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

[gatour]

My dream vision for Skyliner expansion:

*A station at Disney Springs (buses are terrible there, and it would connect the resorts with boats to DS to the parks apart from buses

*A station at Coronado Springs (the Gran Destino Tower would be the place to be with alternative transport

*Shared station for the All Star Resorts

*Station between AK park and AK lodge with walking paths to both. AK is the only park with bus only transportation

*Walking path around Epcot from Skyliner station to Monorail station to connect the two for people without park passes or who only have single park passes and want to go to MK

Disney Springs station most likely won't happen unless they institute a parking charge for Disney Springs, or they only run the line starting in the late afternoon.

I can see a system that ties AKL, AK, Coronado Springs, and the All Stars. Blizzard Beach at first blush would be a natural station, however people would use the free parking to go to AK.

Looking at the potential for walking paths between AKL and AK. And between the IG to the front of EPCOT Center. Both look doable. However, I think the AKL/AK path would be more likely.

 

[Orionreplay]

But there's no way to get ahead of that gondola in front of you to race to the park!

No, this is true... but we learned to watch that gondola filled with family and upon landing, my family of four would hoof it fast around them still trying to get out of the gondola. There's always a way!

By the end of our 7 day trip, we had the Skyliner down to a science and learned no matter how the lines looked, they always moved fast. We even got to finally relax and would fly from AoA to Caribbean Beach, trot down the ramp, get Joffey's and then get back on. Ride all the way to Epcot with Mocha Lattes and smile.

 

[gatour]

Would you mind explaining the physics of this one to me?

For a funicular transversing a hill. Cab X is at the bottom of the hill's station, while Cab Y is at top of the hill's station. They both board their passengers, and the motors start moving the cabs. The weight of the cab and passengers in each cab counterweight each other thus requiring a smaller motor to move the entire system.

If you ever seen a "glass" non-pneumatic elevator, if you look on the side walls the elevator shaft, you will see counter weights going down while the elevator cab going up, and conversely the weights going up while the elevator cab is going down. If you need an excuse to go on a cruise this is it, as many ships have these types of elevators in the atrium. Many other elevators in other applications work the same way, but you can't see the counter weights are not visible.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I can see a system that ties AKL, AK, Coronado Springs, and the All Stars. Blizzard Beach at first blush would be a natural station, however people would use the free parking to go to AK.

Disney exec: or as the perfect excuse to start charging for parking at Blizzard Beach!

 

[sachilles]

For a funicular transversing a hill. Cab X is at the bottom of the hill's station, while Cab Y is at top of the hill's station. They both board their passengers, and the motors start moving the cabs. The weight of the cab and passengers in each cab counterweight each other thus requiring a smaller motor to move the entire system.

If you ever seen a "glass" non-pneumatic elevator, if you look on the side walls the elevator shaft, you will see counter weights going down while the elevator cab going up, and conversely the weights going up while the elevator cab is going down. If you need an excuse to go on a cruise this is it, as many ships have these types of elevators in the atrium. Many other elevators in other applications work the same way, but you can't see the counter weights are not visible.

I'll beat the dead horse a bit and then drop it.
Without getting into a physics debate, the original suggestion was the opposing car uses the hill to help the other car along. Suggesting that hill does the work. With funicular and your elevator example, the counterweight puts the cars in balance. It still requires a motor to move the cars in the opposing directions.
While they won't likely ever be truly balanced with varying passenger loads, lets assume they are. Assume a friction less pulley. It will take a similar amount of energy to pull the loads in opposite directions, regardless of the grade of the hill, or the lack of any hill. So there is no advantage to having a hill in the system.

The devices became popular on hills, as traditional trains could not get enough grip to climb the steep grades. Funiculars overcome that scenario as they are not using thier wheels to drive the vehicle, they just ride on the rails.

 

[Someone28624]

Disney Springs station most likely won't happen unless they institute a parking charge for Disney Springs, or they only run the line starting in the late afternoon.

I can see a system that ties AKL, AK, Coronado Springs, and the All Stars. Blizzard Beach at first blush would be a natural station, however people would use the free parking to go to AK.

Looking at the potential for walking paths between AKL and AK. And between the IG to the front of EPCOT Center. Both look doable. However, I think the AKL/AK path would be more likely.

They already know people use the free DS parking and go to the parks. People do it now. I think a few more people might if the Skyliner went there, but there would still be people that wouldn't deem the hassle worth it and yet others that would have no idea that was a possibility.

On the flip side, a Skyliner station at DS would greatly increase the amount of on property guests with no cars going there and spending money.

 

[CarolynFH]

They already know people use the free DS parking and go to the parks. People do it now. I think a few more people might if the Skyliner went there, but there would still be people that wouldn't deem the hassle worth it and yet others that would have no idea that was a possibility.

On the flip side, a Skyliner station at DS would greatly increase the amount of on property guests with no cars going there and spending money.

That’s true, they do know people park at DS and go to the parks, but they don’t want to make it easier for them to do it, and they want parking at DS to be free in order to compete for business from Orlando-area residents. So I agree with others that a Skyliner route to DS is way at the bottom of the list of possibilities, and if they build one I wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t start running until 4 PM, like the park to DS buses do now, or even later.

 

[joelkfla]

Why would you need hills? A Funicular is simply a mode of transportation that uses cables to propel the vehicle. Look at Universal. the train between the 2 HP worlds does not go up or down a hill and is a funicular.

