I called Dis yesterday to tweak a room reservation. While I was on the phone, the CM asked if we were excited about the gondola that would be opening at Pop/AoA, CBR, Ep, and HS. She said they were told it would open at the beginning of 2019 and that construction was ahead of schedule. I realize that CM’s are often misinformed about stuff like this but that’s a lot of details to make up. That would be awesome if true as we will be there late March. Anyone else heard anything?
ETA: I googled but didn’t find any info about possible opening dates aside from 2019.
Cables will start going in will start next month. For those who have seen the rumours about the IG, I have it on very good authority (not like last time lol) that the IG will remain open for foot traffic.
Although this seems early, remember that the gondola experts will all be needed for ski resorts etc during winter months. So they may be trying to get cables in before the ski season starts in earnest.
Regardless, there will be a lot of testing with empty cabins before people are allowed in them. I haven’t heard anything about an early opening for guests. The target was April/May for completion, and passengers within a month or two from then.
we were just there about 10 days ago and it didn’t at all look like something that would be opening in a few months but I’m no construction expert. I would take any info over the phone with a massive grain of salt.
There was another gondola thread where someone posted that a CM said the gondolas would be opening “early” 2019 and asked if anyone else had heard this. I did some research but can’t seem to find that thread again, so I’ll add it here.
I certainly hope the CM is correct, but the latest that I heard from “reliable” sources, was that the opening was supposed to coincide with the opening of M&MRR, which is supposed to open a few months before SWGE. Based on this I would guess July/August is probably the earliest we will see it.
Another factor is the opening of the Riviera resort. I haven’t been tracking the timeline for that project, but I can’t imagine the gondolas would not be running by that opening.
This is a project I would rather they not rush things on. These things are going to be suspended in the air for distances. Wouldn’t they rather take their time and make sure everything is done safely than rush it and have a horrible accident??
We were there last week. We stayed at Pop and used the IG once. Having seen both upclose, they are nowhere near being done. In fact, on a Sunday, there wasn’t even anyone working on them. I’m all for not working Sundays but I don’t think that’s how Disney gets things done or stays on schedule (whatever it may be).
Spring would be my earliest guess. The bulk of the stations are in place but there’s so much more to do.
Did anyone else’s listen to the recent Resort Loop podcast about the Gondola system? They had a guest that started in the industry working on Disneyland’s skyliner. That report said the cable would Soonnstart arriving in Orlando.
Well by mid November we should see something happening. Anyone there around then should head over to the IG and watch the action, should make for some interesting photos!
I don’t know how much they are doing at that point, whether it’s all lines or just one. But the IG will be the best place to actually watch it happening.
They certainly won’t rush the actual “ride” mechanisms. What they could rush, if they wanted to, was the construction of the the stations with regards to ancillary structures, queues, painting, landscaping,etc. But if the installation process of the towers, cables, etc. is on a certain timetable, there is no need for them to push on the other aspects and have “finished” stations sitting around waiting. And as the financial motivation is to provide more transportation to DHS for the new attractions opening there and to make the Riviera resort more “sellable” (and possibly raising the rates at POP and AOA), there is little need to rush things.
Ironically, the original design for the monorail was a hanging system, but because Walt’s wife got motion sickness (among other reasons) they decided to go with the monorail design as we know it. Funny to think the Skyliner would eventually come about regardless.
Scared of heights? Or scared of hanging in a gondola cabin?
I did the Emirates line in London for the first time in the summer. 20 minutes one way across the Thames, and we stopped on the way back -yikes!
The WDW one will be wayyyyy lower, and far quicker. No higher than the monorail, which is why I asked the question. Don’t get me wrong, either is a perfectly understandable fear, but I think some people are thinking along the lines of cable cars across mountains, whereas it’ll only just clear the tree line.
That was the rumour, I know. And boats will have to stop running because of the temporary bridge.
The source I have is very reliable, his track record is second to none. He wouldn’t have said the IG will stay open if he wasn’t sure of the plans; he’d have just not replied. And to know about the bridge thing, he must have seen details of what’s happening. So unless they hit some unforeseen snag, I would be reasonably confident that it’s OK.
I think my biggest problem with the Skyliner is that unless I’m completely wrong, to travel from AoA/Pop to Epcot, I will have to ride to CBR, de-board, board another gondola, ride to Riviera, de-board, board another gondola, then ride to Epcot. 3 legs to the trip with, I assume, a line to board at each station? Am I missing something? It can’t be direct travel from Pop all the way to Epcot, or can it?
