That didn't take long...Skyliner Accident

[RufusCat]

there's an emergency kit in each gondola that includes devices for (I think hope just) urinating. Ideally, everyone would stop in the nearby restrooms before getting in line.

That's good advice, I use that myself before getting in an elevator or riding the subway. Now I need to add the Walt Disney World Skyliner system to the list. And why not have a sit down thingy? All you need to do is ask everyone to turn around whilst you do your duty. If you run out of toilet paper there's bound to be a few park schedules at hand.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And if it's 90+ degrees outside, that bag of emergency water isn't going to be cold.

Still, 90° water is better than no waer.

Imagine

Imagine

Lots of imagining being suggested here. Imagine if my grandmother had wheels. She'd be a trolley car. (clean version of an old Yiddish expression ).

Each of those gondolas needs to have an A/C unit running pretty much all the time

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I really wanted to try this on our next trip, even with my fear of heights. I do well on the skylift at Stone Mountain, so I figured I could do the Gondolas here at Disney. But just the thought of what happened to those being stuck for what, 3 hours...makes me apprehensive now. I'll just stick to the Monorail, then the buses back to my resort or my car.

 

[RufusCat]

Monorail crashes have resulted in deaths so don’t ride those either. Also don’t lookup how many people die per day in cars.

The problem with cable cars is the cable - it has no backup. If it breaks (and they do whether through sabotage or accident), then everyone dies as the gondolas would simply fall to the ground. You could argue that a monorail beam could break resulting in the same catastrophe but to my knowledge that has never happened. Just recently a cable car system in Canada was sabotaged resulting in the whole system collapsing to the floor, although fortunately nobody was on it at the time. Plus there was the famous Cavalese cable car disaster in 1998 when 20 people died due to an aircraft shearing the cable. These are isolated incidents, but I never like travelling on any transportation system with no back-up, the same reason I would never fly on a light aircraft with only one engine.

 

[xuxa777]

It stopped after collision. This is not a freight train. There should be no impact and clearly there was impact. Not a bump. Passenger on gondola that impacted lead gondola reported grinding metal and glass breaking.

Funny a freight train is a very good analogy, and why should there not be any impact, a very minor impact possibilty is very much preferred to immediately halting the system, stopping it like that would trigger many other issues. I imagine the grinding metal was the braking system and the glass was one of the vent glass , very very minor.

The drama here is a bit too much. Can you imagine common system of transportation where the operators of the mode of transport are minimally trained at best (only tested once, usually as a teen) and the vehicles aren't tested daily but most likely never tested at all. These vehicles operate at speeds of 50-60 mph in uncontrolled lanes passing just a few feet from each other. The operators can operate the vehicle while tired and often fall asleep. The operators can also operate the vehicles drunk and aren't punished until after driving and that is only sometimes. The operators are often seen texting and using mobile devices while operating the vehicle. This mode of transport kills over 100 poeple a year in just the county that Disney World is in. But lets get worked up about one pane of glass.

 

[conandrob240]

The problem with cable cars is the cable - it has no backup. If it breaks (and they do whether through sabotage or accident), then everyone dies as the gondolas would simply fall to the ground. You could argue that a monorail beam could break resulting in the same catastrophe but to my knowledge that has never happened. Just recently a cable car system in Canada was sabotaged resulting in the whole system collapsing to the floor, although fortunately nobody was on it at the time. Plus there was the famous Cavalese cable car disaster in 1998 when 20 people died due to an aircraft shearing the cable. These are isolated incidents, but I never like travelling on any transportation system with no back-up, the same reason I would never fly on a light aircraft with only one engine.

This is a bit dramatic. I don’t know if the only scenario is “everybody dies” if a cable breaks.

 

[xuxa777]

The problem with cable cars is the cable - it has no backup. If it breaks (and they do whether through sabotage or accident), then everyone dies as the gondolas would simply fall to the ground. You could argue that a monorail beam could break resulting in the same catastrophe but to my knowledge that has never happened. Just recently a cable car system in Canada was sabotaged resulting in the whole system collapsing to the floor, although fortunately nobody was on it at the time. Plus there was the famous Cavalese cable car disaster in 1998 when 20 people died due to an aircraft shearing the cable. These are isolated incidents, but I never like travelling on any transportation system with no back-up, the same reason I would never fly on a light aircraft with only one engine.

There is so much wrong with this, I don't know where to begin. You do know that planes do not drop out of the sky immediantly if all engines die.

 

[lovin'fl]

Funny a freight train is a very good analogy, and why should there not be any impact, a very minor impact possibilty is very much preferred to immediately halting the system, stopping it like that would trigger many other issues. I imagine the grinding metal was the braking system and the glass was one of the vent glass , very very minor.

The drama here is a bit too much. Can you imagine common system of transportation where the operators of the mode of transport are minimally trained at best (only tested once, usually as a teen) and the vehicles aren't tested daily but most likely never tested at all. These vehicles operate at speeds of 50-60 mph in uncontrolled lanes passing just a few feet from each other. The operators can operate the vehicle while tired and often fall asleep. The operators can also operate the vehicles drunk and aren't punished until after driving and that is only sometimes. The operators are often seen texting and using mobile devices while operating the vehicle. This mode of transport kills over 100 poeple a year in just the county that Disney World is in. But lets get worked up about one pane of glass.

Well we pay a lot to that greedy mouse for these vacays. This is not the same. Just as I expect to have AC and running water in my DVC room I also expect to not have to poo in a bag up in a gondola on a hot day with a bunch of strangers watching because I am trapped for 3 hours. Also dont expect to be crunched into the gondola in front of me. I paid how much for my 4 APs this year and my DVC annual dues and my recent trip charges for 9 days (that alone was $1800 for 2 of us). Used to be Disney name was synonymous with tip top service and deluxe vacay. Not anymore. Now it should be synonymous with cheaply done cost cutting and low service while forking over our bank accounts. Arent getting what we used to get for the money we spend.

