News People mover now reopened!

Naplesgolfer

Naplesgolfer

Well-Known Member
donsullivan said:
But we’ve been hearing this perspective for over 3 decades and throughout it all, the number of people visiting Disney World has continued to climb to record levels. After that many years it kind of rings hollow.
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I would have agreed with you in the past. But I think they may be reaching a tipping point. We won't know till Covid fades in 2022 and we see how they are going to operate in a more normal travel/vacation economy.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
412 said:
That's fair. I didn't mean to imply that Disney will never do a minor refresh of the ride; I just don't see them making fundamental changes (like replacing it with Rocket Rods).
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I'm not sure where that came from. Rocket Rods were a colossal failure and left them with an empty platform. They do bad enough dealing with the unknown why on earth would they even consider reviving an unwanted, nonworking corpse.
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Goofyernmost said:
. I'm sure the windows are still there just covered up. It is one of the most inexpensive upgrades they could make.
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Half the windows are still there and you can still see through them. The other half sadly were removed due to some Glendale genius in 2007. An escalator in theory would work if you removed The Lunching Pad, but then you’d need an elevator too and that’s more problematic.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
Half the windows are still there and you can still see through them. The other half sadly were removed due to some Glendale genius in 2007. An escalator in theory would work if you removed The Lunching Pad, but then you’d need an elevator too and that’s more problematic.
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Sorry, I don't understand why the Lunching Pad would need to be removed. If their is room for those conveyor belts, there is room for moving stairs from what I remember. Maybe I'm remembering the area incorrectly. Do you have a picture of the area to refresh my memory?
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Goofyernmost said:
Sorry, I don't understand why the Lunching Pad would need to be removed. If their is room for those conveyor belts, there is room for moving stairs from what I remember. Maybe I'm remembering the area incorrectly. Do you have a picture of the area to refresh my memory?
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The slope of the speed ramps is shallow enough to fit into the ceiling of the Lunching Pad. Something steeper would drop down into the Lunching Pad.

4AD19128-266A-41FA-A927-DDDC3042D3CD.jpeg


An escalator landing on the ground in the same place as the speed ramps wouldn’t have enough clearance above due to the unload platform disc location. Hope that makes sense. The whole structure really is quite an engineering marvel.
 
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bcoachable

bcoachable

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
The slope of the speed ramps is shallow enough to fit into the ceiling of the Lunching Pad. Something steeper would drop down into the Lunching Pad.

View attachment 529146

An escalator landing on the ground in the same place as the speed ramps wouldn’t have enough clearance above due to the unload platform disc location. Hope that makes sense. The whole structure really is quite an engineering marvel.
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Cool sketch up!
Wondering if one Could make a landing above the Lunching Pad, then turn it 90 degrees and have a second escalator take it the rest of the way down? Spit Ball engineering here- and for me, I love the speed ramps anyway!
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
The slope of the speed ramps is shallow enough to fit into the ceiling of the Lunching Pad. Something steeper would drop down into the Lunching Pad.

View attachment 529146

An escalator landing on the ground in the same place as the speed ramps wouldn’t have enough clearance above due to the unload platform disc location. Hope that makes sense. The whole structure really is quite an engineering marvel.
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OK, I guess that I can see that the escalator would have to be a different angle and slightly longer to make up the need for a more expansive platform. Would that be needed top and bottom? How much of the Lunching Pad would need to be sacrificed to do that? Where is the drive motor located currently, top or bottom? The design might be marvel, but the speed ramps at that angle was not the cleverest of designs especially in regard to older, arthritic people. I suppose the biggest problem would be any change in the ramp would require the elevator you mentioned, because wheelchair people do not have access the way it is now and an escalator will not solve that problem. In my expansive old person need to find a weather proof walking location, I have noticed many instances where store units are located right under the escalators. I'm not sure that a solution wouldn't be possible if they wanted to do it. However, I have been around long enough that they just may not want to do anything about it.
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Goofyernmost said:
OK, I guess that I can see that the escalator would have to be a different angle and slightly longer to make up the need for a more expansive platform. Would that be needed top and bottom? How much of the Lunching Pad would need to be sacrificed to do that? Where is the drive motor located currently, top or bottom? The design might be marvel, but the speed ramps at that angle was not the cleverest of designs especially in regard to older, arthritic people. I suppose the biggest problem would be any change in the ramp would require the elevator you mentioned, because wheelchair people do not have access the way it is now and an escalator will not solve that problem. In my expansive old person need to find a weather proof walking location, I have noticed many instances where store units are located right under the escalators. I'm not sure that a solution wouldn't be possible if they wanted to do it. However, I have been around long enough that they just may not want to do anything about it.
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I don’t find the speedramp angle any more severe than any other.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
I don’t find the speedramp angle any more severe than any other.
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I think you are forgetting just how steep they are. I noticed that back when I first went there in 1983. And I was young then, (at least relatively young). Going up isn't as much of a problem as coming back down because it is more difficult to stay upright. Trust me when you get older the inner ear doesn't work to the degree it did in our youth. Hanging on to the hand rail for dear life isn't exactly a fun way to leave an attraction. I don't remember where the other ramps are right now. I think that there is one in Pirates which is much longer and no where near as steep. Is there one in Space Mountain? I haven't been in that one since about 1986.
 
MisterPenguin

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
Goofyernmost said:
I think you are forgetting just how steep they are. I noticed that back when I first went there in 1983. And I was young then, (at least relatively young). Going up isn't as much of a problem as coming back down because it is more difficult to stay upright. Trust me when you get older the inner ear doesn't work to the degree it did in our youth. Hanging on to the hand rail for dear life isn't exactly a fun way to leave an attraction. I don't remember where the other ramps are right now. I think that there is one in Pirates which is much longer and no where near as steep. Is there one in Space Mountain? I haven't been in that one since about 1986.
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When going down, turn around and go down backwards.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
MisterPenguin said:
When going down, turn around and go down backwards.
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If older people have a problem going downward facing forward just imagine what it would be like to go down backwards and then not fall on their a$$ at that bottom. So technically I'm not aboard with that suggestion. On the surface it did seem like a reasonable cure though. However, after a short time imagining the outcome it didn't pass muster. 🤔 ;)
 

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