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

[crvetter]

So I had some time to think about this a little. From a statics point of view, the launch angle is completely dependant on the acceleration and independent of the weight.

If it accelerates to 12mph over 3 seconds, that is an acceleration of 5.9 ft/s^2. Ratio that with the acceleration of gravity at 32.2 ft/s^2 and take the arctan, you get an angle of about 10 degrees.

Considering the acceleration is only about 1/6 of a g I think it'll be noticable but not bothering.

Yeah I was mistaken, you beat me to calling me out before I could retract. I sat down to look at both the static and dynamic states of the system before coming back. I agree the launch angle is independent on mass, if you assume no other forces, except inertial/acceleration, act on the system. As for the dynamics of the pendulum swinging, I had the equation reversed initially, the increased mass wouldn't actually dampen out quicker the swinging either, if the swinging stops before hitting the haul rope or once it hits the haul rope if the tension on the rope is held constant by the bull wheel. Though, yeah it would still be unbothering by any means.

 

[OSUZorba]

Also if the system maintains the same tension in the haul rope that would require quite the displacement ability on the bull wheel. This is assuming the haul ropes as they stand right now are set at the tension of the loaded system.

I just found this really good video of a behind the scenes on a detachable chair lift. It shows the tensioner at around the 3:20 mark. Still haven't been able to find a video that really talks about how the tensioners work, but they basically always put a specific force on the cable. Some systems even just use dead weight.

The gondola in St Thomas runs with two sets of three cabins. They used to have a large concrete block dangling off a cable attached to the bullwheel. The cabins moved between towers you could watch it move back and forth, over a pretty wide range. Disney's won't move as much since the cabins are evenly distributed across the line, so as one cabin hits a tower another is leaving a tower, etc.

Here is a picture I could find of a random counterweight tensioner, from here:

One more video showing someone cutting the cable on a counterweight, look what happens to the bullwheel...

 

[PaulaSB12]

I am really hoping this will be open when I go I am looking forward to using it. I noticed there isn't any opening in Pop Century when I tried the dates I am going in September.

 

[evlaina]

I am really hoping this will be open when I go I am looking forward to using it. I noticed there isn't any opening in Pop Century when I tried the dates I am going in September.

When are you going? We’re staying at Pop 9/28-10/4 and every room type is still available. I’m sure it will be open by 9/1.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I arrive on 8th September

 

[Spaceguy55]

I am really hoping this will be open when I go I am looking forward to using it. I noticed there isn't any opening in Pop Century when I tried the dates I am going in September.

It does appear that you need to stay 4 or 5 nights for a room to show up as available..you could call and try to book with a CM to make sure

 

[Loopster]

That tilt when you come and go, wheeee!!!!

Oh my gosh I thought the same thing. I was hoping with the weight of people on it there wouldnt be that little swing....little frightening. But I love it. lol

I sure hope it's noticeable

We ride the gondolas in Breckinridge quite a bit and yes, there is a bit of a swing. My kids LOVE to stand up and “surf” upon going into each station and then leaving it again. The swing is probably not as drastic as the video, but it’s definitely noticeable and their favorite part of the ride.

 

[Hoosier John]

... Still haven't been able to find a video that really talks about how the tensioners work, but they basically always put a specific force on the cable. Some systems even just use dead weight.


... [St Thomas gondolas] used to have a large concrete block dangling off a cable attached to the bullwheel. The cabins moved between towers you could watch it move back and forth, over a pretty wide range. Disney's won't move as much since the cabins are evenly distributed across the line, so as one cabin hits a tower another is leaving a tower, etc.

I would say the tensioner can be cable attached or hydraulic attached. Either way they will use a massive counter weight.

I think Disney's gondola will move farther than St Thomas'. The amount of motion necessary is proportional to the fully loaded weight of the system minus empty weight (plus some temperature dependence).

Thinking more, that might not be fully correct. In St Thomas they must carry a lot of weight on the bullwheel because the gondolas climb a steep hill. Here the gondola trestles will also help carry weight.

 

[pjOhana]

Crossing our fingers for Disney Skyliner being open for our August 11 - Aug 16 reservation at POP!

 

[OSUZorba]

I would say the tensioner can be cable attached or hydraulic attached. Either way they will use a massive counter weight.

I think Disney's gondola will move farther than St Thomas'. The amount of motion necessary is proportional to the fully loaded weight of the system minus empty weight (plus some temperature dependence).

Thinking more, that might not be fully correct. In St Thomas they must carry a lot of weight on the bullwheel because the gondolas climb a steep hill. Here the gondola trestles will also help carry weight.

Yeah, I meant Disney's will move less during normal operations (i.e. if you were standing there watching it operate for 10 minutes while it was open and carrying guests and also relative to it full scale movement). Where the one in St. Thomas moves a lot as the loaded gondolas moved down the line, since there is only two loaded grouping when they go over a tower most of the weight is removed from the line and then gets put back on the line as the group moves away from the tower.

And this is just a guess, on my part. I just know the movement at St. Thomas was pretty drastic and the exposed counterweight made it pretty obvious, where other gondolas and chairlifts I've been on I've seen them move but nearly as much. I assume that is because the St Thomas lift basically has two point loads, while most other lifts are more evenly distributed loads.

I didn't know the ones with hydraulic tensioners still had counter weights, I'll have to try to find some pictures of that. It would make sense to hold the deadweight with a counterweight and us the hydraulics for live load.

