There are a lot of ways to get around Walt Disney World. From buses, to boats, to the monorail, and more, it’s easy to get to the theme parks. And, the newest transportation option is the Disney Skyliner! Whether you’re staying at one of the connected resorts or simply enjoying the ride, here’s what you need to know before you ride.

About the Disney Skyliner

The Disney Skyliner is Walt Disney World’s newest transportation system. It opened in 2019 and is a gondola system, offering a unique way to get to the parks. You’ll glide above the treetops in colorful cabins, connecting four Disney World Resort hotels to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Each gondola comfortably seats up to 10 passengers. The cabins feature bench-style seating and large windows, providing panoramic views of the resort landscape. Plus, all of the gondolas are wrapped in Disney character designs. Nearly all of them are different and include characters from Pixar movies, Disney classics, the Star Wars and Marvel franchises, and more. See how many different characters you can spot on your ride!

While the inside of the cabin is not air-conditioned, there’s a good amount of space to spread out and enjoy the breeze through the vented windows for airflow. For your safety, emergency call buttons and lighting are available in each gondola.

The Skyliner operates from early morning until late at night, with specific hours varying by season. Your travel time between destinations ranges from 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the route.

This complimentary transportation option serves four resort hotels: Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, and Disney’s Riviera Resort. You can hop on at any station without a reservation, making it a convenient way to explore all of the parks and resorts that are connected.

Disney Skyliner Route and Map

The Disney Skyliner connects four Disney World resorts and two theme parks. The Skyliner route includes five stations:

• EPCOT International Gateway
• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort (central hub)
• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Art of Animation Resort (shared station)

Caribbean Beach Resort serves as the main transfer point, allowing you to switch lines if needed. This means that you’ll always have a stop here if you’re staying at any of the other resorts on the Skyliner route. From here, it’s easy to access all the other stations on the system by following the correct signage for the place you’re headed.

Here’s a look at the map for a closer look at how all of the stations connect:

Travel times between stations are relatively short:

• EPCOT to Caribbean Beach: 15 minutes
• Caribbean Beach to Hollywood Studios: 5 minutes
• Caribbean Beach to Pop Century/Art of Animation: 6 minutes
• Caribbean Beach to Riviera Resort: 5 minutes

Keep in mind that the Riviera Resort station is on the EPCOT line, located between Caribbean Beach and EPCOT. If you’re staying at the Riviera and want to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you’ll need to transfer at Caribbean Beach.

Disney Skyliner Stations

The Disney Skyliner connects key resorts and parks through a network of aerial gondolas. Each station offers unique features and convenient access to nearby attractions. Let’s dive into each of them!

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

This central hub serves as the main transfer point for all Skyliner routes. From here, you can easily switch between lines to reach other destinations. The station’s design reflects the resort’s colorful Caribbean theme and you can even stop for some coffee at its very own Joffrey’s kiosk just outside of the station.

Travel times from this hub are quick and convenient:

• 5-6 minutes to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Under 6 minutes to Pop Century or Art of Animation
• About 5 minutes to Riviera Resort
• Approximately 15 minutes to EPCOT International Gateway

Keep in mind that it can be crowded here in the mornings and evenings so add in some extra travel time if you’re headed to the parks early or headed back to your resort around the time that the park closes. If you want to minimize the amount of time you spend waiting for and traveling on the Skyliner, we recommend staying at this resort so you don’t have to worry about transferring routes during your trip.

Disney’s Riviera Resort

The Skyliner station at Disney’s Riviera Resort captures the elegance of the European Riviera (which is inspired by Walt Disney’s European travels!). Its design features intricate details and Mediterranean-inspired architecture.

From this station, you can reach:

• EPCOT International Gateway in about 9 minutes
• Caribbean Beach Resort in roughly 5 minutes
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios in about 11 minutes

While all other stations are end-point destinations with everyone getting out or in at each point, this station is unique in that it’s merely a stop on the way between Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and EPCOT International Gateway. So, everyone coming from either location will slow down to stop at this resort (though you don’t have to get off here). This means that anyone getting onto the Skyliner at this station needs to wait until an empty gondola is available. This can add in some travel time because the gondolas are often full of guests traveling from EPCOT or Caribbean Beach.

Disney’s Art of Animation and Disney’s Pop Century Resorts

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and Disney’s Pop Century Resort are located near each other and connected by a bridge. That bridge is where you’ll find the shared Disney’s Skyliner station! The station’s whimsical design incorporates elements from both resorts’ themes and is a bit larger than other stations since it services a larger number of guests.

