Don’t count on the Skyliner in the summer

[Grasshopper2016]

It’s Florida. It’s summer. There is going to lightning all of the time, especially in the afternoons and evenings. When that happens, they shut the Skyliner down, evacuate you at the next stop, and then order “recovery buses” to get you to your destination. Those buses can take just short of forever to actually show up. In the meantime, you are missing Lightning Lane (ironically named) windows, ILL$, ADRs, and valuable park time.

Sorry for venting. It’s just so frustrating!

 

[Figment Mom]

We've also experienced the Skyliner unexpectedly being down for an unspecified reason (not weather-related).

On our Epcot/DHS days, I definitely keep an eye on the weather and adjust our travel time if storms are imminent. It can't always been avoided, of course.

 

[Jaydee51]

So very true however we've learned to use weather app to have an idea of rain expected by hour. Not full proof but definitely helps.
Looking out and seeing dark clouds is also a good indicator that something is coming down soon lol

 

[MinnieMSue]

It doesn’t help that there is no free backup ahead of time if going from resort to park unless you go really early to hopefully beat the storm. They don’t have busses until the line is down which is too late for you when you have to get off at the transfer station

 

[Jaydee51]

It doesn’t help that there is no free backup ahead of time if going from resort to park unless you go really early to hopefully beat the storm. They don’t have busses until the line is down which is too late for you when you have to get off at the transfer station

Oh my, if ur stuck at transfer station is the only option to wait?

 

[MinnieMSue]

Oh my, if ur stuck at transfer station is the only option to wait?

Yeah or to get an Uber or Lyft or Minnie van. But idk if you have to walk to another area at Caribbean beach to get them. Once we were going to one of the parks for rope drop and boarded at Pop as usual but the next segment was down (had no idea when boarded at Pop). They had a line of busses there and they walked us in a line from skyliner to get pretty much directly on busses to the park we were going to. They knew ahead of time that the second line was down and were prepared.

 

[Jaydee51]

Speaking of Uber, I purchased an Uber gift card this summer during Amazon Prime Day promotion and used as my saving grace when we stayed too late at parks and didn't want to wait in line for bus to animal kingdom. Paid no more than $12 per trip. Uber was less than lyft 100% of the time. I was not expecting that to be the case but pleasantly surprised.

 

[gottalovepluto]

It’s Florida. It’s summer. There is going to lightning all of the time, especially in the afternoons and evenings. When that happens, they shut the Skyliner down, evacuate you at the next stop, and then order “recovery buses” to get you to your destination. Those buses can take just short of forever to actually show up. In the meantime, you are missing Lightning Lane (ironically named) windows, ILL$, ADRs, and valuable park time.

Sorry for venting. It’s just so frustrating!

Guest Services can’t do anything about your missed park time but if you miss any LLs or ILLs go to a blue umbrella or Guest Services and explain what happened to the CM. They should be able to issue you a replacement ride pass. For ADRs, I would go straight to the restaurant on park arrival and explain what happened. Absolutely they’ve dealt with this situation before as Skyliner is closed for every thunderstorm and FL has more than a couple of those every year.

 

[brockash]

It’s Florida. It’s summer. There is going to lightning all of the time, especially in the afternoons and evenings. When that happens, they shut the Skyliner down, evacuate you at the next stop, and then order “recovery buses” to get you to your destination. Those buses can take just short of forever to actually show up. In the meantime, you are missing Lightning Lane (ironically named) windows, ILL$, ADRs, and valuable park time.

Sorry for venting. It’s just so frustrating!

Yes..
I know many LOVE the skyliner and when it'd working well, I think it's great, but Disney really drops the ball in communication with their guests and the back up transportation when there's an issue. I've said many times I think a resort on the skyliner during rainy months is really a disadvantage.

 

[MinnieMSue]

Yes..
I know many LOVE the skyliner and when it'd working well, I think it's great, but Disney really drops the ball in communication with their guests and the back up transportation when there's an issue. I've said many times I think a resort on the skyliner during rainy months is really a disadvantage.

If they could send a push notification that it is down and another that it is running that would be great. Or just put it on MDE somewhere. It seems like it would not be hard but I am not an IT person so idk

 

[DisneySwede]

If they could send a push notification that it is down

We actually did get that one morning at Pop when it was down for Rope drop and we were headed to Epcot, but yes when it is back up would be great as well. And only that one time did we get one.

 

[frannn]

We thought if we went in May instead of August we would have a lot less issues with the skyliner being down. Nope. We planned a few dinners in Epcot by the skyliner station in hope of hopping quickly back to Pop after. Turned out there were storms both nights so we had to run all the way back to the front of the park and wait on a verrrryyyyyy long line for a bus that was for both AofA and Pop and since it was towards park closing time...took 2 hours to get back to the resort. BTW, it is hard to plan around the weather when you have to make park and meal reservations 60+ days in advance. If we wanted to keep the coveted TS dinners we worked so hard to get, we had to grab an umbrella and an extra pair of shoes.

 

[parasail_of_congress]

It doesn’t help that there is no free backup ahead of time if going from resort to park unless you go really early to hopefully beat the storm. They don’t have busses until the line is down which is too late for you when you have to get off at the transfer station

Is this actually true? I thought the busses were running for resorts on the Skyliner route, regardless of whether the Skyliner is down.

 

[parasail_of_congress]

We thought if we went in May instead of August we would have a lot less issues with the skyliner being down. Nope. We planned a few dinners in Epcot by the skyliner station in hope of hopping quickly back to Pop after. Turned out there were storms both nights so we had to run all the way back to the front of the park and wait on a verrrryyyyyy long line for a bus that was for both AofA and Pop and since it was towards park closing time...took 2 hours to get back to the resort. BTW, it is hard to plan around the weather when you have to make park and meal reservations 60+ days in advance. If we wanted to keep the coveted TS dinners we worked so hard to get, we had to grab an umbrella and an extra pair of shoes.

What does the 60-day time window of booking TS reservations have to do with the potential of a rainstorm in Orlando at pretty much any time?

 

[PalmettoPath]

It’s Florida. It’s summer. There is going to lightning all of the time, especially in the afternoons and evenings. When that happens, they shut the Skyliner down, evacuate you at the next stop, and then order “recovery buses” to get you to your destination. Those buses can take just short of forever to actually show up. In the meantime, you are missing Lightning Lane (ironically named) windows, ILL$, ADRs, and valuable park time.

Sorry for venting. It’s just so frustrating!

Yep. An ill conceived idea from the get go.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Thunder &lightning currently !

 

[Stratman50th]

Thunder &lightning currently !

Yup, and this was a nasty one too.

 

[MinnieMSue]

Is this actually true? I thought the busses were running for resorts on the Skyliner route, regardless of whether the Skyliner is down.

People recently commented that they were not. I know they used to from AoA but was told they no longer do

 

[parasail_of_congress]

(removed)