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

Could be that every third cabin has an extra tooth, to automatically route via the outer loop. One coming off while another feeds onto the main line would maintain spacing on the main haul rope. A steady stream of ADA cabins would then be available to be used by handicap / strollers or general public without interrupting the overall flow.
That would be simpler logistically, but it limits the availability of special loading. I think every 3rd would be too frequently if the dispatch interval is 30 secs. They would need to find the sweet spot where there's enough time to load Guests who are the most mobility challenged, but not so much that a long line builds up for special loading. The rope would need to stop if they were still in the process of loading a special Guest when the next special cabin was due to come in.
 
This is what I think is most likely. Basically like every 10th cabin (or 20th, whatever the # Disney decides) goes onto the outer loop - and at the same time a cabin on the outer loop swings into line to replace it. The reason I think this is otherwise it will be very tricky to maintain spacing - for anytime a handi-cabin goes back into the loop, it can only go back if one has come off. The easiest way to keep that going is to just have it done at regular intervals.
You really need to copyright the term “handi-cabin”. Genius marketing
 
That would be simpler logistically, but it limits the availability of special loading. I think every 3rd would be too frequently if the dispatch interval is 30 secs. They would need to find the sweet spot where there's enough time to load Guests who are the most mobility challenged, but not so much that a long line builds up for special loading. The rope would need to stop if they were still in the process of loading a special Guest when the next special cabin was due to come in.

If the intent of the outer ring is for handicap loading/ unloading, then the simplest thing would be to just always have a certain number of cabins sitting in the outer ring loading area and to just pull them in as needed if all the cabins have foldable seating. Gondolas are frequently pushed around by the crew in the station, so that would be pretty normal. And since these are all detachable lifts, spacing in the station is irrelevant.
 
If the intent of the outer ring is for handicap loading/ unloading, then the simplest thing would be to just always have a certain number of cabins sitting in the outer ring loading area and to just pull them in as needed if all the cabins have foldable seating. Gondolas are frequently pushed around by the crew in the station, so that would be pretty normal. And since these are all detachable lifts, spacing in the station is irrelevant.

This would make sense. Since you need a gab to send one of the handicap loading cabins back onto the line, they could load and cabin and as soon as it's ready, pull another one off the line, and then insert the loaded one into the gap.
 


If the intent of the outer ring is for handicap loading/ unloading, then the simplest thing would be to just always have a certain number of cabins sitting in the outer ring loading area and to just pull them in as needed if all the cabins have foldable seating. Gondolas are frequently pushed around by the crew in the station, so that would be pretty normal. And since these are all detachable lifts, spacing in the station is irrelevant.
There would still need to be some way to track arriving cabins that need to be switched out for stationary unloading. And unless the acceleration motors can make up for the gap, a departing cabin needs to be ready to be switched in to fill the gap, either loaded or empty. There also needs to be enough buffer space between the entrance to the loop and the loading position so that an arriving cabin can be switched out and held without running into a cabin currently being loaded.

I don't see the need to have any more than 2-3 cabins in the boarding area: 1 in the load position, and another either waiting to go online or waiting to move into the load position. And I would expect the movement thru the loop to be automated or semi-automated by motors on the track.
 
There would still need to be some way to track arriving cabins that need to be switched out for stationary unloading. And unless the acceleration motors can make up for the gap, a departing cabin needs to be ready to be switched in to fill the gap, either loaded or empty. There also needs to be enough buffer space between the entrance to the loop and the loading position so that an arriving cabin can be switched out and held without running into a cabin currently being loaded.

I don't see the need to have any more than 2-3 cabins in the boarding area: 1 in the load position, and another either waiting to go online or waiting to move into the load position. And I would expect the movement thru the loop to be automated or semi-automated by motors on the track.

I'd just assume that all of that operates the same way most Gondolas do. A switch that allows you to pull a cabin off the main track to the other track and then can immediately go back to the normal setting. Disney might want it a little more automated than a ski resort does, which would only cut out a cast member pushing it along the track to move it. There is also usually at least a full cabin sized gap between each cabin on the wheel portion of a gondola, so getting a gap to put these back onto the main track would not be an issue, and the spacing on the cable is fixed during the launch from the station. The biggest difference I see Disney going for is avoiding cabins hitting each other by spacing them more than the average amount, since that's a regular occurrence at a ski resort, but could concern Disney people that don't ski.
 
Let's say there are 3 hold positions on the outer loop: 1=pre-load, 2=load, 3=post-load. Start out with empty cabins at 2 & 3.

