News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

monothingie

Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.
Premium Member
Eye of the beholder I guess. I personally think Walt would have liked both, given his interests.
And given that he thought the skyways would also be used for transportation in teh future, he did look ahead...
The irony Disney invented the modern Peoplemover...

He also found monorails and people mover as compelling modes of mass transportation, so much so that they were implemented in WDW, with plans for even larger expansions of them. However, 53 years later from when he unveiled the "Florida Project" who would have known that the company which bore his name would solely be focused on the cheapest alternative.
 

chiefs11

Well-Known Member
Between AKL and AK, seems like a no brainer. For anything that's not a bus, anything at all, but preferably something with no wait time. Looking at the map, I have a hard time drawing a straight line that makes sense for it to be a gondola. With a turn station, it's not so bad, but that increases the cost. For something else that can curve, it's easier but still not simple. Probably needs some road crossings or reconfiguration. That matches what we've heard, they're looking at something that isn't a gondola. Which is probably why they haven't done anything yet. As much as the generic complaint of only having bus service, it doesn't look like it's hurt AKL occupancy.

It would be a straight line from the AKL bus stop area to the AK bus loop, without even any buildings in the way. Wouldn't be very convenient for Kidani Village though.
 

DisneyCane

Well-Known Member
He also found monorails and people mover as compelling modes of mass transportation, so much so that they were implemented in WDW, with plans for even larger expansions of them. However, 53 years later from when he unveiled the "Florida Project" who would have known that the company which bore his name would solely be focused on the cheapest alternative.
For this route the expense of a monorail would be nonsensical. You have all that expense and end up running 3/4 empty trains or running them infrequently.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
For this route the expense of a monorail would be nonsensical. You have all that expense and end up running 3/4 empty trains or running them infrequently.
Yea, I think everyone needs to come to the realization that Disney might buy new trains for the existing routes, but, they will never again add trains and track to the resort area. What we see is what we get. Regular trains, maybe, but, no more elevated Monorails.
 

GeneralKnowledge

Well-Known Member
These things look pretty cool, but they aren’t magic so don’t count on a miracle ;)

One of those most under utilized buildings in all of WDW.

One of my favorite past times is going in there with friends and having a few drinks at a table overlooking the dance floor while enjoying the nostalgic music videos and the hilarious display of conventioneers from Swolphin getting their groove on in an awkward fashion with their inebriated coworkers.
 

GoofGoof

Premium Member
One of my favorite past times is going in there with friends and having a few drinks at a table overlooking the dance floor while enjoying the nostalgic music videos and the hilarious display of conventioneers from Swolphin getting their groove on in an awkward fashion with their inebriated coworkers.
It’s got a good location, tons of space and a lot of potential. Perfect spot for live music. I guess they use it a lot for private parties but it seems like a waste of a good spot.
 

Phil12

Well-Known Member
He also found monorails and people mover as compelling modes of mass transportation, so much so that they were implemented in WDW, with plans for even larger expansions of them. However, 53 years later from when he unveiled the "Florida Project" who would have known that the company which bore his name would solely be focused on the cheapest alternative.
Walt liked these systems because they made him lots of money. There is only one WEDway people mover that was built outside of a Disney property. The Subway at George Bush International Airport in Houston, Texas was built by WED Transportation Systems back in 1981. It uses much of the same technology as the TTA Peoplemover. The cost of operating and maintaining this system has always been a big problem because linear induction motor technology is expensive and very inefficient. A replacement system is in the works.
 

monothingie

Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.
Premium Member
Walt liked these systems because they made him lots of money. There is only one WEDway people mover that was built outside of a Disney property. The Subway at George Bush International Airport in Houston, Texas was built by WED Transportation Systems back in 1981. It uses much of the same technology as the TTA Peoplemover. The cost of operating and maintaining this system has always been a big problem because linear induction motor technology is expensive and very inefficient. A replacement system is in the works.

Walt liked innovation, new, and fresh often untried ideas. The original concept models of WDW showed monorails and people movers crossing the property. The ideas werent focused soley on practically, if they wanted efficient and purely functional they could have just stuck with busses.

Maybe I’m just looking at what they’re building as ordinary because I’ve experienced it so frequently on the ski slopes, but as @marni1971 said Disney invented the People Mover, it seems like such a shame that this is the best that could have been come up with. Yeah it gets the job done but it’s so ordinary.

Do you think anyone will ever develop a sentimental attachment to the gondola versus the first time they rode on a Monorail? Or got on the WDWRR?
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
Unlike yesterday, a Sunday, today there were a bevy of workers about the Pop station. They were attaching the courragated mettal roof to the swoops that will cover the queues and exits. Sized to fit? No thanks, we'll just buzz cut off the excess... fits now!

Interesting that all the materials are delivered by barge, which has its own crane to move materials from the barge to the station roof. This way, the bridge remains open.

 

OG Runner

Well-Known Member
Maybe, we will see - but the current plan is no busses to DHS and Epcot from Skyliner resorts except in the case where the Skyliner is not operating.

Please, go mention this on DIS Boards. I did and was told it was the dumbest thing they had ever heard. It is the first
time I have ended up in a serious argument with someone in a Disney discussion. (I may disagree with people from
time to time, but everyone is allowed their own opinion.)
 

MickeyMinnieMom

Well-Known Member
Please, go mention this on DIS Boards. I did and was told it was the dumbest thing they had ever heard. It is the first
time I have ended up in a serious argument with someone in a Disney discussion. (I may disagree with people from
time to time, but everyone is allowed their own opinion.)
What a weird thing to end up in a big argument about...
 

Grimley1968

Well-Known Member
I was probably being oversensitive, but when I noted I had heard there would be a reduction in the bus service, I was told
it was the dumbest thing posted during the discussion.

There are posters on that board who, when honest speculation about WDW occurs, automatically assume the posters engaging in such speculation are lying, stupid, or some combination of both. I used to participate there, but when the ratio of those people versus people trying to have an honest discussion got to be too high, I came here. This thread is entertaining in an irreverent way, but also with facts and photos, I no longer think is possible on that board.
 

Incomudro

Well-Known Member
Walt liked innovation, new, and fresh often untried ideas. The original concept models of WDW showed monorails and people movers crossing the property. The ideas werent focused soley on practically, if they wanted efficient and purely functional they could have just stuck with busses.

Maybe I’m just looking at what they’re building as ordinary because I’ve experienced it so frequently on the ski slopes, but as @marni1971 said Disney invented the People Mover, it seems like such a shame that this is the best that could have been come up with. Yeah it gets the job done but it’s so ordinary.

Do you think anyone will ever develop a sentimental attachment to the gondola versus the first time they rode on a Monorail? Or got on the WDWRR?

Gondola's are not ordinary in this application however.
I do agree to that they are no match for the Monorail in its prime - riding the Monorail through the Contemporary is iconic.
However, I can certainly imagine a new guest - especially a young one - experiencing their first ride into a park from their on property hotel on a gondola, and that ride experience playing quite a significant roll in their lifetime park memories.
 

tissandtully

Well-Known Member
Please, go mention this on DIS Boards. I did and was told it was the dumbest thing they had ever heard. It is the first
time I have ended up in a serious argument with someone in a Disney discussion. (I may disagree with people from
time to time, but everyone is allowed their own opinion.)
I guess none of them have stayed at FW and tried to hop a bus to MK. Or tried to hop a bus to MK from Epcot. Wait, you can't do any of those.
 

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