Disney Skyliner (Gondola) Construction Updates

[joelkfla]

This is from Doppelmayr website:

The detachable gondola lift from Doppelmayr/Garaventa ranks as one of the most successful ropeway systems in the world. It features cabins to take four to 15 passengers and is used to transport winter sports enthusiasts up snow-covered mountains in the most popular ski resorts, helps to boost summer tourism and also blends in perfectly with the cityscape when employed in urban transport projects. Traveling on a detachable gondola lift from Doppelmayr/Garaventa is safe, comfortable and fast. Modern design, innovative safety components and top-grade structural steelwork ensure a successful combination of aesthetics, utmost safety and optimal added value. The panoramic windows allow a unique, all-round view – and create the sensation of being immersed in nature.

Time and again, the gondola lift demonstrates its many benefits through barrier-free access which means that strollers, wheelchairs or alternative winter sports equipment can be transported without any problem. The detachable grip technology perfected by Doppelmayr/Garaventa enables the carriers to separate from the haul rope in the stations, ensuring particularly comfortable loading and unloading for passengers. On the line, gondolas reach speeds of up to 6 m/s.

Disney is getting the D-Line, an upgraded technology which is described separately on the site. All of that above still applies, except the maximum speed is higher.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Disney is getting the D-Line, an upgraded technology which is described separately on the site. All of that above still applies, except the maximum speed is higher.

right, I was just pointing out the part where they are wheelchair and stroller friendly and they seperate from the haul rope so they can be stopped if need be. That's probably what the additional loop is going to be used for.

 

[goofy4tink]

This is from Doppelmayr website:

The detachable gondola lift from Doppelmayr/Garaventa ranks as one of the most successful ropeway systems in the world. It features cabins to take four to 15 passengers and is used to transport winter sports enthusiasts up snow-covered mountains in the most popular ski resorts, helps to boost summer tourism and also blends in perfectly with the cityscape when employed in urban transport projects. Traveling on a detachable gondola lift from Doppelmayr/Garaventa is safe, comfortable and fast. Modern design, innovative safety components and top-grade structural steelwork ensure a successful combination of aesthetics, utmost safety and optimal added value. The panoramic windows allow a unique, all-round view – and create the sensation of being immersed in nature.

Time and again, the gondola lift demonstrates its many benefits through barrier-free access which means that strollers, wheelchairs or alternative winter sports equipment can be transported without any problem. The detachable grip technology perfected by Doppelmayr/Garaventa enables the carriers to separate from the haul rope in the stations, ensuring particularly comfortable loading and unloading for passengers. On the line, gondolas reach speeds of up to 6 m/s.

I understand this...and it is a terrific system. BUT...this is Disney World, not Europe. I've ridden public transit in Europe. They get it, they're used to it. We see issues with WDW guests boarding buses, boats, and monorails. The huge double strollers that many have are going to make boarding these cars interesting, to say the least. We have larger people here, we have more entitled folks here. I know, a gross generalization. But when you've spent as much time in Disney as I have, I've seen some pretty atrocious behaviour!! And that behaviour is not going to be a good match for gondola travel!! But, maybe I'm being too negative. It's going to be a great way to get around, so I'll wait and see how it all shakes out.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Not sure if anyone is still following this thread but more info out about the Skyliner.

 

[dachsie]

No A/C? That is a disaster in the making. First time the things stalls and someone has heatstroke while stuck in it will result in a huge lawsuit

 

[seashoreCM]

I'm sure that Disney can get most of the gondolas loaded to capacity when they want to. Disney has lots of experience in loading vehicles namely on all the rides. Test Track, for example, rarely has an empty seat in a car. And knowing that there is a single rider line, families will not expect to have a gondola to themselves if there are empty seats.

There will be the exception when dealing with wheelchairs, etc. Sometimes a CM will judge that it will take so much time for persons to squeeze around the wheelchair that he dispatches that gondola with an empty seat or two.

An aisle a little wider than you might expect can save time. Everyday objects like strollers and diaper bags, and, when returning to the resorts, bags full of souvenirs, can be plunked down quickly.

 

[joelkfla]

there is a single rider line

??? Did I miss something?

 

[HopperFan]

Not sure if anyone is still following this thread but more info out about the Skyliner.

None of that info was a surprise. Should smell lovely.

 

[seashoreCM]

How will Riviera resort work? Is there a separate Riviera to Caribbean Beach loop while the Epcot to CBR loop passes by, perhaps passing an adjacent emergency platform, nonstop?

A shunting station sharing the Epcot to CBR line would be vastly different from a shunt at a terminal for handicapped accessibility comparable to Toy Story Mania loading. Riviera would be a high volume shunting station with very frequent merging back onto the main line. Or it might not be a shunting station but all cars would have to slow down at Riviera.

 

[joelkfla]

How will Riviera resort work? Is there a separate Riviera to Caribbean Beach loop while the Epcot to CBR loop passes by, perhaps passing an adjacent emergency platform, nonstop?

A shunting station sharing the Epcot to CBR line would be vastly different from a shunt at a terminal for handicapped accessibility comparable to Toy Story Mania loading. Riviera would be a high volume shunting station with very frequent merging back onto the main line. Or it might not be a shunting station but all cars would have to slow down at Riviera.