It is true that you don't need a hill to have a funicular, but if you don't have a hill you don't need a funicular. A simple people mover (airport style) would do just as well, and probably be cheaper, higher capacity, and scalable. And you could have as many stations as needed.

 

[joelkfla]

Funiculars can be either aerial (vaguely like the Skyliner) or on-the ground (Hogwarts?; there is also one in Hong Kong and two in Pittsburgh).

Funicular is short for funicular railway, which by definition runs on rails.

The aerial counterpart to a funicular is an aerial tramway with 2 cabins on a single looped propulsion rope.

 

[MeridaAnn]

I finally got to ride the Skyway again yesterday - my first time back on since getting stuck on board for the 3-hours that incident the first weekend. I was glad to find that I didn't have any surprise fears as I got back in or anything. Everything went very smoothly. The line did pause just as I was walking up to the station, but it was moving again within 30 seconds and I didn't have any stops while I was riding it myself. This time I went from DHS to Epcot.

It's such a comfortable ride and the views are lovely. Now that the temperatures have started to drop, it was almost a little chilly with the airflow, but no more so than a breeze would be while walking around on the ground. There was some tour-guide style commentary from the overhead speakers during the first leg that I didn't have the first time I rode it, but I was going the opposite direction last time, so I don't know if that's a change or if it's only on certain legs.

I was travelling solo, so I was put with a family of 3 during the first leg as I left Epcot, but there were only two or three families ahead of me in line at the transfer, so I got my own car for the leg into DHS. I'll definitely continue to use the gondolas whenever I get the chance - it's the most peaceful and comfortable free transportation option that Disney offers, in my opinion.

 

[Someone28624]

I finally got to ride the Skyway again yesterday - my first time back on since getting stuck on board for the 3-hours that incident the first weekend. I was glad to find that I didn't have any surprise fears as I got back in or anything. Everything went very smoothly. The line did pause just as I was walking up to the station, but it was moving again within 30 seconds and I didn't have any stops while I was riding it myself. This time I went from DHS to Epcot.

It's such a comfortable ride and the views are lovely. Now that the temperatures have started to drop, it was almost a little chilly with the airflow, but no more so than a breeze would be while walking around on the ground. There was some tour-guide style commentary from the overhead speakers during the first leg that I didn't have the first time I rode it, but I was going the opposite direction last time, so I don't know if that's a change or if it's only on certain legs.

I was travelling solo, so I was put with a family of 3 during the first leg as I left Epcot, but there were only two or three families ahead of me in line at the transfer, so I got my own car for the leg into DHS. I'll definitely continue to use the gondolas whenever I get the chance - it's the most peaceful and comfortable free transportation option that Disney offers, in my opinion.

I’m genuinely impressed you were able to get back on, and actually enjoy it, after being stuck for 3 hours.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

There was some tour-guide style commentary from the overhead speakers during the first leg that I didn't have the first time I rode it, but I was going the opposite direction last time, so I don't know if that's a change or if it's only on certain legs.

I got to ride it during cast previews and there was commentary on all three lines both directions then.

 

[snappy]

Maybe the speakers aren’t working correctly in some gondolas?

 

[only hope]

I rode from Epcot to HS and back a few weeks ago. Only the last leg to the parks had commentary I think.

 

[jade1]

Evacuated from CBR resort stop just now. Firetruck arrived as well.

Headed to bus stop.

Must have been minor, was running again when we got to DHS.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Evacuated from CBR resort stop just now. Firetruck arrived as well.

Headed to bus stop.

Praying all are okay. Sounds like a possible medical emergency.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I saw fire trucks whizzing by just now...

 

[Someone28624]

Evacuated from CBR resort stop just now. Firetruck arrived as well.

Headed to bus stop.

Are they evacuating from the gondolas or just the stations as they get people off?

 

[vacationer1954]

This is where I think the Skyliner from TTC to Magic Kingdom should run.
See red mark on photo the east side of Seven Seas Lagoon.
It could start and end on the inside of the monorail beam. Pick up and drop off in the bus areas and most of the run over land
View attachment 454801

this picture alone it's enough to convince me the chances of them buying new monorail trains for the express monorail it's pretty close to zero.

 

[Orionreplay]

I had to ask the cast members about the Skyliner delays that occurred during our stay. It would seem, at the busiest times, there would be a pause of a minute or two. I received mostly answers of not being sure to finally, one good one at the AoA/PC stop. We had a couple minute pause and he was close to me.

So I asked, "This whole week there would be pauses in travel, never more than a couple minutes, but pauses nonetheless. Why do these happen?" He looked at me and replied, Usually it is people who don't want to get off. They don't understand you can't go around. You have to get off and re-enter. Sometimes its people who have a hard time getting on. Their families got on, but they lagged behind long enough that the Skyliner needed to be stopped. He said, Some people are afraid.

this picture alone it's enough to convince me the chances of them buying new monorail trains for the express monorail it's pretty close to zero.

When we had to get a monorail in during our time at WDW, because they are so iconic, we rode Skyliner to Epcot and monorail from Epcot to TTC. The monorail from TTC to MK was stalled. The lines grew longer. The loudspeaker said the monorail needed more coffee this morning. We were told to stay positioned and did so for maybe 20 minutes. We were eventually disembarked for the either the boat or could try the monorail to the resorts. After about 20 minutes in that resort line, the MK monorail rolled out. My shoulders hung in defeat as we watched our previous monorail leave the station. We did eventually get to the MK via the resorts monorail and all was forgotten.

I don't know what the answer is, but I quickly became a true Skyliner-Believer this trip!