Skyliner breakdown and BWVs

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Expecting an undeveloped area to stay undeveloped for 15+ years is generally not reasonable in most urban areas. And WDW qualifies.
 
I remember regular IG users posting concern that the gondolas would cause congestion/lines at the previously calm entrance. Those concerns were countered by other posters citing the numbers of guests that the gondolas could handle. Now that the congestion has occurred, the dialogue has changed to regular IG users should expect the lines are unavoidable. The natural progression?
 
I remember regular IG users posting concern that the gondolas would cause congestion/lines at the previously calm entrance. Those concerns were countered by other posters citing the numbers of guests that the gondolas could handle. Now that the congestion has occurred, the dialogue has changed to regular IG users should expect the lines are unavoidable. The natural progression?
Hit the nail on the head here.
 
I remember regular IG users posting concern that the gondolas would cause congestion/lines at the previously calm entrance. Those concerns were countered by other posters citing the numbers of guests that the gondolas could handle. Now that the congestion has occurred, the dialogue has changed to regular IG users should expect the lines are unavoidable. The natural progression?
Exactly!

So my personal story is that we bought DVC in 2006 with 3 elementary aged kids. Our vacays have changed over the years. But as of late, with 3 kids off to college/out of college, we were enjoying a couple only trip during Epcot festival time. Where we'd eat and drink and pop in and out of Epcot. No rushing for EMH and going park commando. No dealing with QS lines for meals and DP credits. No, now we do festival lunches and then signature dinners with night caps in lounges and have a leisurely relaxed vacay (as best one can at WDW). But they make changes that constantly ruin that. Our fave signature, AP, went to character meal. A nice lounge to have some wine in, Mizner's, is now a Beauty and the Beast photo op for families with kiddos. I even recently saw, on social media, a lady moaning about how crappy it was to have to stand at the bar in Oga's and her 2 little kids had to sit perched on the foot rest of the bar. THE BAR. Anyway, I was one who voiced dismay at the stupid Skyliner coming to my beloved IG and all the cheerleaders swore it would not be an issue as it would run swiftly and smoothly and be just awesome. The IG turnstiles could handle it as it wouldn't be too many people and the place was a ghost town anyway... was pretty much what was said. And even though WDW has WAY more strollers and scooters than ski resorts all over the world...it could move swiftly without ever stopping. It would be GREAT! :rolleyes:

So these empty nesters (us) need to just find a new place to vacay. Maybe we'll venture back when we have grand babies.
 
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I totally believe this was their thinking. We were just at BWV (got back home on Sunday). We were there for the opening of that Skyliner as well as the crash. Once Skyliner opened that IG was a crowded jam packed mess. No more going in or out of Epcot swiftly. Those days are done. Also noticed everything on the BW was jam packed. The ample hills had lines out the door. The last night of Illuminations we were enjoying a quiet night at Belle Vue lounge when all of the sudden there were about 50 people crowded around the bar. The 2 servers were extremely stressed and could not keep up. We had trouble getting and paying our tab. In 13 years of DVC ownership and a dozen or so visits to BWV I have never seen this. I wish I had gotten a photo. I did get a photo of the IG at the end of the night and the line for the Skyliner.....







I knew IG was going to be a mess after the skyliner opened. There just isn't enough room for guests coming from the walkways, boats, and skyliner to all get through IG easily.
 
According to PP, the boardwalk area has been a ghost town up until recently?? Like before the gondola service?
 


I even recently saw, on social media, a lady moaning about how crappy it was to have to stand at the bar in Oga's and her 2 little kids had to sit perched on the foot rest of the bar. THE BAR.
I'm on board with IG was ruined in all this. But Oga's is a bar!!! it has like 1 food item, that amounts to a bar snack. Why are little kids there at all? Or should bringing kids be a requirement to get one of the few tables in there, so couples have to stand. You take your chances at oga's with seating, why someone thinks they are more entitled to a table than other people is beyond me
 
I'm on board with IG was ruined in all this. But Oga's is a bar!!! it has like 1 food item, that amounts to a bar snack. Why are little kids there at all? Or should bringing kids be a requirement to get one of the few tables in there, so couples have to stand. You take your chances at oga's with seating, why someone thinks they are more entitled to a table than other people is beyond me
Totally agree!
 
Exactly!

