Disney Skyliner (Gondola Transportation System) Read Post 1 Now Open!

[RRB]

This has been my favorite thread in all the time I've been on this site. I will truly miss this when these are finally built and all worries and rumors are put to bed.

We have a while to go before that happens. Then a new thread will be started with all the problems associated with the gondola system

 

[mom2rtk]

We have a while to go before that happens. Then a new thread will be started with all the problems associated with the gondola systems

Problems? I don't think those are allowed.

 

[RRB]

Problems? I don't think those are allowed.

I forgot, you're right

 

[intertile]

Just to sum up the facts about the gondola so far...

- These won't run when there is even a chance of a storm because the cars would blow off the cable or get struck by lighting
- These won't run when the sun is out because without AC it will be to hot
- At others times they will be broken down and they will be rescuing people from the stuck cars.
- When they have to be restarted it will take at least 12 hours to get the line going again.
- Cars will routinely fall off the cable and if the guests survive the fall they will likely be attacked by alligators
- During the rare times they are operational...
- People with wheelchairs, ECV and strollers won't ride because it will be impossible to load these efficiently.
- 1000's of people who are afraid of heights won't ride.
- Others won't ride because they don't want to be in a small space with strangers for the hours it will take to get from station to station.
- Most people won't be able to afford the gondola resorts because the price will likely get hiked by %200-%300.

They will seriously impact the people who don't even use them (and based on the above only 5 or 6 people a day will use them):
- They crowds at the IG will totally destroy the efficiency of the entrance and thus no one will stay at the Epcot area resorts.
- The 200 foot tall towers will spoil the views from every location in Epcot and DHS.
- The gondola will bring the "riff-raff" into the Boardwalk area, this giving people even more reason not to stay there.

You sir, just won the award for best post of the day! I need that laugh, thank you.

 

[smidgy]

sorry if this has been answered already: projected opening? thanks

 

[rteetz]

sorry if this has been answered already: projected opening? thanks

Spring 2019

 

[karly05]

- At others times they will be broken down and they will be rescuing people from the stuck cars.

With ladders. Don't forget the ladders.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Spring 2019

When did this change from Summer 2019?

 

[rteetz]

When did this change from Summer 2019?

As far as I’m aware is always been mid to late spring. They may not be fully open to guests until summer but it will be ready to go in the Spring. For sure before Star Wars.

 

[joelkfla]

I'm kind of wondering how they're gonna get 3,000 people an hour thru.

Looking at YouTubes of the Medellin and Mexicable gondolas, the cabins run about 15-20 seconds apart. At 8 passengers per cabin, that's only 1,920 per hour. There's maybe 5 feet between the cabins when they go thru the stations, but I think they need to keep most of that for safety. Running them faster thru the stations would increase thruput, but also be less safe.

Even 1,920/hr is a full bus every 3 minutes, so I think the capacity will be fine, but the 3,000/hr estimate seems high, let alone 5,000/hr. Maybe those numbers were based on Doppelmayr's 15-passenger cabins.

 

[rteetz]

I'm kind of wondering how they're gonna get 3,000 people an hour thru.

Looking at YouTubes of the Medellin and Mexicable gondolas, the cabins run about 15-20 seconds apart. At 8 passengers per cabin, that's only 1,920 per hour. There's maybe 5 feet between the cabins when they go thru the stations, but I think they need to keep most of that for safety. Running them faster thru the stations would increase thruput, but also be less safe.

Even 1,920/hr is a full bus every 3 minutes, so I think the capacity will be fine, but the 3,000/hr estimate seems high, let alone 5,000/hr. Maybe that number was based on Doppelmayr's 15-passenger cabins.

Disney is working to get this to be as high capacity as possible hence the double load areas.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I'm kind of wondering how they're gonna get 3,000 people an hour thru.

Looking at YouTubes of the Medellin and Mexicable gondolas, the cabins run about 15-20 seconds apart. At 8 passengers per cabin, that's only 1,920 per hour. There's maybe 5 feet between the cabins when they go thru the stations, but I think they need to keep most of that for safety. Running them faster thru the stations would increase thruput, but also be less safe.

Even 1,920/hr is a full bus every 3 minutes, so I think the capacity will be fine, but the 3,000/hr estimate seems high, let alone 5,000/hr. Maybe that number was based on Doppelmayr's 15-passenger cabins.

Also there are three legs so maybe that is contemplating three times the 1,920 figure you had

 

[joelkfla]

Disney is working to get this to be as high capacity as possible hence the double load areas.

I have seen talk elsewhere of simultaneously loading gondolas from 2 areas at once. I think I even read that some ski resort had built one, with simultaneous loading on an upper and lower level. But weren't we all assuming that the 2nd loop at WDW was just for diverting a limited number of cabins for slow loaders?

 

[rteetz]

I have seen talk elsewhere of simultaneously loading gondolas from 2 areas at once. I think I even read that some ski resort had built one, with simultaneous loading on an upper and lower level. But weren't we all assuming that the 2nd loop at WDW was just for diverting a limited number of cabins for slow loaders?

Yes I believe the assumption is the 2nd load will be for ECV/Wheelchairs and strollers. I would think they will use that 2nd load even if there are no wheelchairs/ECVs waiting.

 

[rteetz]

Disney Skyliner Construction Update: Epcot Station Continues to Take Shape

 

[joelkfla]

Disney Skyliner Construction Update: Epcot Station Continues to Take Shape

Cool. I don't think I've seen those artist renderings before.

I hadn't realized that the line was going directly over the Friendship dock. In the 2nd artwork, it looks like the base of the 1st tower will be concealed by the Friendship dock and landscaping.

 

[DanBoris]

I'm kind of wondering how they're gonna get 3,000 people an hour thru.

Looking at YouTubes of the Medellin and Mexicable gondolas, the cabins run about 15-20 seconds apart. At 8 passengers per cabin, that's only 1,920 per hour. There's maybe 5 feet between the cabins when they go thru the stations, but I think they need to keep most of that for safety. Running them faster thru the stations would increase thruput, but also be less safe.

Even 1,920/hr is a full bus every 3 minutes, so I think the capacity will be fine, but the 3,000/hr estimate seems high, let alone 5,000/hr. Maybe those numbers were based on Doppelmayr's 15-passenger cabins.

From LiftBlog:

"Key to remember with lifts is there are three ways to increase throughput. Speed is one but you can also increase the size of the cabins and/or shorten the cabin spacing. 8-10 passengers per cabin seems to be the sweet spot for loading so that leaves speed and cabin spacing as variables. We seem to have settled on 8 for Disney and the maximum possible speed is 1378 feet per minute. Then it all comes down to spacing.

A path to 4,400:
-8 passenger cabins
-1378 ft/min line speed
-150' spacing

Current world record is 4,500:
-10 passenger cabins
-1280 ft/min line speed
-171' spacing

A path to 4,800:
-10 passenger cabins
-1,200 ft/min line speed
-150' spacing

A path to 5,000:
-8 passenger cabins
-1,378 ft/min line speed
-130' spacing - not sure this is possible."

 

[Tigger's ally]

-130' spacing - not sure this is possible."

Can only be done for a run disney event where all passengers are running while entering/exiting.

 

[DanBoris]

Also there are three legs so maybe that is contemplating three times the 1,920 figure you had

The 5000 number is per leg in each direction.

 

[Farro]

Disney Skyliner Construction Update: Epcot Station Continues to Take Shape

Wow. It's going to be amazing how different it's all going to look when we are there again. I'm glad I'm going from being there with no skyliner to being there with the skyliner built and running. I wouldn't want to be there now with the walls.