News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[Biff215]

I agree that park close is not really an issue. Park open could be, so I'm hoping they add some tapstiles. I could certainly see them trying not to initially, as it would likely only be an issue in the first hour of each day. My concern is that it will significantly alter the convenience that Crescent Lake resorts have had for many years. I guess all good things eventually come to an end!

 

[GoofGoof]

Depending on how late they keep DHS open when SW opens (likely midnight or later for months or maybe a year until the opening rush dies down) I could see a lot of people leaving EPCOT after Illuminations to hop to DHS via the skyway. Could be an issue for guests at the 4 resorts who just want to get back to their rooms, but other than that I don’t see a problem. The exit is certainly large enough to accommodate a larger crowd than it gets now. Should be a cool way to end a day at EPCOT.

 

[SLUSHIE]

They make and break the contacts in the stations, no reason to believe the same things couldn't be done on the towers, not that I think they are doing that.

If there is any type of power going to the cabins it would only be in the stations. It would be very similar to what you see in this video, though from the sounds of it they might not actually have batteries for heating the seats.



While there is power going to the towers for sensors etc, I doubt they normally run the high voltage that would be needed for this. And at the speed a cabin passes over a tower it would be pointless anyways.

 

[DisneyCane]

The first station is going up. It has two turnarounds. That is highly indicative of something different than a normal lift. The turnaround is generally where cabins get closest to each other, limiting capacity. By splitting every other cabin onto two turnarounds, cabins could be significantly closer together on the entire system. 4,000 passengers per hour? 5,000? 6,000?

The spacing is determined by the weight the cable can support per linear unit. The cabins get closer to each other at the loading stations because they detach from the cable and are slowed down for loading and unloading. They have to be closer because they are moving slower. If you pick a point in the loading station (turnaround) the same number of cabins will pass that point per hour that do if you pick a point out on the cable like a tower.

You could put 15 turnarounds at each end and it wouldn't make any difference to the capacity. If what you suggest would increase capacity then ski resorts wouldn't need to go to 6 and 8 person chairs on the lifts to increase capacity. I know at Vail wen they have changed 4 person chairs to 6 person, the spacing between chairs got longer, illustrating that the spacing is related to the load on the cable.

 

[GeneralKnowledge]

The spacing is determined by the weight the cable can support per linear unit. The cabins get closer to each other at the loading stations because they detach from the cable and are slowed down for loading and unloading. They have to be closer because they are moving slower. If you pick a point in the loading station (turnaround) the same number of cabins will pass that point per hour that do if you pick a point out on the cable like a tower.

You could put 15 turnarounds at each end and it wouldn't make any difference to the capacity. If what you suggest would increase capacity then ski resorts wouldn't need to go to 6 and 8 person chairs on the lifts to increase capacity. I know at Vail wen they have changed 4 person chairs to 6 person, the spacing between chairs got longer, illustrating that the spacing is related to the load on the cable.

I think he’s aware...

 

[flynnibus]

Yes, these station appear to be VERY long.

Compare it to this gondola station at Heavenly. (photo taken from @Lift Blog website)

In this photo, the turnaround is just out of frame, wrapping around the big cement column. The bullwheel is up inside the green thing somewhere around the middle of the photo. On the Disney one, there is an entire extra straight section after the bullwheel and first column before the second column and first turnaround. And then of course, there is the second turnaround after that. So yeah, very long station.

Extra long straights would suggest possible moving platform to easy loading

 

[Gabe1]

What do you mean remember? Are you telling us you haven't been counting them? Pffft - amateur!

Cute!

 

[Gabe1]

If true, it pretty short sighted of them to starting think about that now. People here expressed this concern from the day we found out there would be an IG station.

Jim isn't as dense as people make him out to be. There best be a solution for that gateway access. I came off the boat from the studios and it took me 15 minutes to get through security. Bring in the Gondola and ouch! My guess is to demolish the gift shop. Just thinking out loud.