 

[Hoosier John]

At St Thomas, I thought one of the most amazing parts of the whole gondola was watching the huge structure slowly rolling back and forth to compensate for loading. Watching the movement closely I got the illusion that the fixed structure I was standing on was moving.

As for the hydraulic linked counter weight, I extrapolated that from a guy who described the tensioning system on Caterpillar bulldozer tracks. I can see it being convenient in situations where the location of the weight is removed from the structure.

 

[Tia1977]

So sorry if asked before...read 1st page of this thread & skimmed through-can’t find...Is the assumption they’ll start/stop running as early/late as the buses?

Staying @ CBR again early Oct & excited to try as an alternative...very excited if it could get us to HS RD/ am EMH quicker or @ least as quick as the typical 1st bus.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

So sorry if asked before...read 1st page of this thread & skimmed through-can’t find...Is the assumption they’ll start/stop running as early/late as the buses?

Staying @ CBR again early Oct & excited to try as an alternative...very excited if it could get us to HS RD/ am EMH quicker or @ least as quick as the typical 1st bus.

We don't know for sure but that is the expectation - if not earlier

Just thinking main reason they are building these is to transport people efficiently to DHS for Galaxy's Edge and gotta figure people are going to want to get there early so they need to be running early

 

[PaulaSB12]

It does appear that you need to stay 4 or 5 nights for a room to show up as available..you could call and try to book with a CM to make sure

I was with my sister costing up the difference between the holiday firm and booking directly with Disney I could only find all-star music rooms the difference between the holiday firm and booking separately was £904

 

[Mikey15]

I was with my sister costing up the difference between the holiday firm and booking directly with Disney I could only find all-star music rooms the difference between the holiday firm and booking separately was £904

Small terminology differences fascinate me. I take it "a holiday firm" is what we call "a travel agency" over here?

 

[Alessandra Gabriel]

Please excuse this stupid question...we booked the Caribbean Resort for our upcoming November trip and booked a preferred room. The preferred rooms will be close to the Skyliner correct? This will be our first time staying here (since I was a kid) and had major hesitation about booking this based on the negative bus reviews. Since the skyliner is projected to be open when we are there, I figured we would give this a try. We typically stay at BLT and I absolutely love it there, but didn't want to shell out the $$$ since we are going for 8 days this time.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Please excuse this stupid question...we booked the Caribbean Resort for our upcoming November trip and booked a preferred room. The preferred rooms will be close to the Skyliner correct? This will be our first time staying here (since I was a kid) and had major hesitation about booking this based on the negative bus reviews. Since the skyliner is projected to be open when we are there, I figured we would give this a try. We typically stay at BLT and I absolutely love it there, but didn't want to shell out the $$$ since we are going for 8 days this time.

You may wish to ask a similar question on the CBR thread as the people on that thread are familiar with both the resort and probably the route of the Skyliner.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Please excuse this stupid question...we booked the Caribbean Resort for our upcoming November trip and booked a preferred room. The preferred rooms will be close to the Skyliner correct? This will be our first time staying here (since I was a kid) and had major hesitation about booking this based on the negative bus reviews. Since the skyliner is projected to be open when we are there, I figured we would give this a try. We typically stay at BLT and I absolutely love it there, but didn't want to shell out the $$$ since we are going for 8 days this time.

The preferred rooms are about the farthest from the skyliner at CBR. They are right next to the main pool and the building that houses the dining, shopping, and check-in.

 

[firefly_ris]

The preferred rooms are about the farthest from the skyliner at CBR. They are right next to the main pool and the building that houses the dining, shopping, and check-in.

^ Yep.

I stayed there in February and honestly it didn't seem as insurmountably large as people make it out to be. @Alessandra Gabriel, the CBR station will be near Jamaica/Trinidad, and the Riviera station will be near Aruba. If you're in a preferred room, you will be in Martinique or Barbados, which are on the same side of the 'lake' as Old Port Royale/Centertown/Pool/Bar/Sebastian's. So to get to either of the Skyliner stations you'll walk across the bridge that goes over the water to those areas. If I were to guess, maybe a 5 or 6min walk? I'm not a real slow walker. I think it will still be fine, personally, especially with the continuous nature of the gondola system... I'd still rather walk over there to catch that than wait around for a bus and then cram myself in there and hang onto a pole standing up (which we did most mornings heading to the parks at CBR).

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Please excuse this stupid question...we booked the Caribbean Resort for our upcoming November trip and booked a preferred room. The preferred rooms will be close to the Skyliner correct? This will be our first time staying here (since I was a kid) and had major hesitation about booking this based on the negative bus reviews. Since the skyliner is projected to be open when we are there, I figured we would give this a try. We typically stay at BLT and I absolutely love it there, but didn't want to shell out the $$$ since we are going for 8 days this time.

So I don't know if they will change which rooms are considered Preferred - and my understanding is that what is considered Preferred has been changing during construction - but if they stick with what was the case, the preferred rooms Old Port Royale and thus to the food location - so that puts them on the East side of the resort and the skyliner station is on the West side. So not really that close - though depending on how the pathways go, the Trinidad North/Barbados ones might not be that far from station - but if that is your highest priority you might want to instead look for a room and put in a request to be in Jamaica

As @scrappinginontario says, the best bet is to ask in the CBR thread as I am sure the people there are all over this and what rooms to request to be close to the skyliner, etc. I know we have a trip coming up scheduled for POP and the people on the POP thread were able to tell me what room to request to be closes to the station (60s lake view, which is a regular room classification is anyone was curious)