Sea World Monorail removed from website and park map

[REGIE]

Cool.  Seaworld definitely needs a transport type ride of some sort.  I probably still would rather the monorail, but this is a far better option then no monorail at all.  

[joz]

You know there's no reason you couldn't put the mid park station next to the plaza too if the redevelopment plans for the middle of the park are yet to be finalised 

[Gazza]

Can the skyway be an open loop like the one at Kolmarden?

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

2 hours ago, Slick said:

With the Formula 1 at Miami, Florida this week, I came across the fact that the track has its own Dopplemayr gondola system called SkyView - check it out here: https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/hard-rock-stadium-gondola-dolphins/

What was most surprising was the price - 3M USD is bugger all for 12 cabins and an expanse that's 100m longer than what Sea World would need if you were to retrofit 1:1 the previous chairlift attraction (SkyView is 550m, Sea World's SkyWay was 450m-ish).

It's been long enough that it would probably be a drawcard for families again too - added to that, there'd be minimal site work needed and no real impact to the park to build. But here's where it gets interesting - if the park was to close the monorail, what if they did a loop system using gondolas instead? You could have two stations roughly where the old chairlift stations were, with a third station where the monorail station is at the resort - perfect for hotel guests, corporate events etc. At that point, you're only adding another 200m of infrastructure and a third station on top of the cost of the one in Miami.

What's everyone's thoughts? @Bikash RandhawaI think I solved your monorail problem - I'd be totally on board with this being a monorail successor.

Much as I'd hate to see Monorail go, if a skyway was brought in as the substitute, can they please do a continuous load rather than pulsed? (a la disney world \ sentosa island cablecars) Capacity on the old one was dreadful, and the stoppages of the rope for loading and unloading (especially at (Australian \ Village operations speed) just kills any chance of the attractions success.

Side note on the affordability here - $3M USD is around $4.5M today. As we've learned previously from @Mark Shaw, the ride purchase cost tends to be about half the total cost of the project - so this is likely around $9M AUD - potentially with the extension to SWR adding a good chunk of that on top... so call it $15M? sounds like a good park addition to me.

One thing i've experienced on cable car \ big wheel attractions around the world are onboard dining experiences. While the ropeway is relatively short, one could offer multiple circuits in a premium car for VIPs, with dining or beverages offered would be a good revenue generating add-on too - something i'd happily pay to experience at least once - and being connected to SWR makes catering that easy with access to Shoreline and Hatsuhana kitchens to provide a unique tailored menu!

Below is one of the Mount Faber cable car ropeways to Sentosa Island in Singapore - just one example of what such an experience could look like!

 

[REGIE]

They might have one car that faces backwards and charge 30$.

[joz]

How do you take a piss?

[Naazon]

46 minutes ago, joz said:

How do you take a piss?

Usually standing

[New display name]

On 05/05/2023 at 1:28 PM, Naazon said:

Usually standing

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

26 minutes ago, New display name said:

^Relevant for sea world bathrooms

[Noll_57]

While at the park today, I noticed they’ve now installed permanent lighting over some of the monorail track. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

This is Disneyland level quality! #Peoplemover #RocketRods

[ShakeShack]

2 hours ago, Noll_57 said:

While at the park today, I noticed they’ve now installed permanent lighting over some of the monorail track. 

All of the track in the plaza has had bird spikes on it for months now too.

[REGIE]

Hate to say it but it’s not exactly looking promising.

[Ashley Jeffery]

[Naazon]

And now context to where this comes from..?

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

9 minutes ago, Naazon said:

And now context to where this comes from..?

Seems to have come from this 2017 document published by Griffith Uni (full doc is attached below). It is a student work.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAIQw7AJahcKEwjwm6-o9If_AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fresearch-repository.griffith.edu.au%2Frest%2Fbitstreams%2Fe02053e2-8f97-4e0a-aa51-cf1952015768%2Fretrieve&psig=AOvVaw1QxjY-BUYisfkpP_xf9XcZ&ust=1684809952183559

Quote

Sea World has invited Griffith University Architecture to consult on the sustainable practices of their park and specifically the Phase One of their new ride precinct, New Atlantis. The new precinct includes landscaping and three amusement rides: Vortex, Leviathan and Trident.