 

[pooh2001]

If the guest who was stuck on the sky-liner does not accept the $100 and 1 day park hopper ticket - they are legally able to do other recourse - you know what I mean

 

[lovin'fl]

And this old lady bladder could go to the ladies room right before getting on but would need to go again in an hour. And that is only if not drinking booze. After F&W I cant even walk back to the BWV without having to sprint to a potty. So 3 hours stuck and I would fill my pee bag. Given this it is probably best that I never get on gondola or monorail at Disney again.

 

[RufusCat]

There is so much wrong with this, I don't know where to begin. You do know that planes do not drop out of the sky immediantly if all engines die.

What is wrong with what I said? Cable car systems have a critical point of failure with no backup. Look at the failure of that Canadian system. And I was talking about single engine light aircraft which **do** start to descend immediately when the engine fails. If they are lucky a golf course or wide road is within sight to glide to and land on.

 

[xuxa777]

Well we pay a lot to that greedy mouse for these vacays. This is not the same. Just as I expect to have AC and running water in my DVC room I also expect to not have to poo in a bag up in a gondola on a hot day with a bunch of strangers watching because I am trapped for 3 hours. Also dont expect to be crunched into the gondola in front of me. I paid how much for my 4 APs this year and my DVC annual dues and my recent trip charges for 9 days (that alone was $1800 for 2 of us). Used to be Disney name was synonymous with tip top service and deluxe vacay. Not anymore. Now it should be synonymous with cheaply done cost cutting and low service while forking over our bank accounts. Arent getting what we used to get for the money we spend.

Now we are talking about customer experience not safety. Yes it is up to you to detemine where you spend you $$. Everyone has a choice. The risk is there that you might get stuck on the Skyliner. Same as the risk you take on Spaceship Earth, Space Mountain, or any other ride or method of transportation. Risk of getting bedbugs etc. etc. The perspective is the Skyliner is such a greater risk is way off base and not based on facts, just irrational fears, it is the safest form of transport in the park. People are stating they are death traps ovens and act like they are forced to ride them. Ir is insane. On the other hand I guess it could have a bright side , lines will be shorter. Y'all keep taking the buses!

 

[RufusCat]

Now we are talking about customer experience not safety. Yes it is up to you to detemine where you spend you $$. Everyone has a choice. The risk is there that you might get stuck on the Skyliner. Same as the risk you take on Spaceship Earth, Space Mountain, or any other ride or method of transportation. Risk of getting bedbugs etc. etc. The perspective is the Skyliner is such a greater risk is way off base and not based on facts, just irrational fears, it is the safest form of transport in the park. People are stating they are death traps ovens and act like they are forced to ride them. Ir is insane. On the other hand I guess it could have a bright side , lines will be shorter. Y'all keep taking the buses!

What data do you have to backup your claim that the Skyliner is "the safest form of transport in the park"? You accuse others of saying things not based on facts but what are your facts? Or is your statement just based on what you'd like to think?

 

[xuxa777]

What is wrong with what I said? Cable car system have a critical point of failure with no backup. And I was talking about single engine light aircraft which **do** start to descend immediately when the engine fails. If they are lucky a golf course or wide road is within sight to glide to and land on. Don't use straw man arguments.

I am a pilot, all I can say is you are incorrect. Everything has a critical point of failure with no backup at some point.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Nobody gets on or off at Riviera now... It's not even open! The stops are a mystery.

Yes they do. We rode thru there on Friday and people were both getting off and loading there.

 

[RufusCat]

I am a pilot, all I can say is you are incorrect. Everything has a critical point of failure with no backup at some point.

How am I incorrect???!!!! If the cable of a cable car system fails then the gondolas do not magically stay in the sky. No lift will be created in an unpowered aircraft unless it is a glider using thermals. The failure of the engine in a single engine light aircraft will result in it starting to descend. Any attempt at trying to gain altitude will require pulling the nose up, if this goes on for too long the wings stall & the aircraft then likely goes into an uncontrolled descent into the ground. Which aircraft type do you fly? One that stays aloft when the engines stop working?

 

[xuxa777]

What data do you have to backup your claim that the Skyliner is "the safest form of transport in the park"? You accuse others of saying things not based on facts but what are your facts? Or is your statement just based on what you'd like to think?

Hit up Google, you can easily find the data. If you can't show me where it is more dangerous than any of the other transportation methods.

 

[Someone28624]

Closed until further notice.

I really hope Disney is able to use this time to improve on the system and problem solve. Disney desperately needs better transportation options and I'm still optimistic the skyliner can be a positive step in that direction.

 

[RufusCat]

Hit up Google, you can easily find the data. If you can't show me where it is more dangerous than any of the other transportation methods.

Your data is 'search Google'? Wow, that's convincing! Onus is you to back up your claims since you are poo-pooing the rest of us and calling us irrational.

 

[suemom2kay]

Funny a freight train is a very good analogy, and why should there not be any impact, a very minor impact possibilty is very much preferred to immediately halting the system, stopping it like that would trigger many other issues. I imagine the grinding metal was the braking system and the glass was one of the vent glass , very very minor.

Because it is going very slow. Show me ANYWHERE that the expectation is for a gondola to get damaged (as reported by passenger in the gondola immediately behind the stalled gondola). They should stop, ZERO impact. Enough crushing force to break windows and damage the doors is not acceptable.