Anyway of knowing if skyliner is down due to rain

[mmouse50]

If you are at Epcot and it starts lightly raining but no lighting that you can tell is there any way of knowing if the skyliner is down prior to trekking to the international gateway and then having to trek back to the front for a bus?
I assume if the skyliner is down then the boats to the studios where you could catch a bus to a skyliner resort won’t be running either.

 

[Skippyboo]

It’s lightning not rain that shuts down the Skyliner. You could probably look at MDE to see if outdoor rides are shut down that would indicate lightning in the area and the Skyliner could be down. Just rain should not shut stuff down.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Lightening and high winds will shut down the Skyliner.

Disney needs to update the transportation information on the app so that people know when the boats, monorail and Skyliner are down.

 

[Nabas]

We’ve been stranded by the Skyliner when it was just raining, with no lightning in the immediate area.

A Cast Member told me they shut it down if there’s lightning within 5 miles, but he wasn’t sure about the distance.

 

[Nabas]

Lightening and high winds will shut down the Skyliner.

Disney needs to update the transportation information on the app so that people know when the boats, monorail and Skyliner are down.

Definitely, I should be able to look at the app to know if it’s operating.

In addition, the app also should have some sort of warning that a shutdown might be imminent.

 

[Stratman50th]

Definitely, I should be able to look at the app to know if it’s operating.

In addition, the app also should have some sort of warning that a shutdown might be imminent.

It doesn't affect me one way or the other as I look at the Skyliner as a bus on a string that I don't use.
That being said, what you say is a good idea and reasonable request. I mean, somebody makes the call on when to shut it down, give them a mouse and the ability to update the app in real time. They can sure make you pick a park and restaurant months out. They even make you order your burger and fries for lunch at 9:00am. Seems to me transportation for a whole lot of people is a bigger deal than that.
Who am I kidding, never gonna happen!

 

[Pooh's World]

If you are at Epcot and it starts lightly raining but no lighting that you can tell is there any way of knowing if the skyliner is down prior to trekking to the international gateway and then having to trek back to the front for a bus?
I assume if the skyliner is down then the boats to the studios where you could catch a bus to a skyliner resort won’t be running either.

If you are near guest services they can make a call and find out

 

[mmouse50]

I just answered my own question I think - if you go to MDE and look at the wait times there is a filter for Transportation. It has the option of the skyliner. I will watch the weather app and when I see that there is an afternoon thunderstorm I will go back and check. I am planning for my July trip

 

[dvczerfs]

We’ve been stranded by the Skyliner when it was just raining, with no lightning in the immediate area.

A Cast Member told me they shut it down if there’s lightning within 5 miles, but he wasn’t sure about the distance.

It’s a bit further out than 5 miles but you’re close. What you have to remember is the entire area that Skyliner operates on property. It may not be lightning where you are standing but if it gets to that radius anywhere the skyliner is on property it shuts down.
A lot of times there is no warning. Storms pop up on radar at anytime and move fast, welcome to Florida in the summer. They have to do an emergency cycle out to get everyone off. Sometimes there is a warning that one is getting close and it disappears and the skyliner keeps running. Radar is watched constantly. The last place anyone would want to be is sitting in a metal can, connected to a steel cable which is connected to a steel tower, 80 to 100 feet in the air if lightning is around. It’s a huge, huge responsibility to try to predict what Mother Nature is planning on doing and keeping people safe. It comes down to one person making the call and I sure wouldn’t want that responsibility in trying to figure out Mother Nature.
Trust me, they are not trying to ruin anyone’s day, just the opposite, no shut downs is an easy day, no paperwork, everyone is happy. There is so much that goes on when it goes down than people realize. It’s just a safety issue.

 

[Nabas]

It’s a bit further out than 5 miles but you’re close. What you have to remember is the entire area that Skyliner operates on property. It may not be lightning where you are standing but if it gets to that radius anywhere the skyliner is on property it shuts down.
A lot of times there is no warning. Storms pop up on radar at anytime and move fast, welcome to Florida in the summer. They have to do an emergency cycle out to get everyone off. Sometimes there is a warning that one is getting close and it disappears and the skyliner keeps running. Radar is watched constantly. The last place anyone would want to be is sitting in a metal can, connected to a steel cable which is connected to a steel tower, 80 to 100 feet in the air if lightning is around. It’s a huge, huge responsibility to try to predict what Mother Nature is planning on doing and keeping people safe. It comes down to one person making the call and I sure wouldn’t want that responsibility in trying to figure out Mother Nature.
Trust me, they are not trying to ruin anyone’s day, just the opposite, no shut downs is an easy day, no paperwork, everyone is happy. There is so much that goes on when it goes down than people realize. It’s just a safety issue.

Thanks! I understand why it sometimes needs to shut down.