Dupre421564Published.pdf

Edit: the 2017 date might be a bit misleading, and was sought from google. the document refers to the monorail being closed "since 2019"

Quote

During the visit to Sea World, it was found that there is an opportunity to reuse older attractions. One is the Castle, currently used as a 3D theatre (G3 on Fig. 5). The other is the monorail (main station on P1) which was discontinued and might be dismantled after construction is complete for the new Atlantis precinct. The attraction has been closed since October 26th, 2019 and Sea World has sought ways to repurpose the track.

 

[Ashley Jeffery]

[Naazon]

Honestly, if they were keeping it and upgrading to a newer model, they likely would need to upgrade that stuff anyway right?

Its likely gone, but potentially could be required for an upgrade? Just being stupidly optimistic/hopeful.

[joz]

I don't know for sure but the cover they've removed is perhaps not as structurally sound as the track itself, and since the ride is not running, you dont need the cover. Now the cover is gone, best to remove the electrical components too, both so people can't climb on it and so there's zero opportunity for anything to happen with the power.

 

As for the monorail itself, suspect they're still in a state of 'Making a decision on what to do/what can even be done' with it.

Edited July 24, 2023 by joz

[New display name]

If SW are removing the monorail, why wouldn’t SW just take an oxy torch to it like MW did to AA?  Carefully removing some parts doesn’t sound like demolition unless SW are hard up on cash and want to sell the copper.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

36 minutes ago, New display name said:

Carefully removing some parts doesn’t sound like demolition unless SW are hard up on cash and want to sell the copper.

Given they've removed the electrical componentry, this may just be risk minimisation - since the shroud is gone, they've made it safe by removing any live electrical componentry. I suspect the rail is not energised at present, but this prevents someone energising the entire circuit without reinstalling the shroud.

Without the shroud, I wonder how long that stands without some idiot trying to climb it during Carnivale etc.

[franky]

44 minutes ago, New display name said:

If SW are removing the monorail, why wouldn’t SW just take an oxy torch to it like MW did to AA?  Carefully removing some parts doesn’t sound like demolition unless SW are hard up on cash and want to sell the copper.

Making the structure look less neglected and tidying it up. Remember they never even announced Arkham as officially closed, they just started pulling it down after they announced WoO.

There's so much evidence pointing to it's removal (or at least never returning to service) and not that much for retaining.

Evidence for never returning:
- University study on what to do with the track
- FB comments from VRTP that said it was permanently closed and later retracted.
- Disposal of other monorail trains
- Not reopening it after Atlantis construction completed
- Removal of components (as above)/
- Adding lighting/electrical into the path of the train

Evidence for remaining:
- It's still standing
- There's still one train left and is still parked in the station
- They're doing maintenance on the track itself (painting etc)

14 minutes ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

Given they've removed the electrical componentry, this may just be risk minimisation - since the shroud is gone, they've made it safe by removing any live electrical componentry. I suspect the rail is not energised at present, but this prevents someone energising the entire circuit without reinstalling the shroud.

I'd hope that the monorail is adequately 'locked out' like any other form of machinery undergoing maintenance, and that any maintenance is completed before the lockout can be removed (including re-installation of shrouds).

[Gobbledok]

There is no chance of someone accidentally or mistakenly re-energising the track

Zero

[New display name]

I've posted a concept plan in Parkz somewhere before, of the track been turned into a walkway.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Just now, Gobbledok said:

There is no chance of someone accidentally or mistakenly re-energising the track

Zero

I'm sure the guys in charge of thunder river thought there was no chance they'd kill someone either. The point is, institutional knowledge gets lost over time. People know 'what' they're supposed to do - certain things in certain orders, but oftentimes forget 'why' things were done that way over time (i'm speaking generally, not specific to the park or even theme parks in general).

For some reason, the shroud has been removed. I don't know why and don't claim to. But it makes sense if that has had to be removed, to also remove the components the shroud was there to guard.

Monorail's power might well be disconnected and isolated. However that doesn't mean that in 5 years time they decide to reconnect it and give it a test, and all the new guys in charge of it don't realise that once upon a time there used to be a shroud there. 

It makes it fail-safe, in the not-entirely-zero chance that something happens in the future that nobody could foresee.