News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[Lensman]

How often does power go out at WDW? Does anyone who works there have an estimate of how often it happens? I remember hearing about people going there to ride out several hurricanes and the hotels had food and entertainment going on and obviously power. Do the hotels have backup generators too? If so are they loud? Maybe since the power lines are mostly underground there’s not a huge need for backup generators.

The gondolas won’t run when the power is out, they will only use the backup generator to clear the people already on the line so likely not for more than 10 minutes. If it happens every night or even as often as once a week then maybe it’s a concern, but if total loss of power is much less frequent (which I suspect it is) I don’t think it’s a big deal for guests in the nearby hotel to hear the generator. You are also talking about a period of maybe several hours at night for people with really little kids or who just turn in early.

Over in another thread it was mentioned that RCID has about 55 MW of generating capability. If used year-round, this would be about 400,000 MWh. I also found a report stating that in 2017, RCID purchased 1.1 million MWh (or 1.1 Terawatt hours) of electricity.
https://www.rcid.org/document/2017-annual-report-utilities-system/

I'd guess that during a hurricane event when the parks are basically shut down, they have the capability of running all essential electrical services at the resorts, and probably even all electrical service at the resorts including air conditioning.

 

[danlb_2000]

How often does power go out at WDW? Does anyone who works there have an estimate of how often it happens? I remember hearing about people going there to ride out several hurricanes and the hotels had food and entertainment going on and obviously power. Do the hotels have backup generators too? If so are they loud? Maybe since the power lines are mostly underground there’s not a huge need for backup generators.

The gondolas won’t run when the power is out, they will only use the backup generator to clear the people already on the line so likely not for more than 10 minutes. If it happens every night or even as often as once a week then maybe it’s a concern, but if total loss of power is much less frequent (which I suspect it is) I don’t think it’s a big deal for guests in the nearby hotel to hear the generator. You are also talking about a period of maybe several hours at night for people with really little kids or who just turn in early.

Generators get started on a regular basis to be sure they are in working order, but this would likely happen weekly at most. With that said, I think the station is far enough from guest rooms that the noise shouldn't be an issue.

 

[danlb_2000]

Not sure if you have ever been to the IG, but I believe the major concern some are expressing is surrounding the potentiality for any increased noise in this area.

It’s pretty quiet for the most part, with the background music and the occasional horn from the friendship boats filling the air.

The smells waft in from England and France, and it’s there are usually lots of birds chirping in the surrounding trees.

It’s just a peaceful area in an otherwise very busy place.

The concern is born out of the potential noise and racket due to previous experiences with lifts.

As with most concerns with this project, only time will tell.

Wow, you made me feel like I was there.

 

[GoofGoof]

Over in another thread it was mentioned that RCID has about 55 MW of generating capability. If used year-round, this would be about 400 MWh. I also found a report stating that in 2017, RCID purchased 1.1 million MWh (or 1.1 Terawatt hours) of electricity.
https://www.rcid.org/document/2017-annual-report-utilities-system/

I'd guess that during a hurricane event when the parks are basically shut down, they have the capability of running all essential electrical services at the resorts, and probably even all electrical service at the resorts including air conditioning.

Right, but you still have to get the power from the generation or solar panels to the hotels. Even if WDW generated 100% of their own power there would still be a risk of outages due to power line failure. If the hotels all have their own backup generators on site then even if they lose system power the backup generator kicks on to provide emergency power for lights, elevators and necessary electric components like door locks that need electricity.

Generators get started on a regular basis to be sure they are in working order, but this would likely happen weekly at most. With that said, I think the station is far enough from guest rooms that the noise shouldn't be an issue.

I assume test runs don’t happen late at night so no real disruption to guests at the hotels.

I agree it’s not an issue either way, but my gut feeling is that backup generator will not run while guests are sleeping all that often.

 

[GoofGoof]

I'd actually be more interested or concerned with the noise level that has potential to increase due to the number of people in the area more than the sound of the Skyliner itself. Obviously it won't be like the front gate prior to park opening, but that area is incredibly loud as you have so many people packed in and it does become a shouting situation at times, especially in the echo filled area under the monorail station. I'm hopeful the pace of the gondolas does not outweigh the bag check and touch points, but that could be dubious of me and if a bottleneck forms and it becomes a sand through an hourglass situation, it could get a bit chaotic, unlike the calm, casual place it is most of the time now.

