Gondola Skyliner. How good is it running on average? Getting stuck or anything crazy?

[Shellyred8]

Well, nothing is totally foolproof, but I have stayed at Pop for a total of 22 nights since the Skyliner opened, and the longest stop I have had was less than five minutes. It was on the Epcot line and I am sure it was related to loading ECV’s at Riviera. There have been a lot of times the Epcot line slowed way down, almost to a stop, and then speeds back up, and I am sure that is for the same reason. I didn’t have any issues on the Pop line or DHS line at all.

This was our experience on our last trip too. No issues on the Pop/AoA or DHS line. But we did experience a few minutes of stoppage on the Epcot line. Less than 5 minutes though, so nothing earth-shattering.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

We rode it yesterday from CBR o Epcot and back. More than a few stoppages returning, was glad to finally get off. On the way over, nothing.

 

[Matt961]

Have ridden it twice since Jan 31st. Both times got stopped for about 3-5 minutes leaving Riviera stop. Other than that it’s been great.

 

[WEDWDW]

Both times got stopped for about 3-5 minutes leaving Riviera stop.

Even with that still a HUGE improvement over Buses!

No standing around in the elements waiting,no stop signs,no red lights,no traffic and a MILLION times more FUN!!!!

 

[Matt961]

Even with that still a HUGE improvement over Buses!

No standing around in the elements waiting,no stop signs,no red lights,no traffic and a MILLION times more FUN!!!!

Absolutely! It’s a lot of fun riding it.
Although the weather has been great this week it did get a little warm sitting there. Wondering how hot it would get sitting there in the summer for an extended period.

 

[mom2rtk]

Absolutely! It’s a lot of fun riding it.
Although the weather has been great this week it did get a little warm sitting there. Wondering how hot it would get sitting there in the summer for an extended period.

We rode it many times on our recent 10 day stay. I loved the Skyliner. It was a very positive addition to our WDW experience. But it was January and we didn't have any long stops. I won't ride it in the summer months (of which there are many).

 

[firefly_ris]

There is always going to be an element of user error (people not getting off, or being too slow to get on/off, or not realizing Child A wasn't right behind them, dropping something on their way off, etc) which will affect it here and there. If everyone was 100% efficient it wouldn't happen as often or at all, since the system is built specifically for continuous motion. In places like ski resorts people tend to be more experienced and so don't experience frequent stoppages.

The other exception is the Riviera station which does not have the separate ECV load area, so they will "crawl" the line to load ECVs there -- which isn't the same as full, multi-minute stoppage but obviously is much slower or can even feel like a stoppage.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Even with that still a HUGE improvement over Buses!

No standing around in the elements waiting,no stop signs,no red lights,no traffic and a MILLION times more FUN!!!!

and nobody stopping right inside the doorway making it difficult or impossible for more people to board.

 

[WEDWDW]

and nobody stopping right inside the doorway making it difficult or impossible for more people to board.

And no more STANDING after a long DHS/Epcot day-EVER!!!!

I am curious how everyone feels about the "wraps".

They are cute,but would you rather all Gondolas be "clear" so the views can be enjoyed without a "wrap" in the way?

 

[Wood Nymph]

I am curious how everyone feels about the "wraps".

They are cute,but would you rather all Gondolas be "clear" so the views can be enjoyed without a "wrap" in the way?

I personally prefer the clear gondolas so that I can see out of them. It is more fun to see the wraps as they go by instead of being inside one of them.

We will ask if we can ride a clear gondola if it there isn’t a line.

 

[Orionreplay]

We would prefer all clear. The wraps seem great at first and the kids fight over which gondola they think we should be getting next, but after a few rides you just want all clear and enjoy the view.

If I was King for a Day I'd have them scrap the wraps and really push the color palette on the gondolas themselves.

As for delays, we found during our November stay we'd suddenly pause mid-flight for about 1-2 minutes every third leg. We only had one prolonged 30 minute pause once on our very first night riding and happened to be floating between Epcot and HS. So as we wondered what was happening during our flight, we got to actually watch two sets of fireworks. I think my kids thought it was a planned stop.

