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

[Mome Rath]

Sorry, a lot of pages to catch up on. Arriving Nov 2018, last visit. June 2015. Disney moved security from the parks to the resort transportation stations (boat, bus, monorail)?

Yes, so, for example, if you ride the monorail from Grand Floridian you get checked before you get on the monorail, and when you leave the monorail at MK, you don't go through again. If you get off the bus say from Pop to MK, the security check is closer to the bus stations (but you still don't get searched before you get on the bus, it's after you get off at your destination). If you walk from Contempo, the check is on the walkway going toward MK, etc...

 

[joelkfla]

Sorry, a lot of pages to catch up on. Arriving Nov 2018, last visit. June 2015. Disney moved security from the parks to the resort transportation stations (boat, bus, monorail)?

Only for the Monorails and Ferryboats at the MK. There are bag checks when entering the Monorail at GF, CR, and Poly, and when entering TTC for the Monorails or Ferryboat. At all other parks, and for the buses and small boats at the MK, the bag check is still at the park entrance.

 

[joelkfla]

I think calling this "off-the-rack" isn't quite fair. Doppelmayr is arguably the world's best manufacturer of ropeway products like gondolas. And the product that Disney chose is Doppelmayr's newest, "next generation" ropeway.

D-Line Information at the Doppelmayr website: https://www.doppelmayr.com/en/products/new-d-line/

I think it's also worth noting that Doppelmayr has their products on six continents. Some of the installations have been in subtropical climates that are similar to Florida. Nothing found at Disney World is unique for Doppelmayr. Given the topography of Central Florida, this is probably one of their easier projects.

And all of their systems are customized to an extent. They have open cabins, cabins with glass floor inserts, cabins with tables, etc. I'm sure they'd be able to provide a cabin with additional ventilation beyond the norm. And the track layout in the terminal stations at WDW is reported to be different from any of Doppelmayr's existing installations.

 

[skier_pete]

Sorry, a lot of pages to catch up on. Arriving Nov 2018, last visit. June 2015. Disney moved security from the parks to the resort transportation stations (boat, bus, monorail)?

At Magic Kingdom - yes, they moved security back. You go through security at the boat landings (in the case of the main ferry its at the dock by the TTC, but for like WL and FortW it's at the MK dock), or getting on the monorail, on if arriving at the bus-turnaround the security is back towards there. This happened I think sometime in the last year. (I can't remember exactly when, but it was definitely in place when we were there in February.)

Edit: Of course I didn't read the posts after yours.

 

[NotUrsula]

I think calling this "off-the-rack" isn't quite fair. Doppelmayr is arguably the world's best manufacturer of ropeway products like gondolas. And the product that Disney chose is Doppelmayr's newest, "next generation" ropeway.

D-Line Information at the Doppelmayr website: https://www.doppelmayr.com/en/products/new-d-line/

I think it's also worth noting that Doppelmayr has their products on six continents. Some of the installations have been in subtropical climates that are similar to Florida. Nothing found at Disney World is unique for Doppelmayr. Given the topography of Central Florida, this is probably one of their easier projects.

Subtropical climates, yes, but in all of the cases I've been able to find, they are either installed at much higher altitudes, in coastal areas, &/or in places where air-conditioning is not common, which IMO, are fairly crucial differences. (If there is a subtropical installation that I'm unaware of that is at sea level but away from any sea, and also located in a first-world nation where almost all homes, businesses and vehicles are air-conditioned, I'd love to be corrected. Really.)

I'd agree that this is probably an easy project for Doppelmayr, and concede that yes, "off the rack" was probably too flippant a characterization. All systems like this are customized to some degree, but the fact remains that Disney did not design the mechanics or the cabins. They chose from a limited array of available options, just like most of us do when we buy a car. The cabins are designed in Europe by Europeans, and fit European expectations of comfort, which tend to vary rather widely from American expectations of comfort. For example, Doppelmayr's marketing materials clearly show these cabins as having seating for 5 persons on each bench, but Disney has very wisely chosen to describe the capacity as 4 to a bench, because, as a nation, we're a tad broader in the beam than the average European, and we also have a cultural expectation of more personal space. Still, the layout of the cars is not being changed from the original design.

 

[Tigger's ally]

"we're a tad broader in the beam than the average European

Hey, I resemble that remark It's the beer! And the beef! It's my version of Surf and Turf!

 

[writerguyfl]

Subtropical climates, yes, but in all of the cases I've been able to find, they are either installed at much higher altitudes, in coastal areas, &/or in places where air-conditioning is not common, which IMO, are fairly crucial differences. (If there is a subtropical installation that I'm unaware of that is at sea level but away from any sea, and also located in a first-world nation where almost all homes, businesses and vehicles are air-conditioned, I'd love to be corrected. Really.)

I guess someone else might do it, but I'm not going to spend time researching the exact locations of Doppelmayr's projects. I honestly, don't care that much about the air conditioning issue. Although, I will note that in a subtropical climate, being at sea level and right next to the sea doesn't matter in terms of temperature. I'm a stone's throw from the beach in South Florida. It's not any cooler at the beach simply because the water is there.

Really, my point about Doppelmayr having served clients in subtropical climates was to point out the fact that air conditioning (or lack thereof) is something that they've considered in the past. As such, I'm 100% certain that the people from Dopplemayr and Disney thoroughly discussed the available options. The notion that Disney is spending millions and somehow didn't think about the comfort and safety of the guests in the gondolas is a bit silly.

