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

[jade1]

Most likely the skyline will be faster than the boat, even if the boat is sitting there when you leave the park. Boat is usally about 25 minutes one way. Skyline should be about 15 minutes, assuming no wait most of the day.

Yep. There will be times (actually pretty much every time a boat leaves DHS and for a while after) you will arrive at EPCOT by Skyliner "before" a boat even arrives at DHS-then it unloads and reloads as well.

During those times its pretty safe to say, you will be in EPCOT for a half an hour longer than if you had waited for a boat.

Non peak hours anyway.

 

[goofysbigboy]

All well and good news about the gondolas but I'm new to the thread. Just wondering what the plans are for the miniature entrance at the back of Epcot, It's not going to be very pretty if this is not expanded BEFORE they start operating.

 

[Iowamomof4]

All well and good news about the gondolas but I'm new to the thread. Just wondering what the plans are for the miniature entrance at the back of Epcot, It's not going to be very pretty if this is not expanded BEFORE they start operating.

It's being expanded as we speak.

 

[goofysbigboy]

It's being expanded as we speak.

Thanks

 

[rteetz]

 

[scrappinginontario]

Absolutely beautiful!!

It’s neat to see the variety of speeds they use during testing.

 

[Farro]

That tilt when you come and go, wheeee!!!!

 

[DisneyMomma930]

That tilt when you come and go, wheeee!!!!

Oh my gosh I thought the same thing. I was hoping with the weight of people on it there wouldnt be that little swing....little frightening. But I love it. lol

 

[OSUZorba]

Oh my gosh I thought the same thing. I was hoping with the weight of people on it there wouldnt be that little swing....little frightening. But I love it. lol

It'll be basically the same, because the interia of the people just adds to the interia of the gondola. The additional interia might actually make it worse.

 

[crvetter]

It'll be basically the same, because the interia of the people just adds to the interia of the gondola. The additional interia might actually make it worse.

Though I’d have to look at the calcs but while the additional weight would increase the inertia, thus the force required to get the gondola moving, the increased weight should decrease the period of the swing, i.e. making the pendulum stiffer. So I would expect the swing to be the same or smaller. Also the decreased period, stiffer system, would increase the energy required to keep the swing going, so the swinging would stop quicker with a more filled gondola.

Edit: I wanted to correct/clarify the gondola doesn’t fall in as a perfect pendulum and would have a periodicity change with mass. Simply because of the haul rope twisting rather than a pure fulcrum of a pendulum which is where the stiffness of the system lies. So that stiffness and the mass are what define the period, along with the built in dampeners on the gondolas. Also the more loaded the line the stiffer the haul rope, increased tension.

 

[Dayzy]

Though I’d have to look at the calcs but while the additional weight would increase the inertia, thus the force required to get the gondola moving, the increased weight should decrease the period of the swing, i.e. making the pendulum stiffer. So I would expect the swing to be the same or smaller. Also the decreased period, stiffer system, would increase the energy required to keep the swing going, so the swinging would stop quicker with a more filled gondola.

I'm going with this theory also. A few weeks ago my family was skiing and the lifts started running in the morning before the mountain opened. I was so scared to let my kids go on them because of the swinging as they were going! Then when they opened up and I saw people on them, the swing was very minimal.

 

[crvetter]

I'm going with this theory also. A few weeks ago my family was skiing and the lifts started running in the morning before the mountain opened. I was so scared to let my kids go on them because of the swinging as they were going! Then when they opened up and I saw people on them, the swing was very minimal.

Though the question is the operation in a location that will make people ill or uncomfortable? I would find that remotely impossible as I’m sure part of the requirements are a habitability constraint, not just structural considerations. Often habitability constraints (would the average person be comfortable or ill) are much more restrictive than structural.

 

[Hoosier John]

You will feel deceleration/acceleration, but it's not like folks will be pushed toward the walls. It will be like making a flat turn on a motorcycle, boat, or airplane, where unlike a car the force will be down into the seat. I think it will be slightly more noticeable than a fast elevator taking off.

