food IS a theme park
Could the Disney World Skyliner temporarily CLOSE in early 2024?
EPCOT Disney Skyliner Station
Although Disney hasn’t announced any official closures yet, we’ve seen a BIG clue that a refurbishment could be coming up soon. [Read more…]
Disney World is HUGE, but don’t worry — there are lots of ways to get where you need to go. You can use the extensive bus system, hop on the Monorail, take a boat, or even use a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft. One of the most unique forms of transportation, though, is the Disney Skyliner.
Walt Disney World Skyliner
The Skyliner is Disney’s gondola transportation service that connects two of the theme parks (EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios) to certain hotels. It debuted in 2019 and has run into a few hitches since its opening, but generally it’s a quick, safe, and efficient way to get where you need to go. Even though it’s a safe way to travel, there are a few things you should NEVER do on the Skyliner. [Read more…]
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!
If you’re celebrating the new year by heading to Disney World in January, you might want to know what’s going to be closed in the parks and hotels.
Splash Mountain
There are a few closures — including a couple of MAJOR rides — happening next month. Find out which attractions, rides, transportation, and hotels will be closed in January. [Read more…]
There are quite a few different forms of transportation you can use to get around Disney World including Disney buses, boats, the monorail, and one of Disney’s latest forms of transportation — the Skyliner.
Time for a Trip on the Skyliner?
Recently, the Skyliner’s operating hours were adjusted for one day, and now we’ve got some news about an upcoming Skyliner CLOSURE that you need to know about.
The Skyliner at Disney World is a newer addition to the Disney transportation family.
Skyliner
It allows guests to quickly and conveniently get from EPCOT and Hollywood Studios to hotels like Disney’s Art of Animation, Pop Century, Riviera, and Caribbean Beach Resorts. Sometimes, however, the system malfunctions leaving guests finding a new way to get around property.
In case you missed it, allow us to give you a recap of the Disney Skyliner’s opening back in 2019: Disney Skyliner opens (yaaaay!). Disney Skyliner breaks (oh nooooo!).
Re-creation of the Skyliner Incident 😉
Now that we’re all up to speed, we gotta have some real talk here. The Skyliner stranded guests mid-air for 3 hours. It has remained closed since Saturday evening and Disney has released a statement about the incident, but there’s one thing we still just can’t get off our minds. Those emergency kits!
Um…in case you haven’t noticed…the Disneyverse is EXPLODING with news right now!!!
Spaceship Earth
From that unfortunate Skyliner Gondola System incident and the debut of Epcot Forever to the new (and AWESOME!) Epcot Experience and PRICE INCREASES (but also Mega Hotel DISCOUNTS?!), so much has happened since the start of October!!
Following the Disney World Skyliner accident last night, guests who had been stuck on Disney World’s newest transportation system for up to three hours have been tweeting their story — and direct messaging us here at DFB — about their experience.
Disney World Skyliner Rescue Vehicles Last Night
Luckily, it was evening, so the temperature wasn’t as much of a problem as it would have been had guests been stuck in the gondolas during the heat of the day. But boredom and the lack of bathrooms ended up being a real issue for many guests, as you’d expect.
Disney’s PA system announced to guests at first that the skyliner was temporarily delayed. Over and over and over again. Then announcements began that the guests should use the emergency packs found under the Skyliner’s wooden seats. These included cold packs, bathroom bags, notepads, and water.
Well here’s a look inside the emergency kit on the #Skyliner. We were just told we could open it. There’s water inside, a note pad, cups (possibly in case nature calls), light stick … hitting 90+ min @WaltDisneyWorld @WFTV pic.twitter.com/3xyvrHGyUO
— Cierra Putman WFTV (@CPutman_WFTV) October 6, 2019
Guests realized that they were seriously stuck. And may be stuck for a long, long time. Many began to post to social media about their predicament, updating the world in real time about their experience.
Truck and ladder being prepped to evacuate from Skyliner at Boardwalk Resort #disneyskyliner #DisneyWorld @WDWToday pic.twitter.com/4WAu5ClwMq
— Aaron Murray (@WaltyDis) October 6, 2019
Finally guests began to see first responders on the scene. DFB follower @Diane_Katherine sent us photos from her experience via instagram.
First Responders on the scene
Guests weren’t sure what had happened, if anyone had been hurt, or what their rescue situation might be.
First Responder Truck Ready to Evacuate
And after up to three hours stuck on the Skyliner, some gondolas began to move very slowly toward the stations while others were evacuated from the air by emergency vehicles.
Happening now at Disney.
Evacuating the sky lifts after a power failure @WFTV pic.twitter.com/o1ZEl8EbJC— tom terry (@TTerryWFTV) October 6, 2019
When guests were able to finally get off of the Skyliner, we’ve seen tweets and had guests report they were given two $50 Disney gift cards and two Disney World park hopper tickets to make up for their trouble. Disney also had cold water available and taxis and transportation ready to return guests to their homes and resorts.
Just finished talking to some @WaltDisneyWorld representatives but no one would say what happened. They took our info and gave gift cards and park hopper passes. My gondola mate was disappointed @DisneyCruise wasn’t on the table. 🙂 pic.twitter.com/IsS0OQpl2f
— Cierra Putman WFTV (@CPutman_WFTV) October 6, 2019
At this time, the Disney World Skyliner is closed until further notice.
As you may be aware, there was an incident on the Disney World Skyliner last night.
— Theme Park Alex (@themeparkalex) October 6, 2019
While Disney has not stated the cause of the issue, they have confirmed there have been no reported injuries due to the accident.
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