Disney Skyliner shutdown and evacuation - October 6 2019

[mdcpr]

Certainly not all of them, but many guests who visit WDW are on a once in a lifetime vacation.

Once in a lifetime, or once and done and move to something else? I know more people in the second group, than the first.

 

[natatomic]

This is much more substantial than the ones they were using when it first opened. Maybe it will deter more people now.

also, the wind is noticeable on the gondola today. I’m already a little nervous on these as it is, so the wind doesn’t help. But still enjoyable ride so far. I made a trip on the Epcot line with zero stops! But there’s also very few people on today too.

(edited for a weird typo)

 

[xdan0920]

It really is crazy how over dramatic everyone is... you'd think there was a mass casualty event every day with some of these comments.

I mean, a week into operation there was a fairly major malfunction that shut the whole system down for multiple days. While not a national emergency, it’s a pretty dramatic occurrence.

 

[ThatMouse]

I made a trip on the Epcot line with zero stops! But there’s also very few people on today too.

Haha! The same excitement you get when a bus comes and there's no scooter to wait for! I'll be watching these in late December to see how they handle park openings and closings.

 

[tissandtully]

I mean, a week into operation there was a fairly major malfunction that shut the whole system down for multiple days. While not a national emergency, it’s a pretty dramatic occurrence.

Fairly major is a bit of an overstatement.

 

[xdan0920]

Fairly major is a bit of an overstatement.

Is it? The cabs piled up in the station. Windows shattered. Guests emergency evacuated in bucket trucks. Seems kinda major.

 

[flynnibus]

Fairly major is a bit of an overstatement.

Anything that requires a complete safety shutdown for an extended period... includes material equipment damage... operational investigations and retraining would be considered by just about any industry as 'major'. The only thing lacking is injuries.

 

[mikesteffen]

The way that some are completely unwilling to consider any possible cause for concern of any kind, it seems kind of weird. Like maybe Disney has people on here trying to sway opinion.

 

[Naplesgolfer]

Long term Disney is going to wish they had a different load and unload solution for ECV's at Riviera. There is IMHO too many variables in CM skill level and Guest ECV driving ability to not cause Line halts and possibly safety issues forever.

 

[mmascari]

As a life long skier, this is something that's incredibly common on chairlifts and gondolas at ski resorts. As the operators get more confident they will do exactly what you mentioned...slow the line down more often in terms of an anticipated issue, but come to a complete stop less often. Not sure what the actual difference would be in terms of capacity, but I'm sure it's not as alarming to the less familiar guests.

Slowing is better than stopping for keeping it running.

My understanding from other comments from those who operate gondolas, after a slow down, it's simple to come back to speed. While restarting from a stop is more complex. It's not that the mechanics are harder, it's the clearing to make sure it's safe to restart. From stopped, if you have to clear every load point where something could be "in the way", on the Epcot line that could be 12 different locations that all need to indicate it's clear to restart. A level of coordination that takes time. While for slow to speed may just be a button push at the same location the slow button was pushed.

I'm sure one of the operators could speak more to the difference.

 

[WDW Guru]

The way that some are completely unwilling to consider any possible cause for concern of any kind, it seems kind of weird. Like maybe Disney has people on here trying to sway opinion.

I'd be concerned if this occurred again. Freak accidents like this can occur on any method of transportation it just happens to be the first week of operation.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Is it? The cabs piled up in the station. Windows shattered. Guests emergency evacuated in bucket trucks. Seems kinda major.

While I don't disagree that this was a fairly major incident to have occur so soon after opening, only one window broke, and one cabin was evacuated while still on the line because of a possible medical emergency...just don't want to swing too far the other way by over-stating the situation.

Fairly major is a bit of an overstatement.

It really isn't. It was large enough of a problem that it caused physical damage to a brand new attraction that had opened less than a week prior. While I consider it enormously fortunate that no one was hurt, that isn't a scenario any resort/entertainment venue wants to go through. It was an expensive situation in terms of bad PR, damage to the cabins, cost to modify systems/retrain staff, and the cost of the emergency services evacuation.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

No, we like to mix with the common folk at Disney. More fun then the rides sometimes.

