News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[rushtest4echo]

ITA. I've lived in the arid plains of the Southwest, the eastern fringe of swamp country, and in the Asian tropics, and I have to say that Florida's combination of heat and humidity was the most consistently uncomfortable place I've lived.

Southeast Asia's climate is at least as bad as Florida's most of the time. They are both terrible as far as heat/humidity. We didn't bother leaving the hotel room for much of our stay at HKDL last time we were there because the heat/humidity was the worst I've ever experienced. Then again, the weather was probably secondary to us circumnavigating the earth to do all of the Disney parks in 2 weeks time on that particular trip (side note, we're so through with DL Paris that we skipped it despite being an hour away- it's not even a Disney park in our minds now- really hope Disney can do something to fix it although short of firing all of the French craftsmen and barring entry to French visitors, the maintenance and clientele will continue to be horrid forever). The time before that in Hong Kong was hellish too and we're used to heading out to the parks in Orlando during the middle of summer for non-work related fun days without issue.

Speaking of Hong Kong- the gondolas there at their Giant Buddha and Ocean Park don't have any air conditioning and they seemed fine. And that heat is just as bad as central Florida.

 

[Lift Blog]

Southeast Asia's climate is at least as bad as Florida's most of the time. They are both terrible as far as heat/humidity. We didn't bother leaving the hotel room for much of our stay at HKDL last time we were there because the heat/humidity was the worst I've ever experienced. Then again, the weather was probably secondary to us circumnavigating the earth to do all of the Disney parks in 2 weeks time on that particular trip (side note, we're so through with DL Paris that we skipped it despite being an hour away- it's not even a Disney park in our minds now- really hope Disney can do something to fix it although short of firing all of the French craftsmen and barring entry to French visitors, the maintenance and clientele will continue to be horrid forever). The time before that in Hong Kong was hellish too and we're used to heading out to the parks in Orlando during the middle of summer for non-work related fun days without issue.

Speaking of Hong Kong- the gondolas there at their Giant Buddha and Ocean Park don't have any air conditioning and they seemed fine. And that heat is just as bad as central Florida.

Also in Southeast Asia is the two-line Singapore Cable Car, which seems to offer a good balance of cost and comfort. No AC but each cabin has two windows in front, three in back and two on the side.

 

[Slowjack]

The Italian Job.

Non-Disney movie with 3 words in the title but the first word isn't in the acronym.

Clearly, this is for a transportation system built around Minis driving up and down stairwells. (Btw, since seeing the original film, my family has a rule that we burst out singing "The Self-Preservation Society" whenever we spot a Mini.)

 

[lazyboy97o]

LOL. No, I'm not overblowing it.

And yes, plenty of WDW guests come from cooler parts of the country.

I do think you are underestimating the capabilities of a well designed ventilation system. The Mark VIIs are not very relevant because they were so poorly designed. One aspect that has not been mentioned is that the route and elevation reduces the system's interaction with surfaces that contribute to the urban heat Island effect.

 

[Bocabear]

the cable car shown in the picture is in a coastal area....that would get far more cool breeze off the water than Central Florida which gets no breeze and is usuallystifling hot.in the summer.

 

[ford91exploder]

It sounds like from the people who have seen the plans that the gondolas won't have AC. They probably looked at that as an option but went in another direction. Since ground hasn't broken yet I don't think it was a change from the original design, it is the original design.

As long as they have good airflow (solar+battery powered vent) and window systems which limit insolation gondolas should be ok

 

[rushtest4echo]

the cable car shown in the picture is in a coastal area....that would get far more cool breeze off the water than Central Florida which gets no breeze and is usuallystifling hot.in the summer.

The cabins are traveling at 12-16 mph, which provides plenty of breeze. And during Hong Kong summers, the wind is warm and nasty, similar to the Santa Ana winds in Southern California except for being humid instead of being dry. But in the end, it's still a blast of hot air in your face and doesn't really help it feel any cooler.

 

[marni1971]

The cabins are traveling at 12-16 mph, which provides plenty of breeze. And during Hong Kong summers, the wind is warm and nasty, similar to the Santa Ana winds in Southern California except for being humid instead of being dry. But in the end, it's still a blast of hot air in your face and doesn't really help it feel any cooler.

This is the average speed I anticipate the WDW system to travel at.

 

[raymusiccity]

Can't see that happening as plenty of people hate heights and won't use these, me being one of them. I can't see them removing buses only reducing the frequency.

I think using the words buses and frequency in the same sentence, is an oxymoron!

 

[NormC]

The gondolas will most likely be off the shelf standard units. Disney is not going to use custom equipment. No AC. Just ventilation. The most Disney will do is paint colors and logos.

 

[Horizons78]

Random technical question: For a fleet of gondolas this size, which is currently the better bargain - painting or wrapping?

@marni1971 Any word on what the graphics package will look like for the individual cars? Matching the monorail or bus system perhaps, or going in a completely new direction?

 

[marni1971]

Random technical question: For a fleet of gondolas this size, which is currently the better bargain - painting or wrapping?

@marni1971 Any word on what the graphics package will look like for the individual cars? Matching the monorail or bus system perhaps, or going in a completely new direction?

Both were looked at. I don't know the decision.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Random technical question: For a fleet of gondolas this size, which is currently the better bargain - painting or wrapping?

@marni1971 Any word on what the graphics package will look like for the individual cars? Matching the monorail or bus system perhaps, or going in a completely new direction?

You heard it here first - The gondolas will be wrapped with smiling head-shots of Iger, Chappie, and Scrooge McDuck.

 

[Lift Blog]

Random technical question: For a fleet of gondolas this size, which is currently the better bargain - painting or wrapping?

It's usually a combination from the factory - structural components are painted and any graphics on the windows are stickers/vinyl. Themed wraps of individual cabins are big these days.

More on CWA's production process: https://liftblog.com/2016/04/12/see-how-cwa-builds-gondola-cabins-in-switzerland/

 

[Tom P.]

Whatever it is, it won't have the words "The" or "Walt" on it.

Sorry, still snarky from a different thread...

 

[truecoat]

Random technical question: For a fleet of gondolas this size, which is currently the better bargain - painting or wrapping?

@marni1971 Any word on what the graphics package will look like for the individual cars? Matching the monorail or bus system perhaps, or going in a completely new direction?

Wrapping the cabins would be done locally anyway, they will come painted or however they are made. No way Disney let's all those cabins go around without promoting the next big thing.

 

[Thelazer]

No AC?.. Come on now..
Sorry, I keep waiting for the April 1st Date to arrive and for someone to say "Got Ya!!"...

If I did stay at one of these higher end resorts, then my choice was a nice AC Bus, or a non AC Cable Car...
Middle of Aug, 92 degree's and humid out... hmm....

 

[peter11435]

No AC?.. Come on now..
Sorry, I keep waiting for the April 1st Date to arrive and for someone to say "Got Ya!!"...

If I did stay at one of these higher end resorts, then my choice was a nice AC Bus, or a non AC Cable Car...
Middle of Aug, 92 degree's and humid out... hmm....

You won't have a choice.

 

[lazyboy97o]

No AC?.. Come on now..
Sorry, I keep waiting for the April 1st Date to arrive and for someone to say "Got Ya!!"...

If I did stay at one of these higher end resorts, then my choice was a nice AC Bus, or a non AC Cable Car...
Middle of Aug, 92 degree's and humid out... hmm....

That is a false assumption. An air conditioned bus could easily be less comfortable than a property ventilated gondola.

 

[Andrew C]

The views could be nice too, no?