Gondolas opening 29 Sep

[taffeelion]

Just saw this on twitter - DisneyParks
Right after my bday... maybe another trip this year?

 

[fla4fun]

I am surprised they would wait until the day SWGE opens. It will be mobbed with people that day.

 

[erionm]

I am surprised they would wait until the day SWGE opens. It will be mobbed with people that day.

SW:GE opens August 28th.
Skyliner opens September 29th.

 

[famsen]

SW:GE opens August 28th.
Skyliner opens September 29th.

I swear I had read that it was announced already to open the day before SWGE opens. Did I misread something earlier?

 

[erionm]

I swear I had read that it was announced already to open the day before SWGE opens. Did I misread something earlier?

That was speculation from a blogger.

 

[NWOhiogal]

I wonder if they've started running people in them yet? I'm curious to see if the claims of "the nice cool breeze that magically materializes when it's 98 out with 95% humidity, and tinted windows, will make the insides of the gondolas comfortable without air conditioning" end up being true.

I'd also like to know if there's any kind of alarm notification system, intercom system or other way for the people in the gondola to let someone know if there's an emergency while they're in the air. So far I haven't seen anything.

 

[fla4fun]

SW:GE opens August 28th.
Skyliner opens September 29th.

You are correct. I misread. That makes the SWGE opening worse for those resorts. Hope there are extra buses.

 

[MomOTwins]

Seems super clever of Disney to do this--I suspect this is just part and parcel of their strategy to spread crowds around the fall. Now every month they have something new on offer:

September: first month of SWGE
October: first month with skyliner
November: first month without having EEMH at the ungodly hour 6am (I know some people love that; but for a lot of people having to wake up at 4am on vacay for three out of four parks is a big turn off).
December: first month with Rise of the Resistance.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

I for one am very glad they will not be open until the end of September. We are staying at YC for the first time 8/30-9/9, I think the station there is going to really congest the back gate and I was wanting to have the experience once without the gondolas.

I have no desire honestly to ride in those things. Images of being hot and stuck come to mind when I think of them.

 

[joelkfla]

I wonder if they've started running people in them yet?

No.

I'd also like to know if there's any kind of alarm notification system, intercom system or other way for the people in the gondola to let someone know if there's an emergency while they're in the air. So far I haven't seen anything.

I don't know, but it wouldn't matter much one way or the other, as riders will never be more than 9 minutes from the next station. There's nothing that could be done before reaching the station.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

I'd also like to know if there's any kind of alarm notification system, intercom system or other way for the people in the gondola to let someone know if there's an emergency while they're in the air. So far I haven't seen anything.

I don't know, but it wouldn't matter much one way or the other, as riders will never be more than 9 minutes from the next station. There's nothing that could be done before reaching the station.

Good point.

Plus, there's plenty of other forms of transport at WDW that aren't instantly and immediately accessible to emergency services: boats/monorails can't just come to a stop in an emergency, they have to get to a dock/station. And there's no CMs aboard individual monorail cars, just one driver at the front who has no way of getting to the passenger cars.

 

[NWOhiogal]

I have no desire honestly to ride in those things. Images of being hot and stuck come to mind when I think of them.

I keep getting images of being forced to share a nine-minute ride with some drunk jerk, or a family where the mom decides to use the quiet time to change the baby's diaper. I hope Disney has some game plan on how to keep the gondolas clean, because I have a bad feeling that people are going to treat them like their own personal temporary car: throwing wrappers and trash on the floor, sticking gum on the walls, etc. Kid dumps container of goldfish crackers on the floor. "Oh, don't worry about it, the staff'll clean it up, that's their job!" Not to mention kids throwing up and stuff. A lot can happen in nine minutes!

 

[Brett Wyman]

Absolutely shocked they couldn’t have this ready by 8-29.

 

[FCDub]

I keep getting images of being forced to share a nine-minute ride with some drunk jerk, or a family where the mom decides to use the quiet time to change the baby's diaper. I hope Disney has some game plan on how to keep the gondolas clean, because I have a bad feeling that people are going to treat them like their own personal temporary car: throwing wrappers and trash on the floor, sticking gum on the walls, etc. Kid dumps container of goldfish crackers on the floor. "Oh, don't worry about it, the staff'll clean it up, that's their job!" Not to mention kids throwing up and stuff. A lot can happen in nine minutes!

They will treat them like any other mode of transportation. Nine minutes is also ... not a long time.

 

[rpb718]

Nine minutes is also ... not a long time.

9 minutes with a screaming child that the parents forced on the gondola against their will is forever.

 

[NWOhiogal]

They will treat them like any other mode of transportation. Nine minutes is also ... not a long time.

Ever been in an elevator for nine minutes?

Also, the other modes of transportation, you can avoid any mess a kid makes by just going to the other side of the boat, or the monorail car, or on the bus (although I imagine if a kid throws up on a bus the driver cleans it up before letting the next group on).

You can't avoid that mess on a Skyliner car. There isn't room. And those things keep moving all the time, so there's no opportunity for CMs to clean the car out unless they take the car offline. I suppose they could do that, although that of course that will reduce the number of passengers that can get through the line so my guess is they'll only do that if they have to.

 

[joelkfla]

And those things keep moving all the time, so there's no opportunity for CMs to clean the car out unless they take the car offline. I suppose they could do that, although that of course that will reduce the number of passengers that can get through the line so my guess is they'll only do that if they have to.

Cabins will routinely be taken off line for wheelchair boarding.

When a protein spill occurs on an attraction with individual cars, the car is taped off until custodial arrives to clean up the mess. They can do the same thing here until custodial arrives to meet the cabin at a station, at which time the cabin can be routed to the wheelchair platform, where there should be enough time to clean it up.

With cabins departing every few seconds, and 50-100 cabins per line, taking one out of service will not have a significant impact on thruput.

 

[FCDub]

Ever been in an elevator for nine minutes?

Also, the other modes of transportation, you can avoid any mess a kid makes by just going to the other side of the boat, or the monorail car, or on the bus (although I imagine if a kid throws up on a bus the driver cleans it up before letting the next group on).

You can't avoid that mess on a Skyliner car. There isn't room. And those things keep moving all the time, so there's no opportunity for CMs to clean the car out unless they take the car offline. I suppose they could do that, although that of course that will reduce the number of passengers that can get through the line so my guess is they'll only do that if they have to.

Somehow you will survive. I know it.

Respectfully, I've seen a lot of concern from your posts about air conditioning on the gondolas, etc. Maybe they're just not the right form of transportation for your needs. And that's OK!

 

[FCDub]

9 minutes with a screaming child that the parents forced on the gondola against their will is forever.

If we're going to invent every possible what-if scenario, then sure.

 

[NWOhiogal]

Respectfully, I've seen a lot of concern from your posts about air conditioning on the gondolas, etc. Maybe they're just not the right form of transportation for your needs. And that's OK!

You're right, they're probably not.

What makes me kinda mad, though, is that Disney used the Skyliner as a reason to raise the rates at Pop Century so much it's now not even a value resort. I stayed at Pop in May during my first trip to Disney ever and really liked it - and only paid about $100 a night.

Now the lowest price you can get is $175 a night for the same room, whether you use the Skyliner or not. Whether the Skyliner is even running, or not. During peak times it's $200+ a night. For a small room with minimal theming and cafeteria-style dining. That's not value.

The next time I go I'll be staying at All Star Movies, and I'm sure that'll be fine, but it's not my first choice. If I'm curious about the gondolas I might catch one at Disney Springs or HS.