Epcot IG Skyliner - avoid the long line at the end of the day?

[Jsharp13]

The past two times I was at Epcot, walking out of the IG after or towards the end of fireworks - the line to board the skyliner was HUGE. I'm looking for ideas on how to avoid this, especially since everything shuts down at 9 pm in Epcot.

1) The day I am at Epcot with my DH and DS, I think I would like to plan to skip fireworks and take the skyliner back to CBR. Can I get on the skyliner when the fireworks begin with a shorter line? Or do I realistically need to board earlier, like 8:30 pm?

2) On a day when I am in Epcot with just my DS, we might want to watch the fireworks. When they end, could we head over to someplace like Boardwalk Ice Cream for a treat? And then go back to the skyliner maybe when crowds have died down? My searches show that the skyliner will run for 90 minutes after Epcot closes. So could we go get some ice cream or something, and then get back to the skyliner by about 10:15?

Other ideas?

 

[scrappinginontario]

The Skyliner hours will be posted at each station so you will be able to tell in the morning what time it closes. We did find if there was a line they would try to clear it and it might stay open a bit later than the posted wait time.

There will be many leaving around park close who are not staying to watch the fireworks. Guessing more people leave within the past hour of the park. I will say the line move consistently so it does work and you don't need to wait too long sometimes.

If you are near IG to watch the fireworks you should have time to grab ice cream but if you're the opposite side of World Showcase for fireworks it will take time to watch to IG.

 

[WEDWDW]

Watch the fireworks from the bridge between UK and France.

At the sound of the last fireworks IMMEDIATELY "speedwalk" out the International Gateway straight to Skyliner.

We have done this many times and always beat the crowds and walk right on to Skyliner.(2 or 3 minute wait at the most)

The line will build QUICKLY but you will beat it using this strategy.

It is so awesome not to have to get on a packed Bus with other tired Guests at the end of an Epcot day like the old days pre Skyliner!

 

[Ohiostatefan606]

While not the same, but you can see the fireworks from the deck at CBR. You can even sit at the Banana Cabana have a snack, drink, dessert and see the fireworks. We are not big fireworks people, so being in the park and watching them, is not a priority.

But you need to time getting out of the park ahead of the fireworks crowd. We were there 2 weeks ago. People are staking out their spots, it's 8:00 pm and the fireworks don't start until 9:00. We waltzed out of EPCOT onto the Skyliner and back to CBR before the fireworks even started.

You have to decide on your priorities.

 

[Mikey15]

One thing I will say about Skyliner lines is even when they’re “long,” they’re moving… barring an actual shutdown, of course. It might look long but it’s not the same as waiting 15 minutes for a new bus to come and then squeezing in standing room only.

 

[brockash]

The past two times I was at Epcot, walking out of the IG after or towards the end of fireworks - the line to board the skyliner was HUGE. I'm looking for ideas on how to avoid this, especially since everything shuts down at 9 pm in Epcot.

1) The day I am at Epcot with my DH and DS, I think I would like to plan to skip fireworks and take the skyliner back to CBR. Can I get on the skyliner when the fireworks begin with a shorter line? Or do I realistically need to board earlier, like 8:30 pm?

2) On a day when I am in Epcot with just my DS, we might want to watch the fireworks. When they end, could we head over to someplace like Boardwalk Ice Cream for a treat? And then go back to the skyliner maybe when crowds have died down? My searches show that the skyliner will run for 90 minutes after Epcot closes. So could we go get some ice cream or something, and then get back to the skyliner by about 10:15?

Other ideas?

When staying at a skyliner resort; we'll watch the fireworks from the bridge by IG and as soon as they're over we speedwalk out and have never had more than a cpl parties in front of us.

 

[dvczerfs]

Right after the last boom, you can actually see the wave coming. lol. First day of training, that’s where they take you, hand you a flashlight and see if you come back the next day. lol. So I hear.
As posted above, just watch the time board at the IG station for closing time. What ever time is on the board, make sure you are in line at the station at the time. Sometimes yes, they will still load after the time posted but you never know what’s going on. You may see it running but they started their closing procedures. Once they start, they can’t board you. That line is long so closing take a while. Even after it’s closed, you may see it running, that’s when they work on it. After a long day in the park, the last thing you want to do is walk to the lobby of Beach Club and get an Uber back to your resort.
Another thing that confuses people on extra Magic hour nights, the Skyliner services only between IG and Riv.
When it lands at Riv you have to get off. You can walk to Caribean but if you’re at Art or Pop, those lines are closed. You also can’t fly into Caribean because there is nobody to get you off at the caribean station because it’s closed. The studios line is closed and so is the hourglass line.
Some have figured when they ask you where are you heading, tell them Riv, and you can fly onto Caribbean, if you don’t get off at Riv, the line stops and then there are unpleasantries. No, they won’t open or restart lines or drive you to your resort. You can’t outsmart the mouse. lol.
The only place that don’t have a line or a lot of people after fireworks is the entrance. Even that can get full because people walk out at IG and parked in the Epcot parking lot not knowing it’s not all connected back there. So they have to see if security will let them back into the park to walk out the main entrance.

 

[keishashadow]

Watch the fireworks from the bridge between UK and France.

The area along the rails where that is permissible does tend to fill up quickly. Need to get there early.

One thing I will say about Skyliner lines is even when they’re “long,” they’re moving… barring an actual shutdown, of course. It might look long but it’s not the same as waiting 15 minutes for a new bus to come and then squeezing in standing room only.

That’s what I’ve read here several times. Luckily, we usually just stroll past that long end of night line from Epcot with our eyeballs bulging at how long it can get.

