Skyliner Update: Summer Storms, Station Progress, and More!
We’re back at Walt Disney World for another update on the Skyliner as construction wraps up and testing continues on a daily basis. We’ll share photos from Hollywood Studios and Epcot, plus Caribbean Beach and Riviera Resorts to check out the latest progress.
Let’s begin with the largest station, located at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. The photo above looks surreal, with ominous and stormy clouds framing the tropical and sun-lit Skyliner station. I love scenes like this–when the sun is still out in one direction and it’s illuminating a dark, stormy sky in the other direction. Weather is pretty wild stuff.
Almost immediately upon arriving at Caribbean Beach, I received a notification on my phone that rain would begin in 10 minutes. Meaning I had that much time to walk from Trinidad to Aruba to Old Port Royale, taking photos along the way. I felt something like Bill Paxton in Twister, albeit with less pointed indifference. Could I succeed in my race against the clock? Let’s find out…
First, this seems like a good time to address the Disney Skyliner gondola system and storms. As has been the case with some of Disney’s outdoor attractions or resort pools for decades, there will be a storm radius for the Skyliner and if a lightning strike occurs within that, the gondolas will cycle until they’re empty, dumping guests from the lines and not reloading until there have been X minutes since the last strike. Fear not, Disney has sophisticated weather tracking technology (you probably do too in your pocket).
In other words, no one is going to be stranded in gondolas during a storm. Even if you were, as with other gondola systems already in operation, the Disney Skyliner will be grounded. It also can operate in wind and rain, although it remains to be seen where Walt Disney World draws the line on wind, as well as the size of the lightning radius.
Again, there are hundreds of Doppelmayr gondolas in use around the world. It’s safe to assume you haven’t thought of some new concern or novel problem not previously identified by the myriad knowledgeable professionals who have been designing, building, and operating these systems in myriad climates for years.
I take some solace in knowing that this isn’t just a ‘sky is falling’ scenario among Disney fans. Tampa is currently weighing proposals for aerial transit, and locals there are similarly raising hyperbolic ‘what if’ concerns, with local media feeding into the faux-controversy. I recently heard one official in an interview snidely reply that ‘this isn’t science fiction, it’s actual, proven technology–there are hundreds of this exact model in operation across the world.’
I also found this gondola engineer’s slightly annoyed response to an interview question about the public perception of gondolas and lightning amusing: “no one would let us build these things if they couldn’t handle lightning. I mean, they must be able to handle lightning. We wouldn’t build them if they couldn’t.” (The whole interview is here.)
This isn’t to say the Skyliner will be a flawless, perfect system. Walt Disney World has unique wrinkles in terms of demand, guest demographics, and other variables. It also remains to be seen whether the Skyliner will truly be more efficient than other forms of existing transportation.
However, to treat modern gondolas as an unknown quantity, huge risk, or potential failure requires a blatant disregard for existing case studies and plenty of evidence to the contrary. It’s akin to saying, “since I have never seen the curvature of the earth, I’m going to boldly assert that it’s flat and loudly express my fears of falling off the edge.”
Back to the race against the storm…
Even before arriving at Caribbean Beach, we knew a storm was on the way. We decided to go anyway because we had just finished seeing Once Upon a Time In Hollywood at Disney Springs and it was convenient. As we arrived, things didn’t look that bad, and I assumed I had more time before the downpour.
As for the photo above, it shows the progress on the pathways around the main Skyliner station, along with what appears to be a bus stop shelter.
In terms of other commentary concerning the Caribbean Beach Resort station, there’s not a ton to say.
There’s some landscaping still to be done, but it’s otherwise nearly finished.
Oh, and the “Disney Skyliner” sign is up.
That’s new.
Looking back the other direction, since we won’t get a chance to head over there due to the storm, we can see Disney’s Art of Animation Resort.
That station has been done for months, so it’s not like we’d have anything new to show you, anyway.
Heading the exact opposite direction through Caribbean Beach, we can see some of the gondolas overhead.
Whether this is visual blight or cool kinetic energy is a matter of opinion. My personal take here is that the support pillars are a huge visual blight at Caribbean Beach, but the Skyliner cabins themselves are cool kinetic energy. I still wish this line were routed over the guest parking area behind the resort, rather than dotted among the buildings here.
