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2019: General Discussion

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There's a few reasons you can't compare the Skyliner setup to Towers. Sadly, the Poma gondolas that Towers have just do not have big enough gaps in the windows to allow any sort of decent ventilation. The tinted windows help to an extent, but the tiny window opens nowhere near enough space to allow heat to properly escape. It might be cooler in the UK temperature wise, but that sun will soon heat things up through glass regardless, especially if that heat can't escape. It wouldn't surprise me to see temperatures in Skyride gondolas get to the mid 40's on some sunny days when the outside temp is just the low-mid 20's.

With Skyliner, Disney had Doppelmayer design the gondolas so they have slatted opening windows on both the left and right hand side of the doors which cover about 40% of the height of the gondola.

Skyliner-Orlando-Sentinel-Screenshots-006.jpg


Elsewhere, opposite the door I believe there's also a smaller window similar to Towers which gives further airflow. Because the window openings face the direction of travel, this allows air to be pushed through the cabin when they're travelling. Also, Disney's system is fast, REALLY fast in comparison to Alton. The speed will push more fresh air through to keep things relatively cool in there:



Let's also not forget that Alton's gondolas are at a far greater height, and access for evacuation is very difficult with an abseil team required for a large chunk of the ride's route. Aside from a short run over a lake, the majority of Skyliner is over accessible land and no more than about 60ft in the air. They have a dedicated platforms to evacuate guests all in one a gondola at a time. Not to mention a fully equipped fire department to carry out the evacuation, again which Alton do not have nearby. Meanwhile Towers need to rig up each guest individually from each gondola, and it'll be considerably quicker carry out a full evacuation at Disney:

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I had my moans about Disney's system and heat when it first came around, but they seem to have any potential issues pretty well covered. Considering the state the old gondolas were in at Towers, I doubt we'll see any further money invested to resolve its summer-based issues anytime soon.
 
Its not a revolutionary supply system, ways exist to run them essentially off big batteries. It just costs money, which Merlin could afford to do but they don't see it as necessary.

Batteries would add a lot of weight. Add that to the weight of the a/c units and you have to recalculate how it affects the design limits of the gondolas, their attachments, the cables and other equipment. Possibly resulting in running less gondalas to allow for the additional weight or allowing less people on each gondola therefore affecting throughput and creating huge queues........

.......which would suit Merlin perfectly as they could sell fastrack for the skyride. Expect battery powered a/c units to be installed by next season :tongueclosed:
 
Batteries would add a lot of weight. Add that to the weight of the a/c units and you have to recalculate how it affects the design limits of the gondolas, their attachments, the cables and other equipment.
That's true, but then they also replaced the entire gondolas years back. I'm sure there is a solution if it becomes a big problem
 
They could at least add fans, one pushing air in and one pushing air out on the other side (a bit like cooling a pc), that way the air is at least always fresh. Fans use less electricity, so easier to imagine a plausible battery solution.

I still don't see it as likely though. Just not all that cost effective.
 
So erm... this was posted on a Discord server. Not sure exactly what happened... taken down to be cleaned / replaced (unlikely)? Or is the place literally just falling apart (probably more likely)? :eek:

IMG_20190522_125219.jpg
 
The original Skyride gondolas had fairly decent size sliding windows on each door that gave some ventilation. I am pretty sure it was the arrival of Rita that saw these permanently secured closed / barely open due to the proximity of Skyride to the launch track.

How I remember the days of the original open cable car at Towers. They were pretty hot at not allowing you to take any loose items on - particularly food / drink that could be "administered" onto the Log Flume queue. Back in these days the Log Flume queue had a big cattle-pen section next to the Mississippi Showboat & the cable car went right over it.

Those were the days... cable car out to the Prospect Tower, park railway back to by the Flume. Rowing boats on the main lake with associated splashing. What is now the Welcome Inn was a table service pizza restaurant. Swiss Cottage was a proper table service restaurant too. Another miniature railway in the garden by the Dovecote in Fountain Square.
 
So erm... this was posted on a Discord server. Not sure exactly what happened... taken down to be cleaned / replaced (unlikely)? Or is the place literally just falling apart (probably more likely)? :eek:

Considering the ladder inside it'll just be getting taken down and repaired/replaced, nothing to worry about and good to see!
 
Considering the ladder inside it'll just be getting taken down and repaired/replaced, nothing to worry about and good to see!
That’s certainly good to know, it was getting very faded again and needed a bit of TLC! :)
 
Reckon they would auction off the old one? Would look nice on the wall outside my house
(not sure if the Mrs would agree but thats an argument for once its up)
 
Reckon they would auction off the old one? Would look nice on the wall outside my house
(not sure if the Mrs would agree but thats an argument for once its up)


We gather here today to remember our friend Tibble how he lived his life, not as he died, with a theme park sign rammed up somewhere unmentionable.


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