If you follow Disney Parks news at all, you’ve probably heard about the newest transportation option at Walt Disney World Resort. Now you can travel by aerial gondola with the Disney Skyliner, an innovative twist on flight. Like most new things at Disney Parks, the Skyliner is not without controversy or questions. Where does it go? How fast does it travel? How high is it? We’ve got the low down on the high way to get around. We’re ready to answer your Disney World Skyliner FAQs.
What is the Disney World Skyliner?
The Disney World Skyliner is a grand, state-of-the-art gondola system that conveniently connects Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the International Gateway at Epcot to the following Disney Resort hotels: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resort. Guests will enjoy a fun way to travel to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Plus, the Disney Skyliner station at International Gateway at Epcot is conveniently located just a short stroll away from Disney’s BoardWalk entertainment district, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort and Disney’s BoardWalk Inn.
Similar to the Disney Skyway that used to be in the Magic Kingdom, these gondolas give guests the opportunity to see Walt Disney World Resort from above. The Skyliner consists of 300+ gondolas in eight bright colors and some feature wraps adorned with iconic Disney characters from Disney attractions and film favorites.
How fast does the Skyliner travel?
The Skyliner moves at speeds up to 11 MPH.
How high do the Disney Skyliner Gondolas fly above the ground?
The Skyliner’s highest point is 60 feet up. For those guests afraid of heights, take note.
Is the Disney Skyliner air conditioned?
There is no air conditioning on the Disney Skyliner gondolas. The gondolas are actually fitted with cross ventilation and feature reflective windows to mitigate effects from the central Florida climate. But it DOES get hot inside if your gondola is paused or stopped for some reason, at least during what’s still considered the hot time of the year in Orlando.
What is the temperature like inside a Skyliner gondola?
Most guests find the temperatures inside a Skyliner gondola to be comfortable when the cabin is in motion. When the cabin is stopped for a few minutes or more, temperatures do noticeably rise.
How many people can travel inside a Skyliner gondola at one time?
Skyliner gondolas are designed to fit ten passengers seated on the cabins’ wooden benches. They can also accommodate wheelchairs, ECVs, and strollers. When one of these vehicles is inside the gondola, the capacity lowers to six passengers. Children in strollers and anyone using a wheelchair or ECV count toward the gondola’s maximum capacity.
Will cast members make my party ride with another to reach capacity in the gondola?
Cast members will not typically force different parties to ride together. However, if crowd levels (and thus wait times) are high, they may group parties to fill gondolas and run the lines at their maximum capacity.
How do the Skyliner Gondolas board ECV’s, wheelchairs, etc?
Each line in every station has a wheelchair-designated queue. Cabins designated for this line will stop to allow boarding. When guests have boarded, the cabin will be added to the Skyliner line without interruption to the line’s continuous service.
Can more than one ECV or wheelchair be placed in a single gondola?
We have not seen more than one ECV or wheelchair loaded per gondola. Please ask a Cast Member.
Will a wheelchair be strapped into Skyliner?
No. But, Cast members have wedges to place behind the wheels of a wheelchair to prevent it from rolling inside the cabin.
What if I don’t need a wheelchair or ECV but still need a stationary gondola for boarding and disembarking?
This is not a problem. Just speak with the cast member in the wheelchair/ECV queue and explain that you need to board and disembark from a stationary cabin.
Will the wheelchair and ECV gondolas also stop at the line’s destination?
Yes, they will. No gondola is specifically designated as a handicap cabin; rather they are identified by the system and will therefore automatically shift to the stationary queue at the next station for deboarding.
What happens if it rains or if lightning is in the area?
Disney prioritizes safety, and plans are in place to adjust to these conditions. Skyliner signs indicate “operating hours vary depending on weather.”
Is there WIFI in the Skyliner gondolas?
WIFI is available throughout Walt Disney World property, but it’s not wired into the gondolas themselves. There may be lapses in accessibility at times.
Can I eat and drink on the Skyliner?
Guests have been seen riding with coffee (with lids) from the new coffee stand at the Caribbean Beach Resort station, and you can bring food into the gondolas.
What if I want to ride in a specific character gondola?
You can tell a cast member in the queue that you’d like to wait for a character gondola (or conversely if you’d prefer NOT to ride in a character gondola). They will try to accommodate as they’re able; you’ll need to move to the side to wait. It will be more of a challenge if you want to wait for a specific character gondola versus any character gondola or the next character gondola.
What are the Skyliner gondolas like when they slow and stop?
Guests will board a gondola on the continuous line (unless they’re boarding with a wheelchair — see above). When the gondola doors close, they pick up speed quickly. Riders do notice some motion related to the launch. When gondolas arrive at a station, they do so at what feels like a relatively high speed, and they slow abruptly. The gondolas are fairly close together when one arrives behind another in the station.
What is the travel time between each location?
Approximate time and distance while traveling 11 mph with no stops or delays is shown above. For a more accurate assessment, use the following when planning: Travel time between Caribbean Beach Resort station and Disney’s Hollywood Studios is about five minutes. Travel between Caribbean Beach Resort and Riviera Resort is about three minutes. Travel between Riviera Resort and Epcot is about ten minutes. Travel between Caribbean Beach Resort and Art of Animation/Pop Century is about five minutes.
Riviera Resort station isn’t a transfer station; does that mean I can stay on the gondola to continue on to Epcot or Caribbean Beach stations?
Guests will be able to stay on through the station at Riviera Resort as they travel on toward Epcot or Caribbean Beach Resort. There will be no transfers at Riviera Resort. If guests wish to disembark at the Riviera station, they’ll just need to stand up when their gondola pulls into the station to signal their intentions. If guests want to remain in their gondola through the station, they’ll remain seated.
What happens if the Skyliner gondolas get stuck above water?
Should your gondola get stuck above Hourglass Lake at Art of Animation and Pop Century Resorts, Disney has a rescue barge built to unload passengers.
What are the Disney Skyliner’s operating hours?
Skyliner operate pre-Park opening and post-Park closing each day. They tend to operate on the same schedule as buses (45 minutes prior to Park opening and one hour after closing). Signs at the stations state “operating hours vary depending on weather,” and Skyliner may close early if weather is a factor.
Will Skyliner operating times and wait times be listed on My Disney Experience?
My Disney Experience is expected to add Skyliner operating times and wait times. This technology was not available in time for Skyliner’s opening on September 29, but it is expected to be added relatively soon.
Are strollers allowed on the Disney Skyliner? And if so, do I need to fold my stroller?
Yes, load single strollers with children riding in them by simply rolling the stroller into the cabin (just as guests can do on the Monorail). Stroller size is limited to 30″ by 48″ when unfolded. Families with larger strollers are able to fold them to bring them onto the Skyliner gondolas, but the maximum capacity will change to 6 guests.
Does my child in the stroller count as a passenger?
Yes, children seated in strollers do count as passengers. So if you have one child in a single stroller or two children in a double stroller, you’ll only be able to load 5 and 4 other passengers respectively. If you are a family of over six with one or more strollers, you will be asked to board two gondolas.
Can children ride without an adult?
The same rules for minimum ages on other Disney transportation applies to Skyliner. Guests age 14 and older can ride Skyliner on their own. Kids ages 7-13 must ride with someone 14 or older.
Hopefully we were able to answer most of your questions and concerns about the Skyliner. Will you ride the Skyliner on your next visit? Be sure to reach out in the comments if you have a question that we didn’t answer about Disney’s newest mode of transportation. Or feel free to email us on the “Contact Us” page. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram.