Omnimovers. Has Disney abandoned them?

[Michael T]

It has been apparent to me (and everyone) that Disney has a capacity problem. In my opinion, a good way to eat up some crowds is with Omnimovers. They have such a high capacity. I don't understand why they are not building more. Especially for the parks that need them. (Eh hem, Hollywood Studios) Do you guys agree with me? Or am I alone on this one?

 

[TwilightZone]

Well they are building Mickey and Minnie's runaway railway, which is a trackless dark ride, but comes close.
And I believe one of the galaxy's edge rides is an omnimover (feel free to correct me on that).

I guess the problem is supply and demand. More demand right now from the general public for a new thrill ride/e ticket rather than omnimovers.

 

[Damon7777]

Here we go yet again; no, I most definitely do not agree............at least not for the reason you're talking about.


Omnimovers do not necessarily convey guests at a greater rate than other systems.
The omnimover's throughput is overrated.

 

[PortOrleans]

It has been apparent to me (and everyone) that Disney has a capacity problem. In my opinion, a good way to eat up some crowds is with Omnimovers. They have such a high capacity. I don't understand why they are not building more. Especially for the parks that need them. (Eh hem, Hollywood Studios) Do you guys agree with me? Or am I alone on this one?

I don't have a strong opinion on this matter (others might and that's their business) but I think that we should set the record straight as far as omnimovers go. Advancements in technology (particularly trackless vehicles) have made omnimover systems all but obsolete. Trackless systems can do most (if not all) that omnimovers can do.

However, as far as saying they've been abandoned; it might be a stretch. If I recall, they installed one in New Fantasyland not too long ago for the Little Mermaid attraction.

I think that it might just be an evolution of the omnimover on the horizon but you're definitely correct in sensing a shift

 

[dieboy]

Short of stop building ($#@ hotel rooms, while the physical size of the parks can accommodate an enormous amount of people, it does not mean the amount of attractions can deal with the amount of people they put in the parks.
Omnimovers are nice. They can push a good amount of people through. But .. this day and age .. the rides people seem to 'want' are a bit harder to do with omnimovers.
What they could do, is just build an absorbent amount of capacity for each ride they build. Build the tron light cycle with six tracks stacked next to each other .. think you have enough bays for the new star wars ride, well think again and triple it.
Boils down to they do enough to keep people coming, its a business, and I get that. I'm not jaded, just stating the obvious truth. I go, but am semi particular about my timing.

 

[kap91]

Epcot style omnimovers could indeed increase capacity quite a bit - but the kinds of stories that creatively the parks want to tell these days don’t lend themselves well to such a ride system. The current style of attraction is one of an experience that happens TO you, and a hyper-realistic one at that. There’s not much room for such an obvious and static ride system in that world.

The closest thing that’s been developed to a next-gen omnimover is the forbidden journey Kuka arm system. It would be interesting to see what could be done with it if it were more fleshed out.

 

[Damon7777]

Omnimovers are nice. They can push a good amount of people through.

.....looks like you're perpetuating the misconception

 

[Damon7777]

Epcot style omnimovers could indeed increase capacity quite a bit -

And yet another misguided, uninformed chimes in.

 

[Damon7777]

. More demand right now from the general public for a new thrill ride/e ticket rather than omnimovers.

But a ride like Haunted Mansion is an 'E' and Spaceship Earth and the old Horizons attraction would be E level experiences.

Omni system based rides can be super headlining attractions(HM) or lesser attractions(Finding Nemo, Arioles Underwater)

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Omnimovers do not necessarily convey guests at a greater rate than other systems.
The omnimover's throughput is overrated.

Throughput is also not the relevant measure of capacity relief as it relates to reducing crowding.

If I had a ride that could handle 5,000 people per hour but the ride was only ten seconds long, that doesn't do me any good because I'm dumping the people back onto the footpaths as fast as I take them in. The relevant measure is not throughput, but the number of people that can be ON the ride (or otherwise engaged in a preshow or interactive queue) at any given time. A 5,000 pph ride that's 3 minutes long only holds 250 people at a time. A 5,000 pph ride that's 10 minutes long holds over 800 people at a time.

 

[danlb_2000]

Well they are building Mickey and Minnie's runaway railway, which is a trackless dark ride, but comes close.
And I believe one of the galaxy's edge rides is an omnimover (feel free to correct me on that).

I guess the problem is supply and demand. More demand right now from the general public for a new thrill ride/e ticket rather than omnimovers.

No, neither of the GE rides is an omnimover.

