Disney Parks Transportation

[nickys]

Not quite sure this fits, but my wave-a-wand wish for transportation would be to make the whole resort walkable. Sidewalks everywhere. If I had to guess, the problem is that both wildlife and crosswalks are risks, so the lack makes sense. But there are a lot of big rides I’d give up in exchange for some pavement.

Sadly I doubt they will ever do this. Look how long it took them to build the walking path from GF to MK.

Disney is so risk averse that I’m surprised they continue to allow pedestrians to walk from the Contemporary to MK.

 

[Mr. Engagement]

Sadly I doubt they will ever do this. Look how long it took them to build the walking path from GF to MK.

Disney is so risk averse that I’m surprised they continue to allow pedestrians to walk from the Contemporary to MK.

I do think liability is a factor in limiting walkability. Especially near street traffic, but (as @snaggle mentioned) due to other possible dangers…

I imagine even walking paths are expensive at Disney: clearing, paving, lighting, cameras, etc.

Are there running trails on property? (I’ve never even thought about running while on a Disney vacation!)

 

[nickys]

I do think liability is a factor in limiting walkability. Especially near street traffic, but (as @snaggle mentioned) due to other possible dangers…

I imagine even walking paths are expensive at Disney: clearing, paving, lighting, cameras, etc.

Are there running trails on property? (I’ve never even thought about running while on a Disney vacation!)

There are routes you could run.

You could run from Poly to MK. And around Crescent Lake, or up to DHS.

And I guess you could run within FW; hopefully they’ll reopen the path to WL soon.

There is the path between OKW and DS via Saratoga. But it isn’t lit at night.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

I think the busses have their own sort of magic. They’re certainly not like the busses you find in the city. There is a comfort to Disney’s and they have a certain nostalgic charm about them.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

They’re certainly not like the busses you find in the city.

Physically they are the same. But the Disney announcements, friendly and professional drivers, and fellow passengers are very very different. Haha

 

[Mr. Engagement]

I think the busses have their own sort of magic. They’re certainly not like the busses you find in the city. There is a comfort to Disney’s and they have a certain nostalgic charm about them.

Do you typically use public transit? The ones where I live are very similar to Disney’s (but with more graffiti!).

 

[Skibum1970]

With the layout of Disney World now (ex. Location of resorts versus the parks), it would be difficult to design or implement light rail lines and even monorail lines. Skyliner has been great but storms throw a monkey wrench into the things as far as resort-wide usage. So, while the bus system may not be as magical as some want, it is a fairly efficient way to move people without making some difficult changes.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

it’s important to remember that before it was announced, if someone had suggested a skyliner to pop century everyone on this board would call them a lunatic and that there is no way Disney would ever do that.

Now I’m not suggesting that Disney wants to replace all of the bus routes - but there are lots transit options they are most likely considering if they were willing to consider the skyliner.

 

[Pizza Moon]

Consider me a fanboy of transit haha.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Consider me a fanboy of transit haha.

Same!!! When I visited Disneyland Paris I arrived by Eurostar and departed by TGV!

I kinda wish I had taken a longer joyride on the TGV - I felt like Disney to the airport was cheating…. Like going all the way to USA and only riding the Acela from New York City to Newark. But hey…. It counts! Haha

 

[Mr. Engagement]

With the layout of Disney World now (ex. Location of resorts versus the parks), it would be difficult to design or implement light rail lines and even monorail lines. Skyliner has been great but storms throw a monkey wrench into the things as far as resort-wide usage. So, while the bus system may not be as magical as some want, it is a fairly efficient way to move people without making some difficult changes.

Yeah, I think you’re right. It probably would have been much easier (and maybe more cost effective) if they had built out a transportation network before or as they added resorts.

 

[Mr. Engagement]

it’s important to remember that before it was announced, if someone had suggested a skyliner to pop century everyone on this board would call them a lunatic and that there is no way Disney would ever do that.

Now I’m not suggesting that Disney wants to replace all of the bus routes - but there are lots transit options they are most likely considering if they were willing to consider the skyliner.

That’s true! I don’t think any of us saw that coming. Did people say “it’s too expensive and buses are fine” back then, too?

 

[nickys]

That’s true! I don’t think any of us saw that coming. Did people say “it’s too expensive and buses are fine” back then, too?

It was posters here who “saw that coming”. From the permits they not only worked out they were building a gondola ride system but identified the route so accurately that Disney adopted the diagram for their own use. Shout out to @danlb_2000 & co.