So my personal story is that we bought DVC in 2006 with 3 elementary aged kids. Our vacays have changed over the years. But as of late, with 3 kids off to college/out of college, we were enjoying a couple only trip during Epcot festival time. Where we'd eat and drink and pop in and out of Epcot. No rushing for EMH and going park commando. No dealing with QS lines for meals and DP credits. No, now we do festival lunches and then signature dinners with night caps in lounges and have a leisurely relaxed vacay (as best one can at WDW). But they make changes that constantly ruin that. Our fave signature, AP, went to character meal. A nice lounge to have some wine in, Mizner's, is now a Beauty and the Beast photo op for families with kiddos. I even recently saw, on social media, a lady moaning about how crappy it was to have to stand at the bar in Oga's and her 2 little kids had to sit perched on the foot rest of the bar. THE BAR. Anyway, I was one who voiced dismay at the stupid Skyliner coming to my beloved IG and all the cheerleaders swore it would not be an issue as it would run swiftly and smoothly and be just awesome. The IG turnstiles could handle it as it wouldn't be too many people and the place was a ghost town anyway... was pretty much what was said. And even though WDW has WAY more strollers and scooters than ski resorts all over the world...it could move swiftly without ever stopping. It would be GREAT! :rolleyes:

So these empty nesters (us) need to just find a new place to vacay. Maybe we'll venture back when we have grand babies.

This is us to a “T.” We bought at BW in 2007 although our kids were a bit older, only 1 left in middle school. Now even the caboose is through college, working in another state. We are not only empty nesters, but seniors on top of that. We spend very little time in the parks as the things I appreciate are removed, like the Citizens of Hollywood. Instead of eating at the parks we’ll eat at resort lounges. Next trip will be universal centric, just a few days at BW.

Those “cheerleaders” said the construction at IG turnstiles would take care of the minor increase in crowds passing through due to the gondolas. I am hoping things will improve a bit when the bloom is off the rose of the gondolas and people use it for transport not because they are curious but it still appears to be a bottleneck.
 
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I remember regular IG users posting concern that the gondolas would cause congestion/lines at the previously calm entrance. Those concerns were countered by other posters citing the numbers of guests that the gondolas could handle. Now that the congestion has occurred, the dialogue has changed to regular IG users should expect the lines are unavoidable. The natural progression?

The photos posted earlier in the thread are of people trying to EXIT via the Skyliner, presumably after fireworks. Nobody ever said that hundreds of people leaving the park simultaneously would be congestion-free.

As for arrivals, at max efficiency they get about 5 cabs per minute. Maximum occupancy is 10 but average is probably closer to 6. And that’s at peak arrival time when every single cab is entering the station holding guests. Probably the case from about 8:30 - 10:30am daily, but other times of the day guest traffic will be more irregular.

Nevertheless, can the IG entrance not handle another 5 traveling parties—about 30 total guests—per minute?
 
The photos posted earlier in the thread are of people trying to EXIT via the Skyliner, presumably after fireworks. Nobody ever said that hundreds of people leaving the park simultaneously would be congestion-free.

As for arrivals, at max efficiency they get about 5 cabs per minute. Maximum occupancy is 10 but average is probably closer to 6. And that’s at peak arrival time when every single cab is entering the station holding guests. Probably the case from about 8:30 - 10:30am daily, but other times of the day guest traffic will be more irregular.

Nevertheless, can the IG entrance not handle another 5 traveling parties—about 30 total guests—per minute?
Do any of them do 30 a minute, consistently, minute after minute, during that 2 hour rush you reference? Sure doesn't seem like it.
 
So I saw a picture on a website that I can't source here (because it's not allowed) that showed a sign by the IG Skyliner during the incident the other night directing people to the BW for bus transportation back to their resorts. Isn't the BC bus stop a shorter walk rather then having all those guests walking all the way to the BW bus stop? It appears to me that Disney isn't as concern about the inconvenience to it's guest as they maybe at looking to increase their bottom line. I'm thinking this is a way for Disney to increase traffic on the Boardwalk which would in turn increase business ($ for Disney) for all the stores and dining spots on Boardwalk. As a BW DVC member I'm not real happy about this but I guess there isn't anything I can do about it. Disney owns the property and they can pretty much do anything they want.

I'm guessing people staying at the connecting resorts via Skyline will now be able to access the Boardwalk area much easier then in the past which in turn may increase the volume of people in that area. This will probable also impact the boat transportation in the Epcot area. This isn't something I had considered when this project was first announced. I was more concerned about my entry point to Epcot and how all the extra traffic would effect that experience. Now I see the bigger picture, this is also a way to increase traffic to the Boardwalk area. Not sure how this will all work out, I'm afraid it may not be good for us old timer BW owners. We have gotten used to a certain level of crowds now it could get much larger potentially having a negative effect to the area and our experience.

