Disney Skyliner shutdown and evacuation - October 6 2019

[Incomudro]

If they're relying on it to get to work so that can pay the rent and have food to eat, even more so.

If only the New York MTA delivered like that during most of my career.

 

[MiddKid]

So after not posting for years on here, I came back for this thread. I regret my decision. I have learned that well over 50% of posters on here are nuts. Now if only there was a block user option so I don't have to skim past tons of self entitled, self proclaimed "expert" post about what they "know" Disney is doing wrong. See you again never.

I’m with you. I promised myself that I would avoid the Skyliner threads because they are filled with such irrational postings but here I am.

I was eaten alive on here for criticizing all the stops on an advertised “never stopping system” (Disney’s own words) during the cast member previews and was told they “were just testing. chill out. It won’t stop when it opens to the public.” Well, it looks like Disney is backtracking on the whole “never stopping” thing.

Would love to see “Never stopping system” being “Disney’s own words.” Disney is the king of continuously loading ride systems and they know that everything will need to stop at one point to aid in loading. They’ve never claimed “never stopping” despite your claim being that it’s their own words. Perhaps I’m off the mark, but if you could link to a Disney communication with these words that would be great.

Other than slowing or stopping the system what more can a CM do to screw it up? If there are buttons which when pushed, cause the cabs to derail and crash into each other, there are larger systematic design problems here.

Gondola systems have proximity sensors. Like most major systems (even Disney rides) with moving vehicles, those proximity sensors can be over-ridden. Theory being that the operator is the primary source of safety as they can see the situation better than any proximity sensor can. My car will often throw up a “collision alert” when the car in front of me is slowing and turning but I, as the driver, have the ability to accelerate through it if I see it’s safe. Take the Smiler incident in the UK. Proximity alerts went off. Train stopped on the lift. Operator error over-rode the alert resulting in a significant crash. Any system like this needs to be a complex mix of automation and operator control. In this situation, it seems like the operator wasn’t trained/knowledgeable enough resulting in the “bump.”

I agree with him on the premise that Doppelmeyr gondola's though in use worldwide are new in this application.
This volume of ridership, this type of rider, the expectations of Disney riders many of whom will be booked in hotels touted as being served by this transportation system.
One of which - Riviera - is a high end resort. People with money, spending money and expecting a level of convenience and comfort relative to that expenditure.
As I have often stated - I really like the Skyliner.
But I have always questioned its ability to serve Disney's very varied level of guest mobility and awareness without a hitch, as well as its ability to do so in the Florida climate.
It's all well and good when it's humming along.

Volume: There are many systems in the world carrying more people per hour on a regular basis than the Skyliner
Mobility: It’s a fantastic option. Roll an ECV or wheelchair right on.
People with Money: You think a “Person with money” is going to view the Skyliner as anything but an upgrade to Busses? Or slow Friendship boats with broken AC? BTW, people often knock skiing as a sport that you must have money to participate in...so this clientele should be used to all those gondolas at swanky ski resorts, right?

You think taxpayers expect the same out of their transit systems than vacation goers at Disney?

I expect way more. I’m relying on the transit system to get me to work each day where if I’m late, it potentially impacts my paycheck...not whether or not I’m late for a FastPass.

 

[monothingie]

Any system like this needs to be a complex mix of automation and operator control. In this situation, it seems like the operator wasn’t trained/knowledgeable enough resulting in the “bump.”

That’s whole lot of speculation that the system was operated with guests with multiple safeguards bypassed or disabled. This in turn being the mechanism for an undertrained operator to manually operate the system in a dangerous manner.

Again if the system lacks Automatic failsafe safeguards to prevent cabs from crashing into each other, regardless of operator actions, that’s a failure of design.

 

[Vacationeer]

Would love to see “Never stopping system” being “Disney’s own words.” Disney is the king of continuously loading ride systems and they know that everything will need to stop at one point to aid in loading. They’ve never claimed “never stopping” despite your claim being that it’s their own words. Perhaps I’m off the mark, but if you could link to a Disney communication with these words that would be great.

