What a crazy last few days it has been for the Disney Skyliner. This NEW form of Disney transportation experienced an incident a few days ago that has left the Skyliner closed until further notice.
Disney World Skyliner Rescue Vehicles
This accident left some guests stuck on the lines of the Skyliner for THREE hours until they were either evacuated by emergency vehicles or able to disembark at the station. Now, Disney has released an official statement about what took place!
According to Disney, “We have a team diligently looking into the cause of the malfunction on the Epcot line of the Disney Skyliner. We have been in contact with the guests, many of whom were on the Skyliner for more than three hours until we were able to restart the system. We express our sincere apologies for the inconvenience and continue to work with each guest individually.”
First Responders on the scene
We hope to learn more about what Disney deems the malfunction was that took place on the new Disney Skyliner.
If you aren’t aware of the occurrences that took place on the Disney Skyliner this weekend, you can read all about it here! We were lucky enough to have a few people who experienced that malfunction reach out and share their experiences.
Stopped Skyliner Gondolas
Wondering what it’s like to be stuck on the Skyliner for 3 hours? Check out our full post here!
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Are you still planning to ride the Disney Skyliner once it opens back up? Or has this event scared y0u away? Let us know in the comments below!
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Just like anything new it has flaws and takes time to work them out.We were there last week when it opened and rode all lines.We got stranded twice.The views are amazing,and travel time is great.Im sure Disney will figure it out.We will be back in 2020 with the grandchildren and will definitely rode again.
Soooooo hope it’s open again quickly, we arrive 17/10 and I really hope it’s up and running by then
A little worried on how long it will be down. I’m coming in Nov. and staying at POP Century specifically because it is one of the new new Skyliner hotels. I paid a little extra than most value hotels for this privilege.
Although I am prone to anxiety, claustrophobia, and fear of heights, I WAS going to ride for my family’s sake. That was until this incident occurred. Being trapped for hours in a small box dangling high above the ground . . . I would straight up lose my mind. No thank you. My family may still be enthusiastic to give the Skyliner a try. As for me, I’ll meet them at Epcot after I take a different form of transportation.
Bet they offered them 3 free fast passes for any park – but not for avatar, slinky dog dash or millennium falcon! Haha
We were on it Saturday afternoon before the incident and thought it was great. Yes, there are going to be problems like any other ride. Rides break down all the time and people get back on them.
We were there last week and stayed at pop century.. Disney had an issue with the line one night and they closed the line the next day to fix the problem. Disney is safety conscious and problems do come up. It’s new and I had my 9 year old on it- we loved it better than the buses and felt safe in it. Getting stuck is not the worst! Have fun, look at the great view. I will be back to ride the gondola again!!
I’m definitely concerned about it given that it was only opened for a week. What if this had happened mid-day during the hottest time? Hopefully if it does require evacuation, it won’t take 3 hours to get someone down and out the units. What surprises me is that there are no fail-safe provisions to avoid collision with another gondola. I thought they would have some type similar to what they have in automobiles.
In addition to the noted failure of the Skyliner.. Disney has made no provision on their my experience out to state whether or not the Skyliner is open or not currently running while you were there. So once you’ve walked all the way to the Skyliner and find out it is temporarily down then you’re forced to walk all the way back through Epcot make other arrangements take a lift or do whatever you need to do to get to your next destination. In addition it is the first trip that I have found cast members to be openly rude openly using cell phones while standing supposedly doing their jobs and bus drivers to be so incredibly rude to passengers of all ages it’ll be a long time before I go back and I go every year but this trip was truly disgusting
Everyone commented that the cars came into the station too close to the other cars…?
I’m a long time visitor to Disney, I had my concerns with this system and glad it wasn’t me stuck on it. I agree all things have flaws all things breakdown from time to time, but the length on time and inconvience to correct the situation is not acceptable.
Hope they find and fix the problem and also find a better plan.
I was there when it opened it’s awesome I know they’ll get it figured out I’m coming again in 2 weeks with 3 teenagers that can’ wait to ride it. Staying at the Pop resort not just for that we just love that resort coming from Delaware.
We’ll be there in early November and were thinking of trying it out. But now, because we have a packed schedule and limited time, riding on the Skyliner isn’t worth the risk. We’ll avoid it.
I would def still ride this new attraction.
I hope it’s all worked out by January! We are coming for the Half Marathon. I will still ride!
It could stay closed as far as I’m concerned ..Peeps acting like this was just a blip ask the seniors who were up there and they dont have ironclad bladders..Ask the diabetics up there who could have fainted because it got too low, ask the mothers with young children was it a great experience, ask those who have paniac attacks..yeah keep making excuses for old disney..
Disney was testing the gondolas back in April when we were there. Wonder if they experienced similar problems during testing. My family rode the Skyliner on the first day of operation and had a smooth ride with no issues.
This is why I wait a while before trying the newest and latest things. I don’t wanna be the guinea pig!
Rode all over the place It is a fantastic system. Will do it next month if it up and running.
I will make a pit stop at a restroom before riding. Three hours would be kind of tough without a restroom stop.
But really loved the ride and engineering that went into it.
I find it very hard to believe they do not know what caused a Gondolla car to not attach to the carrier cable and another car to crash into it at the station, after assurances that there are hundreds of similar systems in operation around the world, this does not make sense and is troubling to here WDW cannot find the cause as of yet!