Scenario 1: a party needs to be loaded. They are loaded at #2. When loading is complete, cabins at 2 & 3 are sent online, and replaced by 2 empty cabins. The empty cabin that was holding at #3 can be loaded as it passes thru the main load area.

Scenario 2: an arriving cabin needs to be unloaded, while no loading is in progress. Empty cabin at #3 replaces it online, and passes thru the main load area. Cabin at #2 advances to #3. Arriving cabin stops at #2 for unloading & loading.

Scenario 3: an arriving cabin needs to be unloaded while a cabin is being loaded at #2. The arriving cabin holds at #1, and a message tells riders to remain seated. Cabin at #3 goes online to fill the gap. When loading is complete, cabin at #2 advances & holds at #3. Arriving cabin advances to #2 for unloading. If another party is waiting to board, they are loaded immediately at #2. When unloading and loading are complete, cabin at #3 goes online, and cabin at #2 either goes online or holds at #3, depending on whether it is occupied and whether another cabin is holding in #1.

Scenario 3a: same as 3, except a 2nd cabin (B) arrives for unloading while the 1st arriving cabin (A) is still at #2. When the 2nd cabin arrives, the cabin at #3 is released online immediately. The cabin B holds at #1 while unloading/loading of the cabin A continues. When ready, cabin A advances and holds at #3 while cabin B moves to #2 for unloading.

Net effect is there are always 2-3 cabins in the outer loop, and there is always a cabin at #3 ready to go online when a cabin arrives for unloading, and always space at #1 to receive the arriving cabin.
 
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Thinking more along the lines of a detachable quad at a ski resort. There is a main haul cable running station to station, continuously and at a high speed. Cabins approach a station to be lifted off the main rope to a internal cable that moves slowly. Moving around a second wheel at a slow speed gives time to offload and onboard new passengers. After completing most of this second loop, there is a path that slopes downward to allow the cabin to re-attach via this merge to the spinning haul rope and off they go. All cabins are removed from the main rope to circulate for loading on the second track. Position 1, unload along a side wall. Position 2 inspect cabin for damage or trash. Position 3 reload with new passengers. This second track can be halted for scooters or strollers without impacting the main haul rope. Since all cabins are removed from main rope, then spacing is not a concern when loading back onto main rope, only a minimum spacing needs to be enforced.
 
So Disney didn’t think about traffic on that Epcot gate when designing this? That seems hard to believe.

Agree with how quickly they realized that Ratatouille in France needed a 'counter' attraction in GB to keep everyone entering the IG from going in the same direction.
 
Yep. I think the one thing we can say for sure is that getting to HS or Epcot will take longer then it does now once the gondala opens unless you pay for something like a minnivan.

Really? Did you read anything in this thread? It would take a full bus leaving about every 65-70 seconds to match the gondola system capacity.
 
Thanks for posting. It gives you an idea of the vastness of the scale of the project and also how big of a deal the whole system is compared to its counterparts

Yep. While this is proven technology the scale and requirements needed for Disney make this a different deployment then your normal ski resort.
 
There would still need to be some way to track arriving cabins that need to be switched out for stationary unloading. And unless the acceleration motors can make up for the gap, a departing cabin needs to be ready to be switched in to fill the gap, either loaded or empty. There also needs to be enough buffer space between the entrance to the loop and the loading position so that an arriving cabin can be switched out and held without running into a cabin currently being loaded.

I don't see the need to have any more than 2-3 cabins in the boarding area: 1 in the load position, and another either waiting to go online or waiting to move into the load position. And I would expect the movement thru the loop to be automated or semi-automated by motors on the track.

I think the simplest way to accommodate this is to have one (or more) cabin(s) sitting and waiting in the outer loop for special needs. Provides all the time needed for someone to load. Then when ready, operators divert a cabin to the outer loop for "storage" until needed by the next person / group. They then launch the occupied cabin to enter the main line and fill the spot left empty by the diverted cabin. No fancy cogs, or special every X cabin is diverted required.

Simplest is best and most reliable.
 
I think the simplest way to accommodate this is to have one (or more) cabin(s) sitting and waiting in the outer loop for special needs. Provides all the time needed for someone to load. Then when ready, operators divert a cabin to the outer loop for "storage" until needed by the next person / group. They then launch the occupied cabin to enter the main line and fill the spot left empty by the diverted cabin. No fancy cogs, or special every X cabin is diverted required.

Simplest is best and most reliable.
But if a Guest needed extra time or a stopped cabin to load, they probably need the same to unload. Those cabins will need to be routed onto the outer loop; they need to be recognized coming into the station, and there needs to be room for them on the outer loop. And if the "one off, one on" rule needs to be observed, then there also needs to be a cabin ready to take their place on the mainline.
 