I guess you have to hand it to Disney, they saw an area that wasn't being fully utilized and they found a way to do it...good business I guess. Not so good for the DVC owners in the area I'm afraid... :sad2:

I'm interested in what others think.
I totally believe this was their thinking. We were just at BWV (got back home on Sunday). We were there for the opening of that Skyliner as well as the crash. Once Skyliner opened that IG was a crowded jam packed mess. No more going in or out of Epcot swiftly. Those days are done. Also noticed everything on the BW was jam packed. The ample hills had lines out the door. The last night of Illuminations we were enjoying a quiet night at Belle Vue lounge when all of the sudden there were about 50 people crowded around the bar. The 2 servers were extremely stressed and could not keep up. We had trouble getting and paying our tab. In 13 years of DVC ownership and a dozen or so visits to BWV I have never seen this. I wish I had gotten a photo. I did get a photo of the IG at the end of the night and the line for the Skyliner.....







This sucks. There is no way to spin this positively.
 
The thing is Disney cannot charge an arm and a leg for points and flood dvc resorts with foot traffic from the parks. Years ago we stayed at the grand Floridian for a couple of years until dh said enough, I’m tired of coming back to relax at the hotel and having it overrun with people on the Disney dining plan. So we started staying at the Waldorf. Perfect, actually.

We stayed at boardwalk over Labor Day during the whole “hurricane” period and the belle vue lounge was often too crowded even then when the parks were empty. The two bartenders were overwhelmed then too. I can only imagine how bad it was when lovin’ fl was there. They need to build larger bars for the resorts as it is. Now they are inviting more people in? No thanks.

And they really need to start enforcing basic codes of conduct. Put up old school signs that say, “Feet are for floors.” Apparently people do not have parents anymore who teach them how to behave. We were taught that at home and school. But nowadays, I cannot tell you how many times I have seen people, adults, with their bare feet on the sofas at beach club or boardwalk or GF. Gross. Don’t people have parents any more? Naps in the lobbies? Simply not acceptable, yet I too have seen this. Saw a middle aged woman randomly sleeping on a sofa at BW in the middle of the room just last month (I am talking sprawled out, shoes off, as if in bed). WTH? We were at the pool and overheard people near us talking about how the just enter the resort to swim even though they were not even staying on Disney property. What is up with this? Disney is so lax that people are not even concerned with who overhears them bragging about using hotel facilities for free. This stuff has got to stop.
 
The thing is Disney cannot charge an arm and a leg for points and flood dvc resorts with foot traffic from the parks. Years ago we stayed at the grand Floridian for a couple of years until dh said enough, I’m tired of coming back to relax at the hotel and having it overrun with people on the Disney dining plan. So we started staying at the Waldorf. Perfect, actually.

We stayed at boardwalk over Labor Day during the whole “hurricane” period and the belle vue lounge was often too crowded even then when the parks were empty. The two bartenders were overwhelmed then too. I can only imagine how bad it was when lovin’ fl was there. They need to build larger bars for the resorts as it is. Now they are inviting more people in? No thanks.

And they really need to start enforcing basic codes of conduct. Put up old school signs that say, “Feet are for floors.” Apparently people do not have parents anymore who teach them how to behave. We were taught that at home and school. But nowadays, I cannot tell you how many times I have seen people, adults, with their bare feet on the sofas at beach club or boardwalk or GF. Gross. Don’t people have parents any more? Naps in the lobbies? Simply not acceptable, yet I too have seen this. Saw a middle aged woman randomly sleeping on a sofa at BW in the middle of the room just last month (I am talking sprawled out, shoes off, as if in bed). WTH? We were at the pool and overheard people near us talking about how the just enter the resort to swim even though they were not even staying on Disney property. What is up with this? Disney is so lax that people are not even concerned with who overhears them bragging about using hotel facilities for free. This stuff has got to stop.
Or the folks who park at BW just to walk into Epcot or HS. Every time I am staying there, I watch folks do it. The parking is limited already.

I agree these lounges need to have more space and definitely need more staff. I don't know why BW resort can't use the Attic as another lounge. It's for booking events and not used regularly. They could have that space as a full time lounge.
 
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