I've not seen Disney call it 'never stopping' but have read 'And with the system constantly in motion'. Not exactly the same.

There’s Magic in the Air as Progress Continues on Disney Skyliner at Walt Disney World Resort

Disney Skyliner is an all-new transportation experience set to debut this fall at Walt Disney World Resort. Testing of the system’s nearly 300 guest cabins and other elements is well underway, and today we have new details to share about this

disneyparks.disney.go.com

 

[lazyboy97o]

They 'aint Disneyworld.
They're not Americans
They're not Disneyworld customers.
They're not people paying thousands of dollars on their busy vacation possibly a once in many years - or even lifetime vacation.

All those people who bought a timeshare for a once in a lifetime vacation?

 

[gustaftp]

They 'aint Disneyworld.
They're not Americans
They're not Disneyworld customers.
They're not people paying thousands of dollars on their busy vacation possibly a once in many years - or even lifetime vacation.

There are also far-higher end resorts around the world than Riviera that use these systems.

One thing I see time-and-time again from some is how these "NEED" air conditioning. The thing is, in order to supply air conditioning, they would need to have capacitors installed - you cannot have charging batteries in such a system. Capacitors are limited by the amount of energy they can store, and basically need to rapidly charge up at each station. At most, they can hold 30 minutes of air conditioning, not hours and hours.

Comparisons have been drown up to London's system, without recognition of the fact that London also has a much cooler average temperature than Florida which makes it far easier to cool to begin with -- not to mention the fact that London has had major issues with these air conditioners.

I can totally understand the decision to dispense with air conditioning in favor of ventilation if the air conditioned cabins would be fundamentally ineffective. I don't think this is a matter of Disney "being cheap" in this instance. If you are worried, take a bus (though waiting for a bus may take longer and be hotter than hopping aboard a Skyliner!)

 

[Vacationeer]

take a bus (though waiting for a bus may take longer and be hotter than hopping aboard a Skyliner!)

^True story. I've not thought about it like that yet. But at least you can walk off a bus line back into lobby AC if someone in your party is having a bad reaction.

The options to escape potential heat issues are less once aboard a gondola, worsened by delay length &/or frequency.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Don't worry about the rich, they have Minnie Vans.

 

[WDWTrojan]

He is wrong more than he is right. Problem is he presents everything as fact when it's speculation. He stated there was no problem with the gondolas being warm even when stopped. Then went on after the incident stating they shouldn't reopen until they have a cooling system or fan on board. Now he is saying moving walkways would solve the problem. He is trying to hard to break news instead of just reporting it. It's like another website we all know lol. I don't believe he has sources at all. He is just taking what people and front line cast members feed him and then presents it.

This is my problem. He's wrong 90% of the time and reports news from front line CMs like it's a fact from some "insider" source. It's all then covered in this over-confident veneer as if he knows better than anyone.

 

[MaryJaneP]

.... The Skyliner is the greatest thing to arrive at WDW in the last 5 or so years.....

Sadly quoted for truth. Yikes

 

[lazyboy97o]

I can totally understand the decision to dispense with air conditioning in favor of ventilation if the air conditioned cabins would be fundamentally ineffective.

Not just ineffective, but actually worse in the case of a prolonged stoppage such as the topic of this thread. The gondolas would become greenhouses like a car in the parking lot if they had air conditioning on board. They would be much hotter and stuffier because there would be no movement of air.

 

[oogie boogie man]

I still think they should have gone with the Tarzan/Spiderman mode of transportation or the Rocketeer jetpack.

 

[Jimbotron]

He is wrong more than he is right. Problem is he presents everything as fact when it's speculation. He stated there was no problem with the gondolas being warm even when stopped. Then went on after the incident stating they shouldn't reopen until they have a cooling system or fan on board. Now he is saying moving walkways would solve the problem. He is trying to hard to break news instead of just reporting it. It's like another website we all know lol. I don't believe he has sources at all. He is just taking what people and front line cast members feed him and then presents it.

