Breaking: Skyliner crash

[CAS]

Looks like some cars piled up at Riviera and people are being evacuated aloft along the lines. Hope everyone is ok.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

I just heard about this ... not good! I hope there are more details soon, and how they can avoid it happening again.

[Cinderelley]

Yeah, I'll never get on those.

[Zippy 1]

It is running again although very slowly

[texas211]

Yeah, I'll never get on those.

Well, surprise surprise, already having big issues.

[bleen3162]

I was at WDW last week and rode the skyliner from AofA to HS. The ride was comfortable and quick and there was a nice breeze. We had no problems but during the week there were several times it was down, once for a few hours. I'm hearing there were no injuries but several cars were damaged. I'm glad I wasn't on when accident happened...I would not have liked climbing down a firetrucks ladder!!

[disneyorvegas]

I posted in January about this after the incident in SanDiego with the gondolas at Sea World. Was told system shut down due to high winds just like it was designed to do. Well looks like this Disney issue didn’t even remotely work as designed... ugh

[magicofdisney]

I'm not surprised there are issues, I'm just surprised how quickly they surfaced.

[ThanxForNoticin]

Agreed - and this is no small issue. I notice Disney seems to be downplaying the "crash" and "accident" side of this, and calling it a malfunction. But clearly this is a serious problem and exposed so many flaws - like the scope of rescue requirements if the system shuts down completely. The gondolas span many miles, and having a crew of firefighters to go around and get people out of the cars isn't going to cut it. Disney is so fortunate this didn't happen in the middle of the afternoon when it would potentially be dangerously hot is those non-moving, non-air conditioned cars.

Confidence in people wanting to use this system is going to be very low and it's going to take a long time to get that confidence back.

And how about those people who left EPCOT at the end of the night and headed to the Skyliner to go back to CB or AoA or PC? And then they're told the system is down - so they likely had to walk all the way back through the entire park to get to the main entrance and try to grab a bus back?? Not nearly as bad as being stuck in a gondola for 3 hours and rescued via ladders - but still an annoying situation for guests.

[1DisneyNut]

From looking at the crash of Gondolas that led to this, it appears a safety switch may have failed that should have stopped the system to give them time to get a stuck Gondola going again. I really don't know and haven't heard anything but just from the pictures that appears to be the case. If that is in fact the case, that issue isn't really a big deal. It is just replacing a bad safety switch but if this happens again, it would be prudent to put a little redundancy into the system with multiple safety switches so if one fails another one will trigger instead. In other words, don't take the cheap way out and err on the side of safety.

Now on the rescue operation topic, that was a complete failure as far as I am concerned. There definitely needs to be a response team trained and multiple ladder trucks to expedite the rescue operation. Three hours is not acceptable in any sort of way. Like others have said, if this would have happened between Noon and say 4 or 5 in the afternoon, there would have likely been multiple cases of heat stroke. What if an infant would have been in one of those and it was mid afternoon? Not good at all.

[Tekneek]

Shines a new light on the reports from Reedy Creek Emergency Services that they did not have the staff or equipment to properly handle this.

My greatest loss of confidence has been due to Disney's response. First, they told the news media this was only an "unexpected downtime." Meanwhile, those connected to social media had already seen images and video. Eventually, they upgraded this to "malfunction." If I am supposed to trust you, I shouldn't read/hear you give misleading statements. They are astonishingly poor at communication.

[John]

Here's the official statement....


Official Disney Skyliner Statement: 9 pm, Oct. 6 - We have a team diligently looking into the cause of the malfunction on the Epcot line of the Disney Skyliner. We have been in contact with the guests, many of whom were on the Skyliner for more than three hours until we were able to restart the system. We express our sincere apologies for the inconvenience and continue to work with each guest individually.

[brad192]

I predicted this very thing many months ago in a previous thread on the Skyliner. I'm just surprised it happened so quickly though.

Here's another thought/question: What if this happens on a segemt that runs over open water? How are they going to get those riders off if they're stranded above a lake or river?

[texas211]

Maybe some mischievous spirits escaped the haunted mansion.

[DizneyFreak2002]

I predicted this very thing many months ago in a previous thread on the Skyliner. I'm just surprised it happened so quickly though.

Here's another thought/question: What if this happens on a segemt that runs over open water? How are they going to get those riders off if they're stranded above a lake or river?

Hourglass Lake has a barge they use with a lift... Over International Gateway waterway the guests have to repel down a line to a waiting boat...

[The Joker]

I hear the Skyliner is now closed while the investigate the incident.

[Tekneek]

I hear the Skyliner is now closed while the investigate the incident.

Yes, it continues to be closed as of now.

[magicofdisney]

Hourglass Lake has a barge they use with a lift... Over International Gateway waterway the guests have to repel down a line to a waiting boat...
I wonder if you'd receive an upcharge for this additional ride experience? ;)

[DizneyFreak2002]

I wonder if you'd receive an upcharge for this additional ride experience? ;)
And give you a cupcake for your troubles...

[John]

I predicted this very thing many months ago in a previous thread on the Skyliner. I'm just surprised it happened so quickly though. Here's another thought/question: What if this happens on a segemt that runs over open water? How are they going to get those riders off if they're stranded above a lake or river?There is a barge to deal with that section and water evacs.