Imagine soaring above magical lands, being whisked away for a day of fun and adventure at some of your favorite Walt Disney World theme parks and resorts. Disney World has several convenient, complimentary forms of transportation to get you from here-to-there. The Disney Skyliner is one of the newest and most popular transportation options visitors can use to travel around Disney property.
Magic really is in the air when it comes to the Disney Skyliner. The Skyliner is an aerial gondola system that opened to the public on September 29, 2019. It connects EPCOT (at the International Gateway entrance) and Disney’s Hollywood Studios with the following Disney Resorts Collection Hotels:
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
- Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
- Disney’s Pop Century Resort
- Disney’s Riviera Resort
The station at EPCOT’s International Gateway is also a short walk from Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, and Disney’s Beach Club Resort. As a result, these resorts also have convenient access to Hollywood Studios and the aforementioned resorts (including their respective food and recreation options) along the Skyliner route.
There are 5 stations located along the Skyliner route. The station at Caribbean Beach Resort is the main Skyliner hub. All passengers must disembark at this station and use one of the connecting routes to continue on their journey. You have three basic options:
- the route that heads to Disney’s Riviera Resort and, ultimately, on to EPCOT
- the route that goes to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- the route that goes to Disney’s Art of Animation and Disney’s Pop Century
Each Skyliner gondola has two long benches (one on either side of the cabin) and can seat up to 10 guests. The gondolas come in a literal rainbow of different colors. Some of them are wrapped with images of Disney characters. My personal favorite to look for is Stitch! The ones that do not have these special designs do offer the advantage of clear, unobstructed views of the surrounding scenery.
To ride the Disney Skyliner, follow this boarding process:
- Head into the Skyliner station where you will be boarding and get in line.
- A Cast Member stationed at the front of the line will ask how many guests are in your party.
- That Cast Member will then direct you to your gondola (please note that during particularly busy times, you will likely be sharing a gondola with other groups).
Watch your step! The Skyliner is a continuously moving vehicle, so it does not stop for boarding when the doors open. However, it does move at a slower rate of speed to allow for passengers to safely step inside. There are special stationary loading zones for guests who may require assistance or are using an ECV.
Another thing to note is that the Skyliner does travel high above the ground and, in some areas, low above water or swamps. For those who have a fear of heights, this may cause some anxiety. In general, it’s a very smooth ride. However, during windy conditions or when it is paused, the gondolas may sway slightly. You may want to keep this in mind and possibly consider alternative transportation arrangements if you are prone to motion sickness or have that fear of heights.
The Skyliner will operate rain or shine, with some exceptions. If there are high winds or lightning in the area, Disney will close the Skyliner. If this happens, Disney will offer alternate bus transportation to the resorts along the Skyliner route. There will be signage at the entrance to the Skyliner stations alerting guests of any closures due to inclement weather. It is important to note that whenever the Disney Skyliner is operational, the Skyliner resorts will NOT offer bus transportation to EPCOT or Hollywood Studios.
The Disney Skyliner operates daily starting one hour before Early Theme Park Entry for EPCOT or Hollywood Studios begins, and closing 90 minutes after EPCOT or Hollywood Studios closes. There is signage provided near the entrance to each Skyliner station indicating that day’s the operating hours. Cast Members are always nearby if you need clarification on operating hours or directions for how to get to where you want to go.
When EPCOT has Extended Evening Hours for Deluxe Resort guests, the Skyliner closes one hour after EPCOT closes. The only route that is available after Extended Evening Hours is the route between EPCOT’s International Gateway and Riviera Resort (since Riviera is a Deluxe Resort). The route between Caribbean Beach, Art of Animation, and Pop Century is unavailable.
Using the Skyliner can be a fun, convenient way to visit multiple parks or resorts in one day. Keep in mind, however, that the Skyliner is located at the International Gateway Entrance (which is at the back of the park near the France pavilion in World Showcase). You are not able to access the Disney Skyliner from the front of EPCOT without an EPCOT or park hopper ticket for that day. There is no connection from the Monorail or EPCOT parking lot to the Skyliner station without entering the theme park.
Some people consider the Skyliner to be a magical bonus ride – and it doesn’t even require a theme park ticket! You can travel back and forth (as many times as you would like to) while it is open and operating. It offers some of the best views in all of Disney World! Also, if your timing is just right, you can have a unique view of EPCOT’s nighttime show Luminous: The Symphony of Us while riding on the Skyliner. Fingers crossed that you get an unwrapped gondola!
We’ve previously mentioned that traveling by Skyliner can be a convenient way to resort hop. You can easily sample food and drink from a number of different restaurants at resorts along the route. Maybe you want to start your day with the character waffles from Landscape of Flavors at Art of Animation before having a Jerk Chicken Sandwich and a Pink Guava Colada at Caribbean Beach’s Banana Cabana for lunch. End your day with Beef Bolognese or a Bacon Cheddar Burger from Primo Piatto at Riviera Resort. Sounds like a delicious day to me!
One of the hidden gems you will want to look for is the Joffrey’s location just outside the Caribbean Beach Skyliner station. This particular Joffrey’s is special because it offers a fun, speciality drink that you can ONLY find at this location: the Toffee Flight Latte. It’s a latte made with sea salt caramel toffee sauce and dark chocolate sauce, topped with whipped cream and toffee crumbles. This delicious latte is available iced or blended, and is a “must-get” for me every time my travels take me to Caribbean Beach Resort.
Finally, if you love the Skyliner as much as I do, perhaps you will also be tempted by the Skyliner merchandise you can find at the various resorts along the route. You can find Skyliner-themed products like t-shirts, ornaments, pins, and even a handbag! And yes, I do in fact own the Stitch Skyliner mug! How could I possibly resist bringing Stitch home with me??? It’s a fun way to bring a little bit of Disney magic home with you to remember your time at the Most Magical Place on Earth.
For more news and information on everything Walt Disney World, stay tuned to MouseHouseNews.net! Thanks for stopping by. See ya real soon!
