Disney Skyliner (Gondola Transportation System) Read Post 1 Now Open!

[Animal]

I worked in Fantasyland in the late 70’s and worked at Skyway.
The biggest thing we caught people doing smoking pot. You could always tell they were going to smoke because everyone’s head would go down to light up as soon as the car left the station.
Sooooo.. midway along the ride was the “transfer station” (people did not switch cars) in was a platform in the middle of Grand Prix. We always had a person staffed there just to watch. It was great fun to call and tell what car had the smokers and jump out and catch them. Lots of big coughs lol.
That position was rather boring we had to do something for entertainment.

Username checks out.

 

[Patches Lee]

Obviously we have to wait until it is fully up and running but I think once the actal gondolas are moving around and are colorful and (some) have Disney characters on them it will be fine. I mean, the Monorail beams by themselves aren't exactly attractive but when you have the actual monorail moving on them it becomes iconic

I think motion gives areas life so more motion around the complex the better

Could there be some spots that a tower might be visible and we wish it wasn't? Sure, but I think that will be the exception not the rule

Think the gondolas will give the perception to guests they are getting somewhere even in line. The constant loading in theory means guests would be moving up pretty much the whole time. Vs waiting in the same spot for a boat, bus, or monorail to show up. Standing in one spot makes 2 minutes seem like 10.
As far as the view I will be one squeezing my eyes shut while my kid points out everything to dad.

 

[rteetz]

How is that possible? They will still need to be able to get supplies to those restaurants.

The ride building is going right there. The will have to service the restaurant before and after park hours.

 

[DanBoris]

How is that possible? They will still need to be able to get supplies to those restaurants.

The road is actually being re-routed behind the new Rat building...

 

[lugnut33]

Yeah WDWNT and Blog Mickey have tweeted several images of very poor show in toy story land.

But if they did a separate ticket event for it and included some cupcakes it'd sell out quickly. (hopefully that doesn't get me banned, I was being very sarcastic)

 

[jade1]

Great story Weedy.

Well, guess we know where you came up with the username “Weedy”

Great story!

HaHa that was what I was alluding to, makes sense.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

But if they did a separate ticket event for it and included some cupcakes it'd sell out quickly. (hopefully that doesn't get me banned, I was being very sarcastic)

actually i think that is a fair and acurate point ... despite the "poor show" it is still "the thing to see" and a very hard to get FP so people would still pay extra to ride it despite the poor show (now, maybe demand won't be as high and I think the poor show reduces desire for people to linger in the land and "take in the details" but not for the rides themselves much)

see: rumors of the return of paid magic mornings at DHS

 

[OSUZorba]

Those people pretty much assume that's what the privacy of a Gondola is for. Then there's the vandalism (honestly can't remember the last Gondola I was on that wasn't vandalized in some manner, and usually not within a family friendly manner). Should be interesting to see how long it takes for these to get worn in.

I said something about vandalism early in this thread and people claimed that never happens at Disney.

With how tinted the windows are, I guarantee there will be people joining the "gondola club." I won't say how I know that this is a thing...

 

[intertile]

I said something about vandalism early in this thread and people claimed that never happens at Disney.

With how tinted the windows are, I guarantee there will be people joining the "gondola club." I won't say how I know that this is a thing...

Well it's not a thing yet, they aren't open...or are you meaning that's what they call it elsewhere ?

 

[Mome Rath]

It seems, too, that people are assuming most gondolas are only going to load 2 people. It's Disney, it's going to be busy, how many gondolas do you think they will only put a couple in? I suppose we will have to see, but I'm betting there will be at least 4 people per.

 

[The Pho]

It seems, too, that people are assuming most gondolas are only going to load 2 people. It's Disney, it's going to be busy, how many gondolas do you think they will only put a couple in? I suppose we will have to see, but I'm betting there will be at least 4 people per.

During the middle of the day, there will definitely be empty Gondolas and single groups. The constant loading will keep the line from growing unless it's a heavy travel time like park close. It's not all that unusual to get a single group on a bus or boat and those don't load nearly as often.

 

[skier_pete]

During the middle of the day, there will definitely be empty Gondolas and single groups. The constant loading will keep the line from growing unless it's a heavy travel time like park close. It's not all that unusual to get a single group on a bus or boat and those don't load nearly as often.

This is true - we've been on buses by ourselves to the parks, even at times you would think would be busy. There will definitely be opportunities to be on the gondola by yourself. The thing will be the fact you will only get about 5 minutes - but yeah I'm sure this'll happen. Ew.

 

[loutoo]

So you guys are saying that we will walking outside behind the buildings in France and you will be able to look up and see the Eiffel Tower on top of the building? Not to mention the back of the buildings where there is no themeing? Not that the queue will be covered as you walk behind the buildings? Besides, that concept art is junk, that is not at all what the pavilion looks like. That is bit more then average artistic license with that picture.

I am sure that Disney, while theming the back of those buildings, will use a fake facade that rises higher than the roof of the building and perspective to disguise the fact the tower is sitting on top of a building.

You will not be wandering through the streets of Paris to find the Eifell tower sitting on some roof. Lets give the good people at imagineering a little bit of credit.

 

[Mome Rath]

Perhaps it will be an issue further down the road, but, the biggest factor is if people are going to view them as just transportation or as a ride. In the beginning you're going to have people riding it for both reasons (and wanting to do round trips everywhere even if they have to unload and reload). It will be more like the monorail than the buses, so it will depend how fast they load and the total number of people.

 

[OKW Lover]

the biggest factor is if people are going to view them as just transportation or as a ride. In the beginning you're going to have people riding it for both reasons

Agree. We won't be staying at the resorts served by the Skyliner since we live very close to the parks. I'm sure that at some point though we will ride them just to see how they function.

 

[Lilsia]

I am sure that Disney, while theming the back of those buildings, will use a fake facade that rises higher than the roof of the building and perspective to disguise the fact the tower is sitting on top of a building.

You will not be wandering through the streets of Paris to find the Eifell tower sitting on some roof. Lets give the good people at imagineering a little bit of credit.

This was my point. The person that I had be quoting was saying that they are going to have to move the Eiffel Tower because we are all going to be walking back behind the building and seeing it on the roof. I was the one saying that there is no way that Disney is going to allow that to happen. You need to read through the whole thread and follow the conversation.

 

[OSUZorba]

Well it's not a thing yet, they aren't open...or are you meaning that's what they call it elsewhere ?

There are many other gondolas open in the world, and people do "adult things" in them. "Gondola club" is an euphemism.

 

[OSUZorba]

Perhaps it will be an issue further down the road, but, the biggest factor is if people are going to view them as just transportation or as a ride. In the beginning you're going to have people riding it for both reasons (and wanting to do round trips everywhere even if they have to unload and reload). It will be more like the monorail than the buses, so it will depend how fast they load and the total number of people.

Even with a ton of people riding it as a ride, the capacity will be 3000+ people per hour, per line. So if you say joy riders will evenly split between the DHS and Epcot lines, that would be a ride capacity of 6000+ people an hour. I am pretty sure that would be the highest ride capacity in the parks, by far. Most of the coasters are between 1200 and 2000, as a comparison.

So I don't think joy riders are going to create many lines in the middle of the day.

 

[loutoo]

This was my point. The person that I had be quoting was saying that they are going to have to move the Eiffel Tower

I'm aware of that and wasn't trying to imply otherwise. I was supporting your statement and being too lazy to go back through the old posts to also quote the other people you were responding to. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

You need to read through the whole thread and follow the conversation.

I have read the entire thread and follow the conversation continually as it happens, I just don't post often because people seem to be quick to take offense even when none was intended. To be clear, no offense was or is intended.

 

[MamaJessie]

It seems, too, that people are assuming most gondolas are only going to load 2 people. It's Disney, it's going to be busy, how many gondolas do you think they will only put a couple in? I suppose we will have to see, but I'm betting there will be at least 4 people per.

I really hope so because 2 per would be inconvenient for those families of 5 CBR accommodates so nicely. At least if it fits 4 you can split 2 and 3.