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

Jim isn't as dense as people make him out to be. There best be a solution for that gateway access. I came off the boat from the studios and it took me 15 minutes to get through security. Bring in the Gondola and ouch! My guess is to demolish the gift shop. Just thinking out loud.

Demolish a gift shop

(I know you are not a sir but couldn't be bothered to edit it)

 

[Lensman]

I am guessing that you do not have an engineering background. Making and breaking electrical contacts as the gondolas move along would most likely produce quite noticeable arcing. Maybe that is what the are going to use for a new night time show? I can imagine the enjoyment of the riders as they see sparking over their gondola...

Did someone say arcing?

 

[marni1971]

Jim isn't as dense as people make him out to be. There best be a solution for that gateway access. I came off the boat from the studios and it took me 15 minutes to get through security. Bring in the Gondola and ouch! My guess is to demolish the gift shop. Just thinking out loud.

No demo.

 

[MisterPenguin]

The gift shop at IG, specifically the stroller and wheelchair rental area, will be remodeled to accommodate a larger influx of Guests. Also, there is now a new gondola tower backstage behind France that went up over night

Uhh... I know you have expertise in dramatics ( ), but, when did you get access to insider info? No one, to my knowledge, has mentioned any remodeling of the the gift shop. So, dish.

 

[ABQ]

Jim isn't as dense as people make him out to be. There best be a solution for that gateway access. I came off the boat from the studios and it took me 15 minutes to get through security. Bring in the Gondola and ouch! My guess is to demolish the gift shop. Just thinking out loud.

The issue that was brought up was the bottleneck in the other direction at park close, not entering into the park, which can be rough just based upon random timing of the boat arriving and guests happening to be coming in from the Epcot resorts area. With regards to entering the park though, I know it's been brought up, but has anyone with true knowledge confirmed or debunked whether or not the arriving gondola will be inside or outside the security bubble, vs just speculation?

 

[seascape]

The issue that was brought up was the bottleneck in the other direction at park close, not entering into the park, which can be rough just based upon random timing of the boat arriving and guests happening to be coming in from the Epcot resorts area. With regards to entering the park though, I know it's been brought up, but has anyone with true knowledge confirmed or debunked whether or not the arriving gondola will be inside or outside the security bubble, vs just speculation?

They can always bring back trams to add to capacity at closing.

 

[danlb_2000]

If there is any type of power going to the cabins it would only be in the stations. It would be very similar to what you see in this video, though from the sounds of it they might not actually have batteries for heating the seats.



While there is power going to the towers for sensors etc, I doubt they normally run the high voltage that would be needed for this. And at the speed a cabin passes over a tower it would be pointless anyways.

Ultra capacitors take only a few seconds to charge so in theory, you could give them a boost at each tower. Again, I am not trying to say that they are doing this, just that it would be theoretically possible,

 

[marni1971]

but has anyone with true knowledge confirmed or debunked whether or not the arriving gondola will be inside or outside the security bubble, vs just speculation?

I know of plans it will be outside. I hope it’s changed since then.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I know of plans it will be outside. I hope it’s changed since then.

I hope it's changed as well. I just don't know how they would logistically handle the larger influx of guests at IG if the Skyliner is outside the security bubble. There's only so much space they can use there.

 

[DisneyJeff]

It would be helpful if they opened up the UK and France pavilions early (like they do with Main St. USA in the MK) to help distribute the morning crowds. They don't have to open up the (future) rides there, just a few coffee stands and gift shops.

...now if they actually do this. That's a different question.

 

[xdan0920]

It would be helpful if they opened up the UK and France pavilions early (like they do with Main St. USA in the MK) to help distribute the morning crowds. They don't have to open up the (future) rides there, just a few coffee stands and gift shops.

...now if they actually do this. That's a different question.

Just ask yourself this....

Will it make Disney $$$ to open those pavilions early???

If the answer is yes, then they will be opened early.

 

[nickys]

I know of plans it will be outside. I hope it’s changed since then.

1. Would that apply to the whole gondola system, or just the IG as an anomaly?

2. Am I right in thinking that the original plan was to have them inside the secure zone?