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

[Turn the Page]

Financially too, you're guaranteed that a team from head office spent weeks or months building a financial case justifying the capital expense of the Skyliners based on potential paybacks in operating cost savings (i.e. buses), etc.. The payback doesn't begin until the system is up and running. If they get enough cars sooner, and the system is otherwise installed, safe, and tested, I'm sure they'll open it up sooner.

Exactly. While it won't really generate revenue in the traditional sense (not like a new restaurant or 5th gate or something like that) it would save on operating costs due to reducing bus service and one could argue the room rates at resorts serviced by the Skyliner would go up it still doesn't make any sense to have all the capital outlay to just leave it sitting there.

Although, I do wonder why, if a delay in cabin production was the issue, why they don't publicly cite that as the reason for the delay?

Also, given that these are essentially stock pieces, no customization or anything like that, I do wonder why Doppelmayr is having such a delay. They aren't reinventing the wheel.

 

[The Pho]

Although, I do wonder why, if a delay in cabin production was the issue, why they don't publicly cite that as the reason for the delay?

Also, given that these are essentially stock pieces, no customization or anything like that, I do wonder why Doppelmayr is having such a delay. They aren't reinventing the wheel.

They probably don't want to place blame somewhere when most people that will be riding this, will have no idea what the usual timeframe is for constructing. It's unnecessary. And production issues could stem from this being a much larger order at once than usual for something that is a low volume product, and couple that with other major orders that have a stricter timeline (Big Sky, etc.).

 

[OKW Lover]

I've seen several posts commenting on a "delay" in getting these operational. However, I've never seen an official statement from Disney that indicates there was ever a date that they said they would be operational by, until the one they posted recently about fall 2019. Are we all just thinking that the system should have been up sooner that what Disney planned all along?

 

[rteetz]

I've seen several posts commenting on a "delay" in getting these operational. However, I've never seen an official statement from Disney that indicates there was ever a date that they said they would be operational by, until the one they posted recently about fall 2019. Are we all just thinking that the system should have been up sooner that what Disney planned all along?

Yes this system should have been operational sooner. If you compare this to other major transit gondola systems this is taking longer than expected. The delay in part though is due to the production of the cabins themselves. Disney announced Fall 2019 but I would expect things to be operating by August-September if not even earlier if things go correctly.

 

[DBDiz]

I've seen several posts commenting on a "delay" in getting these operational. However, I've never seen an official statement from Disney that indicates there was ever a date that they said they would be operational by, until the one they posted recently about fall 2019. Are we all just thinking that the system should have been up sooner that what Disney planned all along?

It's based on speculation from when Riviera, Skyliner, MaMRR, and SW:GE were announced at a previous D23. Target dates were set for 2019, and it was assumed by many that they would have Skyliner up and running ahead of all of these development projects to handle the increased park and hotel attendance.

Yes this system should have been operational sooner. If you compare this to other major transit gondola systems this is taking longer than expected. The delay in part though is due to the production of the cabins themselves. Disney announced Fall 2019 but I would expect things to be operating by August-September if not even earlier if things go correctly.

I think we all assumed that based on the rapid construction pace and the speed at which the towers went up that this would be feasibly open by Memorial Day.

Can anyone confirm whether or not this is the first gondola/cable car system in FL and if there is even a developed approval process in place for safety and operation? If there isn't an established process, my guess is a good chunk of the time suck is the regulatory approval.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I've seen several posts commenting on a "delay" in getting these operational. However, I've never seen an official statement from Disney that indicates there was ever a date that they said they would be operational by, until the one they posted recently about fall 2019. Are we all just thinking that the system should have been up sooner that what Disney planned all along?

I think the word "delay" is specifically about the apparent delay in getting all the cabins produced - which is causing the official opening to be later that many predicted it to be - and later than it would seem necessary given the wires are all up and already being tested, etc.

But you are 100% correct that there was never an official date and now that opening has been delayed from that or anything

 

[sachilles]

Can anyone confirm whether or not this is the first gondola/cable car system in FL and if there is even a developed approval process in place for safety and operation? If there isn't an established process, my guess is a good chunk of the time suck is the regulatory approval.

It's not even the first one on the property, there was one between fantasy land and tomorrowland once upon a time. I'll see if I can dig up the regulatory side of ropeways in Florida. I would assume the same group would regulate rope lifts, which they have at Blizzard Beach. Hogwarts is a Fernicular(spelling?) which is also a similar style transportation device. Is it unique enough to cause additional regulatory stuff maybe, but I doubt it.
I was one of the ones that suggested the cars themselves where the limiting factor. For me that was a guess solely based on them being absent from the build sites so far.
It does seem odd though, as the ropeways are functional. Only other thing I can think of is the second bullwheel at the loading station is enough out of the ordinary that it may be the cause for the conservative schedule. What we've seen work with the test cars, doesn't necessarily show that the second bullwheel is working as intended. I can see certain controls on that being a potential draw on time.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Passport to the Parks is doing a LIVE VIDEO on his FB page RIGHT NOW of the workers at the DHS station!