(Meanwhile someone on the DIS confidently announced that it was all rubbish and that he “would eat my hat” if it was true).

You can read the thread if you like.

The first fact refuted to huge lengths by certain posters was that there would be no air conditioning. This was deemed impossible, that we’d all fry to death in the summer heat.

After people finished debating all the other ways we were all going to die using the Skyliner, there were those saying that there was no chance they would remove the buses from those resorts to Epcot & DHS. “What about people who have a fear of heights”?

There were even some who disputed the technical explanations from an industry expert in gondola systems, @lift_blog .

All fun times!

 

[danlb_2000]

It was posters here who “saw that coming”. From the permits they not only worked out they were building a gondola ride system but identified the route so accurately that Disney adopted the diagram for their own use. Shout out to @danlb_2000 & co.

(Meanwhile someone on the DIS confidently announced that it was all rubbish and that he “would eat my hat” if it was true).

You can read the thread if you like.

The first fact refuted to huge lengths by certain posters was that there would be no air conditioning. This was deemed impossible, that we’d all fry to death in the summer heat.

After people finished debating all the other ways we were all going to die using the Skyliner, there were those saying that there was no chance they would remove the buses from those resorts to Epcot & DHS. “What about people who have a fear of heights”?

There were even some who disputed the technical explanations from an industry expert in gondola systems, @lift_blog .

All fun times!

Figuring out what they were planning to build is a lot different then predicting that they would go this route for transporation. It's not something I ever thought they would do.

 

[JIMINYCR]

I don’t understand the “feasibility” argument in favor of buses.

I know these systems are expensive (and not just to build, but to operate and maintain)! But those other systems pre-date the buses and were always part of the vision for Disney parks.

Why do you think the parks have long included trains and monorails (both expensive) instead of just relying on buses all along?

Because they were affordable to be built back in the start up of the parks. That's not the case now. Without a return for the expenditure the buses serves Disney just fine. Buying new buses occasionally pales in comparison to the build cost.
Again there are no paying riders for Disney to help recoup their build and operating costs.
They rely on them because it's a part of Disney branding. Guests enjoy the sound of trains as well as the relaxing ride. Monorails are also sleek and enjoyable but more costly. But it all comes down to the bottom line. The exorbitant expense of building park wide systems keeps Disney from justifying the expense.

 

[JIMINYCR]

To me, uniqueness is only one part of the equation. There’s something about the Monorail, Railroad, and boats that would make me (and probably other people) want to ride them just for fun, even if they weren’t just getting me from point A to point B.

I would not say the same thing about buses.

They are fun but buses mainly just serve their purpose to get people from point A to point B. I have ridden on buses when the drivers were entertaining by interacting with their rider with songs, jokes, trivia and other things. Those drivers made the ride worth tolerating the time on the road.

 

[Mr. Engagement]

It was posters here who “saw that coming”. From the permits they not only worked out they were building a gondola ride system but identified the route so accurately that Disney adopted the diagram for their own use. Shout out to @danlb_2000 & co.

(Meanwhile someone on the DIS confidently announced that it was all rubbish and that he “would eat my hat” if it was true).

You can read the thread if you like.

The first fact refuted to huge lengths by certain posters was that there would be no air conditioning. This was deemed impossible, that we’d all fry to death in the summer heat.

After people finished debating all the other ways we were all going to die using the Skyliner, there were those saying that there was no chance they would remove the buses from those resorts to Epcot & DHS. “What about people who have a fear of heights”?

There were even some who disputed the technical explanations from an industry expert in gondola systems, @lift_blog .

All fun times!

Yes, I followed that thread and participated in the discussion.

By “no one saw that coming,” I meant “Before any permits were filed, hints were dropped, or announcements were made, fans here didn’t expect Disney to add an entirely new transportation system,” not “No one correctly interpreted the construction permits.”

 

[JIMINYCR]

Monorail System Costs: A Comprehensive Breakdown

 

[Mr. Engagement]

Because they were affordable to be built back in the start up of the parks.

More affordable than today, maybe. I’m not sure the monorail was cheaper than buses would have been, even in 1955 or 1971.

But what do you make of the Skyliner, which was more expensive than buses, but was built in 2019?

I get that buses are cheap and Disney wants to save money. I don’t understand why any guests (especially fans) would prefer buses to these other possibilities.

 

[mergatroid]

Remember all the predictions about people dying of heat stroke on the Skyliners, there were huge debates about all the medical emergencies without A/C on every vehicle.