There appears to be a single route thru Riviera. It seems to be a typical intermediate station, where all cabins come off the rope, slow down, and doors open. Thru passengers simply stay in the cabin. It's the simplest approach.

What provisions will be made for slow loaders at Riviera remains a mystery.

 

[Dan Murphy]

First gondola car onsite.

http://blogmickey.com/2018/09/break...kyliner-station-testing-at-hollywood-studios/

 

[smartmommy4]

No A/C? That is a disaster in the making. First time the things stalls and someone has heatstroke while stuck in it will result in a huge lawsuit

Yeah, no AC. Don't you just love it? What I don't like is getting dumped at the International Gateway of Epcot. I don't want to be there. I want to go to Epcot the normal way, with the Spaceship Earth looming over me.

The gondola won't be as hot with fewer people. With 8 people, the body heat alone will add up fast. It's like an elevator, but much worse. A ten minute elevator ride (and pray to God that it doesn't get stalled.)

I am so excited to see the gondola done! I want to see the reaction of people riding it. Will they mostly accept it just fine, or will they mostly reject it? Super exciting! I've never waited for anything Disney with this much anticipation. We'll know by next summer!

 

[smartmommy4]

First gondola car onsite.

http://blogmickey.com/2018/09/break...kyliner-station-testing-at-hollywood-studios/

This glass bubble doesn't look very big. 8 people. Hm. I think if Disney doesn't force it, there will never be 8 volunteers all squeezing in there. It will seat no more than 4 per bubble. People will simply wait for the next bubble. But this all depends on the loading process. Say if you have a family of 4 with a big stroller, like me, you pretty much need the entire bubble.

 

[kaytieeldr]

This glass bubble doesn't look very big

It looks about twelve feet tall, and about ten feet across at the widest point.

 

[BorderTenny]

It looks about twelve feet tall, and about ten feet across at the widest point.

Only if you're using "Internet" inches.

 

[joelkfla]

It looks about twelve feet tall, and about ten feet across at the widest point.

Only if you're using "Internet" inches.

It's believed to be Doppelmayr's Omega IV-10 cabin.

Seat width is 18.11" for 10 passengers. For 8 passengers, seat width would be 22.65". For comparison, SWA seat width is 18". Total seat width is 7.55 feet.

Cabin height is 7.28 feet.

Cabin length is 6.37 feet.

 

[smartmommy4]

It's believed to be Doppelmayr's Omega IV-10 cabin.

Seat width is 18.11" for 10 passengers. For 8 passengers, seat width would be 22.65". For comparison, SWA seat width is 18". Total seat width is 7.55 feet.

Cabin height is 7.28 feet.

Cabin length is 6.37 feet.

I'm not actually concerned about the size of the thing. It's more the heat I'm worried about. I always come back from Epcot at around 1:30 p.m in September, when it's 95 out with the sun blazing. Supposedly it takes 10 minutes to go from Pop to Epcot on the gondola. I have stood in the hot sun waiting for bus for more than 10 minutes in the past, and have seen many others do so. My question is, will people be willing to do so in a gondola?

The benefit is, you don't have to wait. So you can just pretend that you are doing the 10 minute bus wait when you are being carried off. And getting to Epcot within 10 minutes with no wait is a rather enticing idea, no matter how hot it is. If I spray me and the kids full of water before we get on, we should make it.... It's not very elegant, arriving at Epcot like sweaty pigs, but it is fast (assuming it doesn't stall). And I'm a big sucker for hauling ourselves to Epcot quickly without paying extra. If it stalls...well, I'll bring extra water to spray ourselves (and our fellow passengers if necessary) some more.

So, I'm in.

(Note to self: always bring extra water before getting on the gondola.)

 

[charmed59]

Doppelmayr is the manufacturer of the Gondola to Sentosa in Singapore, which has equally hot and humid summers. They recently upgraded that 30 year old system to increase the capacity, but to my knowledge did not add AC. If that gondola is fine without AC I think we will be too.

 

[Weedy]

I'm not actually concerned about the size of the thing. It's more the heat I'm worried about. I always come back from Epcot at around 1:30 p.m in September, when it's 95 out with the sun blazing. Supposedly it takes 10 minutes to go from Pop to Epcot on the gondola. I have stood in the hot sun waiting for bus for more than 10 minutes in the past, and have seen many others do so. My question is, will people be willing to do so in a gondola?

The benefit is, you don't have to wait. So you can just pretend that you are doing the 10 minute bus wait when you are being carried off. And getting to Epcot within 10 minutes with no wait is a rather enticing idea, no matter how hot it is. If I spray me and the kids full of water before we get on, we should make it.... It's not very elegant, arriving at Epcot like sweaty pigs, but it is fast (assuming it doesn't stall). And I'm a big sucker for hauling ourselves to Epcot quickly without paying extra. If it stalls...well, I'll bring extra water to spray ourselves (and our fellow passengers if necessary) some more.

So, I'm in.

(Note to self: always bring extra water before getting on the gondola.)

I found this photo online. Could it be possible to have air conditioning with solar?? I think so

 

[seashoreCM]

Solar panels that would fit on the gondola would not generate enough electricity to run an air conditioner.

They could generate enough power to charge batteries used to provide lights at night.