The Disney Skyliner might be one of the most convenient ways to get around Walt Disney World.
There is something undeniably cool about walking up to a station, stepping into a gondola and soaring above your Disney Resort instead of waiting for a bus. The Skyliner connects Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort with EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
For Disney Adults, it can be an especially appealing way to travel. You skip the traffic, avoid the parking lots and get some pretty impressive views along the way. There is just one thing nobody tells you before you climb aboard.
The Skyliner Can Stop After You’re Already In The Air
One of the biggest misconceptions about the Disney Skyliner is that once your gondola leaves the station, you are guaranteed a smooth, uninterrupted trip to your destination. That is not always the case. Skyliner gondolas can slow down or stop after guests have already been loaded and sent on their way. Sometimes the stoppage lasts only a short time. Other times, the wait can become much more noticeable.
That can completely change your perception of how long the journey will take. A trip that looks like a quick and convenient ride on the Disney transportation map can turn into a much longer experience when the system pauses along the way.
The Caribbean Beach To EPCOT Route Deserves A Closer Look
This is particularly noticeable on the route between Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and EPCOT.
Caribbean Beach serves as the central Skyliner hub, so guests traveling between several destinations pass through this area. The EPCOT route travels from Caribbean Beach toward Disney’s Riviera Resort before continuing to EPCOT’s International Gateway.
On paper, this sounds incredibly convenient. In practice, you need to leave yourself some breathing room. The MouseHouseNews.net team has repeatedly traveled on the Disney Skyliner between Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and EPCOT’s International Gateway when the gondolas slow to a crawl and, eventually, a complete stop. When this happens, a trip that feels like it should be a simple ride across Walt Disney World can start to feel longer than expected.
That matters if you are trying to make it to a reservation on time, arrive for Early Theme Park Entry, or meet friends at a certain time.
A Warning to Disney Adults Afraid of Heights
Not all sections of the Skyliner system operate at the same elevation. The Caribbean Beach to Art of Animation / Pop Century section is not very high above ground. However, it is very apparent that some of the most elevated sections of the entire system are above Buena Vista Drive between EPCOT and Disney’s Riviera Resort. This is why it is important that we take that closer look at this stretch in particular.
In my experience, this is the stretch where the gondolas seem to come to a stop most often. It is a scenic view, but it is also very high above the street below. If it just so happens to also be windy, the gondolas can sway from side to side while being stopped. That may be an unnerving feeling for those afraid of heights.
I’m not trying to convince you to avoid the Skyliner. I point this out so that, if it happens while you’re riding, you don’t find yourself in a panic. Just understand that it is not exactly abnormal. This is when you can use whatever coping mechanism best suits you: close your eyes, take deep breaths, don’t look down, etc. Just know that everything is fine and you’ll soon be moving again.
Don’t Build Your Entire Day Around The Estimated Ride Time
This is the biggest lesson. If you are staying at a Skyliner resort and plan to use the Skyliner to visit the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, don’t leave at the last minute and expect to arrive on time every time. Take my advice and give yourself some extra cushion.
The Skyliner remains an excellent transportation option, but convenience does not always equal predictability. That distinction becomes particularly important when you have somewhere you absolutely need to be.
If you have a 7:00 PM date night dinner at EPCOT’s Monsieur Paul, for example, don’t leave your resort at 6:45 assuming you will simply hop onto a gondola and arrive right on time.
A delay after boarding could eat into that non-existent cushion very quickly.
The Skyliner Is Still One Of Disney World’s Best Transportation Options
None of this means you should avoid the Disney Skyliner. Far from it. The Skyliner offers something that Disney buses simply cannot replicate. You get an aerial view of Walt Disney World while traveling between several resorts and two theme parks. It is a convenient connection to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, and the EPCOT station places guests at International Gateway near the EPCOT resort area. That’s a huge advantage.
The problem comes when guests assume that the Skyliner operates like a nonstop train. It doesn’t. You are riding an aerial transportation system that can and will experience slowdowns as well as temporary stops.
As long as you understand that, the Skyliner becomes a worry-free transportation option.
Give Yourself A Little Disney Transportation Insurance
Our advice is simple: Use the Skyliner, but build some extra time into your plans.
If everything runs smoothly, you’ll arrive earlier than expected. If the gondola temporarily stops somewhere along the route, you won’t immediately feel like your entire Disney day is falling apart. That little bit of extra time can make a big difference.
The Disney Skyliner is convenient, fun, and often a fantastic way to get around Walt Disney World. Just remember that boarding the gondola doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to keep moving until you reach your destination. That’s the one thing nobody tells you about riding the Disney Skyliner.
Once you’ve been sitting inside a gondola that’s stopped somewhere between Caribbean Beach and EPCOT, you’ll understand exactly what I mean. For more details on what to expect during your next trip to Walt Disney World, be sure to visit MouseHouseNews.net often. You can also find videos and shorts from Disney World over on our YouTube channel: MouseHouseNewsNet.