Moving along to the station at Disney’s Riviera Resort.
This station will be the closest option for guests in Aruba, and guests from Caribbean Beach will be able to access it via the path in the foreground that’s under construction.
Signage is also up at the Riviera station.
Those gates and the lampposts are nice touches.
From a distance, you can see just how close Aruba and this station are to one another. (Also note the Spaceship Earth photobomb.)
There should be a loop that circles Barefoot Bay and connects the two resorts. I’m sure no DVC Members will complain about Moderate Guests coming over and using their Deluxe Amenities; we aren’t an entitled bunch or anything!
One final look at the sun-lit gondola cabins popping against the stormy sky.
Despite taking way longer than 10 minutes to capture all of these photos, I did manage to make it to Old Port Royale before the downpour started. It was a good thing, too. Even though I knew it was going to rain, I didn’t bring an umbrella, poncho, or even a camera bag. I like to live dangerously (or am just foolish).
A couple days ago, we headed to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We shared the substance of in-park changes in our DHS Update: Fate of Star Wars Entertainment, Summer Heat, Crowds & Construction.
There’s nothing new to say about the Skyliner here–it’s ready to go. Here are some photos, just the same:
With that last one, we start the walk to Epcot. On this particular day (as with most days this month), the feels like temperature was over 100 degrees.
It was miserable, and a really bad idea on my part. However, I wanted to get a new photo of the turn station, among other things. Here it is:
Even after the Skyliner, I think walking will likely remain the fastest way to get between Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot. That’s just a guess, but it’s an educated one based upon known Skyliner travel times.
Nevertheless, on a day like this, I absolutely would’ve taken the Skyliner between the two parks over walking. For all of the complaints about the lack of air-conditioning, at least in the Skyliner, I would’ve had shade and a breeze to cool me off.
At Epcot, the construction walls are partially down and have been replaced by planters that are pretty easy to see over/through.
I feared the worst with this station’s design and how it’d blend into the rest of International Gateway and World Showcase, but the nearly finished product looks pretty nice.
While it doesn’t have the same level or depth of detail as the nearby buildings, it’s really close.
Moreover, there are some nice accents like that crane mural, the textured ground, and the Paris Metro-inspired Art Nouveau entrance arcades. It fits International Gateway well.
Finally, Walt Disney World announced that the Skyliner officially debuts at the end of September. My money is still on the Disney’s Hollywood Studios line quietly opening in time for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (and we’re putting our money on it by not canceling Pop Century), but I truly have no idea.
Despite my enthusiasm for the Skyliner, I will readily concede that there are some unknowns, and I’m really curious both about guest reaction to the gondolas and how daily operations actually work. This is Walt Disney World’s biggest transportation undertaking since the 1980s. I hope it’s a colossal success–the kind that makes Disney more bullish on investing in ambitious, innovative transportation for the parks. Why anyone would be cheering for this to fail is beyond me; does anyone really want to see Walt Disney World play it safe with nothing but new buses for the rest of their lifetime?
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YOUR THOUGHTS
When do you think the Skyliner will debut? Thoughts on evacuation testing, training, or anything else that needs to be done before the system can debut? Do you expect a park closing exodus leading to long lines at the Epcot and DHS stations? Any other thoughts on the Skyliner? Will you be using it, or sticking to buses? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I still wish this line were routed over the guest parking area behind the resort, rather than dotted among the buildings here.
^The SkyLiner aligned over parking lots is not quite the free DVC advertisement they’d get from passing right thru the resort grounds. Better close your shades ;^)
Thanks for the report, Tom. One of the most interesting things for me is the bus stop at the CBR station. It looks similar to the new bus stops put in at Old Port Royale last year, but is missing the rear wall that served as additional rain shelter and to mount the bus time monitors. So, I wonder if the it has a multi-purpose: 1) A regular stopping point for the CBR internal bus shuttle, and 2) To get people out of the station during weather.
And the weather issue is one of the most interesting things to see how it gets handled, and how much downtime this causes the Skyliner. WDW has guest swimming pools outdoors at everyone of its resorts, water rides and other outdoor rides that they close down during lightning and weather events. So, the notion that WDW went and had the Skyliner built without factoring lightning and weather closures into process, is just fantasy.
