What happened to the MK Skyway?

[raidermatt]

They've converted the area below the FL station to stroller parking.

Not exactly what I have in mind for replacing an attraction, but something needed to be done to help with the congestion in the area.

Now, if we could just do something about all those people who stand outside Peter Pan waiting for their FP time to roll around...

 

[mandy200587]

They really can't tear down the fantasyland part because if you look close enough it hides the back of the haunted mansion.

 

[jdg345]

Well, once they get teleportation down, they can re-open it to teleport people from tomorrowland to fantasyland ... I'll bet they're just biding their time.

 

[Amity 3]

I never visited WDW during the era of the Skyway, but it makes sense. I've read that the footings for a Matterhorn clone lie behind Small World, but was never built. I don't know if that's true.

we've always wondered why parts of Fantasyland resemble a town in the Swiss Alps, but there's no attraction there to fit in.

why hasn't the area been updated?

 

[disneyreporter]

Hershey Park still has their skyride as well as Canobie Lake Park.

 

[barreloflaughs]

One of my most vivid memories of the '64/'65 World's Fair is of an incident which took place on the Swiss Skyride. A young friend who was traveling with our family accidentally dropped a ceramic beer mug into the crowd below. Thankfully, I don't think that it hit anyone. It would've left a nice mark if it had. The offending mug looked just like this:

http://www.the-forum.com/COLLECT/images/003wf995.jpg

heh-heh...the other side of the mug read 'Whistle For Your Beer'. I've still got one .....

Anywho, that Skyride was moved to Great Adventure in NJ where I believe it is still in operation although I doubt that much of the original hardware is still in use.

barrel

 

[YoHo]

The Disneyland Skyway was the first of that type of attraction in existence.

Obviously gondola rides for Skiiers and the like existed, but it was the first of that designed as an attraction.

 

[EUROPACL]

why hasn't the area been updated?

A Power Point slide show has yet to be shown how doing so will make XXX amount of dollars.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

The Disneyland Skyway was the first of that type of attraction in existence.

Obviously gondola rides for Skiiers and the like existed, but it was the first of that designed as an attraction.

I must disagree, maybe the first type of that kind of attraction in a theme park but the Whirlpool Aero Car in Niagara Falls, Ontario was built in 1916. Here are a couple links:
http://www.infoniagara.com/attractions/aero.html
http://www.niagaraviews.com/Attractions/whirlpool.htm
I've been told that it still operates on the original cables and has never needed to have drastic matinence. I don't know if anyone has fallen out.

 

[cmwilson523]

I heard that it went to the water parks as a "chair lift" type of thing to get to the top of the slides... it kind of looks like the ride in the DVD and pictures...could it be?

This is a different lift in Blizzard Beach water park.

The Skyway just went between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland until the mid to late 1990s. As others have said safety and maintenance issues (along with ornery guests throwing things or spitting off the Skyway buckets) led to its demise.

Rumors surface all the time about what might be done with the Skyway launch areas, but to date nothing concrete has come about.

While it would be cool to get a Matterhorn at WDW, I'm uncertain of how guests would react to a coaster like the one at DL (and of whether or not there is really enough room to install it at the Skyway launch in FL). To bring in the same ride system would be installing a "retro" style coaster since it is definitely old technology. Also with EE at AK, it would be nearly a duplication of storylines with the Yeti going after the riders. That being said, I love Matterhorn and we ride it several times during each trip to DL.

 

[donaldduck1967]

Anywho, that Skyride was moved to Great Adventure in NJ where I believe it is still in operation although I doubt that much of the original hardware is still in use.

barrel

The skyway was not moved to G.A. in NJ. Their skyway has been there since the park opened in the early 70's

 

[pezheadmeg]

Check this page out, it gives some answers:

http://www.snopes.com/disney/parks/skyway.htm

 

[jdg345]

Check this page out, it gives some answers:

http://www.snopes.com/disney/parks/skyway.htm

I've read a few similar stories and they just don't make much sense to me. While they can claim it was due to maintenance costs and safety upgrades, etc ... why did both closures coincide with an accident? Frankly, if it was due to maintenance and safety upgrades, and all, why not close both skyways in 1994? Why wait until just after an accident to say, "Ooops ... we closed the other one 5 years ago due to costs, but kept this one open. We're going to close it due to costs too (as apparently, we didn't realize it was expensive to maintain until someone fell out of it)."

 

[Another Voice]

Mostly because any safety changes required by whatever governing body was involved (CalOSHA for Disneyland) would also trigger the American With Disabilities Act. When adding an additional safety fence would also trigger a complete rebuilding of the ride (elevators in addition to stairs for wheelchair access, bigger cabins to accomidate those wheelchairs, large holes in the Matterhorn and new towers becasue of those larger cabins and new tower) it's just a lot cheaper to rip out the whole thing.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

IT WAS CLOSED BECAUSE IT WASN'T HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE!

 

[2Xited4Disney]

That ADA also has a grandfathering clause. I am not sure when the disneyland skyway was built but I believe any building built prior to 1970 does not HAVE to be handicap accessible

 

[jdg345]

There are also other rules and regulations ... it's why OKW doesn't need to have elevators, for example, since it's only 3 stories high.