Disney Skyliner (Gondola Transportation System) Read Post 1 Now Open!

[DanBoris]

Acrophobia is a condition recognized by federal courts as covered by the ADA, so you are wrong about that.

ADA only requires that "reasonable accommodations" are made for the disability. Making a bus wheel chair accessible is reasonable. Making gondola so it can accommodate a person with Acrophobia is likely not.

 

[Jen1995]

I think you are projecting in this conversation. Personally I think they run busses across multiple resorts once or twice an hour as an alternative. Like Fort Wilderness to Wilderness Lodge to MK bus route if you don't want to take the boat. That's not discriminatory of people afraid of boats, but it is less convenient and slower. I, personally, do not like heights. I don't really like gondolas. The sway and bob when they go over towers makes me uncomfortable. But I ride them occasionally for sightseeing and I'm sure I will try out the Disney ones. That being said, I have no desire to stay at a Gondola resort and would have the half a brain required not to book one just for this reason. Being afraid of heights, and being diagnosed that way, is not one size fits all. Many people have shades of fear and while they don't like heights, will have little or no problem on gondolas 20 or 30 feet high. Again, as an example, I have no problem with the monorails.

I think Disney will be well covered legally. It's like taxis. Not all taxis have to be handicap accessible. So sometimes, if you need a handicap taxi, you wait longer. This is a problem in big cities, where the wait can be excessive, but courts have generally ruled in favor of providing an option, but not an equal option, in these cases. Disney will be able to easily argue there are options, even if they are not equal. Especially with other value, moderate, and deluxe resorts that do not use the gondola system. There are plenty of alternatives when WDW, as a whole, is taken under consideration. That will be plenty to meet the requirements of the law.

As for public perception, it is possible people will make a stink and Disney may not want that. But overall, the job Disney does making rides and the resort handicap accessible will be very favorable. The Parks are very accessible to all individuals, and rides that cause problems, like 20,000 Leagues, have been phased out over the years.

Unfortunately for your argument, Disney is not required to provide rides that are friendly to people afraid of heights. There is no "non-drop" alternative to Splash Mountain for example. If you choose to go on the ride, you choose to face that fear. Courts will likely look the same at the portion of hotels that are on the gondola circuit. If you choose to stay at them, as opposed to staying at a non-gondola option, you have chosen to face that fear given knowledge of acceptable alternatives. That is not something Disney is responsible for, under the law. People can try and win in the court of public opinion, but given Disney's historic high standing, that will be extremely difficult.

The gondola is NOT a ride.

 

[umichigan10]

Acrophobia is a condition recognized by federal courts as covered by the ADA, so you are wrong about that.

Fear of heights isn't protected under the ADA. There has only been one case were a court ruled in favor of the plaintiff with acrophobia and that was for in team work setting.

A quick google search I found was only involved with a workplace application (a bridge worker).

Also even if it is covered, the ADA states “reasonable accommodation”. Which in my mind means a Minnie van/uber is suffice

 

[rteetz]

The gondola is NOT a ride.

Nobody said it is.

 

[Jen1995]

ADA only requires that "reasonable accommodations" are made for the disability. Making a bus wheel chair accessible is reasonable. Making gondola so it can accommodate a person with Acrophobia is likely not.

Reasonable accommodation would not be to put the gondola on the ground, obviously. Reasonable accommodation is to provide ground transportation. You know, like a bus.

 

[rteetz]

Reasonable accommodation would not be to put the gondola on the ground, obviously. Reasonable accommodation is to provide ground transportation. You know, like a bus.

Which they do. You can take a bus to MK or AK and transfer. That is considered reasonable accommodation. Or you can take a Taxi/Uber/Minnie Van.

 

[jknezek]

The gondola is NOT a ride.

Which ignores the rest of the post. Again, the knowledge that there are alternatives at WDW to a gondola resort, at all price ranges, will be tough to argue against. Discrimination happens when you don't provide alternatives. There are plenty at WDW to accommodate people at afraid of gondolas. Nothing is certain unless tested in court of course, but I doubt this will be.

 

[umichigan10]

Only way to get to Epcot currently from a monorail resort is the monorail. If you’re afraid of heights/uncomfortable with the monorail then you have to take a Minnie van/uber/hitchhike.

This already happens now.

 

[Disneylover99]

They will have to have the buses available as alternative transport. And not some sort of "every 2 hours" option, because that would be discrimination.

I sure hope you're right about this Jen, or my days at Pop are numbered.

 

[Jen1995]

Nobody said it is.

Then why bring up what Disney is and is not required to do re: rides? LOL.

1) Acrophobia is covered under ADA. 2) Telling people with disabilities they just have to "stay somewhere else" is not ADA compliant. 3) Eliminating reasonable accommodation is stupid, when it already exists.

Personally attacking me is pretty pointless. I am the only one giving facts here. Well, my spouse and I are both contributing to the discussion via my account. A doctor and a lawyer with quite a bit of experience in these matters. This has been pretty amusing.

 

[rteetz]

I sure hope you're right about this Jen, or my days at Pop are numbered.

Everything I know about this project says they will be eliminate bus service to the parks serviced by Skyliner. At the very least at first there will be limited bus service. They will still have buses to MK and AK.

