Why did SKYWAY close in DL and WDW???

aesalsa

DIS Veteran
Joined
Sep 14, 2003
Why did SKYWAY close in DL and WDW???

Whenever I go to WDW, I always see that little Bavarian-looking building. Only recently I discovered that it was the dispatching area for Skyway. That's such a cute, charming building. . I wonder if anything will be done with it.


:wave2:
 
Safety.

There have been a number of fatalities around the country related to the gondola-type rides over the years. A CM at WDW died after an accident with the ride in 1999, and Disney apparently wisely decided that the risk justified closing the attraction.
 
Thanks so much, Kathy! Do you think that anything constructive will be done with that building?? I would love to go up there and just look at it! :wizard:
:wave2:
 


When is was on the college program at WDW in 99, a CM died by getting their vest caugh in the doors and they fell to their death (at least that is the "official rumor"). I believe it closed shortly after that.

I would love to see something there. Maybe a restaurant (that would be a great view of the park from up there).
 
I am not sure, but last time I was there in Nov, I think the building was gone. If you are talking about the building on the hill near small world, I am pretty sure it was torn down when they put in the stroller holding area. I whish I really took a good look at it, but I'm so used to seeing it empty I did not really take notice, but I think its gone. :confused3
 
MitchK said:
I am not sure, but last time I was there in Nov, I think the building was gone. If you are talking about the building on the hill near small world, I am pretty sure it was torn down when they put in the stroller holding area. I whish I really took a good look at it, but I'm so used to seeing it empty I did not really take notice, but I think its gone. :confused3
Th3e building was still there in Decmber. Plans are to make it a stroller parking area and a meet and greet.
 


WDWHound said:
Th3e building was still there in Decmber. Plans are to make it a stroller parking area and a meet and greet.

Meet and greets, playgrounds, stroller areas. How about we get an attraction put in!

On an intersesting side note, there was a story on Jim Hill's site about how WDW was supposed to get a Matterhorn clone in that area. When MK was built the area behind IASW was set aside for the attraction, you can see where the structures were supposed to connect if you are behind the IASW building. I thing thats the reason for the Swiss design of the skyway building.
 
Safety.

There have been a number of fatalities around the country related to the gondola-type rides over the years. A CM at WDW died after an accident with the ride in 1999, and Disney apparently wisely decided that the risk justified closing the attraction.

Sourses? Numbers? Citations?
 
Didn't see it in December didn't go that way since IASW was not up and running. We usually go to the HM that way after small world. I will look in 6 weeks. The area was being used as a meet and greet. I haven't seen anything different. The strollers are a problem in that area due to Peter Pan And Small world.

Dan-tot
 
The cm falling to his death was all over the news, it wasn't just a rumor. He fell near Dumbo after the car started moving from the station when he was working on it before opening, he hung on as long as he could.

It was a slow loading ride and they had problems of kids spitting off the cars into the crowd below.

I know the Fantasyland station was still there 2 weeks ago, we commented that they need to do something with it.
 
I recall from a previous trip (long time ago!!) that some folks (and not always kids) also liked to toss trash and food down on the crowds below. Heard that from one of the CM's loading the cars---.
Although I believe "open" food etc was prohibited, many carrried all sorts of snacks, etc in pockets, bags, etc.
 
Often you'll find Snow White and Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) there for photos and autographs. If still there in May, I'll try to get to the top for some pictures of the park. Never thought of that before...
 
There are many rumors around the closure of the Skyway attractions at both Disneyland and WDW.

In the early 90's a man fell from one of the cabins on the Disneyland attraction and landed in a tree. He sued the park and lost. It was proven that he rigged the door so that it wouldn't lock and planned the fall as well as the location so that he could sue.

The Disneyland version was closed in 1994 and WDW's ride closed in 99 or 00.

The main reasons for these closures are;

1. When a new attraction opens in the parks, an older one usually has to go. At DL the new attraction was Indiana Jones. At WDW it was the Aladdin ride.

2. These were among the lowest capacity attractions with the highest labor costs. Three to four CM's had to work at each station and the ride loaded very slowly. At WDW there was a mid-point where the ride turned, which also had to be manned by CM's.

To my knowledge, these closures were never a reaction to any accidents. If there was a major risk factor involved, the ride would not have lasted for nearly 40 years at Disneyland, and would have never been built at WDW.
 
DVCconvert said:
Sourses? Numbers? Citations?

It did happen--I do remember it on the news back then. He was not in the gondola---but in the area where you board them....tomorrowland section I believe. It was a man and it was an older worker, I think.

From snopes:

Events seemingly repeated themselves five years later. In February 1999, a park custodian at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom was killed when the skyway started up unexpectedly while he was cleaning one of its platforms. Raymond Barlow, 65, was sweeping off a narrow skyway platform inaccessible to park guests an hour after the park's 9:00 A.M. opening when other cast members, unaware of his presence, started up the ride. Barlow, startled by the approaching gondola, grabbed onto it and tried to climb inside; he fell 40 feet into a flower bed, hitting a tree on the way down, and died. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration later ruled that the area in which Barlow had been working violated federal safety codes and fined Walt Disney World $4,500 for a "serious" violation of safety standards. Several months later, in November 1999, the Magic Kingdom's skyway was also permanently closed. Once again, the decision to close the attraction was based on factors other than its being involved in a recent accidental death.
 
What would the Aladdin ride have to do with the skyway? They're nowhere near each other. Also - Aladdin came MANY years after they closed down the skyway.

I always hated those things anyway! Everytime we went over the rollers on the poles I thought it would come off the ropes!
 
Disney Debbie said:
What would the Aladdin ride have to do with the skyway? They're nowhere near each other. Also - Aladdin came MANY years after they closed down the skyway.

I always hated those things anyway! Everytime we went over the rollers on the poles I thought it would come off the ropes!

If that part of the rumour is true, I would guess that the height the carpets reach would be too close for comfort to the gondola's. A stretch though IMHO. They have added rides in the past without having to do away with attractions in the parks. Unless a ride is really tanking--or they require the physical space, I don't think they just close one b/c they are opening another if that makes any sense.
 
The whole closing one ride down when a new one opens could be just a myth that Disney uses to justify closing down the things. But it does happen. It doesn't matter where in the park the new attractions are. It also helps them to recite Walt Disney's quote that "Disneyland will never be completed as long as there is imagination left in the world." I know that we are talking about WDW here, the the same message applies.
 

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