Gondola system for Walt Disney World transportation confirmed in planning documents

I'd be worried less about lightning and more about high winds rocking the gondolas around hundreds-of feet in the air. If it's not necessarily dangerous, it would at least be terrifying.

I'd think of it as a fun thrill, as long as I was certain that there was no chance of it crashing to the ground.

After doing the Mt. Roberts tramway in Juneau, Alaska, I'm certain that no tram would ever be frightening to me.

The one at Mount Pilatus was steep. You had to switch trams half way up from smaller cabins to this big one. Got to sled ride back down, though, so that was fun!

LostKause said:
I'd be worried less about lightning and more about high winds rocking the gondolas around hundreds-of feet in the air.

Hundreds of feet in the air? To maneuver over and around the mountainous terrain that Central Florida is known for?

Not gonna catch me on one of these hanging death traps :-)

Seriously, though -- I've ridden plenty of sky rides and such over the years, and they always make me anxious. Rationally I know they're safe, but emotionally I keep thinking there's one skinny pole hooked onto a skinny cable, and if one of them breaks...

bigboy, You're right. I questioned my math when I typed it, but I didn't have time to research it.

Le Monster said:
This is interesting and if accurate would indicate that it may be a different system than the traditional gondola. I spend most of the colder months on skis and have never seen a gondola that adjusts cabin numbers based on crowds.

You misunderstood the article. The system isn't going to be designed to automatically adjust the cabin numbers during the operating day based on crowds. Though in theory the operator could do that since modern systems will automatically add and remove cabins to the line without any interruption of service.

The variable number in the article is based on the total capacity of the ropeway as designed and equipped. Most modern Gondolas operate with a rope speed of 1,000 to 1,200 feet per minute and with as little as an 8 second interval or spacing between cabins. 9-10 seconds is most common for 8 - 10 passenger gondolas. The Disney system is rumored to use 10-passenger cabins. The theoretical maximum capacity of a 10-passenger gondola is 4,500 passengers per hour each direction.

When the article says more cabins can be added, it means that Disney could start by purchasing fewer cabins than the system is designed for, but at some later date buy more, thus increasing the capacity. CWA 8-passenger cabins cost $33,000 each in 2006. I don't know what the 10-passenger ones run, but they're likely even more expensive.

egieszl said:

When the article says more cabins can be added, it means that Disney could start by purchasing fewer cabins than the system is designed for, but at some later date buy more, thus increasing the capacity. CWA 8-passenger cabins cost $33,000 each in 2006. I don't know what the 10-passenger ones run, but they're likely even more expensive.

Excellent point and I definitely read that the wrong way!