Transportation is of utmost importance during a Walt Disney World®Resort vacation, and rightfully so. The less time spent traveling, the more time guests can enjoy the parks, resorts and other locations that Disney property has to offer.
And fortunately, the new Disney Skyliner gondola system is one of the most efficient transportation systems Disney offers. While temporary stoppage does occasionally occur, it is rare that it makes any significant impact on travel time. As it is typically run, the Disney Skyliner is continuously moving, evening when boarding, though it does slow down significantly for guests to get on. Due to this continuous movement, Disney does not currently display wait times for any of the six gondola stations, and even long lines move quickly.
Guests in scooters and wheelchairs board on separate, motionless units with cast member assistance. It joins the standard track once all guests are aboard, allowing for maximum safety and efficiency.
As with any form of transportation, it is important to keep in mind that delays are inevitable, so it is wise to plan for extra time when moving between destinations.
Without stoppage, traveling to any singular destination on the Skyliner track takes less than 10 minutes. While bus waits vary based on a large number of factors, the ride on one of the suspended gondolas often takes less time than waiting for a bus.
Most locations will require two separate trips, as Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort serves as a hub for the entire system. Guests staying at the resort can travel to each location in a singular trip, but guests anywhere else will have to exit their gondola and hop on another at the resort to reach their ultimate destination. Being that all of the lines to the different locations diverge separately from Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, it is hard to imagine lines backing up heavily there.
The Disney Skyliner opens before the parks and has stations at Epcot®, Disney’s Hollywood Studios®, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and Disney’s Pop Century Resort. For those staying at Disney Skyliner resorts, the gondola system could prove to be the fastest way to get to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. For those not staying at the resorts, it makes for a fast and efficient way to hop between the two parks, or just a fun way to travel elsewhere on property.