Welcome to the club. I can vaguely remember a time when a Days Inn near WDW property was actually a decent property to stay at.

 

[csmat99]

You just called me "old"

I'm old as well but young at heart. Old enough to watch MASH when it was on original run but young enough to be first one on AOL chat rooms. wait what did I get myself into.

 

[Maeryk]

Welcome to the club. I can vaguely remember a time when a Days Inn near WDW property was actually a decent property to stay at.

I remember when there were two hotels and a campground...

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Cities have been looking for the silver bullet solution to transportation requirements for decades (if not centuries). The reality is, that the best transportation systems are an interconnected blend of transportation modes. Using trains from outlining areas to city centers (high volume cars with low frequency). Subways or light rail to move people between high density centers (medium volume cars with higher frequency). Cable cars, trollies, gondolas for point to point needs (low volume cars with high frequency but limited destinations). Busses to service low volume or remote areas (scalable to fit the requiremnts).

As WDW has grown, the demands on the current transportation system has increased exponentially. An ever increasing bus fleet adds to the the road congestion. It only makes sense that RCID look for new ways to move guests around the resort. Pick the correct type of system to move guests within resort areas, between resort ares, from "outlying areas", and to the parks. Systems that can handle surges (park closing) and changes in flow (conventions, runDisney, or new attractions). No one system will prove the solution, but properly coordinating an integrated system of monorail, skyway, light rail, trams, and boats supplemented with (not centered around) busses and reducing car traffic through the major arteries is the key to long term planning and growth. Now that I think of it, kind of sounds like designing the transportation system for an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow!?!

All true, but Disney is not a city. Simplicity needs to be put at a premium over efficiency IMO. If you commute to work five days a week, you can master the learning curve of a commute that involves a train transferring to a subway transferring to a bus. That's much different than a guest who's at WDW for six nights every five years. They want to get from Point A to Point B and they don't have the time or motivation to master a complicated network of hubs and transfers. For a visitor, a ten minute wait for a 20 minute bus ride is preferable to a route with three transfers, even if the transfer route would only take 25 minutes.

 

[marni1971]

the great responsibility of having such great power.

On another note spirit mentioned a possible DVC and/or hotel with entrance I believe right into epcot. Is this just blue sky or closer to happening then we think? If were to happen where would it most likely be?

Pre blue sky.

You wouldn't need a bus to get to Epcot but you'd see plenty of them.

 

[Maeryk]

All true, but Disney is not a city. Simplicity needs to be put at a premium over efficiency IMO. If you commute to work five days a week, you can master the learning curve of a commute that involves a train transferring to a subway transferring to a bus. That's much different than a guest who's at WDW for six nights every five years. They want to get from Point A to Point B and they don't have the time or motivation to master a complicated network of hubs and transfers. For a visitor, a ten minute wait for a 20 minute bus ride is preferable to a route with three transfers, even if the transfer route would only take 25 minutes.

It's already a complicated network, depending on where you stay. People navigate it just fine. Signs clearly point where you have to go to get to where you want to be. And a lot of people get enjoyment from using the various means of transportation during visits. We try to use every one at least once, and if we are at Poly, we almost exclusively use the launches if the weather is good, to then use the busses at MK.. simply because the bus service to the resort has been really sketchy the last couple of visits.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

It's already a complicated network, depending on where you stay. People navigate it just fine. Signs clearly point where you have to go to get to where you want to be. And a lot of people get enjoyment from using the various means of transportation during visits. We try to use every one at least once, and if we are at Poly, we almost exclusively use the launches if the weather is good, to then use the busses at MK.. simply because the bus service to the resort has been really sketchy the last couple of visits.

I think you're making a mistake by conflating "average guest" with "people who read and post on WDWMagic."

Ask random guest how to get from Animal Kingdom Lodge to a dinner reservation at the Hoop Dee Doo Revue and you're going to get a lot of blank stares.

