Gondola rumor

Now, we just gotta get @SouthAlabama5er on it when the wind is moving it around. If his experience on the ferris wheel in Orange Beach was any indicator. :-)

I'll ride it and thing it's a cool idea. Just like anything else it's going to have its pros and cons. Just as long as the people in the gondola remain seated with their hand, arms and legs inside the vehicle for their safety and the safety of those who don't like heights around them.... just throwing that out there...

It would be a good way to go resort hopping, we do that almost every trip.

I know it's off topic and costly but I wish they would extend the monorail system to include all four parks and Downtow.... I mean Disney Springs.
 
Can they run during thunderstorms? I would tend to think not, seems like it might be an issue given the frequency during summer months. Would they have enough excess bus capacity on hand to handle those times? Smarter minds than mine have probably thought this through, but it would be a concern of mine if I were paying a premium to stay at a resort during summer months.

I would think it would have to be severe weather. I have seen other gondolas run in pretty nasty weather. Even lightening may not be an issue as long as the system is properly grounded. It all depends upon implementation.
 
I hear it is quite fast. Also if you don't like heights it might be a tough ride for you.
 


I would think it would have to be severe weather. I have seen other gondolas run in pretty nasty weather. Even lightening may not be an issue as long as the system is properly grounded. It all depends upon implementation.
We just returned from a couple of days at WDW and a couple of day visits to the Fort and had the opportunity to ride one leg of the Skyliner. We were ready to ride the next leg to Epcot when it was shut down due to lightning being within 6 miles of WDW. The WDW rep told us that after each lightning strike, the rule was a 30 minute wait. (resets after each lightning strike) The Skyliner did not run for the remainder of the evening. I still struggle with how the Skyliner was a better option than the already established monorail. If it was finances, they could have built it in phases. I have to believe that the maintenance would be less for the monorail and the fact that the support services for the monorail are already in place. When they shut the Skyliner down, they had to call in several buses to the main hub to now get the stranded passengers to their destination. Don't know that I can remember them ever shutting down the monorail for weather related issues. It seems to me that most all sky lift type rides have a shorter than most attractions life span. Even Disney took out the Skyway from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland. It just seem like longevity and skylifts do not go together. With that said, the Skyliner was fun to ride.

Station at Hollywood Studios
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Another view
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Leaving the Hollywood Studios station
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Epcot loading platform at the main hub
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Landing platform from Hollywood Studios
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I liked riding it too, but agree that a transportation system ( not a ride ) that Disney is using as a way of getting guests to and from resorts and parks should have been something that could operate during normal Florida lightning activity... I suppose you can say “the monorail is cost prohibitive” and point out many reasons why. However, is it not super costly to drain a swamp and then build an entire theme park on the second floor in the first place?
 


We rode the Gondolas on Tuesday. The ride was smooth and seamless. However it was a high humidity day with little to no air moving. While it wasn't terrible, you only received a slight breeze sitting in the directional seat. If you had you back to the window, it was warm. Sambuster
 
I liked riding it too, but agree that a transportation system ( not a ride ) that Disney is using as a way of getting guests to and from resorts and parks should have been something that could operate during normal Florida lightning activity... I suppose you can say “the monorail is cost prohibitive” and point out many reasons why. However, is it not super costly to drain a swamp and then build an entire theme park on the second floor in the first place?
The thing is that once built, the theme park generates revenue that lets you recoups the construction, covers operational expenses, and generates profits.

Providing transportation is a cost center that does not generate any revenue. So not only you do not recoup the initial construction cost you on-going operational cost

In regards to the other poster saying the support systems are already in place for the monorail. The present monorail train barn is at capacity so it would either have to be expanded, but more likely an additional barn built over the Epcot/CBR/AofA area.
 
The thing is that once built, the theme park generates revenue that lets you recoups the construction, covers operational expenses, and generates profits.

Providing transportation is a cost center that does not generate any revenue. So not only you do not recoup the initial construction cost you on-going operational cost

In regards to the other poster saying the support systems are already in place for the monorail. The present monorail train barn is at capacity so it would either have to be expanded, but more likely an additional barn built over the Epcot/CBR/AofA area.

I do agree with you on most parts, but not sure how much on the part about the transportation system not generating revenue. The parks generate revenue, but only if the transportation helps get the guests there. So in a way, they do generate, but not directly. Your point is well taken though, I'm not disagreeing.

The monorail is a HIGH upkeep and cost based on some prior things I've seen over the years, which is why it is not expanded to any other parks except the originals.

I've yet to try the gondolas, but I will give it a go next visit just to say I did.
 
I do agree with you on most parts, but not sure how much on the part about the transportation system not generating revenue. The parks generate revenue, but only if the transportation helps get the guests there. So in a way, they do generate, but not directly. Your point is well taken though, I'm not disagreeing.

The monorail is a HIGH upkeep and cost based on some prior things I've seen over the years, which is why it is not expanded to any other parks except the originals.

I've yet to try the gondolas, but I will give it a go next visit just to say I did.
Until recently, I worked in IT for a very large bank. Despite the fact that without computers the modern banking system would be non-existent. In the corporate world, if you generating revenue you are a cost center.

Thanks for mentioning the high upkeep cost. I didn't comment on that as I don't recall reading anything along those lines in the past. My gut was telling me that the upkeep cost would be more than the gondola system.
 
We rode the Gondola from Epcot & enjoyed the ride. We had a good breeze while on our ride. Rode to the return & then back to Epcot. Didn’t care that we had to get off & get on another.
 
We rode the Skyliner from C-B to the Studios and back and then to EPCOT last week and loved it. We rode them back and forth for over an hour and half. With a bit of planning we even managed to watch the fireworks from them which was very cool.
Hint we discovered that if you grab a gondola without the character screen you can see much clearer
 

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