Progress on the construction of the upcoming Disney Skyliner gondola transportation system continues to move full steam ahead.
Disney Skyliner Gondola
Set to open this fall (we’re hoping it’ll be sooner and, based on the apparent pace of construction, it just might be), the Disney Skyliner gondolas will transport guests to and from locations including Epcot, Hollywood Studios, the upcoming Disney’s Riviera Resort (which is currently open for booking), Pop Century, Art of Animation, and Caribbean Beach Resort.
We’ve been trying our best to keep you updated on the Skyliner’s construction progress, and quite a lot has happened in the past few days. So, let’s check out the latest updates together!
Let’s Kick Things Off at Art of Animation Resort
Some paths along the Skyliner route will take guests over water. But what happens if the Skyliner breaks down in this situation? Well, Disney has an answer for that: the Skyliner Rescue Barge.
Skyliner Rescue Barge
Skyliner Rescue Barge
We spotted it apart from the Skyliner Station in a little nook of water between The Little Mermaid and The Lion King buildings at Art of Animation.
Skyliner Rescue Barge
A few people were out working in the area. The barge looks to have three separate platforms and a few life rafts on board.
Skyliner Rescue Barge
We also took a look at the Art of Animation Skyliner Station. Things seem to be a work in progress on this end as well!
Disney Skyliner Station Near Art of Animation
Construction crew members were out working and we even spotted a gondola!
Disney Skyliner Station Art of Animation
Progress is also taking shape in the surrounding areas like the sidewalks and bathrooms.
Disney Skyliner Bathrooms
Disney Skyliner Construction
Some areas — such as the one below — look just about complete!
Disney Skyliner Construction
Hollywood Studios Signage Being Added to Skyliner Station
Hollywood Studios Skyliner Station
Now, this sign has been up for a while…
Disney Skyliner Station Sign at Hollywood Studios
Disney Skyliner Station Sign at Hollywood Studios
But this week a few more signs have been added!
Disney Skyliner Signs at Hollywood Studios
These include directional signs to assist guests in finding the Hollywood Studios Skyliner Station in addition to the current modes of transportation and walkways.
Disney Skyliner Signs at Hollywood Studios
We also spotted safety signs around the station which point out the capacity of the Skyliners.
Disney Skyliner Safety Signs at Hollywood Studios
A maximum of 10 guests without a wheelchair, ECV, stroller, or other transportation device can fit in the gondola cabin. A maximum of 6 guests can fit if an ECV, wheelchair, or other transportation device is also inside a single gondola.
Disney Skyliner Safety Signs at Hollywood Studios
Aaaand that’s the latest from THE SKY! The Disney Skyliner, that is!
What do you think of all of the progress? Are you excited to hop on board the new Disney Skyliner gondolas? Let us know in the comments below!
Want to learn more about Disney’s newest mode of transportation? Then take a look at the links below!
Check Out the Disney Skyliner Gondolas at the Boardwalk Turn Station
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Do we know anything about strollers going on skyline yet? Like will we need to fold them up like on buses?
Rebecca, it looks like the new sign indicates sizing for strollers is 30′ x 48″ (slightly smaller than the allowable Park dimensions), so it seems if your stroller fits in those parameters, you won’t need to fold it up. Of course, we’ll have to see how Disney handles this in reality before we know for certain, but hopefully kiddos can stay in their strollers (if they want!) for the Skyliner. We’ll update when we know for sure.
I’m quite excited about this! I’ve done monorail pub crawls and now I’ll get to do skyliner pub crawls. Ah, the adult Disney life! 😀
Sweaty tourists in a box!
Do you have a map showing the path of the skyline to the different parks and resorts. We are going to WDW next June and staying at Caribbean Beach. Would like to know we’re the station is at that resort.
Looking at the pics of the inside of the gondolas elsewhere, I don’t think you’re going to fit six ECVs into one. I think what the sign means is that if there is one ECV, the gondola is limited to six passengers, due to the number of seats that will be blocked by the ECV.
Wonder why its 2 words on the studios sign but only one word everywhere else?
