Walt Disney World Resort Non-Park Discussion Thread

[Hilltopper39]

Where did you find that image? Was it actually posted somewhere official? This is all pretty fascinating, I remember rumors a while back about some kind of potential light rail system connecting AK and the TTC but I'm guessing that they are expecting a major attendance increase at the studios after Star Wars opens so this address that area instead. This system kinda creates like a "gondola loop" around the Studios/Epcot resort area, which is pretty cool. I'd love to stay at Carribean beach and be able to hop on a gondola to Epcot or the Studios.

 

I figured they would eventually get around to upgrading the bus system somehow, I mean with everyone on property wearing a magic band seems like there could potentially be data available to improve that system. Scan your band at the bus stop then run the buses on more direct routes based on demand instead of the loops like they utilize now, or something.

[Nrthwnd]

Gondola system.

 

[coasterbill]

As you can probably guess, I absolutely love this idea.

[cparkes92]

I love it as well! The last time I went to Disney for a full vacation I stayed at Caribbean Beach. There were times the buses were so packed that every seat was filled AND people were crammed in the aisle (the only other time I've seen that was at college)

[TheCoasterKid211]

This is the best idea ever.

[G$ Kurt]

Im all about this!

 

Just don't let the Von Roll enthusiasts over in the CP thread get wind of this.

[TheoB]

I love it as well! The last time I went to Disney for a full vacation I stayed at Caribbean Beach. There were times the buses were so packed that every seat was filled AND people were crammed in the aisle (the only other time I've seen that was at college)

 

You wouldn't like London or pretty much any other major European city.

[cfc]

A gondola sounds like a good idea--nice alternative to adding more monorail track, and better than adding more buses.

[viking86]

This sounds really cool, I hope it becomes a reality!

[DirkFunk]

I'm going to doubt until I see construction but I'm all for this, honestly.

[michaellynn4]

It's embarrassing to admit this, but when I first was reading this news, I had envisioned THIS kind of gondola:

 

 

I was sitting there thinking, "How in the hell is this a feasible option?!" It wasn't until I read Bill's comment that I realized my error.

 

Le sigh...

[toughmudder]

I sure as hope the skyway gondola rumor is true. Disney and More just posted an update that the original sources got their facts mixed up and it truly is a waterway gondola as speculated by the poster above ^... and not a skyway gondola... perhaps even an upcharge thing.

[MrSum1_55]

Love the idea! Hopefully this can also expand to include transit systems other than buses to link all four parks. (The current bus system is just not that efficient). This would make visits to WDW much easier and more interesting if it became possible to zip between parks more quickly in the way that you can take the monorail from Epcot to Magic Kingdom.

[DoinItForTheFame]

OMG!!

 

I hope the skyway gondola rumors are true. This would be a huge benefit, and great addition to the entire WDW resort.

[SixFlagsAstroworld]

Gondolas are my personal favorite type of transportation! I really want this to become reality!

[DorneyKid14]

Like the idea of this. Always thought having more transportation options would be awesome there.

 

Would adding gondolas be more cost effective than expanding the monorail line?

[Hilltopper39]

^From what I understand from sources that may or may not be real or credible expanding the monorial system is incredibly expensive.

[coasterbill]

Would adding gondolas be more cost effective than expanding the monorail line?

 

We haven't seen the figures so we're all just speculating, but by all accounts it would be a much cheaper option.

 

Edit: ^ Beat me to it.

[gerstlaueringvar]

Yeah I was going to post like how can cable car switch track and stuff like that and form a transportation network. It all make sense now.

[thrillrider]

Speaking of the monorail, I was always curious why they never connected it to the wilderness lodge. It's basically right next to the resort, and really wouldn't be that far of an expansion. Making the wilderness lodge a monorail hotel could pay off.

[DoinItForTheFame]

Would adding gondolas be more cost effective than expanding the monorail line?

 

^From what I understand from sources that may or may not be real or credible expanding the monorial system is incredibly expensive.

 

I remember watching a documentary many years ago about the WDW monorail, and they stated that when it was built it cost $1 million a mile. . . Given how much money has changed since the construction, I don't even want to think about how much a mile would cost today.

 

If I can find the documentary I'll post a link to it.

 

Edit: In today's cost, it would cost about $5,996,024.69 a mile for the Monorail. (If the information given in the documentary was correct.)

[DorneyKid14]

^^ yeah even though Disney brings that in in half a day, I would not spend 5 million dollars a mile. Even though it would be cool to see the monorail go more places.

[MagicAngel94]

Does the monorail close in case of rain and bad weather?

[Hilltopper39]

Does the monorail close in case of rain and bad weather?

 

No but it does close to transfer on a new train every time I'm in a running late in a hurry to make my first fastpass.....

[coasterbill]

Does the monorail close in case of rain and bad weather?

 

No, and this would be the one drawback with the Skyway system. Assuming this is a modern enclosed Doppelmayr (or something similar) it would need to close for severe weather. They can run in rain, but they generally can't run in lightning or high winds. The wind limit is generally pretty high on these modern lifts though, it's not like we're dealing with the Cedar Point Sky Ride here.

 

Still, I think this is a minor drawback to an otherwise awesome idea.