Parking trams with new doors

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
How long will it take until someone gets his or her leg caught/hurt from a closing door? The doors also seem to cut down on the opening to board, which will be a hindrance to some handicapped and weight challenged (myself included) guests.
The doors close very slowly if left to do so by themselves, and have a dampening effect. There is no room lost with the addition of them.
 

Tom

Beta Return
The doors look so clean and the trams look so dirty!

So the doors are closed like the Mark IV doors?

No, they're self-closing. Just like a door you use to enter just about any commercial building. You pull it open and a spring or pneumatic cylinder closes th door at a very slow speed and with too little force to actually injure anyone.
 

COProgressFan

Well-Known Member
Let the record show that I'm usually the last person to ever encourage knee-jerk reactions like this (i.e. adding doors to trams to keep IQ-challenged guests from falling out), but I honestly can't fathom that in all these years someone hasn't fallen out of a tram and been hurt. I'm sure it's happened, but I've never seen any news or documentation about it. Especially when an exhausted mom and dad are trying to wrangle a herd of children back to the car after 14 hours in the MK...there's bound to be a child or two rolling out the end as the tram makes a turn.

If you're interested, David Koenig's "Realityland" details several injuries (and I believe there might have even been a death back in the 70's or 80's...it's been a while since I read the book) from folks getting hurt by moving trams.

I agree with you about finding knee-jerk reactions unnecessary, but in this case it seems beneficial. I'm actually surprised they haven't done this sooner.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
The doors close very slowly if left to do so by themselves, and have a dampening effect. There is no room lost with the addition of them.

Yup. They're a nice addition.

Honestly gang, Disneyland has been using these doors on their entire fleet of trams for most of the year now. It's really a non-issue at Disneyland, and I'm sure it will be once they install them all at WDW too.

If it had been a problem for Disneyland when they were installed six months ago in Anaheim, I'm sure WDW would have stopped their installation program. That they are now showing up in WDW proves they work well and haven't caused any problems.
 

Admiral01

Premium Member
"NOTE THE LITTLE ARROWS TELLING YOU HOW TO USE THEM"!?!?!? That requires someone to have an IQ of at least .5. I see problems in WDW future, big problems with confused people waiting for the doors to open.:ROFLOL:

Be careful there kids that arrow may get stuck in your eye if you actually look at it.:)

No? nothing? yeah yeah, I have a weird sense of humor.

Well played. Well played indeed.
 

emporiumgirl06

New Member
Animal Kingdom is the first to get the doors. Hollwood Studios will be the next. Talk is that we should be getting them in November. The next park to get them will be Epcot and then Magic Kingdom.

I know some of our trainers are getting trained on these today. Apparently there will be one more addition to the safety spiel that we have to say, as well as the automatic spiel. As far as I know only the guests are responsible for shutting the doors. No one has said anything about Cast Members shutting them as we walk the tram... but I am sure I will find out more info about that soon.
 

Tom

Beta Return
Animal Kingdom is the first to get the doors. Hollwood Studios will be the next. Talk is that we should be getting them in November. The next park to get them will be Epcot and then Magic Kingdom.

I know some of our trainers are getting trained on these today. Apparently there will be one more addition to the safety spiel that we have to say, as well as the automatic spiel. As far as I know only the guests are responsible for shutting the doors. No one has said anything about Cast Members shutting them as we walk the tram... but I am sure I will find out more info about that soon.

Have you seen them in person yet? I'm guessing that they're self-closing, and I say that because there's no other reason for the giant shroud at the bottom hinge location except to hide a tensioned spring or pneumatic cylinder used to very safely and slowly close the door.
 

emporiumgirl06

New Member
I've heard the are spring and they are very easy to use. I am off tomorrow and going to play in animal kingdom and inspect the future doors. So I will let you know my opinion. I am a wee bit skeptical of them cause I feel like its gonna be a bit of a pain to deal with in terms of loading guests, especially during high peak seasons. Only time will tell!
 

Mukta

Well-Known Member
Yup. They're a nice addition.

Honestly gang, Disneyland has been using these doors on their entire fleet of trams for most of the year now. It's really a non-issue at Disneyland, and I'm sure it will be once they install them all at WDW too.

If it had been a problem for Disneyland when they were installed six months ago in Anaheim, I'm sure WDW would have stopped their installation program. That they are now showing up in WDW proves they work well and haven't caused any problems.

This. I have been using the trams with doors at Disneyland for quite some time now, and I haven't seen any issues. It does take up to 15 seconds longer to load the tram, but I feel like the tram leaves the station sooner now. People load, and the tram leaves because the doors are closed. When it was open, people were always jumping on last minute and the tram would stop. I have noticed that the doors have reduced jump-ons significantly.
 

emporiumgirl06

New Member
This. I have been using the trams with doors at Disneyland for quite some time now, and I haven't seen any issues. It does take up to 15 seconds longer to load the tram, but I feel like the tram leaves the station sooner now. People load, and the tram leaves because the doors are closed. When it was open, people were always jumping on last minute and the tram would stop. I have noticed that the doors have reduced jump-ons significantly.

Less jump ons? Well then WOOHOO :sohappy: all for it! hahaha! :) just kidding! :) Yes it will be interesting to see how it works! :) Im going to animal kingdom today to check it out! :)
 

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Have you seen them in person yet? I'm guessing that they're self-closing, and I say that because there's no other reason for the giant shroud at the bottom hinge location except to hide a tensioned spring or pneumatic cylinder used to very safely and slowly close the door.
I got to ride one at AK this weekend and they are self closing and latching. The big plus is they do this very calmly. There is no spring loaded, violent slam but a gradual close and latch. I did not see where they added any time to load or unload.
 

Tom

Beta Return
I got to ride one at AK this weekend and they are self closing and latching. The big plus is they do this very calmly. There is no spring loaded, violent slam but a gradual close and latch. I did not see where they added any time to load or unload.

Excellent news! Seems like a win-win, honestly. Now, if they would just add the tram stripe to them, they'd look less out of place.
 

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
Yeah initially I thought this would slow down loading and throughput, but I think it's made up by limiting the number of last minute people jumping on the trams.
 

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