Why Was The Skylift Removed?

[Fievel]

Originally posted by Dr Albert Falls
I cannot believe the misleading information on this board!!!

I am a former Disneyland Skyway operator who was there when that attraction closed.

The state license for operating an aerial tramway was expiring in November 1995 (there was a sticker on the Skyway console saying such).

In order to re-new the license, the state required Disneyland to make the attraction handicap accessible per ADA regulations.

Considering the attraction's medocre popularity, Disney opted against costly renovations and closed the Skyway. The attraction's maintenence and labor budget was transferred to the soon-to-open Indiana Jones Adventure.

In terms of labor costs vs. ride capacity, The Skyway was among the park's least cost-efficient attractions (It took 8-12 operators to run at any given time, with ridership in the low hundreds, if I recall correctly.) That data is rivaled only by The Submarine Voyage. Note the fate of that attraction today.

The widely-publicized Skyway death and injury did NOT lead to closure (Skyway was among the safest attractions--- industry experts say Indiana Jones is among the most litigious.)

My assumption is that, once the savings were tallied, WDW followed DL's lead and closed the Skyway (just as DL followed WDW's lead with the subs).

Thank you...I got here late...

by the way....

http://www.snopes.com has a ton of info on that death.

 

[Lord Alfred]

Originally posted by MrPromey
We all know that the real reason they seem to break down so often is because of the electrical interfearance caused by the rotation of the wheels on wheelchairs. It’s weird but they seem to cause some sort of problem with the electrical system in these kinds of rides. Anytime you see a few wheelchairs near one of these rides it’s almost a sure bet that it’s going to “break down” momentarily while you’re on it! Now don’t try to dispel that fact. What other reason could wheelchairs have for stopping these rides?

This is PRECISELY the reason that I've been lobbying Disney to BAN all wheelchairs (and heck, stollers too!) from all of their theme parks. If people in wheelchairs want to go so bad, then those that can should get up and tough it out! Just look at it as an all day physical therapy session! There's also this little invention I like to call WOODEN CRUTCHES! Look into them!


THEN maybe I can enjoy the parks again! :lol:

 

[Fievel]

Originally posted by Lord Alfred



This is PRECISELY the reason that I've been lobbying Disney to BAN all wheelchairs (and heck, stollers too!) from all of their theme parks. If people in wheelchairs want to go so bad, then those that can should get up and tough it out! Just look at it as an all day physical therapy session! There's also this little invention I like to call WOODEN CRUTCHES! Look into them!


THEN maybe I can enjoy the parks again! :lol:

This is not only not a good idea. It's also illegal.

 

[MrPromey]

Originally posted by The Mom

of course, they don't know you as well as I do.

I thought we agreed to keep our relationship a secret... You know how jealous Tramp can get!

 

[Lord Alfred]

This is not only not a good idea. It's also illegal.

It's also a joke!

Just so nobody will come lynch me, I want to make sure everyone knows I am kidding in the preceding post. I love Disney's policy regarding those who are wheechair bound and I wish more companies were as accomodating as they are.

If that means their wheels interfere with my ride experience, that's okay. That wheel-generated electrical interference plays havoc with cars, pacemakers, computers, and all sorts of appliances. If you could somehow harness this energy, perhaps you would be able to have head and tail lights on these wheelchairs.... hmmmm..

 

[raven]

Originally posted by Dr Albert Falls
I cannot believe the misleading information on this board!!!

I am a former Disneyland Skyway operator who was there when that attraction closed.

We are talking about the Skyway ride in WDW, not Disneyland. Although it was probbably closed for the same reason.

 

[FanofDinsey1981]

Originally posted by Monorail Lime
It is true that a maintenance worker died, but that is not why they took it out.

The Skyway was not safe. If there were a fire and the ride system stopped working the entire park would have to be evacuated before they'd be able to get the cherry pickers in there to evacuate it.