The issue is that I have no way of knowing whether I need to walk to the Skyliner in the back or the bus in the front.

I have twice been told by Cast Members to head to the Skyliner while I'm in Future World, only to have the Skyliner be closed when I got there, and then be told I have to walk all the way back to the front of the park to wait for a bus.

Disney has MDE. They need to improve it to include a Skyliner status so people are not traipsing all over the park in the pouring rain to get a ride back to their resorts.

They used to have us wait for buses at the Beach Club, a much shorter walk. But now it seems they want us to walk back to the front when the Skyliner shuts down.

 

[dvczerfs]

Thanks! I understand why it sometimes needs to shut down.

The issue is that I have no way of knowing whether I need to walk to the Skyliner in the back or the bus in the front.

I have twice been told by Cast Members to head to the Skyliner while I'm in Future World, only to have the Skyliner be closed when I got there, and then be told I have to walk all the way back to the front of the park to wait for a bus.

Disney has MDE. They need to improve it to include a Skyliner status so people are not traipsing all over the park in the poring rain to get a ride back to their resorts.

They used to have us wait for buses at the Beach Club, a much shorter walk. But now it seems they want us to walk back to the front when the Skyliner shuts down.

When was the last they sent you back to the front of the park?
The main problem is unlike the buses and minivans, they have gps. The system knows where they are to give you an idea when the bus will pull up to the bus stop giving you up to date information fast.
Attractions going down are real easy, they don’t move from station to station to parks and resorts.
As soon as the system is start to shut down, cms tell guest it’s shutting down. You can stay at the station and wait or head for a bus, pending what station you are at alternate transportation is close by. I cant talk about what would need to take place for the MDE to be updated to notify you but its to slow. If an attraction is 15 minutes off on its wait time, it’s not much of a big deal. Walking to a station in the pouring rain and DME is 15 minutes slow………… someone is getting upset.
Sending recovery buses to Beach club wasn’t a bad idea but Beach club bus stop isn’t big enough to handle the amount of guest that could be sent over there. Could you imagine if you paid to stay at Beach club and you go to the bus stop and there are a few hundred people standing at the bus stop? Their bus shows up and has to fight their way through a couple hundred, wet, upset guest pushing stroller? I don’t think anyone would be happy with that idea either.
International gateway is really the only problematic spot with shut downs because of where the station is located and the amount of guest using that station. There is really only one solution and that’s why I asked you when the last time you got sent back through the park for weather?
The other problems arises when people park at Epcot, head over to studio and come back to Epcot after the park has closed. You have to go through Epcot to get to your parked car. It’s up to security if they will let you enter a closed park. The cms at skyliner have no control over that. A lot of things happen in the parks after the parks have been cleared. Workers are not expecting to mom,dad and a double stroller walking around, another safety issue.
I just want to add, although everyone who has a name tag on is not trained or properly informed about all aspects of all park and resort operation. They try their hardest to help every guest with a question posed to them but, if you ask the bus driver about your dinner reservation, you may get an answer but it may not be correct. Not putting anyone down, just using as an example. I’ve been asked where did someone park if they got here at 10am. Again, also comes back to how fast things move. The cm in china May say head to the skyliner but by the time you get there, it’s closed.

 

[Nabas]

When was the last they sent you back to the front of the park?

The last time I was at the International Gateway Skyliner and was told to return to the front of Epcot was September 2022.

Since then, I avoid Skyliner resorts.

 

[gottalovepluto]

They used to have us wait for buses at the Beach Club, a much shorter walk. But now it seems they want us to walk back to the front when the Skyliner shuts down.

The last time I was at the International Gateway Skyliner and was told to return to the front of Epcot was September 2022.

Since then, I avoid Skyliner resorts.

This mess has been completely of Disney’s own making. Last May I saw a sign out by the IG gift shop saying Skyliner down and directing people to the front of the park. But those that exited were told to go to one of the hotels (don’t recall which one) and catch a bus there. I thought it was awful for those who listened and hiked back to the front and had no idea if they’d just kept going past the stupid sign they could get a bus back there.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I just answered my own question I think - if you go to MDE and look at the wait times there is a filter for Transportation. It has the option of the skyliner. I will watch the weather app and when I see that there is an afternoon thunderstorm I will go back and check. I am planning for my July trip

Never seen it change to show it’s down so please let us know if does! Once in a blue moon they’ll put a pop up notice on MDE if you’re at the parks.

 

[dvczerfs]

That’s why I asked when the last time you got sent to the front of the park, the recovery buses now pick up next to the station during a weather shut down. MDE notifications are not fast enough.
Another problem with the resort buses is pending on what time of day, one bus May do all three resorts in Cresent lake. Sometimes one bus does two. They can deploy more but that takes some time which is why using the resort buses are a bad idea, they can’t handle the volume easily and safely.

