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

[vacationer1954]

When people are shelling out hundreds if not thousands of dollars for a vacation, they don't want to be packed like sardines in a box suspended 50 feet in a air.

When people are shelling out hundreds if not thousands of dollars for a vacation, they don't want to be packed like sardines in a bus slip-sliding down a roadway, or a small boat bobbing up and down across a lake, either.

 

[Daisy*Duck*y]

Honestly, as a woman who goes alone with a child to WDW it could feel different being placed on a gondola with another group, depending on the group.

The difference with the bus is there is a driver on board. On the gondola it would be just us and our cell phones for 5 minutes.

Do I exit an elevator if I feel uncomfortable with someone who gets on? Yes, and so do many other women.

The gondola is also outside the security bubble.

Honestly, at WDW no one has ever made me feel uncomfortable, and I’m not concerned. I can see how others wouldn’t feel as confident that they are safe.

I love gondolas. Except for the huge gondolas that hold a huge 30+? people, I have only been placed on them with members of my own travelling party.

 

[Hoosier John]

...Do I exit an elevator if I feel uncomfortable with someone who gets on? Yes, and so do many other women...

THAT'S why I always get elevators to myself! And I thought people were just being extra kind.

 

[Farro]

Honestly, as a woman who goes alone with a child to WDW it could feel different being placed on a gondola with another group, depending on the group.

The difference with the bus is there is a driver on board. On the gondola it would be just us and our cell phones for 5 minutes.

Do I exit an elevator if I feel uncomfortable with someone who gets on? Yes, and so do many other women.

The gondola is also outside the security bubble.

Honestly, at WDW no one has ever made me feel uncomfortable, and I’m not concerned. I can see how others wouldn’t feel as confident that they are safe.

I love gondolas. Except for the huge gondolas that hold a huge 30+? people, I have only been placed on them with members of my own travelling party.

I wonder if people who feel this way (not saying you personally) must come from smaller towns? That don't have to deal with strangers all that often?

Every morning for work I ride the CTA. It's the EL-train here in Chicago, like the subway in New York. Everyday I am on with people from all walks of life and some interesting characters, shall we say. Sometimes I'm with very few people, sometimes I'm a sardine. There is no one (like a driver) on the car with us and trust, if I were to push the intercom emergency button, no one is coming! There have definitely been times where I have been uncomfortable and there were a couple to a few times where I've actually been scared.

The difference with gondolas - you are in Disney World. You are not going to be on a gondola with some of the characters I encounter on my way to work. I can't, as a woman, imagine being nervous to ride with a group of strangers on a gondola heading from a hotel to Epcot.

Also, we travel as a couple. It never even occurred to me that a family would find it strange if we climbed in their gondola with them (if there was room for us).

Regardless, I doubt this will be an issue and I'm sure most people aren't going to bat an eye at riding with strangers.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Honestly, as a woman who goes alone with a child to WDW it could feel different being placed on a gondola with another group, depending on the group.

The difference with the bus is there is a driver on board. On the gondola it would be just us and our cell phones for 5 minutes.

Do I exit an elevator if I feel uncomfortable with someone who gets on? Yes, and so do many other women.

The gondola is also outside the security bubble.

Honestly, at WDW no one has ever made me feel uncomfortable, and I’m not concerned. I can see how others wouldn’t feel as confident that they are safe.

I love gondolas. Except for the huge gondolas that hold a huge 30+? people, I have only been placed on them with members of my own travelling party.

Interesting thought - and relevant and one I must admit I didn’t think of

First, I feel bad that you feel this way ever -hopefully in the future we can get to a point where that isn’t the case

I do think disney is a little different but I also would think/hope they would’ve catious and not put like a single women in the car with 5 guys or something. At the same time, during busy times I don’t think you will be able to ride alone

 

[ljmiii]

What you describe is different. When people are shelling out hundreds if not thousands of dollars for a vacation, they don't want to be packed like sardines in a box suspended 50 feet in a air.

But when people shell out thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars for a vacation they routinely are packed like sardines in a box "in a hole in the ground". In NY, London, Paris, anywhere that the subway/underground/metro is the best way to get around. I have no doubt that people will be happy to squeeze into the gondolas after the fireworks are done.