I think this is the stupidest idea Disney has ever come up with! My son worked at a local ski area several years and the Gondolas were ALWAYS breaking down! It’s one thing if they stop for 5 or 20 minutes but there are times that they need to be evacuated! The usual way? A worker shimmies across the line to the “box” and then evacuates the riders via a long rope that they have to repel down! Fine if you are twenty something and in good health! Older or very young, not so much! Also, they are usually closed during thunder and lightening storms as they “stick out like a sore thumb” thus being a draw for the lightening! And they are also closed during periods of high winds! There were times in the winter when my son had to snowboard down the mountain at the end of the day (usually in the dark)! In the summer when riders rode up and down, tourists had to be transported down by ATVs! Fun but not very efficient! I am telling you, there will be a case where this thing will break down and families with small children or handicapped members will be faced with how they are going to get down! There was a case here in N.H. about two years ago when the Tramway (larger cars) on Cannon Mountain broke. The cars were about 200 feet from the ground! It was winter and a gust of wind took the descending tram off its cable thus shutting down both teams! There was a couple on board with their one year old (who knew you started training them to ski at that age?). The adults were strapped into harnesses and sent down the line. The rescuers wouldn’t allow the parents to bring down their child! One of the workers zippered the baby into his. Ski jacket and zipped down! Needless to say, the mother was hysterical until the child was safely in her arms! Keep these things in mind before you get on it!
I think they should have built another Monorail or even better a People Mover! The people mover could be built with 10 feet of the ground and it moves pretty fast! They could even enclose the cars (similar to the gondolas!
There don’t appear to be any windows, seriously is it just 10 sweaty people sitting in a metal box looking at each other for 10 mins?
Hoping this will be available before we depart Disney on the 8th August, but looking more like another Disney development not ready for Summer season?
From what I’ve seen, there are windows. They are panels that are able to be opened from inside, similar to the old fashioned crank windows, that sit on a tilt when fully open.
Tracy, here’s info about the design of the Skyliner gondolas, including Disney’s plan for ventilation.
LB, we’ve wondered the same!
Lee, of course you are correct. I’ve updated the post. Thanks for checking in!
Mike, click here for a post that has a big graphic of the Skyliner routes.
Is there any information on the boarding/unboarding of the gondolas. For example, if you get on at the Art of Animation, do you stay on until you get to Hollywood Studios or EPCOT, or do you have to disembark at the Caribbean Beach station and then re-board to get to the parks?
Nancy, it’s expected that transfers will have to be made at the Caribbean Beach Station for stops between DHS and Epcot. So, for example, if you’re staying at Riviera Resort, you can get directly to Epcot from there, but if you want to go to DHS, you’ll head toward the Caribbean Beach Station and transfer to the DHS line. We’ll put together a primer before the Skyliner takes to the skies!
i also agree about the ventilation. they could have the entire gondola nothing but windows and when it gets 90 and up those gondolas are going to get very warm and ten min will seem like 10 hour and if they breakdown it will not be pretty. I have no intention of ever riding them. i hope for everyone they work out.
It looks totally awesome, can not wait to ride it, it sort of reminds when it was in MK but then were just chair lifts but it was fun, be there in jan,27th 2020 , where at Hollywood studios does it drop u off
Dean, the Skyliner Station is near the entrance plaza.
To those who are commenting “I would never ride this”…good, more space for the rest of us. If you have read about them and know what to expect (yup, that’s right, no A/C for 10 minutes…but let’s go walk around OUTSIDE…in the parks… with no A/C for a few hours), I think you’ll manage just fine. Looks like Disney has everything covered if evacuations are needed (it appears that the barge has an upper level that you can just walk/roll on to when it is raised). It’s just another transportation option, no one is forcing anyone to use it!
Can you select your destination or would you have to transfer? Say I am at Caribbean Beach and I want to go to Epcot do they use the turnstations as routers and you preselect your destination or would I have to do like the subway and change cars at somepoint?
AJ Wolfe, I’m so glad that a power wheelchair can go on the skyliners! I don’t know when I’ll get to WDW again, but when I do, I’ll def want to go on the skyliner!
The Skyliner Gondola’s are great ! Unbelievably comfortable as far as temperature goes ( seats are very uncomfortable though ). I agree that it does get a bit warm if the gondolas have to stop but we love them and and so far we have had very good luck when riding them. With that said they do swing some when it’s a windy day but not too badly.