Ya, I would imagine the whole thing would need to stop if something happened in the station, but I think so much would depend on the settings. The cars on the track go really slow so a stroller isn’t an issue and I would think 99% of ECVs could make it on while moving as well. I think they could stop a car on the track for a short amount of time without stopping the line, but like if someone falls or gets stuck they would definitely need to stop the line or cars would fill the whole station.
I’m unclear why they feel like they need dual loading in one station and not another. Like if there is a need, you would think it would be a need in all stations?
Maybe they expect the quantity of people getting on/off at Riviera will be small compared to at other stations. But then again, it seems like most of the gondolas will already be filled, so the poor people will need to wait a long time before an empty (enough) one shows up for people to board.
It will be fascinating to see it all running with actual people.
It can be done at the terminal stations, they’ve just added a second bull wheel at the end of the main one.
They can’t do that on a station that is en route along the line. The only way to have done it is to have made Riviera a transfer Hub too, like at CBR - a terminal station.
IIRC, in most other Doppelmayer gondolas (well, the ones I’ve seen at ski resorts), that protrusion is part of the mechanism for the gondola to ride on the track in-station. It needs multiple points of contact because unlike on the line, side to side motion is not acceptable.
Compared to other gondola operations I’ve seen and used a few times (Breckenridge, CO and the MN State Fair) these were running much more quickly, and as you can see, are spaced apart quite a bit. There will be no issue with fast moving transitions areas, that’s not even a possibility with a side door loading gondola, can you imagine the liability that would be? Plus, no one would ever make it in or out.
I just looked through the last month’s worth of posts on WDWMagic and there are no predictions of when it will open - not even any “intelligent guesses”.
I think the original timeline was this fall. I would presume they would want it up and running in plenty of time advance of SWGE. That they are unwrapped and there are so many on the line now to me suggests we are getting close. I will bet by 7/1
Has anyone shown pictures of the inside of them yet? I assume since they can handle ECVs they would fit strollers, but will they allow strollers to be rolled on? I’m hoping yes. That’s one of the best things about the Friendship boats, not having to remove possibly sleeping kids from strollers.
If I could stay at AoA or Pop and have 2 parks that I can access without folding a stroller, I would be so happy.
As I understand it that is the case. They will be similar to monorail in terms of scooters, wheelchairs, and strollers boarding by rolling directly on. I think I saw an interior photo or perhaps drawing where it had a bench in the middle and a bench on either side? Not sure max passengers but it seemed to feel like 8