You know how many times in the last 20 years I stood in line to get my food and put it on a tray? I'm not sure but it was only at Disney. I just don't eat like that in real life. It's an experience from the past, just the same as getting on a public bus. You know how many times I have been on a bus in the last 20 years? I don't know but every time was at Disney. The list goes on, it's kind of entertaining because I just don't do this stuff in real life and it's good training for my kids to be able to function out with the masses.

This may be my favourite post ever!

 

[King Racoon 77]

This may be my favourite post ever!

My butler brought it to my attention.

 

[tissandtully]

While I don't disagree that this was a fairly major incident to have occur so soon after opening, only one window broke, and one cabin was evacuated while still on the line because of a possible medical emergency...just don't want to swing too far the other way by over-stating the situation.

It really isn't. It was large enough of a problem that it caused physical damage to a brand new attraction that had opened less than a week prior. While I consider it enormously fortunate that no one was hurt, that isn't a scenario any resort/entertainment venue wants to go through. It was an expensive situation in terms of bad PR, damage to the cabins, cost to modify systems/retrain staff, and the cost of the emergency services evacuation.

Half of the issue was a guest who shouldn’t have been on such a conveyance in the first place.

Look, I’m very far from a Disney apologist, and you can see my history on this board, there’s plenty more to be pessimistic and side-eye about than this incident or this system around WDW.

There was so much misinformation spread and I’d really hate for a truly innovative thing that was brought to the swamps to fail from such nay saying that just isn’t accurate or captures the whole picture.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

This first week of operation was just that - the first week of fully loaded, fully operational use. All the testing in the world probably wouldn't be enough to simulate such "real world conditions." That said, what happened WAS major. It's not like the ride just ground to a halt, or operated slowly or whatever. Gondolas collided, glass broke, people had to be evacuated with cherry pickers AND as a result the system was shut down for days afterward (although this is SOP in such cases). Regardless, you can't spin this as anything other than "serious." Let's hope that they're implementing changes where needed so this doesn't happen again... And that includes emergency manpower and equipment.

 

[tissandtully]

This first week of operation was just that - the first week of fully loaded, fully operational use. All the testing in the world probably wouldn't be enough to simulate such "real world conditions." That said, what happened WAS major. It's not like the ride just ground to a halt, or operated slowly or whatever. Gondolas collided, glass broke, people had to be evacuated with cherry pickers AND as a result the system was shut down for days afterward (although this is SOP in such cases). Regardless, you can't spin this as anything other than "serious." Let's hope that they're implementing changes where needed so this doesn't happen again... And that includes emergency manpower and equipment.

Only a gondola with the person having a panic attack was evacuated.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Only a gondola with the person having a panic attack was evacuated.

So? Being stuck, hanging up in the air for three hours and/or witnessing that isn't much better.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Half of the issue was a guest who shouldn’t have been on such a conveyance in the first place.

Look, I’m very far from a Disney apologist, and you can see my history on this board, there’s plenty more to be pessimistic and side-eye about than this incident or this system around WDW.

There was so much misinformation spread and I’d really hate for a truly innovative thing that was brought to the swamps to fail from such nay saying that just isn’t accurate or captures the whole picture.

Oh, I absolutely agree - I will give credit where credit is due, and criticize when warranted. However, to say this wasn't serious isn't doing it justice, IMO.

And believe me...I'm no fan of the person who chose to ride even though they shouldn't have. The system would have been restarted to get everyone else off MUCH faster if it hadn't been for their need of an emergency services evacuation. While the damage to the cabins involved in the crushing incident would still have happened, a lot of really bad PR could have been avoided had that person not been riding to begin with. HOWEVER...one could also argue that because that person needed a medical evacuation, and because people flipped out, Disney now has some real-world information with which to form new/additional policies, procedures, and knows they have some problem areas surrounding communication, cabin location after dark, and emergency kits.

 

[Naplesgolfer]

It is unclear to me how many cabins were evacuated via cherry picker ,etc vs how many returned to the station normally after they got it up and running. Also unclear as to why it took 3hrs. I am not saying it shouldn't have, but it is unclear why. Anyone have more info?