News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[jaklgreen]

And that's why Disney abandoned omnimovers decades ago?





See this post: http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/new-gondola-transportation.924477/page-171#post-7692633

We all saw that video of the man in the wheelchair. He obviously does that often and knows how it works. We are talking about older, much less active and mobile people who rent and ECV just for WDW with very little experience driving one. Plus there is a difference of pushing something like that with your own power and driving an electric vehicle that goes pretty darn fast. I have seen seniors "drive" an ECV right into a group of people and keep going because they panicked and did not let go of the handle for it to stop. I still think the Disney demographic is not right for this type of transportation.

 

[Incomudro]

Do you have any data that shows the demographics of Disney guests are so different than the demographics of other tourists who use gondolas that it will not work at Disney?

You are like the guys in the meeting that shoot down every idea from colleagues with an excuse for each of why it won't work. Instead of coming up with reasons for why this system won't work, maybe you should look at all the evidence available that shows it can definitely work if implemented properly.

Yes.
My eyes.

 

[Andrew C]

We all saw that video of the man in the wheelchair. He obviously does that often and knows how it works. We are talking about older, much less active and mobile people who rent and ECV just for WDW with very little experience driving one. Plus there is a difference of pushing something like that with your own power and driving an electric vehicle that goes pretty darn fast. I have seen seniors "drive" an ECV right into a group of people and keep going because they panicked and did not let go of the handle for it to stop. I still think the Disney demographic is not right for this type of transportation.

Is it a good thing you have studied this thoroughly. Otherwise, I wouldn't believe you....

 

[Andrew C]

Professional naysayers in here with no real evidence or data to back up their opinion as legitimate. Ya'll would be horrible imagineers. lol

 

[Incomudro]

How about if I site the obesity rate of the US?
Then we can say the WDW has a higher percentage of that population.

 

[lazyboy97o]

At WDW?
Are there videos of WDW guests getting in gondolas?
Not yet of course.
Look, the average WDW guest is not the average skier boarding a gondola (who is arguably athletic and aware of their surroundings), nor the average resident of some other country that has a gondola system who is arguably in better physical condition than the average American.

Completely irrelevant. People in wheelchairs and ECVs use these systems. Those bound to a wheelchair aren’t magically able to ski when outside Florida.

I watched the video, they do slow down, of course. But it was being said that they can stop to load if there was and issue. That has to back everything up. There can only be so many gondolas in the loading area. Look at how many rides that have the same system of constantly running and slowing down at the loading area that have issues. We are constantly being stopped on rides like the haunted mansion because of loading mobility issues. I know they are not exactly the same but still there will be times this happens. I think that when they do open that Disney should try to steer those with mobility issues away from these resorts. We have a skyway at our local zoo, the seat type where all you have to do is stand there and sit when the seat comes up behind you. It is constantly being stopped because no one can figure that out.

This isn’t an Omnimover nor is it a ski lift.

 

[NormC]

 

[Creathir]

Completely irrelevant. People in wheelchairs and ECVs use these systems. Those bound to a wheelchair aren’t magically able to ski when outside Florida.

Your assertion is invalid.
Most people have not ever been on a gondola or lift.

A single video (promotional by the lift manufacturer I may add) showing a wheelchair bound individual expertly navigating the boarding of a moving vehicle is a LOT different than Granny who's first time on an ECV is this week due to all the walking.

I'm in agreement, I think the EVCs and possibly strollers will be an issue, but Disney will solve it.

They always do.

Worst case, they give folks Minnie Van passes or they start operating a limited run bus. (I know the plan is to cut them, but I'm also being realistic here)

 

[nickys]

At WDW?
Are there videos of WDW guests getting in gondolas?
Not yet of course.
Look, the average WDW guest is not the average skier boarding a gondola (who is arguably athletic and aware of their surroundings), nor the average resident of some other country that has a gondola system who is arguably in better physical condition than the average American.

Have you seen the video of a bunch of ski-ing toddlers boarding a gondola? Someone, probably @Lift Blog , posted it. Basically a bunch of 3 to 4 year olds, all carrying skis more than twice as tall as they were, loading their skis into the outside containers of the gondola car and then getting in. Cute as pie, and all of them managed it easily with no problem at all.

The ONLY people going to have any kind of issue are those who've hired an ECV and haven't mastered steering yet. There's no ramp to negotiate. A CM will spot them a mile away and be ready to help if necessary.

