It’s finally time for us to get an INSIDE LOOK at Disney’s Skyliner gondolas and answer some long-held questions about cooling, wheelchair accessibility, and comfort!
Disney’s Skyliner
The Orlando Sentinel reported today — with video!! — that the Skyliner system will consist of 300 gondolas in 8 bright colors with 22 character cars and will travel nearly 60 feet in the air over Walt Disney World at the system’s highest point! This will afford riders with one-of-a-kind views overlooking lakes, trees, parks, and more!
Disney’s Skyliner Views
And that’s just the system by the numbers! The Sentinel spoke to Thomas Mazloum, the Disney senior vice president who oversees resorts and transportation, who explained that the gondolas will feature thoughtfully designed cross-ventilation crafted with the Florida climate in mind.
Cross-ventilation in Disney’s Skyliner
Additionally, the windows of the gondolas are designed to reflect sunlight away from the vehicles, maintaining a comfortable temperature inside the cabin.
Disney’s Skyliner with vented, reflecting windows
Seating will consist of wooden benches capable of holding ten passengers, with accessibility for wheelchairs. (ECVs were not specifically mentioned, but we expect they, too, will be accommodated in the cabins.)
Disney’s Skyliner Seating
As we’ve reported, the gondolas have been in testing for weeks, with guests of the parks looking skyward to take in the new transportation vehicles as they whizz by — as fast as 11mph!! — in their white plastic coverings. Trips from Skyliner resorts and theme parks will take between 5-15 minutes, depending on the distance you’re traveling, and loading is described as continuous in the Skyliner stations, with the capability to pause the system to allow wheelchairs to board.
Disney’s Skyliner
No opening date has been announced for the Skyliner system (just “fall 2019”), but the Sentinel reports that cast members are expected to begin riding the vehicles in August, and the timeline for testing is described to be “months” long.
Disney’s Skyliner
UPDATE 4/17/19: Disney Parks Blog has released a video — which also features the Skyliner in motion over Hourglass Lake, and you can check it out below!
So will the Skyliner be open in time to shuttle Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge guests to and fro? That remains to be seen — and you can bet we’ll be watching! 😉
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What do you think of the Skyliner? Fun new transportation system or flying box of danger?
Let us hear from you in the comments!
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Don’t you mean “flying sweatbox of danger”?
They hold 10 passengers or what looks to be 2 strollers?
Per comment above, will the gondolas accommodate strollers??
“4 of our most beloved resorts” how is riviera beloved if it’s not yet completed?
It looks like all strollers will need to be folded up for the trip so they can load more people at one time.
I saw these in action at the end of March while staying at POP and also when I was at hollywood studios. One thing that I noticed was speed. One day they looked to be testing at slow speed then another day it was going way faster. I wonder if they where trying to find the sweet spot.
One funny side note, while waiting at a traffic light/traffic I visually followed one of the skyliners going towards hollywood studios and it sure was beating our bus which I think is the point.
Can’t wait to give them a try, hopefully by our December trip, they will be up and running.
I think it is a great idea!! However, I wonder how hot/cold they will be in the extreme temperatures. I don’t believe anything buy air conditioning will work during the hot FL summers. In the winter, it might not be as bad. But summers- I don’t know I would ride one. I’m looking forward to seeing peoples’ reviews!
Oh heck no!
Do they come with flotation devices – going over the water?!
Worried about all of the above but also weight of ecvs, stability and availability during windy and stormy days.
I can’t WAIT to try them out. I hope they ban open strollers in them – the strollers have to be folded up or they don’t ride.
I would be concerned with them breaking down (especially in the beginning while they work out the kinks) and people being stuck in those in extreme heat. I also worry about the weight limits, will they divide people to evenly distribute the weight? And one last thing, are those slanted windows open or do they have a screen? Can people/children potentially put arms/items out the windows, or more importantly throw things out those windows at things below? Just curious.
I’m scared it will fall over the alligator infested waters and eat someone. I plan to go in January so hopefully things will have worked themselves out by then!
No way, jose!
Many cities have these as a form of public transit so I’m not sure what all the panicking is about. Look up the Emirates gondolas in London. They’re perfectly safe. A great idea for transport between resorts and parks especially for the ESPN Area resorts.
We had those in Disneyland years ago. There were never any problems so I am sure they will be wonderful, especially because of the technology and updates they use now!
Why can’t these start in July?????
people are worried about falling into alligator-infested water, but I would much rather fall into the water, with or without alligators, Then Fall onto concrete. However, scenario for them falling is probably no greater than a plane crash, Which is far less likely than a car crash. as for how they are going to be kept cool during the summer in Florida, cross ventilation is an awesome thing. During a blackout, we open the back door and the front door and got cross-ventilation that made it quite Pleasant inside.
Sounds like a great idea. Love the cartoon designs on the outside. We live here and have been watching the testing for a while. Am just wondering about the use of ECV’s, as my husband has to get around Disney with one. When we went to a Moonlight Magic event this year with DVC, my husband asked a Disney cast member about the use of his ECV in the gondolas. He took our phone number, but, as yet, hasn’t gotten back to us with an answer. The strollers you see in the parks now are huge. Even with strollers folded up, doesn’t seem to be much room in the gondolas for too much else. Love your DFB. Have told many others to use this. I explain in detail what you cover. Great blog for people that go to Disney often or any time.
Cross ventilation? Why not fans or AC units like they have in RVs? Might be a warm ride. I like the idea of a large scale people mover to get around.
For those “Baby Boomers” in the audience, it sounds like an “E-Ticket ride” to me! Not to worry, “Block Out Dates” in July and August will prevent Annual Passholders from having to endure the hottest days in Florida. Other than that, I hope they’ll be moving fast enough for the “cross-ventilation” to work, and the “claustrophobia” to stay under control. I wonder what the “Maximum Operating Temperature” will be inside the gondola!? For what I’m sure the system cost ($$$$), I would have preferred some tree-lined walking paths, which would spread out the crowds and help people walk-off all those extra calories consumed in the parks. In any event, this idea is sure to give new meaning to the phrase “social media”. Have a magical day!
What about access for persons using carts.