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

[rwalker1304]

The aerial images thread pinned to the top of this board. Or the first post of this thread has links to construction images.

Thanks!

 

[DBDiz]

Those resorts don’t have any bus service for the Studios unless the boats can’t run due to weather. And we don’t have any idea how it will impact boat service. For years boats ran every 20 minutes. The last year or so, they have increased the boats to run about every 10-15 minutes. It is entirely possible they will change back to every 20 minutes, or longer. Just like we don’t know what will happen with the buses. Everything is speculation.

Except Disney's own websites for resorts specifically list what transportation methods they have available. Only POP, AoA, CBR, and Riviera list Skyliner as an option. Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Boardwalk only list bus and boat. If Disney were calculating that the Epcot area resorts were going to significantly utilize this method of transportation or benefit from major cost savings, I can't imagine they'd leave Skyliner access off the resort transportation list on the hotel pages.

 

[rteetz]

Except Disney's own websites for resorts specifically list what transportation methods they have available. Only POP, AoA, CBR, and Riviera list Skyliner as an option. Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Boardwalk only list bus and boat. If Disney were calculating that the Epcot area resorts were going to significantly utilize this method of transportation or benefit from major cost savings, I can't imagine they'd leave Skyliner access off the resort transportation list on the hotel pages.

I think Beach Club would be the mostly likely to because it’s the closest to that station.

 

[Farro]

We normally stay Beach or Yacht, this next time Boardwalk.

I can honestly say we would not even consider using the gondolas to get to DHS unless we were going there from Epcot or purposely wanted to ride them. Too easy to just boat or walk on over. Even if the gondola was faster, psychologically it would seem longer because you would have to walk over to IG to catch it. Even if you are at Beach Club "secret" entrance.

Know what i mean?

 

[cranbiz]

For those of you who think the EPCOT line shutdown was indicative of whats going to happen in a rainstorm, remember this line just started testing. There is no way they are going to run the initial tests in that kind of weather.

In the event of conditions requiring a shutdown, I expect to see loading stopped at all stations and the currently loaded guests to disembark prior to actually shutting down the lines.

 

[Love Tink]

The 4,000-5,000 capacity rumour I was quoting was not put out by Disney. It seems to be an estimate based on known number of cars, how quickly they have been observed to move, and the capacity of 10 per car. I agree with a few pp's who have said the the operating capacity may be more like 3,000 per hour when considering strollers, ECV's, etc. At this point, it's all guess work.

And yes, you are right - there will be a constant supply of empty cars arriving. . . identical to the Spaceship Earth and Peoplemover rides. While these don't generally have enormous lines, it is common for you to see a 30-45 wait for omnimovers. It's just simple math, really. If you have several thousand people trying to get on the skyliner at Epcot at once during park close on a busy day, it will take quite some time to get them all to loaded - some may be waiting an hour.

But you would never have several thousand. Think about the bus lines at the end of a busy day - the people can be counted in dozens or at the most hundreds.

Even if you add together the typical bus lines of each of the resorts served by the Skyliner and people who might be park hopping, you don't get several thousand.

 

[Dr.Mickey]

For those of you who think the EPCOT line shutdown was indicative of whats going to happen in a rainstorm, remember this line just started testing. There is no way they are going to run the initial tests in that kind of weather.

In the event of conditions requiring a shutdown, I expect to see loading stopped at all stations and the currently loaded guests to disembark prior to actually shutting down the lines.

Exactly. I don’t think the plan will be to ever stop the line full of passengers and let them swing until it passes.

In addition, I read somewhere (wish I could find it now) that these are rated to keep working (loading and unloading) in 45 mph winds and during moderate thunderstorms (just not severe storm warnings and events). And honestly, most normal stormy afternoons fit this category.

 

[DanBoris]

Exactly. I don’t think the plan will be to ever stop the line full of passengers and let them swing until it passes.

In addition, I read somewhere (wish I could find it now) that these are rated to keep working (loading and unloading) in 45 mph winds and during moderate thunderstorms (just not severe storm warnings and events). And honestly, most normal stormy afternoons fit this category.

They are rated for that, doesn't mean Disney will choose to operate them under those conditions.

 

[rteetz]

PHOTOS: Disney Skyliner Gondola Testing Passive Ventilation System for High Temps on Hollywood Studios Line

 

[jade1]

Even if you are at Beach Club "secret" entrance.

Know what i mean?

Not sure what you "mean".

Are you saying if you are at the BC corner entrance, you would walk 400 yards and wait for a boat, over 200 yards with a constantly moving skyliner? Or 200 yards and take the EPCOT boat? Hoping it didn't just leave.

Unless you mean some other BC entrance.

Indeed it would depend on how long the skliner takes to DHS, and how soon a boat comes, and if there is an ECV at S&D.

But I think many of us are looking forward to the Skyliner as an attraction/something different-even if it takes a bit longer.

Honestly, even when staying at BWV I think we will walk over and take the Skyliner to DHS. Views should be pretty fun IMO.

 

[Farro]

Not sure what you "mean".