It would be helpful if they had bag checks and security at the gondola stations and the IG station was behind security.

 

[Grimley1968]

Most places I've worked at, generators don't need to be run but once a month to ensure readiness, but I can see WDW checking more often just because of the higher chance of getting lightning storms for more of the year than where I live. Another factor besides location is the type of generator. Diesel, especially older ones, can be incredibly loud. But natural gas, which we have where I work now, is much, much quieter. The one we have is tested monthly, and I don't even know when it's happening unless I go outside near it. It's quieter than the A/C compressors.

 

[1990sWDW]

lake towers going up now

 

[trainplane3]

lake towers going up now

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Nothing like a morning erection
Of a gondola tower.

 

[OG Runner]

Nothing like a morning erection
Of a gondola tower.

Pumbaa not in front of the kids!

 

[monothingie]

Kind of.

Can’t be compared to an omnimover but better than a bus.

You don’t think the loading queue wait during heavy traffic hours will significant? Not that it is a direct comparison but the skyride at MK always had a heafty wait time because of the slow loading process. I could easily see 60-90+minute waits at or around park close. And routinely 20-40 minute waits during the day.

 

[LukeS7]

lake towers going up now

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As much as I dislike them, I don't think you should just be taking and reposting photos from the site that shall not be named

 

[marni1971]

You don’t think the loading queue wait during heavy traffic hours will significant? Not that it is a direct comparison but the skyride at MK always had a heafty wait time because of the slow loading process. I could easily see 60-90+minute waits at or around park close. And routinely 20-40 minute waits during the day.

I’ve never said I thought this a good idea.

 

[Bender123]

You don’t think the loading queue wait during heavy traffic hours will significant? Not that it is a direct comparison but the skyride at MK always had a heafty wait time because of the slow loading process. I could easily see 60-90+minute waits at or around park close. And routinely 20-40 minute waits during the day.

Can we stop with the sky ride comparisons? The difference between a system like the old skyride and the Gondola technology is like trying to say bullet trains are slow, because the one at the Magic Kingdom doesn't go over 10 MPH. The technology, function and requirements of each system, although based in similar roots, is night and day different. There really isn't a comparison between a system built for theme park entertainment and one designed and used for mass transit. Not the same, not even close, beyond using a rope.

Based on the math and knowing this thing has a 5000-6000 pph rate, based on other systems already in use, there is no physical way for that type of line to occur, barring every guest from the resorts on the line that goes to Epcot just crushes the line at once, which isn't ever going to happen. Go stand at the bus stop and you can see that the "end of the day crush" is more like a random assortment of strolling people that will naturally space themselves out throughout the park, and thus, space themselves out at the transport station. Realistically, the most that you will ever see in the bus lines approaches 150/200 people at close for a bus, which is batch dispatching about 50-70 people per bus.

The gondola, at the 5000 pph number will dispatch an average of 10 cabins per minute, with up to eight per cab. 80 people per minute. That's more than an extended bus in load...every single minute.

Unless the line breaks down, there likely wont be a line worth mentioning and any line there is will get quickly swallowed.

 

[monothingie]

Can we stop with the sky ride comparisons? The difference between a system like the old skyride and the Gondola technology is like trying to say bullet trains are slow, because the one at the Magic Kingdom doesn't go over 10 MPH. The technology, function and requirements of each system, although based in similar roots, is night and day different. There really isn't a comparison between a system built for theme park entertainment and one designed and used for mass transit. Not the same, not even close, beyond using a rope.

Based on the math and knowing this thing has a 5000-6000 pph rate, based on other systems already in use, there is no physical way for that type of line to occur, barring every guest from the resorts on the line that goes to Epcot just crushes the line at once, which isn't ever going to happen. Go stand at the bus stop and you can see that the "end of the day crush" is more like a random assortment of strolling people that will naturally space themselves out throughout the park, and thus, space themselves out at the transport station. Realistically, the most that you will ever see in the bus lines approaches 150/200 people at close for a bus, which is batch dispatching about 50-70 people per bus.