Thanks for another good report, Tom. My question is concerning how the skyliner operates — do you know if it will be continuous loading or will is start and stop with each car or several cars being loaded? Thanks for any insight you can give me.
I know for a fact that each car will load to the side for wheelchairs and ECV then rejoin the line which never stops. For normal boarding continuous boarding and no stops.
Any idea how things would work when using a white cane? (I am legally blind and use a white cane to navigate.) I don’t want to trip or fall, or lose my white cane in some gap or somesuch.
Fingers crossed Tom for the soft opening for the Skyliner . We were sure it would be running in time for Star Wars opening. I think the Skyliners will be a huge plus for Disney and it’s guest. I know our whole family is really excited about it. Can’t wait to ride. Hopefully September 9th .
And, I forgot to include this comment in my post:
Thanks for your great description of the Skyliner and the beautiful photos.
Nature provides the most beautiful color combinations, but my absolute favorite, hands down, no question…deep stormy backgrounds with vibrant, sunlit green foregrounds. I could just stare at that all day! Stunning!
I totally agree with you about the gondolas and the controversy surrounding them. Certainly, there may well be growing pains, but I am sure they have tried to plan as well as can be expected and will get appropriate protocol implemented with success. Aside from lightning, there are also plenty of climates that are snowy, icy, and incredibly windy that successfully operate. However, it is human nature to second guess the unknown and change. I, for one, am very excited! I like the gondolas for a lot of reasons but most importantly for the eco-friendly factor.
Love your blog! Great content and a I love your writing style.
I am a DVC Rivieria owner and probably in the minority here. One of the reasons that prompted me to purchase DRR is the running paths through CBR. (Neither the MK Resorts nor AK have adequate running paths currently). In other words, for me, that particular amenity is very valuable and is afforded by the design of the CBR, Moderate or not. I don’t expect any noticeable impact from CBR guests getting on at the DRR station. In fact, I believe that this was an ingenious move by WDW as it will 1) move a lot more people more efficiently at less cost overall, 2) It is a fun way to travel, and 3) it will partially be paid for by DVC members – while POP/CBR/AOA will receive a tremendous benefit.
I’d likewise agree with you. Staying at Riviera and taking advantage of Caribbean Beach’s grounds and amenities has tremendous upside.
What app do you use that alerted you to approaching rain?
Dark Sky or AccuWeather both do this and, in my experience, are pretty reliable for Central Florida.
Hoping for Skyliner opening early I have some clients booked for AoA first week of September! Thanks for keeping us updated!
I get it these things are all around the world. But what everyone is forgetting Tom, is that central Florida is the Lightning Capital of the World, yes the World not just the US. So to say they have been similarly tested for lightning in other places is not correct. We in central Florida have more lightning strikes annually than anywhere in the world.
Thank you Tom for pointing out the reasonable / rational side of the gondola debate. Everyone is losing their minds over storms and lightning. Like Disney and the engineers weren’t aware there were storms in Florida? Yes, they thought of it and will make the necessary adjustments. I, for one, are looking forward to them!
Just wanted to say how much I appreciate your photography. Yours is one of the few blogs I’ll run to my computer to read so I can see what your pix on a bigger screen. I read almost everything else on my phone.
What leads you to believe that “everyone is forgetting” this? All it takes is a modicum of experience with Central Florida to know the region gets a lot of storms and lightning.
(For what it’s worth, Tampa is the the lightning capital of the U.S., but not the world.)
Yes, and we also have airports just like everywhere else in the world, and those still work as well. For my money, TPA is one of the best airports in the country and it’s smack dab in the lightning capital of the lightning capital. Planes still take off and land there with more reliability than most airports in the country.
Except when TPA or MCO flights are delayed due to storms.
I am wondering, if lightning forces guests to unload short of their destination will alternate transportation be made available if the shutdown is lengthy?
I assume that’s at least part of why there’s a bus stop at Caribbean Beach. At least in theory, that’s the only place where guests would be ‘stranded’ short of their final destination.
However, I don’t know if Disney will allow guests to continue from there to their final destination on the gondolas before cycling to empty.
“There should be a loop that circles Barefoot Bay and connects the two resorts. I’m sure no DVC Members will complain about Moderate Guests coming over and using their Deluxe Amenities; we aren’t an entitled bunch or anything!”
