Disney Skyliner shutdown and evacuation - October 6 2019

[ImperfectPixie]

Wow. Those 911 calls were intense. The guests were clearly freaking out.

The 11-year-old girl was - but I think I'm hearing calm adult voices in the background? If that was the case, shame on them.

And instead of increasing my empathy.. it's pretty much done the opposite. But I hope it exposes to people just how dealing with the general public is borderline insanity.

The lack of communication in this scenario was HORRIBLY bad. I really hope Disney fixes it going forward.

 

[mikesteffen]

Most inclusive is the Orlando Sentinel https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-bz-disney-gondola-911-tapes-20191018-vfwwmu2vxvc4bftkj5ahwiakmm-story.html?outputType=amp&ved=2ahUKEwiVk-7ml6blAhVI7J4KHb9qBL4QFjANegQIBRAB&usg=AOvVaw09wa0NMHAl76pLisad-TcN&ampcf=1
An 11yo having to make a call, makes me wonder what the heck the other adults in there were doing.

Read that report and tell me there isn't going to be some serious shirt when this breaks down in the peak of Florida heat.

 

[halltd]

OK, so here's the ultimate solution that should have been obvious before the Skyliner plan was put into place, and I can't believe no one has suggested it-forget the Skyliner, or even a monorail expansion, the answer to an added transportation system lies within Tomorrowland - the Peoplemover! (I'm only being a little sarcastic here, btw). Walt's original vision was to have a Peoplemover type system that covered all areas of his Progress City-why would this system not be a fit for resort-to-park transportation? Clone the system from TL with the covered track, and easily accessible evac paths on the side of the track, with stairs to the ground at regular intervals (over the sections of the system above dry land, anyway). Not sure how costly the system would be, but I don't imagine it would be more than a monorail covering the same routes. The TL version has stood up to Florida weather for decades now, and I'm sure an updated version of the conveyance tech on the Peoplemover would work just as well, or better, than the original in TL. Add to the fact that riders would not be cooped up inside a small cab, eliminating the anxiety caused by claustrophobia, and that the speed of the ride vehicles would be more than that of the Skyliner vehicles-I think it might work, if the cost didn't scare the Disney bean counters away.

This was suggested many many times when the Skyliner first broke as the system being used...and many many more times after that.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Have you ever been stuck for 3 hours?

I've been stuck for close to an hour at Kitzbuhel, Austria and for about 30 minutes at Stowe. But nobody had a panic attack, and called emergency services, and thus the stoppage was not prolonged by a rescue operation.

 

[Raineman]

This was suggested many many times when the Skyliner first broke as the system being used...and many many more times after that.

Okay then...

 

[Lirael]

Disney should create some "emergency skyliner issues" line and add the number to it in the cabins. This way next time there's an issue where the skyliner isn't back to moving in a timely manor, guests would have somewhere to call to be reassured and given necessary information without needing to resort to 911 calls right off the bat. Plus it would help disney locate which cabins may need immediate attention due to panic attacks etc.

 

[HiJe]

Have you ever been stuck for 3 hours?

I'm stuck in a cube at work for 8 hours a day. Does that count?

 

[flynnibus]

The solution is easy... There should be a separate line at each station with signs saying "If you are incapable of surviving sitting on a bench for multiple hours, please use this entrance"

And its a line to the traffic curb for a minnie van.

 

[Lilofan]

And instead of increasing my empathy.. it's pretty much done the opposite. But I hope it exposes to people just how dealing with the general public is borderline insanity.

Dealing with the general public is hands on training. That's something you can't learn from a course at the local university.

 

[flynnibus]

Dealing with the general public is hands on training. That's something you can't learn from a course at the local university.

I did my time decades ago. It was much easier when you could tell someone to stop being such a baby and there was a general expectation of self-responsibility.

 

[danlb_2000]

I don't think it runs over, perhaps along side or within easy sight, if you wish. Of course, back in the day when the Skyway was open in MK, they used invisible gondola's so that no one's sensibility concerning immersion would be affected.

I will briefly pass over guest areas...

 

[Phil12]

Well it would solve the problem if people with anxiety problems stayed the hell off it to begin with.

No.

 

[Phil12]

WESH Orlando reporting today on the 911 calls that were released to the general public. Shows the frustration of the guests stuck in their cabin for over 2 hours.

911 calls released from night Disney Skyliner malfunctioned

In 911 calls from the Skyliner, people can be heard becoming frustrated over not knowing what is going on.

www.wesh.com

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Well it would solve the problem if people with anxiety problems stayed the hell off it to begin with.

Not all anxiety problems constitutes with being suspended in a gondola and being stuck there.

Edit: Give me that problem of being stuck in a Gondola? Fine. Give me the problem of being a few feet away from certain people here on the ground? Severe Anxiety.

 

[halltd]

I shouldn't have listened to that girl on the Orlando Sentinel recording. At the start of the call, she even said her mom was fine. So it wasn't even an emergency. Worried about what's happening, yes. Emergency, no. The adults in the background seem to be telling her what to say, too. Then it was almost like as soon as she saw the firetruck, she was all like, "oh, ok cool" and was fine. Her "hysteria" ended almost instantaneously. I could never be a 911 operator. Hats off to them! That's obviously the cabin that was evacuated, but because of that one holding up the repair, other cabins appeared to have actual emergencies.

I'd be interested to know how many people called 911 on the Skyliner that night and how many call from the monorail when it stops for extended periods of time. And, after how long do people call.

 

[Incomudro]

I've been stuck for close to an hour at Kitzbuhel, Austria and for about 30 minutes at Stowe. But nobody had a panic attack, and called emergency services, and thus the stoppage was not prolonged by a rescue operation.

Close to an hour is very bad - but it's not three hours. And yes, it's quite likely those 911 calls went out well before an hour was up - I haven't looked into how soon the calls were made.
But again, we have to understand the difference between skiing clientele - more athletic/healthy, more likely to behave better in an emergency situation, more alert - as well as the likelihood that they have experience with gondola systems, vs your average WDW guest.
WDW is just different.
Disney should have installed a direct communication feature into the gondolas, so they could address riders in the event something like what happened - happened.

 

[Phil12]

Calling 911 because you are having a medical emergency while stuck on a gondola is perfectly acceptable. Calling 911 because the gondola has stopped and you don’t feel you are getting enough information about when it will start up again is illegal because it is not an emergency. Being frustrated by Disney not giving you enough information on a stalled ride is not a good reason to “light up” 911. People with a real emergency may not be able to get through.

As the anxiety levels rise among onboard guests, the situation can turn into an emergency very quickly. Reports that I've seen said that two people (on different gondolas) went unconscious during their ordeal. That constitutes a medical emergency. And until medical help can arrive, someone needs to monitor the pulse and respiration of those unconscious victims.

Just report your situation to 911 and let them make the call.

 

[Incomudro]

The solution is easy... There should be a separate line at each station with signs saying "If you are incapable of surviving sitting on a bench for multiple hours, please use this entrance"

And its a line to the traffic curb for a minnie van.

It's not just about "surviving" and it's not the same as sitting on a bench. (though there are two benches)
And you know that.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

We don't honestly know how we would react in certain situations until we ARE in fact in that situation. Possible panic? Possibly not. You won't know until you are in it for that time yourself.

 

[flynnibus]

It's not just about "surviving" and it's not the same as sitting on a bench. (though there are two benches)
And you know that.

No, it's pretty much that.
Your counter to any example is "well there they can LEAVE" - well, sitting on a bench for hours and not leaving.. same thing

What is different is the persons anxiety about the situation... not the physical strains on the person. It's a mental thing and people should own it.