bridge GF to MK

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DIS Veteran
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May 11, 2014
overheard a CM last week at MK, I know they are not reliable sources of info. she was telling a guest that there are plans to put a bridge over the canal so guests can walk from GF to MK. i am sure this rumor has been around from time to time
 
Yes, this rumor comes up from time to time. Has been for years. So far nothing.

The problem is that there is a waterway that needs to be bridged but still left open because that's where the floats for the Electric Water Pageant are stored and also where the Ferry Boat around Tom Sawyers Island needs to traverse when going to/from the dry dock facility. I don't think the number of people who might be willing to walk are large enough to warrant actually going forward with this project.
 
I don't think the number of people who might be willing to walk are large enough to warrant actually going forward with this project.
I think that is the real problem. Not worth the investment for a small portion. I personally would love it. The canal issue isn’t really much of an issue, it’s hardly used so a drawbridge like is already used in Epcot would be more than sufficient. Or just one of the many other type of movable bridges that are out there.
 


One of my Disney jobs was based behind Pirates of the Caribbean right next to that canal. Without getting into proprietary information, I can say that the area is highly secured. We had to undergo additional security checks just to get permission to bring our personal vehicles into that area. At least when I was there, Security checked our cars (undercarriage, interior, and trunk) each time we entered.

There's also a lot of wetlands on both sides of that canal. We had the "Snake Wrangler" on speed dial in the office. About 2 or 3 times each month, we had to snakes and other creepy-crawly critters relocated because they were getting too close for comfort.

I agree with The Pho. While I personally like the idea of a path, I think those two things plus the cost of a drawbridge probably make this a project that won't ever happen.
 
If you could actually make a full loop around the lake, I'm sure plenty of runners would use it. I think there are more than enough people that would use it to get to GF at the end of the day when the monorail is backed up. It's a beautiful walk on that side, much better than the walk from the Contemporary. I don't know how to determine how many people using it makes it "worth" building, but I think it would have gotten plenty of use over the years. Especially if they could somehow connect the Contemporary to the Poly to complete the loop.
 
I realize this is a rumor and likely not to happen - at least any time soon. Still, if it happened, I'd be curious to know if it would make a dent at all on the Contemporary. I only mention it because, to me, the primary allure of the Contemporary is the short walk to MK. In fact, we plan to stay there during the 50th anniversary and that walk is why. I much prefer the overall theming of GF, though.
 


If you could actually make a full loop around the lake, I'm sure plenty of runners would use it. I think there are more than enough people that would use it to get to GF at the end of the day when the monorail is backed up. It's a beautiful walk on that side, much better than the walk from the Contemporary. I don't know how to determine how many people using it makes it "worth" building, but I think it would have gotten plenty of use over the years. Especially if they could somehow connect the Contemporary to the Poly to complete the loop.
If you could cross the bridge between GF and MK, you would have to enter the MK secure zone to continue to the Contemporary (a path that includes a stoplight public road crossing)
But I imagine it would be a nice rub from GF to MK (or Poly to MK if you are OK running through GF)

The MK secure zone now adds an extra consideration, but they might be able to incorporate it with the resort boat launch security.
 
If you could cross the bridge between GF and MK, you would have to enter the MK secure zone to continue to the Contemporary (a path that includes a stoplight public road crossing)
But I imagine it would be a nice rub from GF to MK (or Poly to MK if you are OK running through GF)

The MK secure zone now adds an extra consideration, but they might be able to incorporate it with the resort boat launch security.

I'm not sure I understand how the security zone would be an issue. On a loop, you'd have to go through security once no matter which direction you are going.
 
It's always amazed me they don't have a bridge there simply to cut down on complaints from two high-end resorts during monorail outages / busy seasons. Staying at the GF and don't want to risk missing your breakfast? Just walk!

I'd even understand if the path closed at dusk so they could do water pageant stuff.
 
I realize this is a rumor and likely not to happen - at least any time soon. Still, if it happened, I'd be curious to know if it would make a dent at all on the Contemporary. I only mention it because, to me, the primary allure of the Contemporary is the short walk to MK. In fact, we plan to stay there during the 50th anniversary and that walk is why. I much prefer the overall theming of GF, though.

I believe it would be a much longer walk them to the Contemporary. So maybe a bit of pact just knowing it is another option but I don't think it will feel the same as the quick walk to the Contemporary
 
I believe it would be a much longer walk them to the Contemporary. So maybe a bit of pact just knowing it is another option but I don't think it will feel the same as the quick walk to the Contemporary

I used google maps earlier to see and to my surprise it wasn’t as much as I expected. I wrote the numbers down at work so don’t have them on hand but ballpark was: a little under 0.50 miles to MK from Contemporary and about 0.75 miles to MK from GF.
 
I think this would be a good idea, but the hardest part (to me) is making it work on the GF end.20190508_002135.jpglooking at this aerial image, you would have to find a way to connect the GF walkways to the land passed the convent center. then it would bridge over the canal (that doesn't have any boat usage I belive) and follow the shoreline next to the dirt road. a drawbridge similar to EPCOT would be perfect for the canal that the water pageant comes out of.

Screenshot_20190508-002103_Earth.jpg

If you look at this pic from Google Earth, I was wondering if they service the riverboat on MK property now? You can see it docked on the same canal that the EWP is parked on.
 
I was wondering if they service the riverboat on MK property now? You can see it docked on the same canal that the EWP is parked on.
No doubt some repairs can be accomplished there. But larger things that would require a dry dock would still need to be done at the North Service Area.
 
Without the EWP parking, it would seem to be easy to have a detachable floating dock as a “bridge” .
I’m thinking a floating dock in a similar size to Boardwalk’s floating dock with metal ramps allowing water height changes.

But I imagine EWP is a touchy subject to operations.
 
Why not go all out and build an underwater viewing tunnel so you can see the natural wildlife up close and watch boats go overhead?
 
For those staying at GF, it would be nice. But, I suspect it really wouldn't be sued enought to justify the cost to build. The few times we take the boat or monorail, just don't see many people walking that trail.
Then again, if it was completed, maybe more people would use it.
 
People don't take that path because it doesn't go anywhere.

If you put in a bridge and allowed people to get to the Grand Floridian, I can guarantee you would lighten the monorail/boat load. People would take the path and walk to GF, Poly, even all the way to the TTC - especially at park close.
 

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