So yes, there probably will be some-one who can't cope with getting on a gondola. Hopefully they'll use Uber the next time. As they say, you can't fix stupid, and trying to use a gondola without practicing steering an ECV is a prime example. I mean, if they've gone to the trouble of hiring one, surely they get a lesson in how to use it?

 

[nickys]

If these boards had existed when the monorail was first introduced can you imagine the debates that would have raged about them?

How will people get on them?
What about strollers?
They haven't thought this through, what about people in wheelchairs?
Will they have air conditioning?
What happens if they break down?
It's a recipe for disaster I tell you, Disney will be ruling the day they ever came up with this hare-brained idea.
You won't catch me getting on one of those contraptions.
What happens if there's wind / lightening?

Did I miss anything?

 

[Creathir]

If these boards had existed when the monorail was first introduced can you imagine the debates that would have raged about them?

How will people get on them?
What about strollers?
They haven't thought this through, what about people in wheelchairs?
Will they have air conditioning?
What happens if they break down?
It's a recipe for disaster I tell you, Disney will be ruling the day they ever came up with this hare-brained idea.
You won't catch me getting on one of those contraptions.
What happens if there's wind / lightening?

Did I miss anything?

Hardly equivalent.

Are you expected to hop aboard the monorail as it slows down in the station, or does it stop?

These will not stop.

 

[Bender123]

Have you seen the video of a bunch of ski-ing toddlers boarding a gondola? Someone, probably @Lift Blog , posted it. Basically a bunch of 3 to 4 year olds, all carrying skis more than twice as tall as they were, loading their skis into the outside containers of the gondola car and then getting in. Cute as pie, and all of them managed it easily with no problem at all.

The ONLY people going to have any kind of issue are those who've hired an ECV and haven't mastered steering yet. There's no ramp to negotiate. A CM will spot them a mile away and be ready to help if necessary.

So yes, there probably will be some-one who can't cope with getting on a gondola. Hopefully they'll use Uber the next time. As they say, you can't fix stupid, and trying to use a gondola without practicing steering an ECV is a prime example. I mean, if they've gone to the trouble of hiring one, surely they get a lesson in how to use it?

Many of these systems detach the car from the cable at the station, so its not like you are aiming for a moving target on a crazy timeframe. Even if they take time to the system to get the occasional straggler in an ECV on the system, its still going to be much better than waiting 30 minutes in the heat for a bus that is already packed and then waiting to load/unload two ECVs while you all just stand there. I really think we are just hunting for problems here when the obvious answer is that this is going to be vastly improving on the current 200-300 person capacity of the average bus on a CBR/Pop/AA - Epcot/Studios route that circulates (a very generous) 3 busses per hour.

 

[Kamikaze]

Hardly equivalent.

Are you expected to hop aboard the monorail as it slows down in the station, or does it stop?

These will not stop.

They may not stop, but its damn close.

 

[MaximumEd]

Personally, I think this is the best thing to come to WDW in a long time. We stay at Pop a lot, and this makes it even better to me. Gondola access to two parks and direct bus service to the other two. I'm just cringing while waiting on the inevitable price increase, but still cool.

 

[Bender123]

They may not stop, but its damn close.

Here is a great video about a Dopplemyer system and how a detachable gondola works. The ropes will keep going, but the chair is independent/slowed/stopped at the terminal. The gondola actually splits off the wire for loading and unloading in order to keep the system moving.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Most people have not ever been on a gondola or lift.

There's no way that's true. It might be true of the general population but most WDW guests have been on a gondola or lift.

 

[Bender123]

There's no way that's true. It might be true of the general population but most WDW guests have been on a gondola or lift.

The gondola line speed is fast...the station speed can be molasses slow or even stopped if the need arises. Even if they have never been in a gondola, there is no reason to think this will be any more difficult than granny driving up the bus ramps, as they do now.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Your assertion is invalid.
Most people have not ever been on a gondola or lift.

A single video (promotional by the lift manufacturer I may add) showing a wheelchair bound individual expertly navigating the boarding of a moving vehicle is a LOT different than Granny who's first time on an ECV is this week due to all the walking.

I'm in agreement, I think the EVCs and possibly strollers will be an issue, but Disney will solve it.

They always do.

Worst case, they give folks Minnie Van passes or they start operating a limited run bus. (I know the plan is to cut them, but I'm also being realistic here)

Walt Disney World is not the only place in the world with people doing things for the first time and not paying attention.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

There's no way that's true. It might be true of the general population but most WDW guests have been on a gondola or lift.

One has been in daily operation at BB for over 20 years.

 

[cindy_k]

Any new construction pictures? I want to see some ladders.