Automation will have problems from time to time …. no problem yes will take my chances and ride again
Wow Athena! You’ve really got it out for Disney!!! I’ve read your comments on each of the Skyliner blogs, since the “incident” occurred. My sisters and I have been watching the progress, and anticipating the Skyliner opening for a long time. We were in line at 5:30 to ride it the first morning. It was great! I have seen the Skyliner being tested since February. Disney didn’t rush things. If they had, the Skyliner would’ve opened along with Galaxy’s Edge, as originally intended. No amount of testing can prevent issues from arising. Safety is a huge priority at Disney. I would trust their standards over those of pretty much any county or privately operated transportation in our country. As someone with such a bone to pick, I believe even you would realize the bottom line, which is Disney doesn’t want people getting hurt at their parks. They don’t want the bad press. All the scenarios you mention are weak, aside from mothers with small children. That being said, there are plenty of ways to keep a small child entertained in this scenario. Especially if you parent effectively, which so many don’t anymore. Monorails, buses, trains, boats, ferries, and cars, can all break down. Accidents cause tremendous delays on the roads. My father tells a story from his youth of having to sleep in the car overnight because one of two ferries had broken down at the lake in Michigan that they needed to cross. A couple of years ago, my sister was stuck on I-95 for almost 3 hrs due to an accident ahead, and she didn’t even have an emergency kit-lol!
She was finally able to get off, and had to hightail it to the first bathroom she saw, in a neighborhood that would make most people nervous to even be stopped at a red light! A responsible diabetic should always have something to nibble on, in case things don’t go as planned. Someone with a truly extreme fear of heights wouldn’t think of getting on the Skyliner, even to get to their destination faster. Most would choose a longer route to avoid the height. Weak bladder? That’s why so many, not just seniors as you mentioned, wear special undergarments. Panic attack sufferers? My mother is one, and has been my whole 40yrs, so I know all too well about them. First off, it bothers me that the world uses “panic attack” so loosely now to describe moments of heightened anxiety or stress. To experience someone having a true panic attack is heart breaking. My mother lives in constant fear of her anxiety reaching the level of having a full blown attack. People with a panic disorder go out of their way to avoid situations that increase their panic. If being stuck safely in a gondola for a few hrs will trigger panic, then unfortunately, they should skip the Skyliner. Bottom line, life happens! Sure, it would’ve been annoying to be stuck that length of time, but no one was ever in harms way. If people would try to make the best of unpleasant situations like this, it probably wouldn’t be half bad. Who knows? You might even leave with a new friend. Your animosity towards Disney leads me to believe that you should focus your attention on Univeral Orlando. Go over there and enjoy their second rate operation. They don’t even have the decency to rent a wheelchair of any quality. I spent last HHN struggling(and profusely sweating for that matter) to push my BFF around in a wheelchair not even the quality of the complimentary ones in WDW theme park lots. I started to wonder if Universal had stolen them from Disney, and had been using them for years without any refurbishment-lol! Keep up the great work DFB! Unfortunately, no matter what, there will ALWAYS be negative Nellie’s. I intend to wear my Skyliner shirt with pride, and look forward to my next ride on the most magical flight on earth!
I’m sure if there was anyone with an emergency such as panic attacks, or a medical emergency, Disney and the emergency services would have had them off in no time. There is emergency phones so any medical emergency would be relayed to emergency services.
Obviously this was more than a minor incident, but im sure Disney will be looking after the people who were stuck.
I will be riding if it’s open again when we are there at Xmas. We have booked CBR because of the skyliner so fingers crossed 🤞 it’s open by then.
I am planning to ride it k. Our next trip. Was there the week before it began running so we just missed it. I believe Disney will address any issues and it will be up and running .
Can’t wait to ride the Skyliner with our family this summer!! This incident has not put us off at all , after all, there is risk in stepping outside of our front doors every day!! I trust that Disney have too great a reputation to let any problems continue .
This is not a one off system, supposedly many other countries have had trouble free operation, the question is why has this problem not been identified and resolved in short order !
I like many others posted booked a stay at AOA just to mainly use the Skyliner. We do not check in until the 23rd, so fingers crossed it is back up and running. I rode it the first day, but husband has not.
Amy, if it helps, we did find the Skyliner closure in My Disney Experience. We searched “skyliner”, and it came up with a closure notice.
We are heading to Disney World on Oct 22. We picked Art of Animation because of the Skyliner. I hope that it is in operation when we are there.
I encourage all commenters to research Doppelmayr on youtube, This project at WDW is small potatoes compared to the massive jobs they have done around the world. All new projects have hiccups in the beginning. Once they are worked out, the system will be fine. We were there from 9/30 to 10/7, we rode it and I loved it but my wife did not. I have a real fear of flying and this didn’t bother me at all. I grew up in New England and spent many winters and summers riding Gondolas to the top of Mountains, like I said this is nothing. I do feel bad for the people that were stuck (not trapped) on the System on the evening of 10/5, but it could happen with any type of transportation system. My closing words are this, Don’t bashed Disney for a failed system, it’s new and it’s a learning curve right now. If you don’t like it, don’t ride it, simple as that. Bad mouthing Disney and the system does not make it better. Disney will never expand the Monorail System because of Dollars and Cents. Keep The Peace People! MAybe the Commenters that don’t like this new Transportation system won’t return to Disney because of it which will lead to quieter Parks…Yah Right! We Love Disney, we have been DVC Members (Direct) since 2000 and Love It! Disney….Keep up the Great Work!!
👏👏👏👏 disneydamsel! Thank you, you took the words right out of my mouth! And I am so sorry your mother suffers like that! I have had a few “attacks” myself and they are very scary!
I have not been on the Skyliner yet, but this incident has not chased me off! I cannot wait for it to open back up so I can enjoy it and the scenery as I glide in the air!
Thank you DFB for the article! 💜
My family are die hard Disney fanatics/ annual passholders and it kills us to hear about any type of set back for Disney. Anything new will always have bugs to work out and the Skyliner is no different. If anything, it has taught us to simply make sure we stop by the restroom before getting on any type of transportation system because you just never know. We will ABSOLUTELY be on board as soon as they get it running again.