News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

Laketravis

Well-Known Member
The system they are considering for Austin Tx will also have AC. The only way these will prove successful in hot/humid climates.

Do you have a source for this? I know COA received several proposals but as far as I know none of them ever received any serious consideration.
 

GoofGoof

Premium Member
My question is why are they adding a new form of transportation to the two least visited parks? EPCOT has the monorail, buses, and boats. DHS has buses and boats. If they were to add a new form of transportation, it would make since to run it to AK. AK is the second most visited park (hard to believe right?) and with pandora opening in a couple months, it's gonna have larger crowds. Throw in RoL and staying open late in the upcoming months too. I mean a skytram sounds cool but if they add a new form of transportation, it shouldn't go in the EPCOT/DHS area.
I think there are plans to open something that may draw a few extra people into DHS in 2019...around the time this thing will open:rolleyes:
 

doctornick

Well-Known Member
Star Wars/Pixar lands.
The question to ask -- why isn't it going to AK, what with Pandora's Box coming soon...

People have said there are plans in the works for some sort of additional transportation to DAK as well, though with a longer horizon (maybe in time for the 50th?). I got the feeling it was likely to be rail based, but I don't think anyone ever specifically said.
 

roj2323

Well-Known Member
If they do find that there's a problem and need to retrofit the gondolas with AC units there are quite a few plug and play options available for the marine industry that are quite small (about 1 cubic foot) yet would turn the gondolas into ice cubes that run on 12-24v. From what I can tell via some very basic research on the google It would cost around $5,000 per gondola to have a complete system (AC unit, batteries and charger provisions) that would run reliably all day, every day. The package would weigh about 200lbs installed.

Now if they could supply the gondolas with 120V the cost would only be about $500 a unit.

All that said, If they put 2sq foot of solar panels on the roof they could run some fairly efficient fans and recycle the air in the cabin about once a minute which would work just fine even in Florida's miserable summers. Cost for this would be around $500-$1000 per unit depending on how fancy they get with it.
 

Patcheslee

Well-Known Member
There was a permit filed by PCL Construction Services today for: "ITJ UTILITY RELOCATION & PREP" at the following addresses which seem to correspond to the 6 gondola structure which I have included in italics. I am still trying to figure out what "ITJ" stands for.

1874 Avenue of the Stars - International Gateway Station
251 E Buena Vista Dr - Boardwalk parking lot turn station
785 Studio Dr - DHS Station
1910 Animation Way - AOA/Pop station
1051 Sea Breeze - CBR Station 1
1074 Sea Breeze - CBR Station 2

[Edit] To be clear, the description are NOT from the permit, only the addresses.
Do any of these seem feasible for ITJ? http://www.acronymfinder.com/ITJ.html
 

djkidkaz

Well-Known Member
There is absolutely no way these gondolas will not have air conditioning. I don't care what insiders say or any of that. You can not have guests walking around a theme park in Florida in July and then ask them to get in a small non air conditioned cube which will be even hotter than outside. I've gotten in my car during the summer months and the heat buildup in there is so oppressive you can barely breathe. You would be putting people in danger of heat exhaustion.
 

Nubs70

Well-Known Member
Yes, scooters and wheelchairs can go right on. In a previous post, someone had a video of a gentleman in a wheelchair going on with no fuss. Being you don't have tie them down for safety, they can just drive on and off.
The problem is the operator of the ECV being able to fit through the door.
 

peter11435

Well-Known Member
There is absolutely no way these gondolas will not have air conditioning. I don't care what insiders say or any of that. You can not have guests walking around a theme park in Florida in July and then ask them to get in a small non air conditioned cube which will be even hotter than outside. I've gotten in my car during the summer months and the heat buildup in there is so oppressive you can barely breathe. You would be putting people in danger of heat exhaustion.

Well. Your car gets so hot because there is no ventilation and the Windows do nothing to screen out the heat. The gondola could be designed to be more comfortable.

It can't be worse than riding a friendship boat in July these days.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
There is absolutely no way these gondolas will not have air conditioning. I don't care what insiders say or any of that. You can not have guests walking around a theme park in Florida in July and then ask them to get in a small non air conditioned cube which will be even hotter than outside. I've gotten in my car during the summer months and the heat buildup in there is so oppressive you can barely breathe. You would be putting people in danger of heat exhaustion.
Okay. Can I quote you?

Fact: Heat hasn't been the problem. Humidity has. But it's been lowered below the unacceptable threshold.
 

GoofGoof

Premium Member
There is absolutely no way these gondolas will not have air conditioning. I don't care what insiders say or any of that. You can not have guests walking around a theme park in Florida in July and then ask them to get in a small non air conditioned cube which will be even hotter than outside. I've gotten in my car during the summer months and the heat buildup in there is so oppressive you can barely breathe. You would be putting people in danger of heat exhaustion.
If you roll the windows down on your car and drive around at 15 to 20 MPH it gets a lot less oppressive. I also think the windows will be "tinted" to protect against heating up from direct sunlight unlike car windows. As long as the gondolas stay in motion I doubt it will be a problem. If there is no AC I would hope that at least a fan is installed to circulate the air in the event the gondolas are stopped. Maybe something that is battery powered and only kicks on when the system has an emergency stop. The WDW railroad trains have no AC but that ride isn't too bad in the summer. I think people are probably thinking about getting into a monorail car when the AC isn't working. That's a bad place to be because it's not planned to be that way and everything is sealed up.
 

drizgirl

Well-Known Member
There is absolutely no way these gondolas will not have air conditioning. I don't care what insiders say or any of that. You can not have guests walking around a theme park in Florida in July and then ask them to get in a small non air conditioned cube which will be even hotter than outside. I've gotten in my car during the summer months and the heat buildup in there is so oppressive you can barely breathe. You would be putting people in danger of heat exhaustion.

Agreed. Zero chance they will not have A/C in Florida. They can't invest that kind of money to have everyone waiting around on buses instead because of the oppressive heat.

But then I thought those tents in Tomorrowland would have A/C. At least those were temporary structures without the capital investment.
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
People have said there are plans in the works for some sort of additional transportation to DAK as well, though with a longer horizon (maybe in time for the 50th?). I got the feeling it was likely to be rail based, but I don't think anyone ever specifically said.
So I can quote you in saying they're bringing Horizons back? ;)
 

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