 

[Searc]

I think it’s more deeply rooted than that. Since the system was announced, plenty of posters here, on Twitter and FB were certain the system would be a failure. People would die by frying in the Florida heat, they would need to airlift guests stuck for hours over Hourglass lake, wheelchairs and strollers would stop the system every two seconds... When the system failed after a few days, those people got the validation they were looking for.

When we get through a full Florida summer, we'll have a much better idea about downtime and how comfortable the gondolas are during the heat and humidity of the day.

 

[kiford]

Rode it about 10 times the first week of December and about 6-8 times this week with no issues. It's so efficient. The lines move constantly, you always get to sit, it's very quiet and if you're not put in with other people it's so easy to have a conversation. We found it really peaceful and great to get around. Hope they expand it to other locations.

 

[Orionreplay]

Rode it about 10 times the first week of December and about 6-8 times this week with no issues. It's so efficient. The lines move constantly, you always get to sit, it's very quiet and if you're not put in with other people it's so easy to have a conversation. We found it really peaceful and great to get around. Hope they expand it to other locations.

Or during our time, we sit in awkward semi-silence as the other family has quiet conversation among themselves and my two kids are pretend farting to get each other to laugh.

Or the time a pair of Japanese women, fully decked out in high heels and teeny tiny mouse ears on their heads, take 10,000 photos between CBR station and HS. I think I am now well known in Japan. They had no problems including my family in their snaps.

 

[stranger706]

When we get through a full Florida summer, we'll have a much better idea about downtime and how comfortable the gondolas are during the heat and humidity of the day.

Yes for sure. We loved the skyliner but I am eagerly waiting to see how they handle summer operations. We were there the week of Thanksgiving and enjoyed riding the skyliner. As long as you are moving along normally there's plenty of breeze and everything stays cool. I was surprised how quickly the gondola warmed up when we slowed down going through the Riviera station and then stopping one time in the air. I was thinking this won't be very pleasant in the summer.

I had our annual July trip booked at Riviera but then later changed back to CR. I want to see how they handle the summer first.

 

[WEDWDW]

I was thinking this won't be very pleasant in the summer.

But waiting 20 minutes in the Summer heat for a bus isn't very pleasant either!lol

And the FriendShips aren't exactly a "cool Oasis" from the heat!lol

 

[eeyoreandtink]

But waiting 20 minutes in the Summer heat for a bus isn't very pleasant either!lol

And the FriendShips aren't exactly a "cool Oasis" from the heat!lol

I think waiting for a bus out in the open is very different form hanging in the air trapped in what will essentially become a hot box.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I think waiting for a bus out in the open is very different form hanging in the air trapped in what will essentially become a hot box.

Everyone thinks that the gondolas become hot boxes in the Florida heat, but they don't. We rode them when it was 91 degrees and humid and they were very comfortable when moving. The longest we stopped was about ten minutes in the sun, and even then they didn't get too hot. They are well vented.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Everyone thinks that the gondolas become hot boxes in the Florida heat, but they don't. We rode them when it was 91 degrees and humid and they were very comfortable when moving. The longest we stopped was about ten minutes in the sun, and even then they didn't get too hot. They are well vented.

I have no doubt they will be fine when moving. When were you in it and it was 91 degrees outside and humid? I didn't think they had been running through a Florida summer. Any enclosed space with no way to move air sitting it the sun in Florida in summer will get hot very quickly, vents or not. Vents do little good without a way to move the air. There is no way in 90 degree heat it won't be at least in the 90's inside. For a lot of people being trapped in that kind of heat for the time it takes to evacuate the skyliner is going to make them very sick. A bus stop is different in that you have the choice to get out of the heat if you have to.

 

[Searc]

But waiting 20 minutes in the Summer heat for a bus isn't very pleasant either!lol

And the FriendShips aren't exactly a "cool Oasis" from the heat!lol

Waiting for a bus is not sitting in an enclosed box.