Given that description, I believe he will have a bright future either at FOX or CNN.

 

[Incomudro]

All those people who bought a timeshare for a once in a lifetime vacation?

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

 

[donsullivan]

He seems a little too anxious to grow his channel with breaking news right now. When you combine that with a general lack of knowledge/awareness of the complexity of thing like these he just flippantly makes stuff up. He doesn’t seem to understand or isn’t willing to accept that this is a proven platform and the fact that it’s Disney, doesn’t change that. I knew it was over when he felt the need to bring a thermometer onboard to show the heat.
None of what he is ‘demanding’ is ever going to happen but he doesn’t yet understand why it doesn’t need to.

 

[RaveOnEd]

He seems a little too anxious to grow his channel with breaking news right now. When you combine that with a general lack of knowledge/awareness of the complexity of thing like these he just flippantly makes stuff up. He doesn’t seem to understand or isn’t willing to accept that this is a proven platform and the fact that it’s Disney, doesn’t change that. I knew it was over when he felt the need to bring a thermometer onboard to show the heat.
None of what he is ‘demanding’ is ever going to happen but he doesn’t yet understand why it doesn’t need to.

He even moved to Florida to bring us content quicker and more often!

 

[donsullivan]

He even moved to Florida to bring us content quicker and more often!

Yeah. He’s a little too anxious for his own good. When he started off the stuff was entertaining enough but now that he’s going for the ‘breaking news’ and opinion angle I don’t sense it will go well for him.
And I agree with the earlier poster who noted that he is getting a bit of a big head since moving to Orlando.

 

[RaveOnEd]

Yeah. He’s a little too anxious for his own good. When he started off the stuff was entertaining enough but now that he’s going for the ‘breaking news’ and opinion angle I don’t sense it will go well for him.
And I agree with the earlier poster who noted that he is getting a bit of a big head since moving to Orlando.

I've noticed all of this, too. His channel was really nice to watch for a while, because it was a Disney fan point of view, something that had the wonder and fun of visiting a Disney park.

But now it's once or twice (maybe more) a day, uploading videos of every time a trash can gets missed on Main Street for pickup.

 

[Vacationeer]

Yeah. He’s a little too anxious for his own good. When he started off the stuff was entertaining enough but now that he’s going for the ‘breaking news’ and opinion angle I don’t sense it will go well for him.
And I agree with the earlier poster who noted that he is getting a bit of a big head since moving to Orlando.

He does a great job presenting material and covering many different and interesting subject matters/details concisely...but, he can be offputting (hence not often passing 50k views) with his unwarranted confidence of opinion. He shouldn't discuss things as if they are close to fact when they aren't.

And definitely don't make like you know better than Disney does about its choices, especially if you aren't directly involved and are 19.

 

[Rodan75]

But he hasn't always been. There are obviously fans of his who feed him some knowledge as much as they know. And so he gets some scoops. But we all know how reliable front line CMs are, and he at times parrots bad info.

He touted special info about SWL... but almost all of it was already revealed here by our insiders. The one thing that was unique to his source was that there were going to be shoulder- adopt-a-porgs. Which never came to be.

He also gets into wild guess territory, which, anyone with more complete knowledge of WDW wouldn't be guessing, e.g., a new World Showcase parade. That kind of thing is the vlogger version of clickbait.

If he participated more here and was more wary of other sources, he'd be much better at vetting the info he receives. But, he decided to storm off. Compare that to Jack of DSNY Newscast who started off like Brayden, but learned from here what sources can and can't be trusted. Jack doesn't try to break inside information like Brayden does, but he does do a slick job of graphically presenting good intel with appropriate sourcing.

That is quite possibly the best anyone has articulated the difference between many of these lifestylers/vloggers.