How to Ride Disney's Skyliner at Walt Disney World

Last Updated: May 5, 2023 References

Whether it's by walking or taking the monorail, bus, or one of Disney World's other transportation forms, one of the other main transportation systems has become the Disney Skyliner - a gondola system bringing you from place to place along some of the Walt Disney World Resort properties. Although very little is found on official Internet sites about this system, this article will explain more about the system and how you can ride it. It's free, but you have to do a little legwork to ride it.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Learning About the System

1

Learn all you can about the Disney Skyliner - before you make your way to the Walt Disney World parks and resorts. Although the information about the Skyliner isn't widely available on the official Walt Disney World (MyDisneyExperience) page and app, you will almost have to look further to read (at the very least) its map for station information and relativity to the entrances to the places used the most often.
2

Learn the history of gondola systems within and near the parks. Although some of this history is presented through YouTube videos researching "gondolas at Walt Disney World", some really good information is presented there.

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3
Look for information on what stations are nearest theme parks it connects to.
- At Disney's Hollywood Studios, it connects to the parking lot with a short curvy pathway directly to the main entrance.
- At Epcot, there's an entrance to the International Gateway entrance/exit - also near the boat transportation.
4
Look for information on what resorts this transportation system serves - both directly and indirectly.
- Disney's Skyliner serves a total of 3 hotel systems throughout its system. However, as an indirect stop at its one terminus on the "Epcot" line, there lies an indirect stop for the Art of Animation location (also serving as the main stop for the Pop Century).
- Disney's Skyliner going to Disney's Hollywood Studios from this Pop Century & Art of Animation Resort stop, services only one Resort - at the Caribbean Beach.
- Also on the Epcot line with its first 90° turn lies Disney's Riviera Resort.
5
Look for information about the station the Skyliner uses solely as a turnaround station and how it utilizes this. Lying between the Epcot terminus and Disney's Riviera Resort lies a terminus stop. Disney brings you into a Skyliner stop-building, yet doesn't service this stop. You'll feel the bump, but you are a little further off the ground. It's smooth and about the only thing you'll see is the overhead girder as the car doesn't come down and there's little beneath your gondola with Disney's Hollywood Studios over on the left side of the gondola exiting the station as it proceeds to Epcot. ^{[1]
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- This location can be found at the corner of Epcot Resorts Blvd and Buena Vista Dr but doesn't have an official placemark on Google Maps (according to the satellite image), but no mention of it on the mapped image without satellite view.) ^{[2]
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6
Watch for the opening and closing times of each Skyliner station. Each Skyliner station has different opening times and most open depending on Disney-associated values - and especially at park Skyliner stations - on the park's opening time with Epcot Skyliner opening nearly last. Check with Skyliner personnel at your boarding area to see if you can arrive at the end stop at a time okay with the opening time, or if they will ask you to get off before that stop.
- Variables that go into figuring out these times include not only sunrise and sunset but also park opening and park closing. For instance, the Skyliner station at Disney's Hollywood Studios opens at 9 am and closes at 5 pm (according to Google Maps). ^{[3]
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  Research source} However, once the sunset changes towards summer, the time of opening remains open until park closure - later in the evening - like 8 pm or 9 pm, and sometimes opens well before 9 am such as 7 am or 7:30 am.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Riding the System

1
Know where to board at each station. Although this system only has a small selection of stations, each station is held in different spots adjacent to other nearby items.
- The Art of Animation-Pop Century Resort's building is held along the edge of Hourglass Lake on the Generation Gap Bridge ^{[4]
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  Research source} nearest the Finding Nemo Buildings (Art of Animation Resort) ^{[5]
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  Research source} and 60's Buildings (Pop Century Resort). ^{[6]
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- The Riviera's station can be obtained by taking the covered walkway from the inside door of the West Wing over to the station. ^{[7]
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- The Caribbean Beach Resort's Skyliner can be found across the unnamed lake from the Trinidad section of the resort to the area south of the Jamaica section building and parking lot. ^{[9]
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  Research source} Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort is the hub station, and in terms of the lines is shaped like an upper-case T with the long line extending to and from Disney's Hollywood Studios (and operating out of the side) while the other operates as a continuous flow over two separate cars as the top portion of the T. ^{[10]
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- Epcot's station is found just outside the International Gateway entrance of the World Showcase. ^{[11]
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- Disney's Hollywood Studios station is found directly across from the entrance/exit to the park. ^{[13]
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2
Realize that at certain spots you must exit the Skyliner so the gondola can twist and turn to take you the remainder of the way to your destination - such is the case as the Caribbean Beach stops. At these stations, you must choose to go one way for one location and another to go the other direction - follow signs as you proceed to ensure you are heading in the right direction.
- Although the map deems it necessary for riders to get out at Disney's Riviera Resort station, it is not that - since this station isn't a transfer station. Riders who are wanting to depart at this stop must get up out of their seat when the gondola has come in and signaled to Disney Cast Members the need to exit. For those who are handicapped accessible, you need to verbally announce your need to get out to all cast members you notice. ^{[14]
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3
Realize that only certain gondolas are handicapped-accessible. Riders must explain their handicapped needs to a Disney Cast Member before boarding. Disney has special gondolas that can be brought into the line which can handicap equip the system, but Disney needs to ensure that the people at the receiving end know to bring one out and for what reason.
- Riders bringing a baby stroller on board may board a regular gondola with the stroller folded up to be carried on. Strollers must be no larger than 30-48 inches wide to fit within the car without having to be folded. However, doing all this will decrease the number of riders the car will hold who are mobile and able to board. ^{[15]
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4

