Personal Pod Transport Arriving Soon?

[captainkidd]

The average wait for a bus is 15 to 20 minutes at best. It appears you could load at least 30 to 40 pods (up to 160 people!) in that time. There are no traffic lights, security gates or other traffic bottle necks on the pod network unlike busses. Just look at how long a bus sits in front of the MK waiting to load while the pod system would load continuously. It's kinda like an omnimover in that respect.

I guess it's hard to imagine how it would work without knowing how many pods could be on the track at one time, how many pods Disney would have, and how many tracks there would be. I can't imagine they would have a seperate track for every possible start to stop destination. There would be hundreds of tracks all over the place.

 

[jt04]

How long would it take and how much would it cost to build a track to every resort, DTD, the water parks, and each theme park?
Seems prohibitive.

WDW would be better off waiting for development of the Luke Skywalker air cars that don't need tracks.
Maybe by 2051.

They would not have to build to every facility. The transportation issues could best be solved by different systems depending on the application. The water parks and places that don't generate larger crowds are better off with busses. Someplace like WL may be best served by moving sidewalks or enclosed ski gondolas that connect to TTC or Contemporary. The POD system might best serve many of the resorts and connect to a transfer station at Epcot. AKL might best use a monorail system similar to what is used at the Orlando airport to connect to AK. I think this is the approach they will take in the future. The advantage of these systems is that they are electric and there is little or no waiting.

Air cars are so "long long time ago" (sorry)

 

[captainkidd]

Scotty.............Beam us to Animal Kingdom.

 

[jt04]

Scotty.............Beam us to Animal Kingdom.

Or they could keep using busses. I just don't trust Scotty.

 

[captainkidd]

In all seriousness, I'm all for this idea. It sounds cool and whatever speeds the transportation up at Disney I'm behind 100%. If they can work out the logistics and make it work, do it up.

 

[marni1971]

There was a thread about this recently, and Steve pointed out it was also a 1998 rumour. It`s been looked at for a decade now - along with Monorail lines- but nothing has come yet. Management have said it is a `when` not `if` the network is increased. With what system they havn`t said. Remember the WEDway was being developed to do this very thing in 1975 :wave:

 

[JonnyK]

That looks like a sweet thing, but Im sure it wouldnt exist, but thats a nice idea/concept.

you guys should check out this video of how it works and itll show you how you pick a destination and such. (this is from the UK) so it may be different, but gives u ideas.

Pretty Cool.

Vid is in quicktime -

http://www.ultraprt.com/BAA_LHR_ULTra.mov

http://www.atsltd.co.uk/media/videos/ for windows media and other vids.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

In all seriousness, I'm all for this idea. It sounds cool and whatever speeds the transportation up at Disney I'm behind 100%. If they can work out the logistics and make it work, do it up.

If the accountants are willing to open up the purses...it could work, and work EXTREMELY efficiently. Being the first to do it would ALSO bring mass media attention...basically free marketing.

Nobody thought of this either. When you get on a bus...to a theme park or from a theme park...you may not have to change buses...but you're not always just going to your destination nonstop. If you're at the Swan...you may need to stop at the Dolphin, Boardwalk, Beach Club, etc. (Also, freeing up time on the system)

 

[DVCOwner]

This type of system would be a great replacement for some of the buses and unlike the buses would add to "the Magic". I think that these, much like the monorail would be an attraction in there own right. How much does a new ride cost these days ($150M+++).

 

[jt04]

There was a thread about this recently, and Steve pointed out it was also a 1998 rumour. It`s been looked at for a decade now - along with Monorail lines- but nothing has come yet. Management have said it is a `when` not `if` the network is increased. With what system they havn`t said. Remember the WEDway was being developed to do this very thing in 1975 :wave:

That style people mover would be perfect for a loop between the Epcot WS gate past the resorts and to DHS and back.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

There was a thread about this recently, and Steve pointed out it was also a 1998 rumour. It`s been looked at for a decade now - along with Monorail lines- but nothing has come yet. Management have said it is a `when` not `if` the network is increased. With what system they havn`t said. Remember the WEDway was being developed to do this very thing in 1975 :wave:

Yeah, I started it like a week or two ago :lol:

 

[jt04]

Yeah, I started it like a week or two ago :lol:

I found it on the site I kinda mentioned. That blog has a pretty good track record on what is happening. She had the whole PI rumor way before anyone else plus other rumors that have proved true. She indicated the Galaxy theater would be demolished in the blog dated Sep 23 2007!!!! A bit sooner than JH.

I know people have discussed this system but it sounds like the wheels are actually turning on this (sorry again)

 

[disneygrl89]

System Already Exists

This sounds very similar to something at West Virginia University...only it is called a PRT (Personal Rapid Transit). http://admissions.wvu.edu/undergraduate/discover/prt.asp or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgantown_Personal_Rapid_Transit

It has been around since about the 1970s. It is pretty decent. A PRT car has 8 seats (4 on each end of the car) and is designed to hold about 18 people (more on game days).