 

[BorderTenny]

I do think disney is a little different but I also would think/hope they would’ve catious and not put like a single women in the car with 5 guys or something.

Right, because those guys shouldn't be forced to ride with a misandrist woman who sees them only as potential rapists.

 

[Mome Rath]

The thread took an odd track, but I'll just say this; as someone in the mental health field who has studied all of this stuff, if anyone, male or female, gets an "off" vibe from someone, I don't care how it looks, obey the vibe. Now, if that is something you always feel, that may be a different story. I recommend everyone read "The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals that protect us from violence" by Gavin De Becker. It doesn't really matter if you're at Disney or in New York, pay attention to your surroundings and the people around you. And, yes, women are targeted more than men so we tend to be quicker to pick up on things, and it doesn't even have to rise to the level of rape or violence to cause us problems.

I don't have any issue sharing a Gondola with strangers, but, if I get an intuition to avoid getting on one with someone I have zero qualms asking to wait, same thing with an elevator.

 

[Farro]

The thread took an odd track, but I'll just say this; as someone in the mental health field who has studied all of this stuff, if anyone, male or female, gets an "off" vibe from someone, I don't care how it looks, obey the vibe. Now, if that is something you always feel, that may be a different story. I recommend everyone read "The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals that protect us from violence" by Gavin De Becker. It doesn't really matter if you're at Disney or in New York, pay attention to your surroundings and the people around you. And, yes, women are targeted more than men so we tend to be quicker to pick up on things, and it doesn't even have to rise to the level of rape or violence to cause us problems.

I don't have any issue sharing a Gondola with strangers, but, if I get an intuition to avoid getting on one with someone I have zero qualms asking to wait, same thing with an elevator.

Yes, absolutely. My intuition has probably saved me a few times.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

The thread took an odd track, but I'll just say this; as someone in the mental health field who has studied all of this stuff, if anyone, male or female, gets an "off" vibe from someone, I don't care how it looks, obey the vibe. Now, if that is something you always feel, that may be a different story. I recommend everyone read "The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals that protect us from violence" by Gavin De Becker. It doesn't really matter if you're at Disney or in New York, pay attention to your surroundings and the people around you. And, yes, women are targeted more than men so we tend to be quicker to pick up on things, and it doesn't even have to rise to the level of rape or violence to cause us problems.

I don't have any issue sharing a Gondola with strangers, but, if I get an intuition to avoid getting on one with someone I have zero qualms asking to wait, same thing with an elevator.

Yes, and more of what I was getting at - that if the individuals or the CMs get a bad vibe, don’t buy them in a closed capsule with anyone

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Right, because those guys shouldn't be forced to ride with a misandrist woman who sees them only as potential rapists.

Well, if either side of the equation looks sketchy, yeah, give them their own closed capsule

 

[DisLiss]

I don't think the gondolas will often hold 10 people for the simple fact that the weights of guests may often be higher than the average figured in when they say that it holds 10 people. If someone is twice the size of the theoretical people who would fit 10 to a gondola, then obviously that particular gondola will have less people in it.

I do also agree with the poster above who said that many times there will be no need to fill them. Just like the buses. There are off times when you practically have the bus to yourself.....and then there's park closing time.

 

[BorderTenny]

Well, if either side of the equation looks sketchy, yeah, give them their own closed capsule

That could be okay depending on the threshold of "sketchy", but the poster I initially responded to was calling for Disney to implement a policy of literal discrimination by gender for parties that aren't already mixed-gender. That better be a PR nightmare no matter how much anyone tries to spin it.

 

[OSUZorba]

If that's true, that would be ridiculous.

Hasn't anyone ever taken a bus with people? If I waited to get on the CTA when I wouldn't be squished, cheek to cheek , with strangers, I'd never go anywhere.

I agree, however, I think to most people a gondola will feel a little more intimate than a bus and so they'll more feel weird about the close quarters.

I have a feeling they'll do what they did in Busan and limit them to 8 people even though they are rated for 10. But outside of closing time, I don't think there will be any need to pack then full.