 

[Jsharp13]

The only place that don’t have a line or a lot of people after fireworks is the entrance. Even that can get full because people walk out at IG and parked in the Epcot parking lot not knowing it’s not all connected back there. So they have to see if security will let them back into the park to walk out the main entrance.

We saw that on our last trip! We were heading out IG and walking to Boardwalk to eat. We encountered some confused folks on that walk that were wondering where the parking lot was. We had to tell them they had to try to re-enter Epcot and then walk back to the main entrance. I felt bad for them. If you are new it's easy to get turned around.

 

[WEDWDW]

While not the same, but you can see the fireworks from the deck at CBR. You can even sit at the Banana Cabana have a snack, drink, dessert and see the fireworks. We are not big fireworks people, so being in the park and watching them, is not a priority.

But you need to time getting out of the park ahead of the fireworks crowd. We were there 2 weeks ago. People are staking out their spots, it's 8:00 pm and the fireworks don't start until 9:00. We waltzed out of EPCOT onto the Skyliner and back to CBR before the fireworks even started.

You have to decide on your priorities.

Definitely,Banana Cabana has some excellent spots-if you look VERY closely in the middle of the picture,you can just see a "touch" of Spaceship Earth.

Here is a picture from the rail outside Banana Cabana.Great place to see and HEAR the high fireworks!

 

[Jsharp13]

Definitely,Banana Cabana has some excellent spots-if you look VERY closely in the middle of the picture,you can just see a "touch" of Spaceship Earth.

Here is a picture from the rail outside Banana Cabana.Great place to see and HEAR the high fireworks!

View attachment 839564

Thank you! We have two Epcot days and I have a feeling this is right where we will be on night #2. We'll be with DH who likes fireworks but isn't crazy about staying in a mob of people just to see them, or then standing in a one hour skyliner line after. We'll probably zip back and just enjoy from our resort!

 

[jimmymc]

If you leave before the fireworks, then the line will only take a few minutes at most. If you want to watch the fireworks, then the line will be long for a while after the show ends. I'd almost rather just wait in line than sit around for an hour waiting for it to die down. It moves continuously, and even if it's down towards the bridge to Beach Club, it only takes about 15 minutes.

 

[_19disnA]

LOTS of people will be exiting every Disney park once the fireworks end and/or park closes. Best to exit BEFORE there are masses of people or have alternate plans to watch fireworks. We stayed at the Contemporary a few years ago and watched the fireworks from the open patio area on the 4th floor.......worked out great, no masses of people exiting to deal with or waiting for 30 minutes for a chance to board a monorail.

 

[tjmw2727]

Thank you! We have two Epcot days and I have a feeling this is right where we will be on night #2. We'll be with DH who likes fireworks but isn't crazy about staying in a mob of people just to see them, or then standing in a one hour skyliner line after. We'll probably zip back and just enjoy from our resort!

Just want to clarify even though the line looks long it moves very quickly. You basically walk up the hill and then turn around and walk back down the hill

I have never waited an hour for the skyliner including NYE when we left with the crowd right after the fireworks as my dd was too tired to stay any longer.

 

[dvczerfs]

If you leave before the fireworks, then the line will only take a few minutes at most. If you want to watch the fireworks, then the line will be long for a while after the show ends. I'd almost rather just wait in line than sit around for an hour waiting for it to die down. It moves continuously, and even if it's down towards the bridge to Beach Club, it only takes about 15 minutes.

When you hit the top of the walkway where the bridge from the Boardwalk comes in from the left, if all goes well it’s 20 minutes.

 

[dvczerfs]

Just want to clarify even though the line looks long it moves very quickly. You basically walk up the hill and then turn around and walk back down the hill

I have never waited an hour for the skyliner including NYE when we left with the crowd right after the fireworks as my dd was too tired to stay any longer.

Most nights it hits the top of the bridge. I’ve only seen it an hour, or longer wait a few times. I have seen back to the entrance of Beach Club a few times.

 

[dvczerfs]

We saw that on our last trip! We were heading out IG and walking to Boardwalk to eat. We encountered some confused folks on that walk that were wondering where the parking lot was. We had to tell them they had to try to re-enter Epcot and then walk back to the main entrance. I felt bad for them. If you are new it's easy to get turned around.

Happens quite a bit every night. Most cases, pending on the park’s status they will let you through but, they have their reasons.

 

[Jsharp13]

Thanks for these ideas. It sounds like I have a few options:

1) leave at first boom and get back to resort via skyliner. bonus to see fireworks from skyliner maybe.
2) watch from UK/France bridge, get there early, leave at last boom and run to skyliner
3) watch fireworks (part, some, all) and go over to Boardwalk for some ice cream. Get back to skyliner before the posted closing time.
4) Leave well before fireworks and go watch them from CBR
5) Watch fireworks wherever we feel like it, and just suck it up and wait in that skyliner line.

 

[Ross Kratter]

Thanks for these ideas. It sounds like I have a few options:

1) leave at first boom and get back to resort via skyliner. bonus to see fireworks from skyliner maybe.
2) watch from UK/France bridge, get there early, leave at last boom and run to skyliner
3) watch fireworks (part, some, all) and go over to Boardwalk for some ice cream. Get back to skyliner before the posted closing time.
4) Leave well before fireworks and go watch them from CBR
5) Watch fireworks wherever we feel like it, and just suck it up and wait in that skyliner line.

I’ll just say that with the current show, Luminous, it’s kind of important to be able to see the fountains and the barges in the lagoon, as well as hear the music and narration. It’s an incredible show; I’d want to see it from a prime location.

 

[dvczerfs]

I’ll just say that with the current show, Luminous, it’s kind of important to be able to see the fountains and the barges in the lagoon, as well as hear the music and narration. It’s an incredible show; I’d want to see it from a prime location.

I can tell you it’s not that impressive from the World Discovery area. lol.