How about a new SKYLINER Route !

[thanxfornoticin]

There's an easy fix to that. Just charge for parking at DS and offer parking validation for spending a certain amount at DS locations, which is really what they should be doing even without a Skyliner route if they want to bring the bus routes from the parks to DS back. It's a shame that current resort guests get punished by not having a parks-DS bus lines because of people trying to save money.

Have they still not restarted the parks-DS late afternoon buses from the parks? Hadn't thought about those buses in awhile. I know they stopped with Covid cutbacks. When those buses would run (starting around 4PM, if I recall), it made getting from the park to a DS dining reservation very easy. "Punished" might be a strong word for it, but I do hope they at least bring back the evening buses.

I can just imagine the posts out here if Disney announced a fee for parking at DS!! It would not be positive!

 

[lyric_rains]

When the Skyliner opened in 2019, there was mention of the future expansion line which was speculatively projected toward Disney Springs, Coronado and AK.

Image taken from this YouTuber:

 

[pianomanzano]

Have they still not restarted the parks-DS late afternoon buses from the parks? Hadn't thought about those buses in awhile. I know they stopped with Covid cutbacks. When those buses would run (starting around 4PM, if I recall), it made getting from the park to a DS dining reservation very easy. "Punished" might be a strong word for it, but I do hope they at least bring back the evening buses.

I can just imagine the posts out here if Disney announced a fee for parking at DS!! It would not be positive!

Those buses aren't back yet. "Punished" is probably a strong word, but I will say it is frustrating not having that direct transportation option has made us decide not to go to DS for dinner a couple times since we started going back after the closures. I'm sure we're not the only family making these decisions.

If they do something where parking would be validated, I'm sure most people would be on board with it since the vast majority of people buy a ton of souvenirs there and/or eating out at one of the many restaurants, so it'd still be free. Really just a way to deter people from parking at DS just to take advantage of parks-DS transportation.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Those buses aren't back yet. "Punished" is probably a strong word, but I will say it is frustrating not having that direct transportation option has made us decide not to go to DS for dinner a couple times since we started going back after the closures. I'm sure we're not the only family making these decisions.

If they do something where parking would be validated, I'm sure most people would be on board with it since the vast majority of people buy a ton of souvenirs there and/or eating out at one of the many restaurants, so it'd still be free. Really just a way to deter people from parking at DS just to take advantage of parks-DS transportation.

Seems like it shouldn't be a big deal to bring those bus routes back again, regardless of pay or no-pay for parking. We used to use that bus probably once a trip for dinner at DS on a park day. I had actually forgotten about the buses until this post and conversation.

 

[Blondie58]

Now hear me out ! What about a Skyliner station at SSR /DS to OKW to The Front of EPCOT. There anyone can transfer to the Monorail to MK. Also links the Monorail resorts to Disney Springs by transfer @ EPCOT. Also a Skyliner from OKW to POR to AKL to AK. With a double transfer station @ OKW the Whole World would be hooked up without a Bus route.

Sounds great to me as I love the skyline option. BUT a bit of planning for last minute bus transportation would be necessary when the skyliner does not run due to mechanical issues, poor weather, and/or maintenance. All three of the latter have impacted our stays at the Rivera. (The most consequential this past January when the skyliner was closed the ENTIRE time we were on property. UGH!) Maybe those working on the skyliner need to be cross-trained to drive busses??? The busses do not run smoothly when the skyliner is down per our experiences and the waits are long. I wish there was a walking path when the skyliner is down. The walking path at the GF is great as is the path from HS to the World showcase. I have walked from the transportation center many times to CR instead of taking the monorail. I sight see along the way except now they have town up the area between the Poly and GF and you have to walk out on the road.

 

[Turn the Page]

YES!!! More Skyliners in all the places!!!!

We adore the Skyliner.

 

[JereMary]

I would like skyliner to go to MK, but with monorail and buses I doubt it will happen.

But if they could get it to AK somehow, that would be outstanding. It's the only park (I think?) that has no other convenient public transport method to get to it except buses or I guess Lyft. It's crazy there is no easy way to get to it even from AKL. Plus it's a quiet system so wouldn't create noise issues for animals.

Don't agree with earlier worry about the visuals, loud smelly busses and huge parking lots full of cars are far uglier than the skyliner, and if done similar to the Riviera where it's off to the side and out a bit, it's not even a visual concern regardless and still just a five minute walk.

As much as I also want a Skyliner to AK, they wouldn't be able to run it over any of the areas where the animals are in case of an emergency. I think it would be difficult to evacuate (hopefully never needed but you never know!) in those areas.

 

[mz-s]

I think leaving the All-Stars off the Skyliner allows Disney to have a Value++ so to speak with AoA and Pop. I'm not sure the differential would be there if they extended the Skyliner.

 

[sndral]

I followed the Skyliner discussion closely & remember reading conjecture about what Disney was up to when they first started pulling permits for the project - some thought they were building a boat route, but one person called it correctly. Later ‘insiders’ were saying Disney planned to expand if it worked as well as they hoped. I remember that Coronado, Blizzard Beach, AK/AKL figured prominently in discussions about expansion plans although there was ‘insider’ information that ‘something else’ was planned to connect AKL w/ AK.
I see two possible stumbling blocks w/ expanding the Skyliner in the near future - first, maybe it didn’t work as well as they hoped or costs more to run than they thought. Second, until the streaming branch of the company stops bleeding cash I don’t think they’ll green light spending money on things like a Skyliner2.
Personally I think using a turn station to load/unload as they do at Riviera is a mistake - it really slows that line down (thus reducing how fast crowds can be moved.) So I hope that if they expand they don’t use any turn stations for loading/unloading.
But I never say never - I’d given up hope that they’d ever complete the GF/MK walking path yet they did, of course it’s being closed due to the GF refurb, but…
Regarding the Skyliner going down, I’m not surprised it results in chaos - that’s been the case for years when the Epcot monorail would go down & they‘d run buses to/from the monorail resorts to/from Epcot.

 

[Chuck S]

No thanks. Imagine the skyliner going offline, then they'd have to take time to get all the busses up and running. Evacuating a single bus if there is an emergency is much faster than an elevated gondola system if it shuts down. I woulddn't mind a smaller route, though, OKW to SSR to Disney Springs, but would it be cost efficient, since OKW, SSR and POR already have canal boat access to Disney Springs...and look at how often the boats are down due to weather...imagine the skyliner. Plus it is my understanding that the boats are paid for by the Disney Springs businesses, I don't see them paying for a gondola system.