Are you saying if you are at the BC corner entrance, you would walk 400 yards and wait for a boat, over 200 yards with a constantly moving skyliner?

Unless you mean some other BC entrance.

Indeed it would depend on how long the skliner takes to DHS, and how soon a boat comes, and if there is an ECV at S&D.

But I think many of us are looking forward to the Skyliner as an attraction/something different-even if it takes a bit longer.

Honestly, even when staying at BWV I think we will walk over and take the Skyliner to DHS. Views should be pretty fun IMO.

Yep, that's what I "mean".
I already said we'd take it if we purposely wanted to ride them, but otherwise my mind is trained to either boat or walk to DHS. Gondola wouldn't be the first that came to mind.

 

[Spridell]

if it is something major they know is coming I would guess they would try to clear the line - so not let people on and let the people on get off - before shutting it down. If it comes out of nowhere (or is much worse than expected) than you may be stuck swinging

But obviously all speculation - we shall see!

I am assuming that Disney has a team of Mets that are monitoring for storms and they know when to start closing things down. The type of rain and storms in that video is a daily thing here in FL in the summertime.

I live on a very popular Golf course in Palm Beach that has a weather center and as soon as lightning is detected (about 10 miles away) they set of a very loud siren to tell everyone off the course. Now, from the time the sirens go off until the storm passes and it is safe again is about an hour in the bad summertime storms.

Assuming Disney uses some kind of system like that I can see these being stopped for an hour or so when these bad storms roll in during the summer. The good thing about FL summer storms is they are in and out very fast.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I am assuming that Disney has a team of Mets that are monitoring for storms and they know when to start closing things down. The type of rain and storms in that video is a daily thing here in FL in the summertime.

I live on a very popular Golf course in Palm Beach that has a weather center and as soon as lightning is detected (about 10 miles away) they set of a very loud siren to tell everyone off the course. Now, from the time the sirens go off until the storm passes and it is safe again is about an hour in the bad summertime storms.

Assuming Disney uses some kind of system like that I can see these being stopped for an hour or so when these bad storms roll in during the summer. The good thing about FL summer storms is they are in and out very fast.

As a lifelong NY Mets fan, I was confused at first as I would not rely on the Mets baseball squadron for anything other than disappointment!

 

[Spridell]

As a lifelong NY Mets fan, I was confused at first as I would not rely on the Mets baseball squadron for anything other than disappointment!

Born and raised in Queens, NY but live in Florida now but I am also a Mets Fan.

I should of wrote meteorologists instead of Mets LOL My bad

 

[jade1]

Yep, that's what I "mean".
I already said we'd take it if we purposely wanted to ride them, but otherwise my mind is trained to either boat or walk to DHS. Gondola wouldn't be the first that came to mind.

Ah I see. We all use different options.

Well when you said it was "too easy" to just take the boat or walk over-even from the BC secret entrance (which is twice as close to the skyliner as the boat and no wait), I mostly just wanted to confirm if there was a different "secret" BC entrance I was missing.

Skyliner will be the first thing that comes to my mind, esp from that corner.

Plus it just looks way more fun.

 

[Polydweller]

I am assuming that Disney has a team of Mets that are monitoring for storms and they know when to start closing things down. The type of rain and storms in that video is a daily thing here in FL in the summertime.

I live on a very popular Golf course in Palm Beach that has a weather center and as soon as lightning is detected (about 10 miles away) they set of a very loud siren to tell everyone off the course. Now, from the time the sirens go off until the storm passes and it is safe again is about an hour in the bad summertime storms.

Assuming Disney uses some kind of system like that I can see these being stopped for an hour or so when these bad storms roll in during the summer. The good thing about FL summer storms is they are in and out very fast.

Yes Disney does. It has its own meteorological office that tracks all active weather in the vicinity and makes operational calls based on weather.

 

[DanBoris]

PHOTOS: Disney Skyliner Gondola Testing Passive Ventilation System for High Temps on Hollywood Studios Line

Not sure if I would conclude that this is "testing". If it didn't work, it would be a little to late to do anything about it.

 

[rteetz]

Not sure if I would conclude that this is "testing". If it didn't work, it would be a little to late to do anything about it.

That is true. They also have been opening the windows for quite a while.

 

[joelkfla]

PHOTOS: Disney Skyliner Gondola Testing Passive Ventilation System for High Temps on Hollywood Studios Line

Jessica seems to be confused. There are 2 vent windows on the front and 3 on the back, not the opposite as she said. And each of the 5 windows looks the exact same size to me. The single vent on the side, which she didn't mention, looks like it may be larger.

And I haven't seen any of them open 90 degrees. Maybe 45, or 60 at the most.

We haven't gotten a good close look at the window latches, but I wouldn't assume that they can be fastened open part way. It could be an elbow mechanism like you see on the rear windows of vans, which is either open or closed, nothing in between.

 

[Q-man]

Not sure if I would conclude that this is "testing". If it didn't work, it would be a little to late to do anything about it.

This. That is one heck of a leap to assume that is airflow testing unless she saw a bunch of measuring equipment in a cabin.