 

[OSUZorba]

Though I’d have to look at the calcs but while the additional weight would increase the inertia, thus the force required to get the gondola moving, the increased weight should decrease the period of the swing, i.e. making the pendulum stiffer. So I would expect the swing to be the same or smaller. Also the decreased period, stiffer system, would increase the energy required to keep the swing going, so the swinging would stop quicker with a more filled gondola.

Edit: I wanted to correct/clarify the gondola doesn’t fall in as a perfect pendulum and would have a periodicity change with mass. Simply because of the haul rope twisting rather than a pure fulcrum of a pendulum which is where the stiffness of the system lies. So that stiffness and the mass are what define the period, along with the built in dampeners on the gondolas. Also the more loaded the line the stiffer the haul rope, increased tension.

I agree the swinging will damp quicker, but the initial swing from acceleration might get worse. I need to do the calcs as well.

A small correction though, the tension on the haul rope stays constant because it is controlled by a hydraulic tensioning system that displaces the bull wheel in response to changing load.

I haven't noticed any dampeners on the gondolas themselves.

 

[crvetter]

I agree the swinging will damp quicker, but the initial swing from acceleration might get worse. I need to do the calcs as well.

A small correction though, the tension on the haul rope stays constant because it is controlled by a hydraulic tensioning system that displaces the bull wheel in response to changing load.

I haven't noticed any dampeners on the gondolas themselves.

As for the dampers I might be mistaken. Though the pictures are very unclear since I haven’t seen them in person yet so I could be wrong. But it looked like might be. But I’m excited to look in person when there in a month hopefully they are on the line.

Also if the system maintains the same tension in the haul rope that would require quite the displacement ability on the bull wheel. This is assuming the haul ropes as they stand right now are set at the tension of the loaded system.

Also if it truly maintains the exact tension, the weight of the gondola itself still would have a direct interaction to change the dynamics of the swinging. Which we seem to agree since we both think the motion would dampen quicker.

As for the acceleration I need to think on this part still, but I would agree the acceleration into the swinging alone could be higher because of the increased frequency but would the launch acceleration change much. Also would it be noticeable with the increased dampening of the system, likely not?

 

[Hoosier John]

To make y'alls calculations easier, you are not attached to the haul rope during acceleration/deceleration.
It would just be a smooth deceleration of about 10mph over a certain distance.

I think the swing from slowing will be similar to what we've seen empty, but it will be much less noticeable from the inside.

By the way, I remember seeing some quite odd looking arms at the attachment point, some of which might control sway and pitch?

 

[OSUZorba]

As for the dampers I might be mistaken. Though the pictures are very unclear since I haven’t seen them in person yet so I could be wrong. But it looked like might be. But I’m excited to look in person when there in a month hopefully they are on the line.

Also if the system maintains the same tension in the haul rope that would require quite the displacement ability on the bull wheel. This is assuming the haul ropes as they stand right now are set at the tension of the loaded system.

Also if it truly maintains the exact tension, the weight of the gondola itself still would have a direct interaction to change the dynamics of the swinging. Which we seem to agree since we both think the motion would dampen quicker.

As for the acceleration I need to think on this part still, but I would agree the acceleration into the swinging alone could be higher because of the increased frequency but would the launch acceleration change much. Also would it be noticeable with the increased dampening of the system, likely not?

So I had some time to think about this a little. From a statics point of view, the launch angle is completely dependant on the acceleration and independent of the weight.

If it accelerates to 12mph over 3 seconds, that is an acceleration of 5.9 ft/s^2. Ratio that with the acceleration of gravity at 32.2 ft/s^2 and take the arctan, you get an angle of about 10 degrees.

Considering the acceleration is only about 1/6 of a g I think it'll be noticable but not bothering.

 

[Spaceguy55]

So I had some time to think about this a little. From a statics point of view, the launch angle is completely dependant on the acceleration and independent of the weight.

If it accelerates to 12mph over 3 seconds, that is an acceleration of 5.9 ft/s^2. Ratio that with the acceleration of gravity at 32.2 ft/s^2 and take the arctan, you get an angle of about 10 degrees.

Considering the acceleration is only about 1/6 of a g I think it'll be noticable but not bothering.

I sure hope it's noticeable

 

[jade1]

 

[Hoosier John]

Funny, and I get it. But I'm still happy OSUZorba did the math, because I was too lazy.