We all know about the monorail and the buses as options to travel within Walt Disney World. Like honestly, public transportation at WDW should be what all public transportation should be designed after IMO. Clean. Punctual. Entertaining. Informative. Reliable...(usually)! But with the new addition of Disney's Skyliner in 2019, WDW has really represented itself as the urban hub that it is, comparable to any major city. I mean, WDW is bigger than Manhattan so it's only fitting right?
Fun Fact: Walt Disney World is actually twice the size of the island of Manhattan. How do I know this? (Other than me being a Disney fanatic). The Skyliner's inboard PA system not only gives you important information about the gondola's stops, destinations, and timing -- it also gives you a bunch of fun facts about the property and Walt Disney himself.
Haven't ridden it yet? Here's what you need to know.
There are 6 destinations: Hollywood Studios, Caribbean Beach Resort, Art of Animation Resort, Pop Century Resort, Riviera Resort, and Epcot. Yes, in that order. It is basically a big circle. Anyone staying at either of these resorts can get on during their stay without having to go elsewhere. However, if you're not a resort guest or if you're a local AP just hopping on for a quick trip (like us), you have two options to be able to hitch a ride. Option 1: you need a dining reservation for one of the restaurants at any of the resorts within the Skyliner loop -- this will allow you access to the parking lot where you can leave your car while you take a ride in the sky before/after your meal. Option 2: park your car at Hollywood Studios or Epcot and get on from the ports there! Option 2 is best if you're already planning a day in the park or if you're an AP with free parking (otherwise, standard parking at the theme parks is $25 per day).
The Skyliner moves pretty quickly and since not a lot of people know about it or how to get to it yet, there's usually not even a wait to get on. It's such a fun, unique alternative to getting around. And it's FREE.
Make sure to save these tips for later!
Proud Fairy Godmother moment: one of my couples, Jordan and Mark, actually met while on the Imagineer team to create Disney's Skyliner as an architect and engineer, respectively. How freaking cool is that?!