But if a Guest needed extra time or a stopped cabin to load, they probably need the same to unload. Those cabins will need to be routed onto the outer loop; they need to be recognized coming into the station, and there needs to be room for them on the outer loop. And if the "one off, one on" rule needs to be observed, then there also needs to be a cabin ready to take their place on the mainline.
Recognizing the cabins needing extra time on unload is easy... if I'm looking at the pictures right, the assisted load/unload is past the unload area, so either an attendant seeing the cabin isn't empty or a weight sensor would work.

Also, while ideally you won't have to stop the main loop... worst case if someone needs help unloading and there's no room for the cabin in the outer loop... it can still be stopped. Also, the departure rate of cabins needing assistance can always be limited to ensure sufficient separation that running out of space for arriving cabins is unlikely.
 
Recognizing the cabins needing extra time on unload is easy... if I'm looking at the pictures right, the assisted load/unload is past the unload area, so either an attendant seeing the cabin isn't empty or a weight sensor would work.

Also, while ideally you won't have to stop the main loop... worst case if someone needs help unloading and there's no room for the cabin in the outer loop... it can still be stopped. Also, the departure rate of cabins needing assistance can always be limited to ensure sufficient separation that running out of space for arriving cabins is unlikely.

This is why I tend to think there we be handicap cabins spaced every so often. It's not such a big deal for a stroller, but a wheelchair or an ECV will need to be secured in the cabin so it doesn't roll around - just like on a bus. These will likely spend a good 5 minutes in the unload loop. And if you think about it, with each leg only having probably less than a 10 minute round trip travel time, they really only need to have maybe 6-8 of these cabins on each rope.

The one thing this conversation doesn't account for is those staying at Riviera. Since it's the only station that isn't a line end, it will be a lot harder to have a branch off of it. Wonder how they will handle this?
 
I'll admit, I haven't been following this thread as much (maybe this was already brought up?), just reading the news and photos threads, but thought this a more appropriate place to ask this.
Did I read somewhere that guests will be security checked before loading in the Skyliners?
If that is true, that makes sense for Epcot's International gateway, as they can easily have the exit path bypass the security point.
Looking at the Hollywood Studios pictures though...this makes me believe they are going to move up the security check quite a bit. Which might make a lot more sense once they finish the new bus loop construction. Maybe they eventually moving the tram loop after the bus loop construction too? This is all guessing just based on if there is a security check to get on the Skyliner at the resorts, but a very logical guess I would say.
 
I'll admit, I haven't been following this thread as much (maybe this was already brought up?), just reading the news and photos threads, but thought this a more appropriate place to ask this.
Did I read somewhere that guests will be security checked before loading in the Skyliners?
If that is true, that makes sense for Epcot's International gateway, as they can easily have the exit path bypass the security point.
Looking at the Hollywood Studios pictures though...this makes me believe they are going to move up the security check quite a bit. Which might make a lot more sense once they finish the new bus loop construction. Maybe they eventually moving the tram loop after the bus loop construction too? This is all guessing just based on if there is a security check to get on the Skyliner at the resorts, but a very logical guess I would say.
It’s been speculated about the security checks, but it’s unclear one way or another
 
This is why I tend to think there we be handicap cabins spaced every so often. It's not such a big deal for a stroller, but a wheelchair or an ECV will need to be secured in the cabin so it doesn't roll around - just like on a bus. These will likely spend a good 5 minutes in the unload loop.
I'd be surprised if wheelchairs and ECVs are secured by anything more than their own brakes. Gondolas just don't accelerate or decelerate that quickly, even in an emergency stop. And are unlikely to be crashed into by a distracted motorist. I'd expect the load/unload time to be less than a minute.

The one thing this conversation doesn't account for is those staying at Riviera. Since it's the only station that isn't a line end, it will be a lot harder to have a branch off of it. Wonder how they will handle this?
I expect the same way ski areas handle it when gondolas are used for summer scenic rides... with the slow and, if necessary, stop buttons. Certainly not perfect, but I don't think it'll be a big deal.
 
I'd be surprised if wheelchairs and ECVs are secured by anything more than their own brakes. Gondolas just don't accelerate or decelerate that quickly, even in an emergency stop. And are unlikely to be crashed into by a distracted motorist. I'd expect the load/unload time to be less than a minute.


I am pretty sure the reason for the buses needing the wheel chairs etc strapped is FDOT. Same reason the strollers need to be folded--- but neither is required on the monorail.... no FDOT. And there will be no FDOT with the gondolas either.
 

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