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

[rteetz]

I think Martin "confirmed" it, but that was the heavy speculation since there appears to only be one or two on site.

My guess is the cable installation went quicker than required so the contractor could get a large milestone payment earlier.

Actually it was me.

 

[Roxyfire]

I’ve been following/lurking around the Skyliner discussion from the beginning and I just have to say that I don’t understand the angst about it in some posts. While I agree with many posts on many boards complaining about the deterioration in the Disney parks experience, I think the Skyliner system will be a roaring success. I’m definitely not an expert on these systems, but I think people will love riding it, in much the same way they enjoyed the old MK and Disneyland ride and they enjoy sky gliders at state fairs, etc. These kinds of rides remain very popular. People see it like a bonus attraction ride, suitable for all ages; in the same way they did (and still do despite the issues) with the monorails. And I’m in the camp that thinks the lack of AC will not deter many people from using it. In fact, I think many people staying in other resorts will bus to one of the Skyliner resorts just to ride it, at least once. Or they’ll ride the complete loop from Epcot or DHS just for the fun of it. I intend to.

I think it is going to be an incredibly efficient system, better than the busses, although I worry it will be so popular with non-Skyliner resort guests that it may become overcrowded.

I guess I just feel that although Disney has diminished the parks experience In many ways over the years, they deserve credit when they do something right and I think the Skyliner is one of those times.

I definitely agree with you. People tend to start off on one side of the extreme or another. Then once it really happens people settle in. My personal opinion is that people are agonizing far too much about certain issues (A/C and height being the number 1 and 2). I'm a contrarian when it comes to some things, so I totally get the need/desire to be skeptical. And perhaps any one of the many issues here may well be a frequent complaint in due time. But I'm trying not to make any judgement, positive or negative on this until it's running and operational for a bit. But I am excited to see what happens with it and how it goes. I do want it to be successful just for the simple fact it gives people another transportation option.

 

[Weedy]

Sorry if mentioned before but how many guests fit in each Gondola? Are the seats similar to the monorail (benches) and standing room? Will you get a full view of outside even though it will enclosed?
How long did they say it will take to get from at AOA to one of the parks?

Hoping it is up and running by the beginning of October. The first two nights of our stay will be at AoA so I'd love experience it without going out of our way to do so.

Thanks

Here is a photo of the interior of a cabin. Wooden slat benches able to fold up to accommodate wheelchairs

 

[monica9]

Here is a photo of the interior of a cabin. Wooden slat benches able to fold up to accommodate wheelchairs
View attachment 368227

Thanks

 

[DanBoris]

I think Martin "confirmed" it, but that was the heavy speculation since there appears to only be one or two on site.

My guess is the cable installation went quicker than required so the contractor could get a large milestone payment earlier.

The timing of the cable install makes sense since it's after the summer season when lifts are being built for the ski resorts.

 

[OSUZorba]

The timing of the cable install makes sense since it's after the summer season when lifts are being built for the ski resorts.

Yeah, and they've got until ~May before that work starts again. I am sure they got (or will get) a milestone payment once the cables are up and that is why it is so much in front of the final completion. This happens all the time when contractors can get milestone payments for items not on the critical path. If they weren't getting paid, I seriously doubt they would have fronted all the money as far forward of the critical path. They didn't bring millions of dollars of work (labor and materials) forward to keep a few guys busy for a couple weeks now as opposed to in a few months.

Of course, this assumes they are still on the original schedule and not just way behind on the gondola production.

 

[jade1]

 

[DanBoris]

A/C confirmed!

 

[Tigger's ally]

A/C confirmed!

View attachment 368272

Wouldn't want to come down those stairs!

 

[jade1]

A/C confirmed!

View attachment 368272

HaHa hadn't seen that.

Couple more from that turn.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

Wouldn't want to come down those stairs!

Those aren't stairs that anyone from the general public would use there for maintenance workers to get access to the equipment above the gondolas.

 

[Tigger's ally]

Those aren't stairs that anyone from the general public would use there for maintenance workers to get access to the equipment above the gondolas.

I figured that was a given... And my guess is they aren't finished yet either.

 

[DanBoris]

I figured that was a given... And my guess is they aren't finished yet either.

I actually think they may be finished. I am not sure why they would build a scaffolding to access them instead of just finishing them. There won't be much need to access them, so for security reasons they may me leaving them like that and something temporary will be used to access them when needed.

 

[Tigger's ally]

I actually think they may be finished. I am not sure why they would build a scaffolding to access them instead of just finishing them. There won't be much need to access them, so for security reasons they may me leaving them like that and something temporary will be used to access them when needed.

I figure the remainder will probably be pull down from there.

 

[gap2368]

looks like they are testing the Skyliner

I had to cut the top of the photo so it would upload so here are two photo one is just zoomed it one has the top cut off ( and a little of the side) and one is where I got the photo from Twitter

 

[Iowamomof4]

looks like they are testing the Skyliner

Are these your photos? Which line was this? DHS to CBR?

 

[gap2368]

Are these your photos? Which line was this? DHS to CBR?

No sorry I had to make the photo smaller So that it would up load then for got to put the credit in here is the top half of the photo

 

[rteetz]

looks like they are testing the Skyliner

I had to cut the top of the photo so it would upload so here are two photo one is just zoomed it one has the top cut off ( and a little of the side) and one is where I got the photo from Twitter

Looks like maybe some load testing. DHS line?

 

[DanBoris]

Looks like maybe some load testing. DHS line?

Yeah, probably DHS since that was the first line completed.

 

[gap2368]

Looks like maybe some load testing. DHS line?

This is my guess that they are doing some type of load testing there look like no one is riding it yet My guess is there will be more of these in the coming days/ weeks. So if anyone is down there keep your eye open and take pictures