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.The doors whooshed open and a burst of warm tropical air greeted everyone as they went through.Outside was a long platform with a railing.Peeking over the edge, Aubrey saw a dizzying drop to the ground below.Across the gap was another platform (for exiting passengers, she assumed), and suspended horizontally over the chasm was a thick, steel, green-painted beam—the rail.Henry said, “So you said passenger traffic of 69 million? What is the capacity of the island?"Jinkins replied, "Well, we have 165,000 hotel rooms with more on the way.The retirement community, StarLine Haven, has an additional 5,000 suites.When we are operating at full capacity, Paradeisia will host about 95,000 workers—”“And that will be changing,” Henry said.Jinkins ignored him, “—or Visionaries, as I like to call them.” He chuckled at himself, then said, “Some of them will live on other islands or South America, but about fifty thousand will live here.For them there will be a compound, a city, really, on the south end of the island.So, the short answer to your question is that Paradeisia has the capacity, at the moment, to house and feed somewhere around 700,000 happy people at one time if every space was occupied—but of course it won't stop there, Disneyland Paradeisia will be opening in seventeen months.That will add an additional seven thousand rooms.”Henry interrupted, “And Disney agrees to this?”“Well, we haven't spoken with them yet, of course, because it's still a secret, but once we let the cat out of the bag.” he chuckled, “the House of Mouse will be begging our permission to erect one of their little castles here!”Henry said dimly, “I see.And have you projected an occupancy rate?”“Occupancy rate? I'd expect 100%, no question.Who wouldn't come to see the paradise of dreams we have here?”“Paradise or not, Mr.Jinkins, occupancy rate is important to establish.Orlando, for example, is lucky if they get eighty-one percent.”“Mr.Potter!” Jinkins exclaimed, clearly affronted.“I certainly hope you're not trying to compare Paradeisia to Orlando, because there simply is no equivalence.This is the most extraordinary place on earth and, given the chance, anyone staying in Orlando would immediately drop whatever silliness Mickey had them doing and jet straight over here!” He moved closer to Henry and furrowed his brows at him, “What they discovered when they were digging is beyond anyone's wildest dreams.I hope you understand, Mr.Potter: I am not toying with some pixy tomfoolery: I am offering people a chance to experience the impossible.So do not compare Paradeisia as if it's like anything else at all.It's not.”Jinkins then cleared his throat and continued, “Now all the projects on the table, including the Disneyland, will expand total capacity to some 180,000 guest rooms—aha.It's coming!” Jinkins smiled, staring down the tunnel in the foliage.Aubrey could tell that something was coming because a deep rumbling sound rose above the adventurous music that was playing over loudspeakers.Everyone looked down the suspended track in anticipation, and with a blast of air, the gondola arrived, slowing to a stop.It had a sleek nose, tinted glass windows, and a blown-up image of a toucan at the rear.The guardrail on the edge of the platform receded into the floor and, with the sound of escaping air, two round doors on the gondola lifted up.“Come in, all of you!” Jinkins exclaimed.“There's room for fifty, and by fifty I do mean forty-eight precisely!”The gondola was cool inside as they boarded.Except for the floor, the entire circumference was glass.Jinkins commented, “It's acrylic glass, in fact.So the passengers have a 360 degree view! It's so strong you'd be safe from an explosion in here, and by explosion,” he chuckled, “I do mean a nuclear blast!"As everyone found their seats, Jinkins' recorded persona interrupted the music, "Please stand clear of the doors.Smoking is prohibited except in designated areas on Paradeisia." There was an unnatural pause followed by, "Welcome to Anaconda Alley.Our next stop is the FlyRail Hub." The doors closed and the gondola began to move.It gained speed as it cleared the walls of the airport.As it emerged over the foliage, Aubrey held her breath.The gondola was much higher than she had realized.It was a spectacular view: to the left were the tropical mountain peaks and to the right were the coastline and the port.The resonant voice of Jinkins began again as the gondola ascended a forested ridge, "When visiting paradise, you would expect to ride on the wings of angels [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]