There are 5 stations here in Morgantown. As you approach the turnstiles, students swipe their ID cards and then push a button to their destination. For everyone else it is $0.50. When operating correctly, it takes about 11 mins to get from one end of campus to the other.

However, one point that seems to have been brought up is when it breaks down. Don't know how it could be avoided, but when the PRT system breaks down everything is affected between the two locations. And it is not fun being stuck on one. Perhaps Disney could have two tracks at some busy intersections so that if a car coming from one resort breaks down, another car from a different resort could go around it? :shrug:

Anyway, the technology is out there. It works, but there is always room for improvement.

 

[jt04]

This sounds very similar to something at West Virginia University...only it is called a PRT (Personal Rapid Transit). http://admissions.wvu.edu/undergraduate/discover/prt.asp or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgantown_Personal_Rapid_Transit

It has been around since about the 1970s. It is pretty decent. A PRT car has 8 seats (4 on each end of the car) and is designed to hold about 18 people (more on game days).

There are 5 stations here in Morgantown. As you approach the turnstiles, students swipe their ID cards and then push a button to their destination. For everyone else it is $0.50. When operating correctly, it takes about 11 mins to get from one end of campus to the other.

However, one point that seems to have been brought up is when it breaks down. Don't know how it could be avoided, but when the PRT system breaks down everything is affected between the two locations. And it is not fun being stuck on one. Perhaps Disney could have two tracks at some busy intersections so that if a car coming from one resort breaks down, another car from a different resort could go around it? :shrug:

Anyway, the technology is out there. It works, but there is always room for improvement.

The pods have very few moving parts. I am sure that was the biggest issue they faced when designing the system. Essentially you have four electric motors, a computer (with back up I am sure). There really isn't much that could go wrong. The one at Heathrow should be opening any day now so we shall soon see how it functions under actual use.

 

[jasondiff]

There were definitely threads on PRT over the last several years. As Rob562 mentioned, the biggest problem is capacity at the MK station after the fireworks. But I think there are ways to mitigiate the issue, including having departure stations at several locations around the MK in addition to the main gate. Sort of like how they route people behind Main Street USA at peak exit times, they could simply install departure stations there and behind the western side as well. Obviously they would be for departures only, and only at peak times. The other option is to have a large departure station at TTC and people could ride the monorail back to TTC before hopping on a pod. Not ideal, but it solves the problem.
Or figure out a way to keep people in the park after the fireworks. Free churros maybe?

 

[WDWFREAK53]

The pods have very few moving parts. I am sure that was the biggest issue they faced when designing the system. Essentially you have four electric motors, a computer (with back up I am sure). There really isn't much that could go wrong. The one at Heathrow should be opening any day now so we shall soon see how it functions under actual use.

The "Panic" aspect hasn't been discussed.

Imagine you're on one...and it breaks down. You're basically in a pod...in the Florida sun...sitting there. No driver, no workers, nobody to turn to. Sure, "WE" wouldn't panic because we know that someone is on their way or something is being done to fix the problem...but first-timers or people that don't go often...this could be a problem.

 

[MousDad]

She indicated the Galaxy theater would be demolished in the blog dated Sep 23 2007!!!! A bit sooner than JH.

Demolished for an E-ticket, but not demolished for a parking lot, just to be clear.

 

[jt04]

The "Panic" aspect hasn't been discussed.

Imagine you're on one...and it breaks down. You're basically in a pod...in the Florida sun...sitting there. No driver, no workers, nobody to turn to. Sure, "WE" wouldn't panic because we know that someone is on their way or something is being done to fix the problem...but first-timers or people that don't go often...this could be a problem.

I started to panic just reading your scenario

 

[jt04]

Demolished for an E-ticket, but not demolished for a parking lot, just to be clear.

Jim indicated he thought it was for an e-ticket too (maybe) just to be clear. Perhaps her rumor is a tad off but it was OVER a year ago that she posted it.

 

[Vernonpush]

The "Panic" aspect hasn't been discussed.

Imagine you're on one...and it breaks down. You're basically in a pod...in the Florida sun...sitting there. No driver, no workers, nobody to turn to. Sure, "WE" wouldn't panic because we know that someone is on their way or something is being done to fix the problem...but first-timers or people that don't go often...this could be a problem.

I started to panic just reading your scenario

I'm sure there would be a "calming voice"(female) to tell you "not to panic" and whatever system "is in place to move you towords your destination". :lol:

This system is the kind of thing that would get Walt all hyped up about "tomorrow"! If you look at what he envisioned for his E. P. C. O. T. back in the 60's, he would have been all over this! Talking to the engineers, saying "What if..." "How could we expand on that idea?" He would be extremely interested to develope this idea as an extension of his "peoplemover" idea he had for the original EPCOT (the city) design - no need for disembarking at "hubs"- just press a button for your destination and you are there.