Walk up to the first Cast Member you will see - following signs directing you to your destination and wait there. You might have to wait for a few minutes in line if there are other people ahead of you. But lines often move quickly.
5

Follow the Cast Members' lead. Most will tell you that you have to walk onto a moving walkway-like escalator - where the speed of the walkway is the same speed as the cars will be moving at - much like the moving walkways at Disney's Haunted Mansion and many others.
6

Get off as soon as the next Cast Member says to come off and be mindful of your speed getting off the belt and onto the boarding floor, as you follow it entering sideways.
7

Walk up and into the car. There should be a slight dip between the ground and the car's entrance - except for those boarding with handicapped accessible needs - having a special ramp attaching the gondola to the entranceway nearest the first Cast Member you were told about earlier.
8

Sit down on the bench. You might end up riding with other guests who are unrelated to you but is dependent on how ridership at that point of the day is going. Most often you may be able to ask the Cast Member attendants if you can be placed with only your family, but if it's too busy, they may not be able to honor your request. ^{[16]
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9

Wait for the car to get up into the air as you look forward and feel the car rise into the air as you are supported by the girders.
10

Look out to the left and right of the car after it's fully up and see what other attractions are featured there. You might spot something that no one else sees or knows about the land, but stay seated during the journey.

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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

As the Gondola Lowers Into the Arrival Station

1

Let the gondola lower down into the station. You might feel a slight bump as your car touches down and then propels forward into the wheel pulling the car forward and into the location.
2
Get out of the gondola when they either say it's okay to get out or you are at a transfer station such as Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort. Get up and out of your seat, then step down onto the platform and continue until you are out of the way of other riders doing the same thing as you.
- Before Disney's Riviera Resort was built, the doors to the gondola wouldn't unlock and open because it was a pass-through-only station. However, now that this resort has been completely built, this is no longer the case and you can now get out without fear of retribution from Cast Members.
3

Walk out the exit of the station. Follow the signage to get you to your destination nearby.

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Tips

Avoid trying to use Disney's Skyliner after Epcot has closed. Because the Skyliner is located at a different area of Epcot where you'll have to cross through the park to get to the parking lot, you'd either have to take alternate forms (such as the Disney bus) or by walking and taking other routes to get back to the parking lot - which could be costly. Disney tells all SkyLiner guests to avoid this embarrassing situation right on their website. ^{[17]
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Research source} Instead, try to park at Disney's Hollywood Studios if you plan to close out your day at Epcot and plan to take the Skyliner from the park back. At Disney's Hollywood Studios, it's an easy walk out and directly to the parking lot without needing to cross into the park - unlike it does at Epcot.

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The Skyliner grand-opened to the public on September 19, 2019. ^{[18]
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Research source} This is a new form of transport - but it isn't the first time gondolas have appeared at Walt Disney World. However, Riviera Resort's Skyliner station opened on December 16, 2019. ^{[19]
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Although the Skyliner cars get hot and muggy at times having been up in the air, each SkyLiner car has fresh air vents that blow cool air into the gondola car often.

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Warnings

If you have acrophobia, avoid riding the Disney Skyliner. Although these cars have vomit bags, avoid traveling in them or recognize that you'll only be about 60 feet up in the air during travel.

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How to Ride Disney's Skyliner at Walt Disney World

Steps

Learning About the System

Riding the System

As the Gondola Lowers Into the Arrival Station

Expert Q&A

Tips

Warnings

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References

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