 

[Damon7777]

The closest thing that’s been developed to a next-gen omnimover is the forbidden journey Kuka arm system.

You must be talking about the loading platform only which very much operates like an omni...... but once past the platform those ride vehicles(benches) operate independently by being dispatched as single units.

 

[networkpro]

It has been apparent to me (and everyone) that Disney has a capacity problem. In my opinion, a good way to eat up some crowds is with Omnimovers. They have such a high capacity. I don't understand why they are not building more. Especially for the parks that need them. (Eh hem, Hollywood Studios) Do you guys agree with me? Or am I alone on this one?

I know a better way

 

[JohnD]

I don't have a strong opinion on this matter (others might and that's their business) but I think that we should set the record straight as far as omnimovers go. Advancements in technology (particularly trackless vehicles) have made omnimover systems all but obsolete. Trackless systems can do most (if not all) that omnimovers can do.

However, as far as saying they've been abandoned; it might be a stretch. If I recall, they installed one in New Fantasyland not too long ago for the Little Mermaid attraction.

I think that it might just be an evolution of the omnimover on the horizon but you're definitely correct in sensing a shift

Well, let's put Omnimover Haunted Mansion against Sea World trackless Penguins. Now you tell me which is the better ride.

 

[kap91]

And yet another misguided, uninformed chimes in.

It's not misguided. World of Motion could put through something like 3200-3400 people an hour. Trackless rides, at least as currently designed, do not approach that. But if you're talking about mermaid style omnimovers then yes you'd be right.

You must be talking about the loading platform only which very much operates like an omni...... but once past the platform those ride vehicles(benches) operate independently by being dispatched as single units.

I'm talking about how the system operates as a whole....while they are separate vehicles, they operate as if they were attached to each other (each separated at exactly the same distance, following close together, vehicle turns to face left and right of track to see scenes, continuous loading, etc, etc) Like I said, it's the closest thing, not a one to one.

 

[jloucks]

.....looks like you're perpetuating the misconception

What? Having become an expert in standing in both lines..... a Disney bus handles about 110 people (sardine packed) The bus runs every 10 minutes. Giver or take

The people mover handles 640 people. (32 cars * 20 people per car). The ride is 10 minutes long, meaning there is a full passenger swap every 10 minutes. So, every 10 minutes. ...oddly enough, just like the bus.

So per hour...

Bus 1,100hr = (110*10)
People mover 6,400hr = (32*20)10

Did I do that correctly?

If so, the people mover can move the heck outa people. It is like a bus that loads and loads and loads and loads and never stops moving.

 

[Damon7777]

I would not call People Mover an omni

Omnis function as continuous chain like attractions. People movers and TTA's are dispatched as mini chain Segments.

 

[Raineman]

If they had a hybrid type of Omnimover/trackless system, with updated tech/design, I think you could take the best of both systems and combine them. Most people are aware that one of the limitations of the traditional Omnimover is that, if handicapped guests or guests with other disabilities have to be loaded, the entire ride stops to accommodate. If they could design a hybrid system where the main queue would board at load and have a separate queue and load area where they can have the ride vehicles break away from the main path and then rejoin after the rider has boarded the vehicle, anyone who would cause the ride to be stopped to load could use the secondary load station, allowing the ride to move continuously (barring any stoppages/breakdowns). Basically, the ride vehicles would move at the same speed, keeping the same distance between them, but not be joined together or on a track, allowing the system to interject the "slow load" vehicles by slowing the main load vehicles enough to slip the other vehicle in. The unload area would have the same type of setup.

 

[kap91]

If they had a hybrid type of Omnimover/trackless system, with updated tech/design, I think you could take the best of both systems and combine them. Most people are aware that one of the limitations of the traditional Omnimover is that, if handicapped guests or guests with other disabilities have to be loaded, the entire ride stops to accommodate. If they could design a hybrid system where the main queue would board at load and have a separate queue and load area where they can have the ride vehicles break away from the main path and then rejoin after the rider has boarded the vehicle, anyone who would cause the ride to be stopped to load could use the secondary load station, allowing the ride to move continuously (barring any stoppages/breakdowns). Basically, the ride vehicles would move at the same speed, keeping the same distance between them, but not be joined together or on a track, allowing the system to interject the "slow load" vehicles by slowing the main load vehicles enough to slip the other vehicle in. The unload area would have the same type of setup.
View attachment 346840

This is exactly what Forbidden Journey does.

 

[Raineman]

This is exactly what Forbidden Journey does.

I have to plead ignorance on this one-haven't been to Uni since 1997.