 

[brockash]

If you are at Epcot and it starts lightly raining but no lighting that you can tell is there any way of knowing if the skyliner is down prior to trekking to the international gateway and then having to trek back to the front for a bus?
I assume if the skyliner is down then the boats to the studios where you could catch a bus to a skyliner resort won’t be running either.

No there's not which is my biggest issue with the skyliner. We've had such bad times with this, we now refuse to stay at a skyliner resort during rainy months. The hassle is just not worth it.

 

[dvczerfs]

If you are at Epcot and it starts lightly raining but no lighting that you can tell is there any way of knowing if the skyliner is down prior to trekking to the international gateway and then having to trek back to the front for a bus?
I assume if the skyliner is down then the boats to the studios where you could catch a bus to a skyliner resort won’t be running either.

Boats can run longer, there lightning radius is closer but if the bolts are bouncing off the parking lot, they’re down also.

 

[Domer87]

I was a participant to the Skyliner shutdown while in Epcot this past Monday (5/22) and I feel it was a complete failure.

Due to poor weather conditions and seeing a sign of closure at IG 30 minutes prior, I spoke with Guest Services in Future World to inquire if the Skyliner was running and they assured me it was. When I arrived it was closed and our party waited nearly an hour to have buses take us through the back lot and to our resorts.

I feel Disney needs to do two things.

1. Update the MDE app to indicate when the Skyliner is running or shut down.
2. Provide bus transportation at the front of Epcot, regardless, for guests needing to get to Riviera or Art of Animation. Skyliner should not be sole means of transportation to those resorts.

 

[dvczerfs]

I was a participant to the Skyliner shutdown while in Epcot this past Monday (5/22) and I feel it was a complete failure.

Due to poor weather conditions and seeing a sign of closure at IG 30 minutes prior, I spoke with Guest Services in Future World to inquire if the Skyliner was running and they assured me it was. When I arrived it was closed and our party waited nearly an hour to have buses take us through the back lot and to our resorts.

I feel Disney needs to do two things.

1. Update the MDE app to indicate when the Skyliner is running or shut down.
2. Provide bus transportation at the front of Epcot, regardless, for guests needing to get to Riviera or Art of Animation. Skyliner should not be sole means of transportation to those resorts.

They actually tried having buses running in the front of the park along with skyliner operating. So few people used it, the bus ran on a 30-45 minute pick up. So your in world showcase and walked to the front of the park and waited 45 minutes for a bus with ten people on it that made two or three stops.
Again, MDE is too slow of a process. If it were a set time everyday that it would close, not a problem. A lot of storms pop up, unlike out in the mid west where you see them rolling in and across for hours.
If the sky looks like it’s going to rain and someone assures you it’s running, I really don’t know what to say……….. I can’t assure you your car is going to start when you get in it.
With the new pick up area near the station, the buses don’t sit back there 24 hours a day ideling, they have to be deployed there. Buses are a big, slow moving, for safety reasons vehicle.
I’ve waited already over the years for more than an hour for all forms of transportation, including a minivan and getting out of a parking lot.
Nobody has figured out an instant mode of transportation for thousands of people as of yet. Either way, like food, attractions in any amusement park or sporting event, there is a wait. That’s just the way it is with crowds of thousands of people. Disney moves and does it better than any other place. The numbers of heads they move in one day is staggering.

 

[Domer87]

They actually tried having buses running in the front of the park along with skyliner operating. So few people used it, the bus ran on a 30-45 minute pick up. So your in world showcase and walked to the front of the park and waited 45 minutes for a bus with ten people on it that made two or three stops.
Again, MDE is too slow of a process. If it were a set time everyday that it would close, not a problem. A lot of storms pop up, unlike out in the mid west where you see them rolling in and across for hours.
If the sky looks like it’s going to rain and someone assures you it’s running, I really don’t know what to say……….. I can’t assure you your car is going to start when you get in it.
With the new pick up area near the station, the buses don’t sit back there 24 hours a day ideling, they have to be deployed there. Buses are a big, slow moving, for safety reasons vehicle.
I’ve waited already over the years for more than an hour for all forms of transportation, including a minivan and getting out of a parking lot.
Nobody has figured out an instant mode of transportation for thousands of people as of yet. Either way, like food, attractions in any amusement park or sporting event, there is a wait. That’s just the way it is with crowds of thousands of people. Disney moves and does it better than any other place. The numbers of heads they move in one day is staggering.

Point taken on having to wait for all different scenarios and I will have to take you at your work that they tried the buses out in front of the park but very few people used them.

However, I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibilities to update MDE as the Skyliner goes up and down. They do this every day for the attractions with wait times and whether the attraction is temporarily closed. There is no set time when Remy's Ratatouille Adventure closes down due to technical difficulties, but you are alerted to it on MDE app.