The Skyway was bad show. Guests don't like having spit and other trash dropped on them from above. Unfortunately it only takes one mean person to totally ruin the magic for someone else and that happened quite a bit.

The Skyway was not efficient. It had a very low guest capacity and had to be stopped completely to allow guests who need extra time to board.

The Skyway was not very interesting. The exact same thing is available at Busch Gardens and many Six Flags parks.

The Skyway was expensive. The high maintenance costs could not be justified considering the unpopular nature of the ride.

yeah, I remember being spit on a few different times by 10 year old kids thinking they wouldn't get caught. and I remember a few times going with dad up the exit to the number car and waiting for those kids to get off. and then finding their parents. and having very unhappy parents.

it is saving many parents another grey hair! ahha.


I had an enjoyable time onthem, but I hardly miss them. the lines were crazy long, and it was faster to walk taht distance than to ride it.

 

[JEDI1138]

What! No one is yelling outrage? They closed a Walt Disney Original CLASSIC. How dare they? The Skyway was Walt's Transportation of the future, precursor to the monorail. Well they may as well tear down the Monorail Next.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

Originally posted by JEDI1138
What! No one is yelling outrage? They closed a Walt Disney Original CLASSIC. How dare they? The Skyway was Walt's Transportation of the future, precursor to the monorail. Well they may as well tear down the Monorail Next.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at that comment... so I'm gonna keep my mouth shut.

 

[westie]

I would like to take this oppurtunity to appologize to all those I loogied on as a child. I feel I am to blame for the Skyways closure. Now I spit on people from the Peoplemover

 

[FanofDinsey1981]

Originally posted by westie
I would like to take this oppurtunity to appologize to all those I loogied on as a child. I feel I am to blame for the Skyways closure. Now I spit on people from the Peoplemover

haha. note to self....watch above around peoplemover.....

 

[JLW11Hi]

Originally posted by JEDI1138
What! No one is yelling outrage? They closed a Walt Disney Original CLASSIC. How dare they? The Skyway was Walt's Transportation of the future, precursor to the monorail. Well they may as well tear down the Monorail Next.

Well, Walt thought they were the future of transportation in the 50s, but it seems that he kinda changed his mind when the peoplemovers came along in the 60s. At least with the TTA they can block the peoplemovers easier from the public, and a bit harder to spit on people, although it is still easy to through something over the edge (Not that they wouldn't always get caught)

 

[wdwjmp239]

Originally posted by FanofDinsey1981


haha. note to self....watch above around peoplemover.....

And I thought it was a passing shower....

 

[MrPromey]

Originally posted by FanofDinsey1981


haha. note to self....watch above around peoplemover.....

I love how the preteen mind works: They won’t catch me because I’m 15 feet above their heads and moving. Never mind the fact that I’m on a one way continuous circuit track that has only one exit, they’ll never catch me!!!

 

[hockeymom]

pix from skyway

space mountain (early evening)

 

[hockeymom]

pix from skyway

20,000 leagues (early evening)

 

[hockeymom]

pix from skyway

castle (early evening)

 

[hockeymom]

pix from skyway

not sure where, I think somewhere in Tomorrowland?

 

[Talsonic]

The Skyway Club!

The real reason they closed the Skyway was because of the "Skyway Club". MrPromey knows all the facts about this. He was just being polite.

 

[MrPromey]

Re: The Skyway Club!

Originally posted by Talsonic
The real reason they closed the Skyway was because of the "Skyway Club". MrPromey knows all the facts about this. He was just being polite.

That’s right. I know all the facts about everything. I’ve just learned that sometimes the truth shouldn’t come out. For instance, I know what happened to those missing ballots here in Florida but if I said anything about it now, it would devastate the country even worse than and possibly drive the economy down and Disney would be in even more trouble. I also know what’s inside a Twinkie and between those two chocolate cookies that make up an Oreo but if I told you, you’d never want to eat them again!