 

[mm121]

From the pictures they've shown online it appears that the station will be right by the bus lot.

i really question this diagram

why would they connect the skyway or whatever is seculated, to the CBR, instead of connecting to the Station by the swolphin?

that route is over water and would have a direct view into the entrance of the park, rather than across the middle of the parking lot

 

[P_Radden]

@danlb_2000 & others, when do you think we'll see the permit for the AoA/Pop! station?

 

[danlb_2000]

@danlb_2000 & others, when do you think we'll see the permit for the AoA/Pop! station?

It's possible that the AoA/Pop station won't have any water management impacts, in which case we will not see it until they file the notice of commencement for it. Same thing with Epcot.

 

[peter11435]

i really question this diagram

why would they connect the skyway or whatever is seculated, to the CBR, instead of connecting to the Station by the swolphin?

that route is over water and would have a direct view into the entrance of the park, rather than across the middle of the parking lot
View attachment 190171

No reason to question the diagram. It is accurate. There is no station near Boardwalk only a turning platform.

 

[DrewmanS]

All true, but Disney is not a city. Simplicity needs to be put at a premium over efficiency IMO. If you commute to work five days a week, you can master the learning curve of a commute that involves a train transferring to a subway transferring to a bus. That's much different than a guest who's at WDW for six nights every five years. They want to get from Point A to Point B and they don't have the time or motivation to master a complicated network of hubs and transfers. For a visitor, a ten minute wait for a 20 minute bus ride is preferable to a route with three transfers, even if the transfer route would only take 25 minutes.

WDW is a city, that is the point. You have lots of different demands on transportation. Its the size of San Fransisco but much lower density. It has 60,000 employees. Over 30,000 hotel rooms. At any given time, WDW would rank near 150th of US Cities by population. RCID can't design a transportation system that just gets every guest from every origination point to every destination point on demand, thats called a car and along with busses is the cause for all of the congestion. Building a system with alternatives, multi-modal, flexibility, cost-effective, scalable, etc. etc. etc. means that not all solutions will be optimum for each guest. But if you can more efficiently move everyone around the property, the impact on individual guests will be less and allow for future growth.

 

[msteel]

Not that I really think we need more evidence for this project, but I just remembered this permit from last year that was for additional geo-technical borings to determine soil conditions. The work are is where the access road will go. I don't see why they would need to do this sort of thing just for an access road so this seams to evidence that support towers will be built along there.

View attachment 190151

I went looking for test boring permits and all I found were the ones for the DHS entrance road. Thanks bringing this in.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

WDW is a city, that is the point. You have lots of different demands on transportation. Its the size of San Fransisco but much lower density. It has 60,000 employees. Over 30,000 hotel rooms. At any given time, WDW would rank near 150th of US Cities by population. RCID can't design a transportation system that just gets every guest from every origination point to every destination point on demand, thats called a car and along with busses is the cause for all of the congestion. Building a system with alternatives, multi-modal, flexibility, cost-effective, scalable, etc. etc. etc. means that not all solutions will be optimum for each guest. But if you can more efficiently move everyone around the property, the impact on individual guests will be less and allow for future growth.

None of that is relevant because aggregated statistics ignore the characteristics of the individuals. WDW has some city-like needs in its infrastructure but you can't expect city-like savvy on the part of the guests. That's the difference. Disney can run itself like a city but it can't expect its guests to behave like citizens of a city.

 

[Ripken10]

WDW is a city, that is the point. You have lots of different demands on transportation. Its the size of San Fransisco but much lower density. It has 60,000 employees. Over 30,000 hotel rooms. At any given time, WDW would rank near 150th of US Cities by population. RCID can't design a transportation system that just gets every guest from every origination point to every destination point on demand, thats called a car and along with busses is the cause for all of the congestion. Building a system with alternatives, multi-modal, flexibility, cost-effective, scalable, etc. etc. etc. means that not all solutions will be optimum for each guest. But if you can more efficiently move everyone around the property, the impact on individual guests will be less and allow for future growth.

completely agree...and the advantage of a city like WDW is training CMs to help guest with the easiest transportation method (or all transportations methods) to their desired destination. That is how the typical guest does it, they ask someone that works for Disney and they help them. Heck, even the regulars will ask from time to time.