News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

MickeyMinnieMom

Well-Known Member
Park attractions are now quite a bit less than that now. Ten is a ball park when they begin to take notice. The gondolas sit within the current outdoor attractions closing threshold for central Florida parks.
Thanks @marni1971! So as unreliable in the summer as the discontinued express bus transportation was (or was that different somehow)? If so, to quote Shark Tank, for that reason, I'm out. And I had been looking forward to the gondolas. We'll stick with a rental car.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Thanks @marni1971! So as unreliable in the summer as the discontinued express bus transportation was (or was that different somehow)? If so, to quote Shark Tank, for that reason, I'm out. And I had been looking forward to the gondolas. We'll stick with a rental car.
I’m sure the first season will be a learning curve for all involved. I’d hope things will run smoothly once implemented, although the logistics, timings, and location of the IG for example, throw up more questions than are answered so far.
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
I’m sure the first season will be a learning curve for all involved. I’d hope things will run smoothly once implemented, although the logistics, timings, and location of the IG for example, throw up more questions than are answered so far.
Can't wait to see the first cabin struck by lightning unload...
355773
 

joelkfla

Well-Known Member
There are 3-4 cabins in queue all the time on the outer loop. That gives passengers 3-4 "cycles" in the outer loop to load and/or unload, which will be plenty for any need.
In the video, it looks like there is room for 3 cabins.

Passengers don't have the entire time that a cabin is in the loop to unload or load. Unless they'll be loading 3 cabins into the loop at once and letting them all sit there until all are loaded, cabins will be advancing thru the loop. There needs to be a cabin loaded and ready to go, or an empty cabin ready to return online, when a cabin arrives to unload. Passengers have only the length of time a cabin is stationary at one position to unload or load.

One possible operational procedure: there might be 3 positions, which I'll call unload, load, and dispatch. When a cabin has been loaded and released by cast, it can move into the dispatch position, ready to replace a cabin entering the loop. Then the cabin in the unload position can move into the load position, making room for another cabin to enter. If the system is smart enough to know that a cabin needing to be unloaded will arrive within a few minutes, it can hold the loaded cabin in the dispatch position until the unloading cabin arrives. Otherwise, it can dispatch the loaded cabin and pull in an empty cabin.
 

joelkfla

Well-Known Member
One possible operational procedure: there might be 3 positions, which I'll call unload, load, and dispatch. When a cabin has been loaded and released by cast, it can move into the dispatch position, ready to replace a cabin entering the loop. Then the cabin in the unload position can move into the load position, making room for another cabin to enter. If the system is smart enough to know that a cabin needing to be unloaded will arrive within a few minutes, it can hold the loaded cabin in the dispatch position until the unloading cabin arrives. Otherwise, it can dispatch the loaded cabin and pull in an empty cabin.
To add the the above: this makes the human interface very simple: Push a button to "Hold for unload", then a button to "Release to load". At the the next position, push a button to "Hold for load", then a button to "Release for dispatch". This gives the system all it needs to know about the status of a cabin on the loop. If you want the option to unload or load 2 cabins at once, just have both sets of buttons at each position. If no buttons are pushed, the cabin is available to re-enter the line empty to replace an arriving cabin, and the system will know that the cabin does not need to routed to the outer loop at the distant station.
 
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Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Maybe it is something as simple as every 6th car gets routed to the outside loop whether it actually needs to or not.
That wouldn't work because they can't necessarily know when they have to send the next one. by watching the video, if they need to pull one into the slow movers line, if you look, the incoming and outgoing moves when they both line up. Sending the extra out on the line. If they have 4 or 5 gondolas stationed in the special load area, it will always work out. In that case it was one coming in, If one is leaving with passengers then all they need to do is direct the next one into that line. That seems pretty simple to me and a very good easy solution. One loaded comes in... one empty or even one with passengers leaves. One loaded leaves... one incoming empty (or not) gets directed into that area. Always the same number of gondolas are available in that load area. and the departing car enters the regular cable to replace the one that was redirected. I don't know if I am explaining that correctly, but, that is how I see it and how it seems to me to be the simplest and less confusing then any other thought.
 
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note2001

Well-Known Member
My concern isn't riding them in the lightning at all -- it's how frequently Disney will close them for "lightning in the area", rendering it wholly unreliable in the summer as a mode of transportation. Oh, well!

Those summer storms are fairly predictable, every afternoon for 20 minutes to 2 hours, and the lightning doesn't usually last the entire duration of the storm.
It's like the boat transportation from MK to the resorts. I've never heard anyone complain about those being unreliable due to lightning.
 

Creathir

Well-Known Member
Those summer storms are fairly predictable, every afternoon for 20 minutes to 2 hours, and the lightning doesn't usually last the entire duration of the storm.
It's like the boat transportation from MK to the resorts. I've never heard anyone complain about those being unreliable due to lightning.
I guess the big question is, why are they even shutting them down during a thunderstorm if they are indeed as safe, while lightning is in the area, as others are claiming.
 

MickeyMinnieMom

Well-Known Member
Those summer storms are fairly predictable, every afternoon for 20 minutes to 2 hours, and the lightning doesn't usually last the entire duration of the storm.
It's like the boat transportation from MK to the resorts. I've never heard anyone complain about those being unreliable due to lightning.
Every afternoon, 20min to 2hrs... you and I have a different definition of “predictable”. ;)

To each his/her definition of reliable transportation! :)
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
It's like the boat transportation from MK to the resorts. I've never heard anyone complain about those being unreliable due to lightning.

because the bus alternative or monorail is always right there too... people do comment on the boats... the difference is the boats remain a 'nice alternative' and not a 'ride this or nothing..' situation. That's why you don't hear much anger over their lack of availability.

Just ask people how often they use the boats in WS Lagoon... you find most people aren't dependent on them, so they don't notice or care when they aren't available.
 

Disney Analyst

Well-Known Member
Can it be as simple as certain vehicles are accessible only and live in that loop, and are only dispatched as needed? That way they automatically know to go into the specific loop at the next station?
 

note2001

Well-Known Member
because the bus alternative or monorail is always right there too... people do comment on the boats... the difference is the boats remain a 'nice alternative' and not a 'ride this or nothing..' situation. That's why you don't hear much anger over their lack of availability.

Just ask people how often they use the boats in WS Lagoon... you find most people aren't dependent on them, so they don't notice or care when they aren't available.
I was actually thinking of taking the boat in the opposite direction (from WL to the MK). It was easier to just rope all resorts into one by using the MK as a starting point example, but okay.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Can it be as simple as certain vehicles are accessible only and live in that loop, and are only dispatched as needed? That way they automatically know to go into the specific loop at the next station?
There will only be x amount of cabins classed as fully accessible. These will run in line normally for all guests to use, and those requiring one will have to wait for the next one to arrive. They will be spaced every y cabin apart.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Those summer storms are fairly predictable, every afternoon for 20 minutes to 2 hours, and the lightning doesn't usually last the entire duration of the storm..
Indeed. The lines will only be inaccessible for the duration that lighting is reported within the defined area. Assuming the wind doesn’t exceed limits, the lines will be open with thunder rumbling and rain still falling.
 

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Indeed. The lines will only be inaccessible for the duration that lighting is reported within the defined area. Assuming the wind doesn’t exceed limits, the lines will be open with thunder rumbling and rain still falling.
Plus with summer storms they are mostly dependant on the sea breeze which is visible on local radar. You can see where it is and where it is going. Very predictable where the collision will occur and where the storms will develop
 

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