Disney World Skyliners reopen to passengers today after Oct. 5 incident
On Sept. 29, Disney World proudly introduced a brand new way to get around some of the massive Disney World complex via the Skyliner gondolas.
However, less than a week later, on Oct. 5, the Skyliners came to a halt after an accident caused a few of the gondola cars to collide with each other at a loading/unloading station. Some guests were stuck in gondolas in the air for more than three hours before they could all be safely off-loaded.
Related: TPG’s Ultimate Guide to Walt Disney World Resort
While the Skyliners have been running empty during tests since Oct. 5, today marks the first date that guests can again board the gondolas to travel between Disney’s Art of Animation, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, the Disney’s Riviera Resort (opening in December) and Epcot or Hollywood Studios. Disney reports that the Skyliner is scheduled to be open today from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
TPG has reached out to Disney Parks for a comment regarding the Oct. 5 Skyliner incident and subsequent reopening. We are awaiting a reply, but on the Disney Parks blog, Disney states:
"Following a complete review with the manufacturer, we’ve made adjustments to our processes and training, and we are improving how we communicate with guests during their flight with Disney Skyliner."
The Disney Parks site also notes some modified Skyliner hours this week due to system updates:
- Oct. 16: The Disney Hollywood Studios line will be closed while the other two lines will be available from 1 to 10:30 p.m.
- Oct. 17–18: All lines will be open from 1 to 10:30 p.m.
Hopefully the Oct. 5 incident won't repeat, but I highly recommend having everyone use the restroom before boarding the Skyliner, just in case of a delay. Its reopening is great news for those staying at one of the resorts on the line as flying to a resort sounds like a lot more fun than boarding a bus -- assuming you aren't dangling in the air for a few extra hours.
