Skylner "technical issues"

[CraigInPA]

On our way from Riviera to epcot, the skyliner inexplicably stopped. Not a big deal, it's happened before and motion began again in about a minute when this occurred.

Except this time it didn't. After 5 minutes, we were told the skyliner has stopped. Five minutes later, the same recorded message. Five minutes later, a non recorded voice told of technical issues and said we would be going in a few moments. Well, a few moments later, we moved 10 feet and then stopped again. Then, a few minutes later, the same non scripted voice again told us that there are technical issues and they hoped we would be moving shortly.
This wouldn't have been bad, except we were suspended over the water 100 yards from the epcot station the whole time.

Eventually, we began moving again. At the station, a CM with a pole manually unlocked our door. 30 minutes stuck over the water was compensated with an unlimited fastpass for today.

I felt they did as well as they could. Still, I would have felt better had they told us what was going on while we were stuck, instead of allowing us to stress over missing our ADR and being stuck above the water.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Five minutes later, a non recorded voice told of technical issues and said we would be going in a few moments. Well, a few moments later, we moved 10 feet and then stopped again.

Well, at least they didn't lie, except by omission. You did start moving. The voice never said how long you'd be moving, or how far...

 

[fla4fun]

It sounds like they knew what the issue was, expected a quick fix, and it took a little longer than expected. I am sorry that happened to you. I have had many, many rides on the Skyliner and my longest stop was probably five minutes, so I don’t think long stops are happening very often.

It could have been something like an ECV or stumbling guest bumping a door while loading or unloading and causing the door not to close properly without some intervention. We had a gondola door not close all the way at Riviera, but then it snapped into place abruptly and we kept going. I really wish they had put the separate ECV load area at the Riviera station like they did at the others. Not just for the sake of guests without mobility issues (fewer stoppages) but I am sure it is much easier to navigate an ECV into a stopped gondola than into a moving one. I have enough issues stepping in and out of the moving cars, and I am not sure I could drive an ECV into one.

 

[johnnyr]

This is my fear with the Skyliner. I am a bit claustrophobic and if it stops, I'm not sure I would be ok. I am usually fine in a elevator as long as it keeps moving and the doors open at each floor it stops on. Do the gondolas have a closed in feel to them? I am staying at CBR soon.

 

[joelkfla]

It sounds like they knew what the issue was, expected a quick fix, and it took a little longer than expected. I am sorry that happened to you. I have had many, many rides on the Skyliner and my longest stop was probably five minutes, so I don’t think long stops are happening very often.

It could have been something like an ECV or stumbling guest bumping a door while loading or unloading and causing the door not to close properly without some intervention. We had a gondola door not close all the way at Riviera, but then it snapped into place abruptly and we kept going. I really wish they had put the separate ECV load area at the Riviera station like they did at the others. Not just for the sake of guests without mobility issues (fewer stoppages) but I am sure it is much easier to navigate an ECV into a stopped gondola than into a moving one. I have enough issues stepping in and out of the moving cars, and I am not sure I could drive an ECV into one.

It was something more serious. The line went down sometime before 2:25 pm, and was still closed at 4:30 pm.

 

[carolina_yankee]

It was back up before 4:45. They were cycling it through as we went to dinner at Epcot, having had to use boat launch rather than Skyliner from DHS. We rode it back to Riviera at 7. All was good.

 

[KristinU]

This is my fear with the Skyliner. I am a bit claustrophobic and if it stops, I'm not sure I would be ok. I am usually fine in a elevator as long as it keeps moving and the doors open at each floor it stops on. Do the gondolas have a closed in feel to them? I am staying at CBR soon.

I'm also a bit claustrophobic and don't love taking elevators (though I do it all the time at work, I just really don't love that moment before they start moving or that moment they stop but before the door opens), I also don't love that time period at the end of RnR before you pull in to disembark, just to give you an idea of my level of claustrophobia. That said, I just rode the skyliner several times in the past week and enjoyed it a million times more than I thought I would! They are very open and airy and don't feel closed in at all like I anticipated. Lots of air flow through the vents and a vent near the floor, too. I don't know how much I'd love it on a super hot day, but in cooler weather I really, really liked it and did not feel closed in at all.

 

[sam_gordon]

Still, I would have felt better had they told us what was going on while we were stuck, instead of allowing us to stress over missing our ADR and being stuck above the water.

I'm curious what else you wanted them to say. No company is going to say "this is going to be fixed in 5 minutes (or 10, 15, an hour, whatever" b/c then it's worse if that time comes and goes and you're still not moving.

 

[CraigInPA]

I'm curious what else you wanted them to say. No company is going to say "this is going to be fixed in 5 minutes (or 10, 15, an hour, whatever" b/c then it's worse if that time comes and goes and you're still not moving.

I would have liked them to say "hi, we have a problem at the epcot station regarding the doors not unlocking. We are working on it, and expect it to be resolved shortly." Instead, we heard about "technical issues" which could have been anything, including the motor that moves the cable or a cable bind, both of which could have necessitated a rescue for us over the water.

 

[Disneylover99]

I would have liked them to say "hi, we have a problem at the epcot station regarding the doors not unlocking. We are working on it, and expect it to be resolved shortly." Instead, we heard about "technical issues" which could have been anything, including the motor that moves the cable or a cable bind, both of which could have necessitated a rescue for us over the water.

“Technical issues” are vague and non-specific. It could mean anything or nothing, but nobody will balk at that.

If somebody came on and specifically said there was a problem, such as doors not unlocking, well, I for one would have a full on panic attack. So being kept in the dark is best for most.

 

[RedsDrew]

The worst part of being stuck over the water is if the gondola were to fall. Since you can't open the doors, you'd drown!

 

[North of Mouse]

The worst part of being stuck over the water is if the gondola were to fall. Since you can't open the doors, you'd drown!

Wow, thanks a bundle for that possible scenario!

 

[joelkfla]

Wow, thanks a bundle for that possible scenario!

But gondolas don't just fall off the rope, especially when standing still. The only reports I've seen of gondolas or chairs falling is when they were operating during high winds and collided with a tower due to excessive sway. Of course, Disney would not be operating them during high winds.

 

[atkinstogram]

The worst part of being stuck over the water is if the gondola were to fall. Since you can't open the doors, you'd drown!

You had me up until the emoji... Well played...

 

[georgina]

The worst part of being stuck over the water is if the gondola were to fall. Since you can't open the doors, you'd drown!

Well there's a happy thought. What, no emergency door unlock like on the Hogwarts Express?