LOOK — It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s just us on the Disney World Skyliner. 🤪 The newest form of transportation at Disney mimics what you might find at a European ski resort, but with the added bonus of Disney characters and warm Florida weather.

Hello down there!

Some people might see the Skyliner as a little bonus ride, while others are very much afraid of it. But, there are some issues you can have concerning the Skyliner that you might not be thinking about, so we’re here to break them down for you!

Weather

This probably seems obvious, but the weather can and does affect the Skyliner and how it operates. When it’s raining hard or storming, it can close down completely. This is especially true if there is lightning!

Rain on the Skyliner

If you were planning on taking the Skyliner and it’s closed for weather, there will be signs outside of the station telling you about or guiding you to alternative forms of transportation, like buses.

Skyliner Not Operating

Also, know that the Skyliner can close if it’s extremely windy as well. But, the transportation system can still run when there is wind and rain, as long as the conditions aren’t too severe. So, you could be swinging around a bit if there is wind, or getting slightly wet if there is rain!

Click here to see what to do if the Skyliner is closed in Disney World!

Getting Stuck

Yes, the Skyliner has gotten stuck in the past, so it is something that can happen, but long delays aren’t very common. In some cases, when the Skyliner has been stopped before, it was because of a crash — usually, 2 gondolas crashing into each other when coming into the station.

Skyliner

The longest time that guests were stuck was for about 3 hours shortly after the system debuted in 2019. There are emergency packs in the gondolas if this does happen that contain things like a few packets of drinking water, cool packs, a pencil and notepad, a whistle, a glow stick, and a few blue cups.

©Disney Skyliner emergency kit

Other delays have happened where guests were stuck for an hour or 30 minutes. In these situations, some type of compensation is usually offered to guests once the ordeal is over, like park tickets or gift cards.

Cast Members outside of the stopped Skyliner

Also, know that it’s normal for the Skyliner to stop sometimes when you’re on it, but only for a short amount of time.

Click here to see what it’s like to be stuck on the Skyliner for 3 hours

Crowds

Didn’t think you would have to rope drop Disney World transportation in addition to rope dropping the parks, did you? Welp, in some cases, you DO! The Skyliner can be very busy in the morning at the hotels, especially at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, which is also a transfer station.

Skyliner Crowds!

You might end up having to wait in a line to get on the Skyliner, so factor that into the time it will take you to get where you’re trying to go, OR try to get there really early to beat the rush.

Walt Disney World Skyliner

Also, know that there might not be a line when you get on the Skyliner at Hollywood Studios, but then, when you need to transfer to the EPCOT line at Caribbean Beach, you could be met with a crowd of people. So, keep in mind that it might take you a little longer than you think to take the Skyliner if you have to transfer lines at any point!

Ugh — a line

And, when the parks close, there can also be verrrry long lines to get on the Skyliner — especially right after the Harmonious fireworks at EPCOT. The line can stretch all the way back into the walkway to the EPCOT resorts and you might be waiting for a while to get on the Skyliner to get back to your hotel.

The end of the line can reach all the way back to Disney’s Beach Club!

One way you can try and avoid this is either leaving DURING the fireworks, or waiting a while after the fireworks end to leave the park. You can go do some shopping in Creations to kill the time if the park has technically closed!

Click here to see just how long the line for the Skyliner can get in Disney World

Strangers

Stranger danger! No, just kidding. It’s not that dramatic — we just mean that you can be placed with other people in a Skyliner cabin unless you have a big group or the Cast Member decides to give you your own cabin.

Time to make friends!

For some, this might not be a big deal, but this could be an issue for introverts. Being in an enclosed space with people you don’t know can be intimidating for some people, especially if you don’t like small talk!

You can be alone, sometimes!

It’s a bit different than being on the Monorail with other people, because it’s a smaller setting. But, you don’t HAVE to talk to other people who are in your cabin. Just know that there is a strong possibility you could be placed with others when using the Skyliner!

Fear

Ah, yes. Fear. Some people are scared of heights, which is totally understandable! If you are deathly afraid of heights, we’re going to go ahead and suggest that you don’t use the Skyliner, as it does get pretty high up in the air. Just save yourself the stress and hop on a boat or a bus!

Don’t look down if you’re scared!

One problem you might not expect, though, is being in a Skyliner cabin with someone who is afraid of heights. Maybe they thought they would try it out, then get up there and decide it’s totally not for them and start to freak out a little. This could definitely happen to someone riding in your cabin! Just remember to stay calm and remind the person that the Skyliner is safe and it’s not a very long ride usually, so it will be over before they know it.

Skyliner ride

Another issue we’ve found is a little less known. Many of the Skyliner gondolas are wrapped in different Disney themes and character designs. This film creates a different effect when you’re inside of the cabin that can trigger anxiety in some people. If this happens to you (or you think that it will) you can request a clear gondola that is not wrapped!

Inside a gondola with no wrap

And, this has a little less to do with fear, but it is something we’re don’t want to happen to us — motion sickness. The swaying of the gondolas in combination with being high up can cause some people to feel woozy, so be aware of that when deciding if the Skyliner is the right mode of transportation for you.

Disney Skyliner

And, remember that a windier day will be worse for motion sickness, too!

Dropping Something

When loading onto the Skyliner, it’s definitely possible to drop something in the area underneath the gondolas, like a stuffed animal that your kiddo is holding. Unfortunately, the Skyliner cannot be stopped for a Cast Member to retrieve your dropped item.

Skyliner

The only way you can get it back is at the end of the night once the Skyliner has closed — that’s when a maintenance Cast Member can look for your item. If you are unable to wait around and see if your item is found, the only other option is to look in lost in found the next day.

Watch your step!

This might not be a HUGE issue if you drop something unimportant, but could be very bad if you drop something like your phone or your wallet, so make sure you hold on to your belongings!

No stopping the Skyliner

Overall, the Skyliner is a breezy, efficient way to travel between certain Disney World hotels, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios. But, you should for sure keep these potential problems in mind when deciding if it is the mode of transportation that you want to use! and Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney World info and tips.

Click here to see what happens when things go WRONG in Disney World

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Do you enjoy using the Skyliner? Tell us why or why not in the comments!

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