The gondola, at the 5000 pph number will dispatch an average of 10 cabins per minute, with up to eight per cab. 80 people per minute. That's more than an extended bus in load...every single minute.

Unless the line breaks down, there likely wont be a line worth mentioning and any line there is will get quickly swallowed.

I am quite familiar with gondolas and lifts and loading. I’m not sure where you got a 5000 pph number, but let’s assume you’re correct. You have 5 stops which mean the per station hourly capacity is not 5000. Let say that mean that each station can then handle 1000 people per hour which works out to 8 people every 10 seconds. Consider your average omnimiver like the Buzz or SSE or Nemo or whatever has about the same if not better load rate and that still backs up to a wait.

Additionally Disney loading is not like the real world. ECV, handicapped, children, people not paying attention, etc all will slow it down further.

Yes you will wait for busses, but Disney Transport during peak times has done a good job at getting busses assigned to where the demand is.

 

[flynnibus]

Go stand at the bus stop and you can see that the "end of the day crush" is more like a random assortment of strolling people that will naturally space themselves out throughout the park, and thus, space themselves out at the transport station

This is in part because the bus station is so far detached from where people are leaving from. This distance will spread out even a group of people who all decide to leave at once. Some more faster, some slower, some get pulled into retail, some don't, etc. It's no coincidence transport doesn't drop or pick you up at the doorstep. The distance provides several advantages, including buffering of demand.

IG won't have that benefit... the masses departing after the lagoon show will hit it nearly directly. Disney will have to be able to put this slam of people somewhere...

 

[nace888]

I am quite familiar with gondolas and lifts and loading. I’m not sure where you got a 5000 pph number, but let’s assume you’re correct. You have 5 stops which mean the per station hourly capacity is not 5000. Let say that mean that each station can then handle 1000 people per hour which works out to 8 people every 10 seconds. Consider your average omnimiver like the Buzz or SSE or Nemo or whatever has about the same if not better load rate and that still backs up to a wait.

Additionally Disney loading is not like the real world. ECV, handicapped, children, people not paying attention, etc all will slow it down further.

Yes you will wait for busses, but Disney Transport during peak times has done a good job at getting busses assigned to where the demand is.

Based on common math, 1000÷60(mins) comes out to almost 17 people per minute, or 1000÷360(seconds) comes out to about 2.5.

If you're calculating distance between cabins though, I can't do that. Lol

 

[danlb_2000]

I am quite familiar with gondolas and lifts and loading. I’m not sure where you got a 5000 pph number, but let’s assume you’re correct. You have 5 stops which mean the per station hourly capacity is not 5000. Let say that mean that each station can then handle 1000 people per hour which works out to 8 people every 10 seconds. Consider your average omnimiver like the Buzz or SSE or Nemo or whatever has about the same if not better load rate and that still backs up to a wait.

Additionally Disney loading is not like the real world. ECV, handicapped, children, people not paying attention, etc all will slow it down further.

Yes you will wait for busses, but Disney Transport during peak times has done a good job at getting busses assigned to where the demand is.

It has been reported that Disney is shooting for 5000 people per hour per line in each direction. So that means that that system can carry 5000 people out of the IG every hour.

 

[peter11435]

It has been reported that Disney is shooting for 5000 people per hour per line in each direction. So that means that that system can carry 5000 people out of the IG every hour.

Correct. I was just about to post this.

 

[Bender123]

Correct. I was just about to post this.

So when are we going to cycle back and retread the conversation on people baking without AC for an hour while they leisurely travel down the rope and die?

Its not like we don't have an insane amount of real world data on the pph numbers and a statement from TDO on the topic. The stations and cars they are using will likely be able to simultaneously load/unload around 6 to 8 cars at a time. Look at any video of Londons version. The stations are basically packed with cars at the same time and continuously cycle in and out.

 

[monothingie]

So when are we going to cycle back and retread the conversation on people baking without AC for an hour while they leisurely travel down the rope and die?

It will be right after people stop the new monorails are coming, the horrors of GOTG at EPCOT, F&W Drunkytown, More Upcharge events, Budget Cuts, Price Increases, Fifth gate, anything else I forget that is talked about over and over again?.

It's a discussion board, you don't like it don't open the thread.