Originally Posted By beamerdog I didn't want to hijack a topic, so I started a new one. Has there ever been thoughts about installing a moving walkway similar to those found in airports in Epcot? I think that would alleviate some of the congestion that is caused by the ECV's and strollers. So much of the problems are caused by inexperienced drivers not knowing how to drive the things. (There's definitely a learning curve.) I miss the double decker buses that ran. I'm not suggesting that it be restricted - in fact, it would get a lot of people out of the walkway who want to skip a country or two to their destinations. We often take the boats, but end up backtracking almost as much distance as we save. So, what do you think? If we could convince disney execs that they could squeeze more people in the park that way and dump them out into a store they'd probably consider it a plan, lol. They could even set up vending machines for plushes that move along with the track so you could buy more.
Originally Posted By beamerdog found in airports in Epcot? = moving walkway in Epcot similar to those found in airports? ugh, need editing feature
Originally Posted By mrichmondj I think the rainy Florida weather would make this an engineering/maintenance nightmare outdoors.
Originally Posted By avromark And if you enclosed it, you'd ruin the experience of the World Showcase... Makes you wish they'd bring back those buses. I read somewhere at one time a Peoplemover type vehicle was supposed to be installed at Epcot, i doubt this would help in World Showcase or be "economically" feasible.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper They could use some type of transportation from front to back. That is a BIG park. I hoofed must of it in a short 5 hours I was there last week and man, I was beat by the end of the night.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I think part of the uniqueness of Epcot is the huge size, so I really don't think that moving walkways would work so well. There's just something about having to walk really far that makes it feel like you're really traveling around the world. I also think that they would make it difficult for other people, as they would either need to be against the pavilion side of the walk way or the water side. If they were on the water side, they would block views, and if they were on the pavilion side they woudl cause traffic problems when paths cross. They would probably look really out of place, unless they did some really amazing imagineering to them. Also, knowing the record of how they work in DL, they would probably be broken most of the time (old Space Mountain entrance and exit, Haunted Mansion exit, Monorail station). But, if they were the rubbery kind that Disney tends to use, the foot massage would be very nice on pretty much any day!
Originally Posted By RoadTrip One of the best things about staying at an Epcot resort is you have a very short walk from the World Showcase back to your hotel after Illuminations. In fact if you are really beat you can take the Friendship and then you barely need to walk at all. It sure beats the trek from the Showcase through Future World to the front of the park where the busses are. As for some type of People Mover... I really can't think of anything that wouldn't detract significantly from the atmosphere.
Originally Posted By avromark How about Bud sponsoring wagons pulled by Clydesdale horses? They could even offer free samples.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros They could add a People Mover around the back side of the pavilions which would add to the park's mobility while not detracting from the views and allowing for easier access into the stores. It would be difficult to build so that it does not need to weave in and out due to the varying depths of the pavillions, but it could be done. They could have the initial station between Norway and Mexico (it could be pushed back if they were to ever add another pavillion there, and they could incoporate it into the new pavillion), and then move around the World. The China and Italy pavillions would probably be the first stops, as they already have access near the back of the pavillions. From there, they could move to Morocco, cross over the International Gateway and have the final station where the Millenium Village is now. They could have stations designed in the style of each pavillion so they fit in, and would help alleviate the traffic around the front side of the World Showcase. The different trains could even be themed to the different countries in the area. They would need to either add more trees to block the views of backstage or enclose the trains in a tunnel type configuration. This could be used for brief exhibits about the different countries, and possibly even windows looking in at the various displays and attractions. It will probably never happen, but it would be pretty neat (and very convenient for the feet) if it did get built.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad OKay I know there are a lot of people who CAN'T walk alot. But I get tired of seeing people who NEED to walk, riding just cuz they're lazy. This whole topic is sounding like laziness to me.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I don't know DVC... I would never use the transit while we were touring the park, which is why the Showcase People Mover wouldn't do me much good. But we usually watch Illuminations at or Germany, and the walk from there to the front of the park at the end of the day is brutal. I think some type of People Mover running from the Showplace Plaza to the Entrance Plaza would be a great idea. Plus... it would fit in with Future World much better than it would the World Showcase.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad Yes but moving all those people from World Showcase to the Monorail would only cause an even WORSE backlog and massive buildup at the Monorails and Buses...unless ofcourse you make the moving sidewalk SLOW enough, like say 2 or 3 miles per hour and people just stand there instead of walking on it.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad We have massive and very LOOOONG moving sidewalks in the Atlanta airport. Its awesome and fun. I have RUN full speed while ON the moving sidewalks. As the wall is passing by me right next to the thing as I am running, I feel like I am traveling near 30 mph and really this may not be true it's not that far off. They are fun, but I can see right now it would never work at WDW inside the parks.
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy <I have RUN full speed while ON the moving sidewalks. As the wall is passing by me right next to the thing as I am running, I feel like I am traveling near 30 mph> Lol, kinda like in cartoons, huh? ;-P
Originally Posted By mrichmondj Re: Post 14. There is no place more miserable than the Atlanta airport, moving sidewalks or not. I avoid that place at all costs!
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<There is no place more miserable than the Atlanta airport, moving sidewalks or not.>> I take it you've never been to LAX...
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Although there are the entering/exiting security things at LAX to change terminals, there really is nothing as dreary as the Atlanta airport, IMO. Even O'Hare in Chicago at night when it's completely empty has more cheer than Hartsfield. Understandable to avoid it.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>Has there ever been thoughts about installing a moving walkway similar to those found in airports in Epcot?<< No. But original plans called for a WEDway people mover to shuttle guests/residents/workers around... but that was before the original concept got turned into a now dated theme park for the future.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom Valid point. Walt liked people movers. He envisioned people movers everywhere to shuttle people around. So its perfectly natural to think of incorporating one into the World Showcase. A few valid points have been brought up. Its you put a people mover in where do you put it? I was just in EPCOT at the begining of this week. Each country was doing something Christmas related. In Germany they had a story teller who was up against the lagoon side of Germany telling stories. So there were crowds there. In Mexico they had the three wise men telling stories. They were up against the temple side of Mexico. Canada had a Santa Claus up against Victoria Gardens area. How do you get a people mover up over the pedistrian bridge between England and France. France had a Pere D'Noel and he was walking around. Then at the American Pavallion they had the Candlelight Processional up against the Lagoon. I just think that any kind of people mover blocking pedestrain traffic is going to be a bad idea. I would much rather prefer an above ground transit system or something behind the pavallions. In the defense of NO people mover system. The Imagineers initially wanted to place the American Pavallion at the Future World entrance to the World Showcase and intentionally moved it to the opposite side of the World Showcase facing Future World as they wanted people to "travel" around the World Showcase.
