Rave Reviews: Disney's New Skyliner Transportation System
Oh, boy! Oh, boy! Earlier this week we had the opportunity to hop aboard Walt Disney World’s new Skyliner Transportation System. And I am here to tell you it did NOT disappoint. In fact, it exceeded my expectations, which had been mounting in the days leading up to our flight. From the whimsical and colorful gondola buckets featuring beloved Disney characters to the expansive views, I fell hard for this new mode of transportation.
The stations were not only well themed, they were more spacious than I was expecting and seem prepared to move crowds expeditiously. They were even elevated with little touches like landing zones designed in fun geometric patterns and theming to match their locations, from art deco love at the Studios to wrought iron scroll work at Epcot’s International Gateway.
Theme parks with access include Hollywood Studios and Epcot via the International Gateway. Resorts providing access to the Skyliner are Caribbean Beach, Pop Century, Art of Animation, and the not yet open Riviera Resort. I’ll be honest, if I were still in the days of planning trips, I’d be clamoring to stay at one of these resorts for this reason alone. It’s pretty amazing to think that they now have a new and exciting transportation option to not one, but two, of the Disney theme parks. The kind of transportation that is an attraction in and of itself. Families not staying along the Skyliner path, are also welcome to hop on board and enjoy the views. If this is you, park at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and hop a tram to the front of the park. Park tickets are not required to enjoy this experience.
Let’s talk about the ride itself (because it is essentially a ride), it loads quickly, moves at a pretty good pace and may potentially “jump your belly,” as my kids like to say! For those more prone to motion sickness, I suggest riding on one of the forward facing benches. The segment from the main station (at Caribbean Beach) to Riviera Resort went much higher into the air, while the segment headed out to Pop and Art of Animation felt like it was skimming the surface of the water below. And the one from Riviera Resort to Epcot includes a ninety degree angle around an elevated platform of sorts. So the experiences are different on each leg. It’s worth noting our bucket came to a halt high above Barefoot Bay at one point and swayed to it’s heart’s content for a bit as we waited to begin moving again. Not going to lie, it didn’t feel altogether different than a stop on Mickey’s Fun Wheel out at California Adventure!
The one thing that remains to be seen is how well the Skyliner holds up to Florida heat and humidity. When in motion, a beautiful breeze flows through them, but I expect the occasional stop might start to get a little toasty midday midsummer. But we shall see. Overall, we loved it, and are excited to hop back aboard.
Most importantly, how about these views?!