 

[rteetz]

Then why bring up what Disney is and is not required to do re: rides? LOL.

1) Acrophobia is covered under ADA. 2) Telling people with disabilities they just have to "stay somewhere else" is not ADA compliant. 3) Eliminating reasonable accommodation is stupid, when it already exists.

Personally attacking me is pretty pointless. I am the only one giving facts here. Well, my spouse and I are both contributing to the discussion via my account. A doctor and a lawyer with quite a bit of experience in these matters. This has been pretty amusing.

The same goes for transportation. It doesn't matter if it is a ride or transportation. Disney is giving reasonable accommodations. The Skyliner cabins will be able to hold ECVs and Wheelchairs. If you have a fear of heights you can take another route such as transferring at another park or Uber/Minnie Van.

We are also using facts in this discussion.

 

[umichigan10]

Then why bring up what Disney is and is not required to do re: rides? LOL.

1) Acrophobia is covered under ADA. 2) Telling people with disabilities they just have to "stay somewhere else" is not ADA compliant. 3) Eliminating reasonable accommodation is stupid, when it already exists.

Personally attacking me is pretty pointless. I am the only one giving facts here. Well, my spouse and I are both contributing to the discussion via my account. A doctor and a lawyer with quite a bit of experience in these matters. This has been pretty amusing.

You have to monorail to Epcot currently from the monorail resorts. There is no alternative. So the system for something like this is already in place.

No one is personally attacking you. But many people are trying to tell you that this is probably how it’s going to go down, and you refuse to listen to any of these counter arguments

 

[Disneylover99]

Everything I know about this project says they will be eliminate bus service to the parks serviced by Skyliner. At the very least at first there will be limited bus service. They will still have buses to MK and AK.

I'm not sure the buses will go away entirely. Riding a monorail, bus or boat is completely different than riding in a small, enclosed Gondola in the sky for people who have a fear of heights or claustrophobia. These fears are more common than many realize. And riding in a Gondola can potentially trigger these fears in people who previously didn't realize they even had a problem.

I can see them wanting to get rid of buses, and I can even see it happening, but I wonder if there would be a backlash. I see the possibility of buses being brought back. I guess only time will tell at this point.

 

[rteetz]

I'm not sure the buses will go away entirely. Riding a monorail, bus or boat is completely different than riding in a small, enclosed Gondola in the sky for people who have a fear of heights or claustrophobia. These fears are more common than many realize. And riding in a Gondola can potentially trigger these fears in people who previously didn't realize they even had a problem.

I can see them wanting to get rid of buses, and I can even see it happening, but I wonder if there would be a backlash. I see the possibility of buses being brought back. I guess only time will tell at this point.

It’s all part of the transportation systems. They don’t offer buses at monorail resorts so I don’t see how this is any different. Monorails are also in the “sky”. I honestly don’t see many people having any backlash. I see more excitement over the gondolas than anything.

 

[Disneylover99]

It’s all part of the transportation systems. They don’t offer buses at monorail resorts so I don’t see how this is any different. Monorails are also in the “sky”. I honestly don’t see many people having any backlash. I see more excitement over the gondolas than anything.

It's not the same to me at all. I imagine if you don't have a particular fear of heights or claustrophobia you would find it difficult to understand.

 

[umichigan10]

It's not the same to me at all. I imagine if you don't have a particular fear of heights or claustrophobia you would find it difficult to understand.

I guess but given that their monorails aren’t exactly the most reliable things in the world rn, I’d be way more concerned getting stuck in those for an extended period of time (an enclosed space with no a/c) vs riding a gondola

 

[rteetz]

I guess but given that their monorails aren’t exactly the most reliable things in the world rn, I’d be way more concerned getting stuck in those for an extended period of time (an enclosed space with no a/c) vs riding a gondola

The monorails have AC (given that is working and power wasn’t lost). The Skyliner will not have AC but let’s not go down that worm hole again...

 

[Disneylover99]

I guess but given that their monorails aren’t exactly the most reliable things in the world rn, I’d be way more concerned getting stuck in those for an extended period of time (an enclosed space with no a/c) vs riding a gondola

My issue is claustrophobia. If I could ride on top of the Gondola I would. I psych myself up to get on the monorail and I've developed a number of coping strategies over the years. The monorail is nowhere near as small as a Gondola. I can see the Gondola being an issue for many people.

 

[Iowamomof4]

It's not the same to me at all. I imagine if you don't have a particular fear of heights or claustrophobia you would find it difficult to understand.

I completely understand the difference. The monorails are high up, but they are GROUNDED. They run on top of a rail and even though there are windows, most of the time it's easy to avoid seeing the ground and realizing how high up you are. The main difference though, is that rail and the fact that they aren't SUSPENDED above the ground, potentially swaying (even if it's just a very tiny bit). I don't have a terrible fear of heights, but I do understand what you and others are saying and how they are different.

Having said all of that, I believe Rteetz when he says the buses are either going away (to HS and Epcot from these particular resorts) or being greatly reduced in frequency once the gondolas come online. People are welcome to try to take Disney to court over this, I'll just sit back and . I agree they are providing reasonable accommodations to those with phobias that would make gondolas a no-go. Just my opinion, obviously.