 

[hertamaniac]

Subtropical climates, yes, but in all of the cases I've been able to find, they are either installed at much higher altitudes, in coastal areas, &/or in places where air-conditioning is not common, which IMO, are fairly crucial differences. (If there is a subtropical installation that I'm unaware of that is at sea level but away from any sea, and also located in a first-world nation where almost all homes, businesses and vehicles are air-conditioned, I'd love to be corrected. Really.)

I'd agree that this is probably an easy project for Doppelmayr, and concede that yes, "off the rack" was probably too flippant a characterization. All systems like this are customized to some degree, but the fact remains that Disney did not design the mechanics or the cabins. They chose from a limited array of available options, just like most of us do when we buy a car. The cabins are designed in Europe by Europeans, and fit European expectations of comfort, which tend to vary rather widely from American expectations of comfort. For example, Doppelmayr's marketing materials clearly show these cabins as having seating for 5 persons on each bench, but Disney has very wisely chosen to describe the capacity as 4 to a bench, because, as a nation, we're a tad broader in the beam than the average European, and we also have a cultural expectation of more personal space. Still, the layout of the cars is not being changed from the original design.

Not only a well crafted post, but, based on my dealings with Formula 1, the characterization of proportions in the U.S. is accurate. Very insightful.

 

[joelkfla]

New aerial photos are up by bioreconstruct on Twitter. The track is in place at the Riviera station, and there's no sign of accommodation for wheelchairs and other slow loaders, as there is at the terminal stations.

 

[SoarinSupergirl]

Oh my god, how did I not know this was happening, it looks amazing!

 

[OSUZorba]

New aerial photos are up by bioreconstruct on Twitter. The track is in place at the Riviera station, and there's no sign of accommodation for wheelchairs and other slow loaders, as there is at the terminal stations.

They are going to have a lot of length in there. My guess is that they will be able to stop a segment of the wheels to allow loading/unload without stopping the overall line. On the inside of the corner the cars will be going very slow anyways, and on the outside they should be able to stop a car if the speeds are designed right.

Hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks much longer than the equivalent stations on the Breckenridge Gondola, so my hunch is that the will be able to stop a car without stopping the entire line, at least for a short period of time.

 

[Patches Lee]

First cabin onsite

https://www.wdwmagic.com/transporta...otos---disney-skyliner-cabins-now-on-site.htm

Did anyone else notice the angle view that the gondola doesn't appear to be on the board? Looks like a strap loosened and it tipped towards the back of the trailer. Also does anyone know the weight of each one? They may be only bringing a single for test fitting then haul in the rest later due to trucking limits and permits that may be required to haul in multiples. (Don't know the rules down there for oversize/weight)

 

[hakepb]

Did anyone else notice the angle view that the gondola doesn't appear to be on the board? Looks like a strap loosened and it tipped towards the back of the trailer. Also does anyone know the weight of each one? They may be only bringing a single for test fitting then haul in the rest later due to trucking limits and permits that may be required to haul in multiples. (Don't know the rules down there for oversize/weight)

Wow, that does look tilted back.

Since it’s being pulled by a pickup with a 5th wheel trailer, I imagine it was a single expedited delivery, and not any weight/size issues.

A 1 ton pickup can “only” tow up to ~30,000 lbs while a traditional semi has a max 80,000lbs (I think that includes the semi cab itself). But the pickups don’t have to follow all the same rules including driver hours/day as a semi so they are popular for expedited deliveries.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Did anyone else notice the angle view that the gondola doesn't appear to be on the board? Looks like a strap loosened and it tipped towards the back of the trailer. Also does anyone know the weight of each one? They may be only bringing a single for test fitting then haul in the rest later due to trucking limits and permits that may be required to haul in multiples. (Don't know the rules down there for oversize/weight)

Edited: I thought there was another board under it but after some digging I found a better pic. There are metal pins bolting it to the 6x6 lumber. That has the front elevated. Straps look pretty tight.

 

[susanktz]

A very long thread.... when is the projected open date?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

A very long thread.... when is the projected open date?

Nothing official - though known they want it fully up and running before Galaxy’s Edge which opens late fall next year, so before that.

Somebody people seem to think by start of summer next years, others have it a bit later - but something next year seems to be the bet

 

[rteetz]

A very long thread.... when is the projected open date?

Late Spring, early Summer.

 

[Patches Lee]

Edited: I thought there was another board under it but after some digging I found a better pic. There are metal pins bolting it to the 6x6 lumber. That has the front elevated. Straps look pretty tight.

View attachment 338592

Ah that would have been enough for me to give a bit more room to the truck that's for sure. Whole Final Destination Disney style running through my head lol.

Nothing official - though known they want it fully up and running before Galaxy’s Edge which opens late fall next year, so before that.

Somebody people seem to think by start of summer next years, others have it a bit later - but something next year seems to be the bet

I'm both anxious for it to be running for June vacation and hope I can catch them running the cables. Can't have both that's for sure lol

 

[kay1864]

Since there appears to be a "split" at CBR, how will Epcot guests get to DHS vs Pop?

1. Gondolas will go to DHS first, then loop to Pop, then return to CBR
2. Gondolas will alternate DHS vs Pop. Guests boarding at Epcot or Riviera will be told "this is a DHS gondola" or "this is a Pop gondola". <-- I'm hoping they don't do this
3. Guests going to Pop will get off at CBR and board a different gondola.

 

[Moliphino]

I think it's supposed to be option 3, except guests going to DHS will also have to get off and change lines at CBR.