 

[rteetz]

Only other thing I can think of is the second bullwheel at the loading station is enough out of the ordinary that it may be the cause for the conservative schedule. What we've seen work with the test cars, doesn't necessarily show that the second bullwheel is working as intended. I can see certain controls on that being a potential draw on time.

The second load shouldn’t have anything to do with it.

 

[sachilles]

The second load shouldn’t have anything to do with it.

Why is that?

 

[rteetz]

Why is that?

Why would it? The delay as far as I’m aware is due to production of the cabins themselves. Dopplemayr knows what they are doing otherwise.

 

[Q-man]

Read somewhere that those are not test gondolas but open platform work ones that the construction crew uses in installing the cables. If so, then the cables aren't fully installed at this point.

 

[rteetz]

Read somewhere that those are not test gondolas but open air work platform ones that the construction crew uses in installing the cables. If so, then the cables aren't fully installed at this point.

Correct you can see workers in the vehicles and on top of the towers. They have been working on each tower individually. It seems they are not working on the haul ropes but rather the communication/electrical wires above the haul ropes.

 

[sachilles]

I would agree that Dopplemayr knows what they are doing. That really isn't an issue.
The second load wheel hasn't been used in a production environment that I've seen yet. There will be timing control components that will need to be tested to ensure they function correctly. The rest of the system is pretty standard. As that is the only sort of cutting edge feature, it stands to reason that it will cause additional production time that we do not typically see with gondola installations. As a result none of us really know how long that component of install will take. In addition to gondola availability, it may be a contributing factor to the perceived delay in the announced opening time. Does that make sense.

 

[rteetz]

I would agree that Dopplemayr knows what they are doing. That really isn't an issue.
The second load wheel hasn't been used in a production environment that I've seen yet. There will be timing control components that will need to be tested to ensure they function correctly. The rest of the system is pretty standard. As that is the only sort of cutting edge feature, it stands to reason that it will cause additional production time that we do not typically see with gondola installations. As a result none of us really know how long that component of install will take. In addition to gondola availability, it may be a contributing factor to the perceived delay in the announced opening time. Does that make sense.

That’s all built into the testing schedule. January is when testing is set to begin. April will bring on more cabin testing. With a late summer early fall opening they have plenty of time to figure that out and I’m sure it won’t take all that time. The cabin production is the biggest factor at this time.

 

[sachilles]

The maintenance guys are also likely working on alignment of the sheave wheels, and other mechanical bits. Unsure if the cable catchers have been installed yet either.

 

[Turn the Page]

They probably don't want to place blame somewhere when most people that will be riding this, will have no idea what the usual timeframe is for constructing. It's unnecessary. And production issues could stem from this being a much larger order at once than usual for something that is a low volume product, and couple that with other major orders that have a stricter timeline (Big Sky, etc.).

Ahh Big Sky. Such a magical place.

But yes, you are probably correct.

 

[OSUZorba]

Exactly. While it won't really generate revenue in the traditional sense (not like a new restaurant or 5th gate or something like that) it would save on operating costs due to reducing bus service and one could argue the room rates at resorts serviced by the Skyliner would go up it still doesn't make any sense to have all the capital outlay to just leave it sitting there.

Although, I do wonder why, if a delay in cabin production was the issue, why they don't publicly cite that as the reason for the delay?

Also, given that these are essentially stock pieces, no customization or anything like that, I do wonder why Doppelmayr is having such a delay. They aren't reinventing the wheel.

You are assuming there wasa delay. Very good chance it is on schedule and Doppelmayr accelerated the construction to receive milestone payments, or due to other scheduling issues or tariffs.

My company accelerates work not in the critical path all the time if there is a milestone payment attached to it.

 

[rteetz]

You are assuming there wasa delay. Very good chance it is on schedule and Doppelmayr accelerated the construction to receive milestone payments, or due to other scheduling issues or tariffs.

My company accelerates work not in the critical path all the time if there is a milestone payment attached to it.

Pretty sure that isn’t the case.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

I wonder if they will open the entire system all at once, or branch by branch? If branch by branch, they could start operation with a partial cabin delivery.

Advantage to doing this is:
1. Reduce bus usage sooner
2. Easiest to hire and train CM for system branch by branch instead of all at once.

If they did this, PoP/AoA branch would be the last branch to open.