I know as DVC Members we all contribute to the costs of "transportation" through our dues (it is listed as a line item in the yearly cost breakdown). I would therefore assume that cost for transportation for hotel guests are also paid through the nightly rates charged to guests staying at on-site hotels. I've always thought that this is one reason that WDW hotels are more expensive than non WDW hotels. I'm not sure what ramifications this has toward your question regarding legal obligations but the WDW transportation system cannot be complimentary, it must e paid for by guests either through park tickets, hotels rates, DVC dues, etc.Not to beat a dead horse, but I'd like to ask some questions in regards to the buses. Isn't all on-site transportation considered complimentary? Meaning Disney is voluntarily offering it, and as such, not making a guest pay for travel? And since the guests are not directly paying for said transportation, they would therefore not be entitled to it? Is it mandated in legal code anywhere that Disney is required to transport guests from hotel to theme park, or can it be reasonable assumed that once you are at your hotel that it is your own responsibility to make travel arrangements to the park?
The way I'm interpreting it is this: Disney is legally required to make all necessary lodging accommodations to persons with disabilities who are staying in their hotel rooms, and to all park guests who purchase admission. I do not see how they are legally required to transport you between the two if they are not directly charging you a transportation fee. Is it poor customer service and bad for corporate image to deny any portion of your guest population an alternative option? Sure. Are they required to do so? I don't believe so.
But I'm just an armchair lawyer spitballing here. I have no legal basis or education to justify this stance and would love to hear an explanation or corrections fromsomeone who is actually a lawyer or has dealt with ADA Compliance law.
I know as DVC Members we all contribute to the costs of "transportation" through our dues (it is listed as a line item in the yearly cost breakdown). I would therefore assume that cost for transportation for hotel guests are also paid through the nightly rates charged to guests staying at on-site hotels. I've always thought that this is one reason that WDW hotels are more expensive than non WDW hotels. I'm not sure what ramifications this has toward your question regarding legal obligations but the WDW transportation system cannot be complimentary, it must e paid for by guests either through park tickets, hotels rates, DVC dues, etc.
It's redundant, not fail safe, FYI. There are multiple means of powering the rope to clear it, but in a complete loss of power systems it will not move itself.True but we’ve also discussed how fail safe the gondola is against a full stop. Unlike the monorail which has to get towed
Does any one even know if the majority of people with acrophobia will actually have a problem with gondolas? We fly people with acrophobia in hot air balloons all the time, and people never have an issue with it once you actually get going.
As far as alternative transportation though, Breckenridge uses their gondola as a primary means of transportation to the mountain resorts and there is no free alternative.
The bigger question to me is are they obligated to provide an alternative transport to the gondolas, if people stay at these resorts and don't want to ride them. I think the answer here is "No, they aren't." Seems like they need to just warn people when they book.
They question is, what is reasonably comparable? having Minnie Vans as an option? Saying you can take a bus to another park and transfer? etc. Is that reasonable or do they need an alternative direct mode? The fact they don't have an alternative direct mode for the monorail resorts to EPCOT makes me think that no, they don't
But if the monorail has always been the only direct mode of transportation offered by these hotels, then the guest experience has always been the same. Nothing has been replaced or taken away from them.
Or maybe they used to have regular buses between the monorail resorts and Epcot. Does anyone know?
I don't believe so - actually, when EPCOT was first built I think the only hotels were still the monorail resorts (and campgrounds) so not sure the extent of buses in genearl
To be a big thing is that there are also alternative comparable lodging options. If you truly won't ride in the gondola and can only afford value, then there are the All Stars, for example, that provide comparable accommodations
Now, if for a specific date the only value that had availability was POP and you wouldn't ride in the gondolas then I would hope Disney would try to accommodate that by letting you stay at a moderate for no extra cost or something
I will just drive to DHS/Epcot and take up a spot for free that they could have collected cash on. Other than MK driving is faster anyway.
Now, if for a specific date the only value that had availability was POP and you wouldn't ride in the gondolas then I would hope Disney would try to accommodate that by letting you stay at a moderate for no extra cost or something
Good lord I hope Disney doesn't try and open that can of worms. I can just see the abuse now.
I wouldn’t expect Disney to upgrade people from values to moderates because of the Gondola. That would be pricey for Disney, but I’m sure that could happen. I can see them offering an Uber/Minnie van voucher to complainers, but even that could get pricey, which makes me think keeping a bus, even if it’s shared between Pop and AofA, might be a reasonable option.
INow, if for a specific date the only value that had availability was POP and you wouldn't ride in the gondolas then I would hope Disney would try to accommodate that by letting you stay at a moderate for no extra cost or something
Good lord I hope Disney doesn't try and open that can of worms. I can just see the abuse now.
I agree - they aren't going to go there. I really don't think they are going to run a bus for people either - the point of the gondola system is to reduce the bus system.
I have had a phobia of piers/docks/boats most of my life. I have it mostly under control, and so I can use the boat transportation. If it were worse though - I wouldn't expect Beach Club to arrange a bus for me to go to DHS. I would feel the same way if I chose to stay at a Gondola resort and wouldn't ride the gondola - it's my problem to find an alternative.I fully agree - but my point was, what if there are not alternatives? Will they just tell you to say off site? Maybe a small problem, but clearly we are pretty far down the rabbit hole of scenarios in this thread
My biggest worry/wonder is how are they going to handle storms that might shut down the system. It will be difficult for them to mobilize extra buses for one, and with the IG I can't imagine them saying "Oh yeah, we've shut down the gondola, so now you have to walk to the front of the park in a downpour to wait for a bus that will take us an hour to arrange." It makes me wonder if they'll run the gondolas in almost anything.
I would think they would design the system so that it can function in the same weather as the monorail. So, yes, some conditions may come up when nearly all transportation is shut down, but I really don't think they will shut for minor storms
My biggest worry/wonder is how are they going to handle storms that might shut down the system. It will be difficult for them to mobilize extra buses for one, and with the IG I can't imagine them saying "Oh yeah, we've shut down the gondola, so now you have to walk to the front of the park in a downpour to wait for a bus that will take us an hour to arrange." It makes me wonder if they'll run the gondolas in almost anything.
Ah, but they will get your cash anyways now that they charge for resort parking!