The Skyliner Complication You Should Expect in January

Are you heading to Disney World in 2025? If so, how stoked are you to hitch a ride on the Skyliner?!

Disney World’s Skyliner

Honestly, there’s nothing quite like riding high above the crowds as you head back and forth to the parks from your Disney World resort hotel. If your visit happens to fall in January, well, there’s this complication you’re definitely going to want to know about and plan for!

Since its debut way back in September 2019, the Skyliner has been a fan-favorite transportation option whisking guests high above Disney World to connect to EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and several resorts (like Disney’s Riviera Resort and Pop Century). But even these magical gondolas need a little TLC to stay in top shape, and that’s why Disney has consistently scheduled annual maintenance for the Skyliner each January.

Skyliner

The good news is that it’s always been a short refurbishment, typically lasting about two weeks. The bad news is that for those planning on relying on the Skyliner during their January visit, this downtime can definitely throw a wrench in your transportation plans.

What History Tells Us About The January Closures

While Disney hasn’t revealed specific refurbishment dates for January 2025, the past years provide some helpful clues. Here’s a look back at the Skyliner’s closure timeline:

January 24–28, 2021
January 23–28, 2022
January 22–29, 2023
January 16–27, 2024

Do you notice a pattern? The Skyliner refurbishment typically kicks off mid-to-late January and runs for about 10–12 days. If Disney follows this trend, we’d expect the 2025 closure to land somewhere in that same window.

The Skyliner closes temporarily in January

How to Prepare If You’re Visiting in January

If your trip falls during the closure period, don’t panic! There are still plenty of ways to get around. For example, when the Skyliner is down, Disney typically offers buses as alternative transportation to cover its routes. While not as scenic (or breezy) as a gondola ride, they’ll get you where you need to go.

Skyliner Closed

To avoid any hiccups, though, it’s a good idea to factor in this potential downtime into your plans now. For example:

If you’re staying at a Skyliner resort like Caribbean Beach or Art of Animation, be prepared for longer transportation times with buses.
If you were planning to park-hop between EPCOT and Hollywood Studios using the Skyliner, consider other options like the Friendship Boats or walking paths.
And if the Skyliner experience itself was a highlight on your to-do list, you might want to shift your travel dates or plan another visit when it’s fully operational.

Skyliner closed

Of course, this is all based on past trends, and Disney could always surprise us. With that in mind, be sure to keep it right here at DFB for the latest refurbishment updates, and we’ll keep you posted with all the info so you can plan your trip with confidence.

Full List of Important Disney World Closures You Should Plan Around in 2025

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Will you be using the Skyliner when you visit Disney World in 2025? Let us know down in the comments!