From this station, you can reach:

• Caribbean Beach Resort in under 6 minutes
• EPCOT International Gateway in approximately 20 minutes
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios in about 11 minutes

If you want to avoid crowds and long lines for the Skyliner, we recommend traveling about an hour after the parks open and about an hour before they close.

EPCOT International Gateway

EPCOT International Gateway is a second “back” entrance to EPCOT. When you enter here, you’ll be in World Showcase between the UK and France Pavilions. But, the park isn’t the only spot that you can easily get to from this Skyliner station. It is also a short walk from Disney’s BoardWalk (with tons of restaurants and nighttime entertainment), Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, and Disney’s BoardWalk Inn.

When it comes to travel times, the EPCOT International Gateway station is:

• About 15 minutes to Caribbean Beach Resort
• Approximately 9 minutes to Riviera Resort
• 20 minutes to Disney’s Art of Animation and Disney’s Pop Century Resorts
• About 20 minutes to Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Keep in mind that there are several other transportation options if you’re looking to park hop between EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios including a walking path and boat transportation. We recommend choosing the option that has the lowest wait time as they all take about the same amount of time (the walking path takes about 20-25 minutes to walk and the boat ride is about 30 minutes).

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The Skyliner station at Disney’s Hollywood Studios provides a grand entrance to the park. Its design echoes the park’s golden age of Hollywood theme and fits right into all the other transportation options offered here.

When it comes to travel times, the Hollywood Studios station is:

• About 5-6 minutes to Caribbean Beach Resort
• 11 minutes to Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Approximately 11 minutes to Disney’s Art of Animation and Disney’s Pop Century Resorts
• About 20 minutes to EPCOT International Gateway

Note that there are several other ways to park hop between Hollywood Studios and EPCOT including boat transportation (approximately 30 minutes) and a walking path (about a 20-25 minute walk). All of these can be found at the front of the park near the Skyliner station, so choose which one works best for you and your family.

Disney Skyliner Hours

The Disney Skyliner operates on a flexible schedule tailored to park hours and other factors. You can typically expect the gondolas to start running one hour before Early Theme Park Entry begins in EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios (so approximately 90 minutes before the parks open). This gives you plenty of time to arrive at the parks early in the morning.

Closing times for the Skyliner also vary. Generally, it continues service for 90 minutes after EPCOT or Hollywood Studios closes. This allows you to enjoy the parks until the very end of the day without worrying about transportation.

On special nights when EPCOT offers Extended Evening Hours, the Skyliner adjusts its schedule. It remains open for one hour after park closing, but only on the route between Disney’s Riviera Resort and EPCOT International Gateway. This is because only guests at the Deluxe Resort can take advantage of Extended Evening Hours, so guests staying at the Value Resorts should already have returned to their hotel.

Keep in mind that weather can impact Skyliner operations and its hours. For example, high winds or storms may cause temporary pauses in service. If this happens, Disney provides bus transportation to and from EPCOT and Hollywood Studios for guests staying at Skyliner-connected resorts.

Additionally, keep in mind that the Skyliner often undergoes annual maintenance in January. If you’re visiting during this time, check with your resort to see if the closure will affect your stay.

To plan your trip effectively, we recommend checking the posted Skyliner hours the night before you plan to use it. You can find this information on the Walt Disney World website or at your resort’s front desk.

Disney Skyliner and Inclement Weather

The Disney Skyliner operates in various weather conditions, but safety remains the top priority. During rain, the gondola system typically continues to run as normal. However, severe weather can impact operations. For example, lightning in the area or high winds may lead to a temporary suspension of service.

When inclement weather forces a closure, Disney updates signs at and near Skyliner stations to keep you informed. And, you’ll still be able to get to and from your resort – just head to the bus station at the front of the park instead. Disney adds bus transportation to and from the parks when the Skyliner route is temporarily down. Once the weather conditions are better, the Skyliner opens back up and bus transportation is no longer offered.

When planning your visit, be aware that Florida’s weather can change quickly. So, it’s wise to have a backup plan in case of unexpected Skyliner closures due to storms.

FAQ

Can you ride the Disney Skyliner for free?

Yes, the Disney Skyliner is free for all Disney guests. Just make your way to the nearest station and hop on! This can be a great way to explore the resorts or park hop.

Can you take the Disney Skyliner from EPCOT to Hollywood Studios?

Yes! Just note that you will have to transfer gondolas at the Disney Skyliner hub at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. Travel time between the two parks is approximately 20 minutes depending on crowds.

Can non-resort guests ride the Skyliner?

Yes! The Disney Skyliner is free for all Disney guests and you do not need to be staying at any of the connecting resort hotels to ride.

Comments

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