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

[disneygirlsng]

Heh.

I am booking a trip in June on the Skyliner (AoA) and planning on using it several days to go to Epcot, DHS and the character breakfast at the Boardwalk. Hopefully it is as comfortable as they say during the hot/humid summer days/nights and faster and more convenient than the buses. Looking forward to trying it out, despite the no A/C.

I know it's not summer, but it was in the upper 80s/low 90s during my last trip at the end of Oct/early Nov and the Skyliner was incredibly comfortable, the breeze was wonderful. Even during one brief stop it was fine.

 

[Someone28624]

Freak chairlift accident at Thredbo as skier plunges to the ground

I agree. Accidents DO happen. Even Doppelmeyer had an issue in Canada where someone cut the haul rope:
Cable cut, sending cable cars crashing to the ground in Canada's Howe Sound

Even with the Skyliner, we saw issues with cars crashing into one another, causing a 3+ hour delay. They're all "isolated incidents"...

So your comparison of a chairlift accident in 130kmh winds failed so now you're trying to compared a gondola that was purposefully vandalized? You're really stretching. The accident was caused by the safety mechanisms working properly. The gondola wasn't allowed to leave the station causing a back up. The delays after that were unacceptable, but have been addressed.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

So your comparison of a chairlift accident in 130kmh winds failed so now you're trying to compared a gondola that was purposefully vandalized? You're really stretching. The accident was caused by the safety mechanisms working properly. The gondola wasn't allowed to leave the station causing a back up. The delays after that were unacceptable, but have been addressed.

Again, here’s one where it actually was equipment failure:

https://snowbrains.com/gondola-cabin-falls-switzerland/
I agree that it is very very unlikely that a gondola would fall and that this is not the aspect of this system that people should be worried about, it’s the potential for injuries due to lengthy delays stuck in the air on a hot day awaiting rescue.

 

[ThistleMae]

Again, here’s one where it actually was equipment failure:

https://snowbrains.com/gondola-cabin-falls-switzerland/
I agree that it is very very unlikely that a gondola would fall and that this is not the aspect of this system that people should be worried about, it’s the potential for injuries due to lengthy delays stuck in the air on a hot day awaiting rescue.

Freak accidents can happen in any sort of situation....if we live our lives in fear of something potentially happening...OMG....how sad would that be?

 

[rteetz]

We’ve discussed those incidents at length. Not really a need to continue.

 

[Tiki Birdland]

The accident was caused by the safety mechanisms working properly.

By definition, if they crashed into each other, the safety mechanisms DID NOT WORK. If so, there wouldn't have been damage to at least two cars.

 

[FallsChurchDad]

I have far less fear of an accident on the skyliner, than an accident on I-4 or other Orlando area roads with all the people renting cars and trying to drive in unfamiliar areas, although a breakdown/delay inconvenience is a rational "fear".

I am not a person to worry much about safety, but I catch my breath every time I see parents holding a baby in their arms while standing on a packed bus to the Magic Kingdom or other parks. Dads with one hand on a folded stroller and the other hand cradling a small baby.... If that bus has even a minor crash, what might happen to the baby? These are people who surely have spared no expense to buy multiple car seats and use them diligently every time they put their baby in a car. By comparison, I wouldn't worry about the skyliner at all.

 

[jade1]

We’ve discussed those incidents at length. Not really a need to continue.

Thank you. I asked that on here about 6 months ago and it was outright deleted.

I will admit I still want to know how to open the doors if really needed, my original question. But whatev.

Probably related to living and driving on a frozen lake-and over slippery bridges. It's occasional to go through the ice with a car-and how to get out.

eta: if the monorail goes in the lake-I know how to get us out.

 

[thegales]

Just to bring the thread back about good things regarding the Skyliner. Friends were at WDW this past week, staying at Pop. It was their first experience with the Skyliner. They never had a wait, and it was operating when they needed it to be operating. Her official quote was "Game Changer!" I tend to agree.

 

[SheHulk]

Just to bring the thread back about good things regarding the Skyliner. Friends were at WDW this past week, staying at Pop. It was their first experience with the Skyliner. They never had a wait, and it was operating when they needed it to be operating. Her official quote was "Game Changer!" I tend to agree.

Agreed, I stayed at POP over Marathon Weekend and riding the Skyliner was something we looked forward to every time we had to get to Epcot or HS. Smooth, very fast lines, and very often it was just the two of us or maybe the two of us and one other couple in the car. I have to admit it was more fun riding with families because the kids were always absolutely wide-eyed over it and their excitement was contagious. It makes me more likely to stay at Pop or AoA for sure. I'll bet those Little Mermaid rooms just became a lot more attractive, being so close to the Skyliner.

 

[hertamaniac]

I think today/tomorrow will be interesting to hear about how cold guests will feel in the gondolas. I would imagine just shutting the vents will make them just fine.

 

[ThistleMae]

Can you see outside if you're in a wrapped cab? I thought I read someone in here said you can't.

 

[Moliphino]

Can you see outside if you're in a wrapped cab? I thought I read someone in here said you can't.

You can, but it's not as clear.

 

[ThistleMae]

You can, but it's not as clear.

Oh, okay, so you can admire the view, although it's not crystal clear.

 

[sachilles]

Oh, okay, so you can admire the view, although it's not crystal clear.

You can see out just fine, camera's have a hard time working through the wrap.

 

[MeridaAnn]

Oh, okay, so you can admire the view, although it's not crystal clear.

It's sort of like looking through a screen door - you can focus your gaze to look through it, but up close it's like a grid around tiny holes. (You're not looking straight through the printed part like if it was tinted cling-wrap, but instead, it's solid parts with enough holes in it to see past it from fairly close, even though you can't see those holes from a distance outside the gondola.) If that makes any sense...

 

[NoTime42]

I think today/tomorrow will be interesting to hear about how cold guests will feel in the gondolas. I would imagine just shutting the vents will make them just fine.

FWIW, We were there earlier this month with highs in the 60’s and lows in the 40’s. I recall some gondola being cool and still breezy (seemed foot vents are always open?)

 

[ThistleMae]

FWIW, We were there earlier this month with highs in the 60’s and lows in the 40’s. I recall some gondola being cool and still breezy (seemed foot vents are always open?)

I'm sure it will be cool in the a.m. and p.m. I'm going to make sure I'm dressed properly, and I'm definitely looking forward to the Skyliner!

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Can you see outside if you're in a wrapped cab? I thought I read someone in here said you can't.

I was surprised how little difference we noticed with wrapped/unwrapped because I had seen so many videos beforehand. The difference is much more pronounced on camera, in person we found it was pretty much a non issue.

 

[mikegood2]

Can you see outside if you're in a wrapped cab? I thought I read someone in here said you can't.

You can see out just fine, camera's have a hard time working through the wrap.

I was surprised how little difference we noticed with wrapped/unwrapped because I had seen so many videos beforehand. The difference is much more pronounced on camera, in person we found it was pretty much a non issue.

Yeah, I’ve done a few projects for clients with wrap like they use for the cabs and it’s pretty impressive how little you can see thru them on the outside and how much you can see thru them from inside. The human brain adapts to it pretty quickly and it’s almost like it’s not there. Camera on the other hand don’t adapt well and its gonna make focusing a camera difficult. With a little patience you should still be able to get some goof shots though.

If they SkyLiners aren’t that crowded will they let you choose between wrapped and unwrapped? I’m definitely gonna want an unwrapped one if I want to take pictures from it this summer.