Disney Skyliner Accident

[rteetz]

This system is different. As it is different, you can’t use the construction of a different system as a complete benchmark. That would be pointless. What are the differences? What caused the delay in building? Was it the tariffs that have been imposed various building supplies? Was it the fact that Disney likes to spread out the construction of projects as they don’t want to incur additional costs to try and complete the project in what other industries would call a normal timeframe? Was Disney trying to stagger the opening along with the opening of other things ? My point, which still stands, is that you are using speculation to refute another’s claim.

I’m done commenting on this aspect but no I am not speculating. I cannot give you all the information I have.

 

[midaroco]

When I went for NYE last year they were already testing the gondolas inside the stations. And by February they had covered cars on the lines. Testing was certainty longer than an average gondola system.

You are speculating. This isn’t a fact.

 

[Madame]

The best explanation I have heard is that the separate line for the ECV's and wheelchairs isn't working reliably and is frequently shut down. I don't know the full reason, but they are having to stop the gondolas to load ECV's and wheelchairs a lot more than planned. The Riviera station wasn't built with that separate detachment space for the ECV's/wheelchairs, so they are having to stop the line every time someone gets on there. I have thoughts on this decision to put these detachment areas in everywhere but there, but that is for another day.

I bet we have similar lines of thought on why everywhere had the separate ECV/wheelchair loop... everywhere except the DVC resort. It’s been on my mind all day.

 

[midaroco]

I’m done commenting on this aspect but no I am not speculating. I cannot give you all the information I have.

That‘s fine if you’re done commenting. What you presented was speculative and not factual. I’m not saying I disagree with you, my point was that you can’t refute others natural conclusions they draw based on the information they have with speculative information. You are drawing your own conclusions based on information you have - however it’s still speculative.

 

[Carol_]

I’ve been riding gondolas for over 40 years but I’ve also managed to get around at WDW for those same years without a Gondola. I die a little inside every time there’s a ride glitch, whether I’m on it or just imagining I’m on it.

 

[Frank4202]

Instead of fixing the skyliner, can we fix this first?

 

[photo_chick]

That‘s fine if you’re done commenting. What you presented was speculative and not factual. I’m not saying I disagree with you, my point was that you can’t refute others natural conclusions they draw based on the information they have with speculative information. You are drawing your own conclusions based on information you have - however it’s still speculative.

Oh, good grief.. 99% of this thread has been speculation. "they should test more" "they didn't test enough" Seriously, the armchair engineers have really come out of the woodwork. That's the nature of a message board. Heck, that's the nature of our news media these days.

Now.... Does anyone remember the 1979 accident at the State Fair of Texas? A gondola crashed to the ground. It was in high winds. As a result, they learned how to be safer and not use the gondolas in high winds. I trust that whatever caused this really very minor accident to happen will be investigated and from that, they'll figure out how to avoid it ever happening again.

 

[TheMick424]

I bet we have similar lines of thought on why everywhere had the separate ECV/wheelchair loop... everywhere except the DVC resort. It’s been on my mind all day.

I don’t understand this design decision at all. I’m sure there could have been a solution that minimally changed the station design and kept down the costs.

 

[Disneylover99]

Instead of fixing the skyliner, can we fix this first?

View attachment 441972

Good idea. Maybe he can help with evacuations next time.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

FWIW a spokesperson for the Reedy Creek FD union has now said what a lot of us have been saying in this thread, there were no serious injuries “but that could have been a lot different if this had happened at noon”. Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.or...qkbenzdvl6j2bredygu-story.html?outputType=amp

 

[rteetz]

Oh, good grief.. 99% of this thread has been speculation. "they should test more" "they didn't test enough" Seriously, the armchair engineers have really come out of the woodwork. That's the nature of a message board. Heck, that's the nature of our news media these days.

Now.... Does anyone remember the 1979 accident at the State Fair of Texas? A gondola crashed to the ground. It was in high winds. As a result, they learned how to be safer and not use the gondolas in high winds. I trust that whatever caused this really very minor accident to happen will be investigated and from that, they'll figure out how to avoid it ever happening again.

