Hiya Pals! Disney World is massive! Did you know that it covers approximately 25,000 acres? That’s about the size of San Francisco! That means you have a lot of ground to cover while on vacation. But don’t worry, there’s lots of Disney transportation to help you get around! The newest form of transportation is Disney’s Skyliner. We absolutely love the ease of the Skyliner. Let’s dive right in and find out more!
Skyliner Stations
There are five different Skyliner stations. They are Disney’s Pop Century Resort/Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resort, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios. You can get on or off at any of these stations. You must exit your Skyliner cabin at the “main” hub at Carribean Beach.
We often choose our hotel based on the Skyliner, and it’s something I recommend to others too. It’s the easiest and quickest ways to Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. It’s a bonus because the Skyliner drops you off right at the entrance to Hollywood Studios, closer than parking and the busses, and in EPCOT you get to enter through the back in World Showcase. This is really helpful because you’re so close!
What is the Disney Skyliner?
Disney’s Skyliner is an open-air gondola, that is suspended high in the air on a moving cable. The cabin itself, never stops moving. Each cabin can hold up to 10 passengers on two large benches on each side. One side rides forward facing, while the other is going backwards. You do not have to collapse single strollers, but side-by-side double strollers do not fit through the opening.
At first, I was worried about being hot on the Skyliner, but it truly isn’t hot while moving! There are lots of ventilation openings in each cabin, and they are designed to reflect the Florida sun. Some cabins are even decorated with fun Disney characters.
How to get on the Skyliner
Once at a station you simply hop aboard! If you’re traveling from your resort to a park the longest ride time you’ll have is approximately 10-15 minutes. That’s if you’re traveling from Pop/Art of Animation to EPCOT. Making this the quickest route since busses depart approximately every 20 minutes. While at the hub at the Caribbean Beach Resort, you can choose to go to Hollywood Studios, or EPCOT. Disney’s Riviera Resort is a stop along the way when choosing EPCOT, but you don’t have to depart your cabin if you’re traveling on. Remember, it never stops moving so you’ll need to be mindful and watch your step.
Who can ride the Skyliner?
Anyone can ride aboard the Skyliner! You do not need to be staying in one of the resorts along the route or even at a Disney hotel to ride. The Skyliner can be really useful to those who are in either Hollywood Studios or EPCOT and want to dine at Caribbean Beach, or Riviera Resort, or even park hopping between EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. We have also been known to just hop aboard and ride a loop just for fun! We kinda turn the Skyliner into its own ride just like the Monorail.
Hours of operation
The Skyliner hours of operation are typically one hour before early park entry, until an hour and a half after park closing. These hours of operation are similar to that of the busses. If you have questions about the hours of operation during your stay, one of the Skyliner attendants can help you get answers.
Weather
Unfortunately, weather conditions can affect the Disney Skyliner. If there is a storm or high winds, they will shut down the Skyliner for safety reasons. They will have notifications in your MDE, as well as physical signs near the Skyliner entrances. If this happens, don’t worry! Disney will be ready with busses to take you back to the resorts. The Skyliner isn’t the only mode of transportation that is subject to weather conditions, the boats can also be shut down due to storms etc.
For more information on MDE check out our blog post!
Fun Facts
- The Skyliner’s peak has you crusing 60 feet above the ground.
- You get tons of great views of EPCOT, Caribbean Beach Resort, Hourglass Lake and more!
- The Skyliner opened in 2019, but there was an earlier version that had you flying above Magic Kingdom.
- Over 300 gondolas make up Disney’s Skyliner fleet.
- Disney’s Art of Animation and Pop Century Resorts share a Skyliner station that floats in the middle of Hourglass Lake!
- If you want to beat the crowds back to your resort, but still want to see some of the fireworks at EPCOT, you can do that from the Skyliner!
We love using the Skyliner whenever we can. My son absolutely loves it and is convinced he can make it fly using Disney Magic. He likes to listen to all the announcements over the speakers, and there’s just something iconic about the chime when you step in! It truly is an amazing experience! If you’d like to book your next trip staying along Disney’s Skyliner contact Erica Kocher. She’s our go-to travel agent for all our Disney vacation plans!
Until next time you can follow along with all our other social media accounts! Check us out, and let us know if you love the Skyliner!
