The only thing I would add is down in the loading area, for the ability to pull individual Doombuggies completely offline and allow folks in wheelchairs to take all the time they need to board and disembark, while the regular Omnimover just keeps moving along through the Show as it was intended to do. But that would obviously be a HUGE undertaking.
That would be quite an undertaking and would involve redoing the entire RV system. In essence, this is what the Kuka RV system on Potter does. It's basically a modern omnimover that instead of a contiguous string of connected RVs in a conga line it is an independent RVs (on a robot arm) system that follows a dedicated track. It is such an impressive platform (the RV system) and is an absolute capacity monster and has proven to be very reliable. Any RV can be pulled out of circulation for either ADA accommodation or maintenance purposes without impacting of the other RVs in motion. The saddest part of Disney losing (or with Tony's recent admissions - failure to commit) Potter to Universal was getting this system in house. Had they done so, they would have had a very versatile platform for SW or Marvel or any guest "pod" they want to put at the end of the arm. Instead, it went to Universal and Disney is struggling to come up with concepts that offer dynamic guest motion (thrills) and retain high capacity.
I suspect the whole goal of the new ADA exit elevator is to have the ADA unloading in the same place as regular guest unloading, this to prevent slowdown as much as possible. So where you have this ADA exit would put ADA unloading in the same place as loading which accomplishes nothing. Plus it would also completely bypass the new gift shop. So doesn't make sense to put it there.
What I suspect the green canopy area will be is the new LL entrance.
The new ADA exit elevator, note they specifically call it an exit elevator, I suspect will be just to the right of existing exit escalator in that area labeled backstage. And it'll put the ADA guests right where the exit escalator drops off so they can also enter the new gift shop.
While I didn't have any foreknowledge of this announcement and didn't see the news until this morning, I would be very surprised if ADA guests will have separate load and unload at DL's Mansion due to the geography. Load and unload on the original Mansion are at two different levels. Unload is higher than load. While there are internal backstage pathways to get around inside, there aren't (to my knowledge) any elevators - just stairs and ladders.
If they wanted to separate ADA load and unload it would require additional operational changes:
- forcing all guests to transfer into a "normal" wheelchair as taking an ECV or powered wheelchair down and leaving it at load would necessitate getting the same chair over to unload.
- the parked personal vehicles would then need to be reclaimed from the place they were parked (which is currently to the side of the hearse inside the queue if they are not taken down). This parking area is also elevated with only stairs back to the exit of the ride or you have to take the path (ramp) back down to the entrance to exit.
- if they are set at forcing all guests into an attraction transfer chair and then have them go though the stretching room and then exit platform at the end, then they would need to have some method of getting the chairs moved internally within the show building from load to unload. While it wouldn't have to be the exact same chair (they could have multiples and could "force" the guests to take all their personal items with them), they would still need some method of getting transfer chairs from load to unload. That means either back the same way they came in and then up and over and down to unload or build some internal ramp/elevator to convey them over. This would require more money (either automated or more staff) to accomplish this. For example, EPCOTs Test Track has an ADA elevator that allows the CM to move chairs from load to unload; but, that is a straight shot up and over the track. Mansion is spread apart with no way that I know of to easily get chairs around without some major rework internally.
- if they split ADA load and unload, it would require twice as many stops of the omnimover than it currently does. Right now, they load ADA guests into a set "range" of numbered Doom Buggies beginning at number 130. They then stop the ride to get them on and off when it comes back around.
So, with all things being equal, I think Troy is right on the money with this one. My wife is disabled, and I've gotten very familiar with all the ADA ways on and off all the attractions. One time during a DL Mansion break down (power loss), we had to evac just after load and some of the ops and maintenance team were talking about the challenges of load and unload on this ride. We were offered to exit out of the stretching room corridor and take the stairs if we needed to get out right away; but, she couldn't make it without the ECV. They talked about putting an elevator in that path at some point in the future and we even mentioned Autopia's "self service" mini-lift as an option. My educated guess is that ADA operations will be very similar to what they are now with the addition of any guests that need to take their "wheels" down will go back through the portrait corridor and then exit up that way. It's the only thing that adds operational/capacity value and doesn't require wholesale changes.
Regardless of the specifics, it is nice to see the classic attractions get plussed. Good work TDA... and I guess TDO too for finally putting Hattie in (even if it's in the wrong place in the ride).