ETA: Gondolas aren't designed to have standing room, and I don't think many people at all will have an issue looking across at someone else. There is plenty of leg room. There is also more butt room than at a stadium even with 10.

 

[OSUZorba]

I wonder if people who feel this way (not saying you personally) must come from smaller towns? That don't have to deal with strangers all that often?

Every morning for work I ride the CTA. It's the EL-train here in Chicago, like the subway in New York. Everyday I am on with people from all walks of life and some interesting characters, shall we say. Sometimes I'm with very few people, sometimes I'm a sardine. There is no one (like a driver) on the car with us and trust, if I were to push the intercom emergency button, no one is coming! There have definitely been times where I have been uncomfortable and there were a couple to a few times where I've actually been scared.

The difference with gondolas - you are in Disney World. You are not going to be on a gondola with some of the characters I encounter on my way to work. I can't, as a woman, imagine being nervous to ride with a group of strangers on a gondola heading from a hotel to Epcot.

Also, we travel as a couple. It never even occurred to me that a family would find it strange if we climbed in their gondola with them (if there was room for us).

Regardless, I doubt this will be an issue and I'm sure most people aren't going to bat an eye at riding with strangers.

OT: Last week I was in Korea for work by myself and rode the subway a lot. I only encountered one seemingly crazy person. Of course it was a few minutes after I thought to myself "it is nuts I haven't seen any crazy people and how everyone seems very professional." Then some lady started yelling something in Koeran, no idea what she was saying but I could tell it was nutty.

 

[MudBud]

Sorry I haven’t kept up with this thread so this probably has been answered - will each gondola “station” (?) have CMs at it directing people onto the gondolas?

 

[rteetz]

Sorry I haven’t kept up with this thread so this probably has been answered - will each gondola “station” (?) have CMs at it directing people onto the gondolas?

I can't see them having unmanned stations so yes.

 

[joelkfla]

Sorry I haven’t kept up with this thread so this probably has been answered - will each gondola “station” (?) have CMs at it directing people onto the gondolas?

I've only ever ridden a couple of gondola lifts, but I've looked at a lot of YouTubes of them over the past year, and I don't think I've seen one that did not have crew handling the loading process.

 

[Spaceguy55]

I've seen a few also but haven't seen any where they are filling each gondola to capacity..I don't see them herding guests like cattle into them... which some think they will do with the Skyliner.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Honestly, as a woman who goes alone with a child to WDW it could feel different being placed on a gondola with another group, depending on the group.

The difference with the bus is there is a driver on board. On the gondola it would be just us and our cell phones for 5 minutes.

Do I exit an elevator if I feel uncomfortable with someone who gets on? Yes, and so do many other women.

The gondola is also outside the security bubble.

Honestly, at WDW no one has ever made me feel uncomfortable, and I’m not concerned. I can see how others wouldn’t feel as confident that they are safe.

I love gondolas. Except for the huge gondolas that hold a huge 30+? people, I have only been placed on them with members of my own travelling party.

This wouldn't be the first time I heard this. Actually someone on a camping thread for Disney expressed concern by stating "But as a woman, we have to think about our safety much more then men do sadly." along with examples of how they would feel unsafe.

Have you ridden the monorail or have your purposely avoided that? I think Mome Rath's advice is perfect in that if you feel an off vibe with people you are standing in the waiting area with do what you feel is necessary and wait. This would be the same with the boat, the bus, the monorail, and the gondolas.

I would also mention while less than ideal in terms of potential enjoyment out of the ride when my husband and I went to DLR and rode Pixar Pal-A-Round (the giant wheel in DCA) because the wait times were increasing a couple of traveling parties ahead of me they announced parties of 2 or 3 would be put with other parties of 2 or 3 in the gondolas (which yes that is what Disney calls them). When my husband rode this same ride with another DISer we were touring with they had to do that same.

Now these gondolas at WDW being used for transportation are different because they are much more constant; it may be less frequent that they have a backup causing issues. That said I would, for the sake of your feelings, go in with the expectation that you will be placed with strangers or avoid the gondolas completely. The off vibe not withstanding though because that happens in the moment rather than a pre-judgement (not judgement in a bad way) of being placed in the gondola with any stranger period.