New Disney Skyliner Details Emerge as Construction Draws to Completion

[Figment!]

Construction is drawing to completion on the Disney Skyliner stations around the Walt Disney World resort yielding more details on the new transportation system's operation.

Standing will not be permitted inside the Gondola while it is in operation shedding some light on the previously announced Guest capacity numbers.

Gondolas with 2 benches will hold maximum of 10 Guests; 5 seated on each bench.

Mobility Aid Gondolas with 1 bench will hold a maximum of 6 Guests; 5 seated on a bench and 1 in a ECV/Wheelchair/Stroller. To board the Gondola, the Mobility Aid must fit in a 30" x 48" space.

The (flying) elephant in the room has also been addressed by officially listing operating hours as "weather dependent".

[OfficeNut]

Wow 10 people! I wonder if they'll pack them full or let a party of, say 4, have a gondola to themselves. Seems like a pretty intimate setting for what could be a long ride in a sweaty little box with 6 other strangers. Hmm, just an interesting choice.

[ThanxForNoticin]

Based on experiences over the years with buses, monorails, and boats, they'll make sure they're full, and will get as close to 10 people in these things as they can (assuming it's busy and there's a line). Might be a place for a single-rider line for these things!

[OfficeNut]

I'm guessing you're correct. Ugh.

[ThanxForNoticin]

I expect kids will need to exit their strollers, and the strollers will need to be folded? Like you would have to do on the tram or bus? Folks are pretty comfortable just rolling those double-wides onto the monorail and leaving the kids in them for the ride!! Sounds like the gondolas will be too small for that.

It also sounds like there could be some surprises for folks when the weather turns. You might ride the gondola to the International Gateway at EPCOT, go in, and enjoy your day. And then maybe you get back to the gondola to go to the resort before an expected afternoon thunderstorm - and they tell you they're closed due to impending bad weather. At that point, you'll have to walk all the way through both sections of EPCOT to get to the front and find a bus. That doesn't sound like fun.

[texas211]

Based on experiences over the years with buses, monorails, and boats, they'll make sure they're full, and will get as close to 10 people in these things as they can (assuming it's busy and there's a line). Might be a place for a single-rider line for these things!


I expect kids will need to exit their strollers, and the strollers will need to be folded? Like you would have to do on the tram or bus? Folks are pretty comfortable just rolling those double-wides onto the monorail and leaving the kids in them for the ride!! Sounds like the gondolas will be too small for that.

It also sounds like there could be some surprises for folks when the weather turns. You might ride the gondola to the International Gateway at EPCOT, go in, and enjoy your day. And then maybe you get back to the gondola to go to the resort before an expected afternoon thunderstorm - and they tell you they're closed due to impending bad weather. At that point, you'll have to walk all the way through both sections of EPCOT to get to the front and find a bus. That doesn't sound like fun.


Well, double wides are supposed to be going away aren't they.

Skyliner, sponsored by King Oscar sardines.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

It also sounds like there could be some surprises for folks when the weather turns. You might ride the gondola to the International Gateway at EPCOT, go in, and enjoy your day. And then maybe you get back to the gondola to go to the resort before an expected afternoon thunderstorm - and they tell you they're closed due to impending bad weather. At that point, you'll have to walk all the way through both sections of EPCOT to get to the front and find a bus. That doesn't sound like fun.

This is one of my biggest worries with them - how often they will be able to run. It will be interesting to see the results after the first few months. I'm hoping it won't be as bad as we all expect, since they will move a lot of people, and it is often nice to be able to enter Epcot via the "back door".