If Riviera guests are assessing it well, there is just as much or more to be had going the other way. Pool hopping is a perk of DVC, but as renovations and refits have occurred at Deluxe resorts, the list of pools available at other DVC or Deluxe properties to hop to has shrunk and shrunk and shrunk. But moderates are still uniformly available, and Fuentes del Morro pool can hold its own with any Deluxe option short of Stormalong Bay.
The ‘if’ that starts your reply is a pretty big one.
For what it’s worth, I agree with you completely, but I think a lot of DVC Members will disagree. The biggest ‘controversy’ will probably come from CBR guests in Aruba using the Riviera gondola station, especially if there’s any sort of a line.
Just wanted to say how much I appreciate your photography. Yours is one of the few blogs I’ll run to my computer to read so I can see what your pix on a bigger screen. I read almost everything else on my phone.
I think that Riviera guests need to remember that a large beautiful part of CBR was sacrificed to build yet another DVC. Thirty years of CBR fans may still be dealing with the loss of a beautiful wooded area between Aruba and Barbados, as well as the original Barbados Village and half of Martinique village. The new DVC has been constructed on former CBR land.
Dolphin Sept 9 – hope the gondolas will be a ‘soft’ opening!
On another note – since we are staying at the Dolphin, thoughts on Magic Bands – worth it or not?
“On another note — since we are staying at the Dolphin, thoughts on Magic Bands — worth it or not?”
I personally wouldn’t pay for them, but I know many others disagree with this.
I disagree about the magic bands. I stay all over Disneyworld, from Moderates to Deluxe. When we RunDisney, Hubby likes to stay at Swan or Dolphin, so we stay there as well. I would say the cost of a magicband is still worth it for convenience sake. You can easily link and customize and is a nice trip momento. IMHO
Thank you for such a detailed description of the system. I am so interested to see how long the waits will be for the various locations. (By the way… how did you like the movie!! lol!)
“By the way… how did you like the movie!!”
I’ll preface this by saying that ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ is far and away my most highly-anticipated film of the year. I really wanted to see it in 70mm at the Cinerama Dome, but things didn’t work out that way.
I tried to avoid spoilers, but I came in with some background knowledge and given that…it wasn’t quite what I expected. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll just leave it at that. I still really liked it, and in thinking about it more, the film has grown on me further.
Hi Tom!
Our trip is mid October. We plan to take the skyliner from Hollywood Studios to Caribbean Beach for dinner at Sebastian’s Bistro. Where is the station at Caribbean Beach Resort & how far will we need to walk from the station to Sebastian’s Bistro?
Love all of your articles & am very excited about the skyliner! Thanks for your help!
The gondolas moving around CBR looks really cool. Great photos. I hope the gondolas are a huge success. Being able to ride in one of these to and from the parks will be very cool, and should really be a noteworthy addition to the whole Disney experience.
Looking forward to trying them this fall.
As always your opinions and thoughts on the gondolas are right on. The strange fears and concerns expressed by people who have never seen or ridden a modern gondola system are baffling. How awesome would it be for this to be extended to AKL and Disney Springs?! I grew up going to Disney in the 80’s and always dreamed of the monorails being extended all over property. That’s not going to happen, and this is a cool alternative. I’ll be there mid-March and I’m afraid we’re going to miss them unless some crazy soft launch happens. Thanks for the great photos and commentary as always Tom!
I hope the Skyliner is a huge success. I hope it magically moves tons of people from place to place. Despite the fact I have an irrational fear of them. It’s something about hanging from the wire and the feeling you get when it crosses the poles and feels like it’s dropping. And if anything did happen I would not do well waiting to be rescued. I have utmost trust in all Disney’s rides and transportation but probably won’t do this!
For clarity’s sake, I don’t take any issue whatsoever with this. We all have fears, and it takes a good deal of self-awareness to label those fears as irrational. Fears are what they are.
Thank you for your correct usage of the word “myriad”.
I will be at pop starting sept 2nd and I’m secretly hoping it will be running too!
We’ll be at AOA then and I’m REALLY hoping for the HS line to be open as well. It’s our one and only shot to stay there before kid #5 turns 3 and we’re maxed out on occupancy. We’re all really excited for the gondolas!