Any Rumblings about Skyliner Expansion?

[siren0119]

If you don’t think wind isn’t an issue, we rode the Skyliner on and it was a little windy and you could feel the gondola swing with the wind. Not a good feeling. These are not open gondolas like most ski areas have. If it was a stronger wind, I would not ride it, not that’s it’s not safe. It just doesn’t feel it. Kind of like when your in a plane and hit a little turbulence.

LOL I didn't mean the wind wasn't an issue at ALL, of course it would factor in since you're suspended in the air on a cable. My statement was addressing the fact that the frequent lightning storms in FL would factor in to MANY shutdowns of the skyliner particularly in August-October. The lightning storms don't always come with higher than normal winds, but they'll still result in a shutdown of the gondolas and directing guests to bus service.

 

[Pyotr]

Today is pretty breezy. I just got off the Skyliner. It made multiple stops over the CBR. Swayed in the wind. It was not a pleasant experience.

 

[Wakey]

Skyliner is superb, we loved it, just needs to be more reliable. Due to the staff at Riviera failing to load a disabled car, the whole thing stopped when I was on it for about 15 mins.
Not sure if it’s covered in the thread but a Vlogger on his live stream got in a gondola the first day with a Dopplemayer employee, and he said (not sure he was aware he was being lived streamed) that it will be expanding.
I think it will go to AKL and / or Saratoga - DS. I hope it goes to both.

 

[Pyotr]

Skyliner is superb, we loved it, just needs to be more reliable. Due to the staff at Riviera failing to load a disabled car, the whole thing stopped when I was on it for about 15 mins.
Not sure if it’s covered in the thread but a Vlogger on his live stream got in a gondola the first day with a Dopplemayer employee, and he said (not sure he was aware he was being lived streamed) that it will be expanding.
I think it will go to AKL and / or Saratoga - DS. I hope it goes to both.

I rode it from Pop to CBR to HS to back to CBR. I was very impressed. The lines moved quick and it did not stop. Then I rode the Epcot Riviera line. I hope going forward, any expansions to the Skyliner will have dedicated loading/unloading. That seems to be the Achilles heel of the Epcot line.

 

[Hjs33]

The wind isn't as much of an issue as the lightning. The skyliner posts are very nearly (if not are) the tallest structures where they are located along the route, making the posts and the skyliner cabins prime lightning strike targets.

I believe the only time the cabins would be at risk is when the cabin is traveling over the metal posts. It would seem an easy fix to install some lightning rods on the posts to divert the potential strikes away from the cabins.

 

[crvetter]

I believe the only time the cabins would be at risk is when the cabin is traveling over the metal posts. It would seem an easy fix to install some lightning rods on the posts to divert the potential strikes away from the cabins.

From a life safety perspective the entire system is grounded. Electricity will always follow the path of least resistance to the ground thus no one is at risk at being electrocuted in the Skyliner. The only issue that can happen from the lightning strike is a failure of the electronic systems from a strike. Though Dopplemayer actually has developed enhancements to their system to prevent this from happening, not sure if Disney added that on or not. Really the only reasons to stop the Skyliner for lightning in the area is because they don't want an entire line to evacuate if the electronics fail or simply public perception of it being unsafe to be in a metal box (which I tend to believe this is the real reason, in fact similar decisions are made from governments, etc for other events--easier to follow public perception then try and educate). To be honest being inside the Skyliner is safer then on the ground because of the system being grounded.