Exactly. At this time none of us have concrete info on what happened here and the cause. I’m not even sure Disney is 100% on everything yet. They are likely still investigating.

 

[Frank4202]

Good idea. Maybe he can help with evacuations next time.

Maybe we could just add strobe lights to the abandon Skyliner? Im sure nobody will notice.

 

[midaroco]

Oh, good grief.. 99% of this thread has been speculation.

Yea, that was my point, which you are echoing here with your comment.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

And here’s a first hand report from a passenger who described it as a “sweat box”. And incredibly hot. Again, at 10 pm in October. I continue to maintain this could have been so much worse and this should be a wake up call that they need to rethink a system like this that can break down at noon in the summer. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cl...es-being-stranded-for-hours-on-disney-gondola

 

[Matty B13]

I wonder if they will continue to let ECV/wheelchairs ride the Skyliner, it seems like the loading of the ECV's is causing a lot of delays at the stations and along the line. I wonder if they will make up some excuse that they can't safely rescue ECV guests and will bar them from riding anymore, when in truth it was a failure of design to account for the amount of ECV that were going to use the system.

 

[hertamaniac]

And here’s a first hand report from a passenger who described it as a “sweat box”. And incredibly hot. Again, at 10 pm in October. I continue to maintain this could have been so much worse and this should be a wake up call that they need to rethink a system like this that can break down at noon in the summer. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cl...es-being-stranded-for-hours-on-disney-gondola

That was quite an account from that passenger and the situation. I feel confident there will be changes forthcoming to the Skyliner system.

 

[EmJ]

FWIW a spokesperson for the Reedy Creek FD union has now said what a lot of us have been saying in this thread, there were no serious injuries “but that could have been a lot different if this had happened at noon”. Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-bz-disney-skyliner-stuck-20191006-62n3oywqkbenzdvl6j2bredygu-story.html?outputType=amp

This is my main issue. I don't need to know whether a sensor malfunctioned or a car jumped a cable or human error was the cause, to know that if whatever happened last night happened in warm weather, many people would be very, very sick. The evacuation response seemed slow and uncoordinated. The provisions on board seemed inadequate. The "cooling system" seemed ineffective. The photos and first-hand accounts being shared seem more compelling than the conflicting "nothing to see here" statements being released by Disney. And that adds up to me not wanting to ride. I doubt very much Disney cares whether I, personally, board the gondola system. But if enough people take a pass, then Disney will have built a very expensive system that ultimately ends up underutilized.

Hopefully now that the initial shock has worn off, Disney can take its time to do a proper investigation, upgrades to ventilation and emergency preparedness, repairs, new testing, whatever it is that they need to fix the system and convince the public it is safe. A lot of questions have been raised just on this forum about exactly how this would have gone down on July 5 instead of October 5. THAT's what Disney has to answer.

 

[Boopuff]

I'm sure part of the grand operational system, during a storm, or high winds, is to close the skyliner. Most gondolas don't run in those situations. Now I predict that that many times during "storm" season, we'll see (skyliner closed) signs posted and the Dis boards will run rampant that the people couldn't ride them during a "light rain" etc. I live in Cololrado and gondolas are all over the place. And yes there have been evacuations here as well. Thakfully no one was gravely injured. (I'm guessing people on stretchers were in a panic, or stressed out or dehydrated etc. and couldn't exit on their own) Rides/transportation breaks down at all sorts of amusement parks everywhere and there have been very dramatic injuries.

 

[vertigo235]

I don’t understand this design decision at all. I’m sure there could have been a solution that minimally changed the station design and kept down the costs.

Well the Riviera station is a passthrough, not and end of line. All the other stations have a section at the end where they can store extra gondolas. I'm not sure how they would put one at the Riviera.

 

[UmmGooD]

And here’s a first hand report from a passenger who described it as a “sweat box”. And incredibly hot. Again, at 10 pm in October. I continue to maintain this could have been so much worse and this should be a wake up call that they need to rethink a system like this that can break down at noon in the summer. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cl...es-being-stranded-for-hours-on-disney-gondola

Exactly why I think $100 and a ticket isn’t enough. This isn’t good.