Universal’s Hogwarts Express maker offers possible solutions to Disney’s rumored gondola project

There’s still a lot of unknowns at play about a potential new gondola transportation system at Walt Disney World, but maybe the manufacturer of one of Orlando’s other prominent rides has some answers.

The rumored project, which has been circulating the internet, has many fans wondering how it would work if The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) were actually to make it a reality. If fact, we had our own series of questions about the new transportation system and how the House of Mouse could approach it. Unfortunately, Disney is mum about the prospects of the project and has yet to confirm if it’s even real.

However, information found on the website of Austria-based Doppelmayr Garaventa Group, which specializes in cable cars and gondolas and is the firm that manufactured the roped railway system used by Universal Orlando Resort’s Hogwarts Express ride(see the slideshow for photos of the Hogwarts Express), may give us some perspective on what today’s gondolas are able to accomplish. (Doppelmayr executives couldn’t be reached for comment.)

Here’s some tidbits from Doppelmayr’s press site on how its rope-propelled products work:

How are rope-propelled systems operated? A motor provides the central drive for all carriers. Neither brakes, gear unit nor motors are required in the individual carriers as these are propelled, accelerated and braked exclusively by means of the rope. This technology is therefore very energy-efficient, eco-friendly and cost-effective.
• How do rope-propelled systems blend in with the urban landscape? Stations as well as tower structures are very flexible in terms of design and can be adapted to suit local conditions and culture. The stations can also be kept relatively small and simple, integrated into existing buildings or built onto them.
• How do rope-propelled systems blend in with the urban landscape? Stations as well as tower structures are very flexible in terms of design and can be adapted to suit local conditions and culture. The stations can also be kept relatively small and simple, integrated into existing buildings or built onto them.
• Aren’t rope-propelled systems much too slow? In comparison with other means of transport, rope-propelled systems can achieve the same, if not higher, average speeds than conventional public transport systems. Ropeways are not held up by road vehicles or traffic lights and can therefore always maintain their speed.
• Can the carriers be cooled or heated? Yes. Modern carriers are fitted with batteries and solar panels which enable them to be heated or cooled.
• Can ropeways still operate in bad weather? Over several hundred years, ropeway technology has been put to the test in mountainous regions where storms and snow are prevalent, and further developed. Ropeways and Cable Liners can run in snow, ice, thunderstorms and even with wind speeds of 100 km/h!
• How much does one meter [or roughly 3.3 feet] of ropeway cost? Unfortunately, there is no definite answer to this question. The crucial factors that determine the price of a ropeway are the topographic situation on site, the desired carrier capacity, the length of the ropeway and as a result the type of the system chosen.

Now it’s entirely possible Disney goes a different route than the product Doppelmayr offers as there are other operators worldwide. However, the company’s information does give some insight into what currently is available for a gondola-style transportation way.

Only time will tell what Disney comes forward with and what vision it has for the transportation system – if it even comes to fruition. Either way, it’s quite telling of where Disney’s brainpower is being invested as it gears up for welcoming new expansions such as the new Pandora: The World of Avatar land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in May and new Star Wars and Toy Story additions to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2019.

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