News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
Heard some reports from friends that boarding at Riviera has become very difficult. Spacing out load (ex. Leave every 4th open) at Trinidad and IG will become a must once sizable boarding is happening at Riviera. That said, lines for the Epcot line have already been pretty bad (it gets used the most by non-resort guests), and I only expect it to get worse. (It still should be only 10 min tops, but still not ideal).
The Riviera Station is the only pass through line in the entire system. I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that this station is heavily modified if not removed entirely as a loading / unloading station.
 

Magic Feather

Well-Known Member
The Riviera Station is the only pass through line in the entire system. I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that this station is heavily modified if not removed entirely as a loading / unloading station.
As in Riviera no longer being a station? I highly doubt that the most-expensive resort on the Skyliner (which is also the resort that footed most of the funding) would lose its station.
 

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
As in Riviera no longer being a station? I highly doubt that the most-expensive resort on the Skyliner (which is also the resort that footed most of the funding) would lose its station.
Except it's station is far and away the most problematic and most unique. At the very least I could see a change here.
 

Disone

Well-Known Member
Wind speeds in the area exceeded 60 mph.

All right we really have to start second-guessing ourselves now. I mean seriously how did we miss this! We came up with so many what if scenarios. The headline was changed for Pete's sakes to every possible scenario has been discussed. But apparently we still. Missed. One! Randomly just falling off the line!

So first we missed the scenario where the gondola fails to attach the line while leaving a station. That's pretty much what seems to have happened at Walt Disney World. Then we've missed the scenario for randomly let's go of the line enroute. That's a terrifying thought.. This coming from someone who's 100% at advocate of the system.

Okay so now that I have poked the bear a little bit. I will say I'm very interested to find out what's happened in both scenarios. That said I'll continue to ride the system for now :)
 

joelkfla

Well-Known Member
So first we missed the scenario where the gondola fails to attach the line while leaving a station. That's pretty much what seems to have happened at Walt Disney World.
I haven't seen any video of the actual occurrence, but more likely from the position of the cabins after the incident is not that the lead cabin failed to grip the cable, but that it never completely left the load area.
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
All right we really have to start second-guessing ourselves now. I mean seriously how did we miss this! We came up with so many what if scenarios. The headline was changed for Pete's sakes to every possible scenario has been discussed. But apparently we still. Missed. One! Randomly just falling off the line!

So first we missed the scenario where the gondola fails to attach the line while leaving a station. That's pretty much what seems to have happened at Walt Disney World. Then we've missed the scenario for randomly let's go of the line enroute. That's a terrifying thought.. This coming from someone who's 100% at advocate of the system.

Okay so now that I have poked the bear a little bit. I will say I'm very interested to find out what's happened in both scenarios. That said I'll continue to ride the system for now :)
Negatory. We discussed hurricanes and thunderstorms, both of which are known for erratic, gusty, and strong winds.
 

Creathir

Well-Known Member
Negatory. We discussed hurricanes and thunderstorms, both of which are known for erratic, gusty, and strong winds.
I mean just randomly falling off is slightly different... these are mechanical devices which do require regular maintenance.

It’s not like that has been a problem with the WDW transportation department (or management funding it adequately) before...

It’s not like we’ve seen doors open while transportation systems are in motion or anything right...?
 

Disone

Well-Known Member
Negatory. We discussed hurricanes and thunderstorms, both of which are known for erratic, gusty, and strong winds.
yes but the article makes no mention of wind speeds in the area. It says it fell 60 ft. Not that winds were 60 miles per hour.

Edit: never mind. I did find other articles that were saying Gusty winds were in the area. They don't really say wind speed but they do refer to Gusty. However they do mention that 50 other people were riding the system so it seems to be that they weren't high enough to Warrant shutting down the system. So while I understand we've discussed hurricanes and thunderstorms, but what about just normal breezes that are slightly gustie? Knocking off it from its cable? Seems new to me :) we missed one! Yes this is all tongue-in-cheek.
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
What I found interesting in both the recent overseas accident with the gondola detaching, the the earlier cite of the gondola's detaching leading to deaths was both involved the cabin and tower interactions. And in both cases, there was interaction between the cabins and tower systems that went undetected at the time.

The empty gondola that fell this week... what safety systems would be in place to detect such a risk was eminent due to cabins colliding with the towers. Obviously you talk about the wind conditions that triggered the problem, but what safety systems if any are there to detect a condition has occurred? There is no monitoring of the grips that I am aware of... there is no monitoring of the tower for collisions..

In both cases, operators were blind to the situation developing. I'd love to hear the manufacturer's risk analysis on this.. because its interesting that they chose to run the line after the cabin fell. Did they inspect the tower up close before doing so? @Lift Blog get any dirt yet?
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
I mean just randomly falling off is slightly different... these are mechanical devices which do require regular maintenance.

It’s not like that has been a problem with the WDW transportation department (or management funding it adequately) before...

It’s not like we’ve seen doors open while transportation systems are in motion or anything right...?
Yeah, but this one didn't randomly fall off. As I understand it, the cable was moving while the cabin was swinging, and the torsion as the clamp went over the sheaves apparently prised the clamp loose and the cabin disengaged from the cable.
 

Creathir

Well-Known Member
Yeah, but this one didn't randomly fall off. As I understand it, the cable was moving while the cabin was swinging, and the torsion as the clamp went over the sheaves apparently prised the clamp loose and the cabin disengaged from the cable.
For sure.

My commentary surrounding maintenance problems is only enhanced by the situation as you described it.
 

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