Nightmare experience on Skyliner

[Farro]

I’m wondering if they just made a mistake with trying for the ADA boarding in all cases. I’m not trying to be mean here because I travel with family that require assistance and I get it that it’s not easy, however, maybe it is just too much? Is it required to make it accessible if you have good alternate transportation (boat, busses)? I would love for it to smooth out and be fully ADA accessible but if that is really the issue then perhaps it requires better tech to do this. Could some lines, sadly, be not accessible to all? Like the RIV line?

ETA- do we know for sure that is the reason and source of the issues? Perhaps Disney and gondola co. will work it out though with time though.

If that is indeed the reason for all the issues, then I was thinking the same thing.
Unfortunately when you have a lot of guests who don't normally need an ECV or what not at home, but require at Disney, issues are bound to arise as people aren't really good a navigating them.

 

[TexasChick123]

Why would someone with a fear of heights, anxiety, and/or claustrophobia ride the Skyliner? It seems like you’re playing with fire because unless everything goes 100% smoothly, you will have issues. I have no desire to ever go skydiving or bungee jumping because that scares me. I’m not going to sign up to do it and hope everything goes well, and I get over my fear. It scares me, so it’s out. Maybe I’m missing out on an amazing experience, and I would be completely fine, but I’ll never know. We’ve just seen so many reports of people with these fears and anxieties, and when something isn’t working properly, they have a freak out or go into hysterics. Why why why would you ride something that may cause a meltdown?!? No Disney transportation is worth that to me, but maybe that’s just me.

OP, I am sorry you got stuck for 45 minutes. I would be very annoyed and angry about it especially with no communication. However, you said you did call CBR, and the hotel told you what was going on and they were trying to get it back up and running. I’m not excusing the lack of the announcement, but what else did you need? No one else can be told we will resume in “x” minutes because Disney can’t estimate the startup down to the minute. Their goal is always to get it back up and running as quickly as possible ensuring everyone’s safety. It sounds like they run the generic, “Your ride will resume shortly” on a loop. Shortly could be 5 minutes or 50 minutes. As others have said though, I won’t be taking the Skyliner if I know their stoppage would make me miss a flight because they don’t have it figured out yet. I do think they’ll get there, but it’s still not there yet.

 

[gwynne]

I’m wondering if they just made a mistake with trying for the ADA boarding in all cases. I’m not trying to be mean here because I travel with family that require assistance and I get it that it’s not easy, however, maybe it is just too much? Is it required to make it accessible if you have good alternate transportation (boat, busses)? I would love for it to smooth out and be fully ADA accessible but if that is really the issue then perhaps it requires better tech to do this. Could some lines, sadly, be not accessible to all? Like the RIV line?

ETA- do we know for sure that is the reason and source of the issues? Perhaps Disney and gondola co. will work it out though with time.

Well, you also have to add in families with maybe an older child out of the stroller and some littles in a large stroller all trying to get through the door and in the car.
It might be that the Skyliner is running too "fast" for a theme park like WDW. Maybe running it slower will give more time for folks to board and disembark. Just musing....

 

[Momtomouselover]

If that is indeed the reason for all the issues, then I was thinking the same thing.
Unfortunately when you have a lot of guests who don't normally need an ECV or what not at home, but require at Disney, issues are bound to arise as people aren't really good a navigating them.

At the POP/AoA, the Caribbean, Epcot and HS they stop for ADA boarding. At RIV you have to just do it quickly. Assisted boarding may require a full stop. Now, that doesn’t take away the scariness of getting back on track but that could also be partially user fear. I don’t know if the issues are all because of boarding at RIV though. The line from Pop/AoA to Caribbean wouldn’t be effected by this for instance.

 

[snappy]

Between people avoiding riding gondolas due to anxiety, fear of heights, or potentially becoming nauseated due to the rocking, and shutdowns due to wind or storms, I imagine there will remain the need for lots of busses and bus drivers on the routes to both the front and back of Epcot. I wonder if Disney planned on that when investing big bucks on the gondolas?

 

[Momtomouselover]

Well, you also have to add in families with maybe an older child out of the stroller and some littles in a large stroller all trying to get through the door and in the car.
It might be that the Skyliner is running too "fast" for a theme park like WDW. Maybe running it slower will give more time for folks to board and disembark. Just musing....

People with strollers have to fold them. Or at least that is what I observed. Now, my mom gets off balance easily. I don’t. However, stepping off the gondola on occasion felt odd. Kind of like coming off a moving platform does. This could be another issue for young kids, elderly, those with reduced balance, etc. Disney definitely caters to a broad public so I see short delays being inevitable but the long ones need to be resolved IMO.

 

[snappy]

People with strollers have to fold them. Or at least that is what I observed. Now, my mom gets off balance easily. I don’t. However, stepping off the gondola on occasion felt odd. Kind of like coming off a moving platform does. This could be another issue for young kids, elderly, those with reduced balance, etc. Disney definitely caters to a broad public so I see short delays being inevitable but the long ones need to be resolved IMO.

I have read that double strollers are sometimes required to be folded, sometimes not, but that singles are not. Has this changed or are the rules differently applied at different stations or from one CM to another? Maybe it’s early days and that’s the reason it’s in flux or maybe it will have to vary from time to time depending on circumstances on the line. It’s a mystery.

 

[skyp4WDW]

JMO-I rather doubt that the communications system is already broken.
So is there some odd corporate reason for no communications, no response to guests pushing the emergency button?

Yes. They don't want to give any answers that might land them on the Evening News again.

 

[gwynne]

I have read that double strollers are sometimes required to be folded, sometimes not, but that singles are not. Has this changed or are the rules differently applied at different stations or from one CM to another? Maybe it’s early days and that’s the reason it’s in flux or maybe it will have to vary from time to time depending on circumstances on the line. It’s a mystery.

I think the policy continues to be if you can fit the stroller through the door, you can push your stroller into the car.

https://www.wdwinfo.com/walt-disney...out-the-disney-skyliner-at-walt-disney-world/

 

[Momtomouselover]

I continue to read that if you can fit it through the door, you can push a stroller into the car.

https://www.wdwinfo.com/walt-disney...out-the-disney-skyliner-at-walt-disney-world/

We only rode with people with strollers twice. Both times they were families in front of us that just folded up prior to boarding. I don’t think anyone asked them to though they just did. So, maybe not policy. However, you certainly couldn’t fit 8-10 people with an unfolded stroller. It was our experience that they didn’t fill the gondola though unless busy (end of night fo example). We had 8 one time and it felt full. So if unfolded stroller I assume they would board less people.

 

[snappy]

I think there might have been some tweaking to the double stroller policy after the first big incident after the above cited article was published.

 

[Mome Rath]

Regardless of public opinion, Disney will definitely have all the stats it needs to determine if the Skyliner fulfills their plans for it. I hope it does.

 

[Captainkidd76]

Why would someone with a fear of heights, anxiety, and/or claustrophobic ride the Skyliner? It seems like you’re playing with fire because unless everything goes 100% smoothly, you will have issues. I have no desire to ever go skydiving or bungee jumping because that scares me. I’m not going to sign up to do it and hope everything goes well, and I get over my fear. It scares me, so it’s out. Maybe I’m missing out on an amazing experience, and I would be completely fine, but I’ll never know. We’ve just seen so many reports of people with these fears and anxieties, and when something isn’t working properly, they have a freak out or go into hysterics. Why why why would you ride something that may cause a meltdown?!? No Disney transportation is worth that to me, but maybe that’s just me.

OP, I am sorry you got stuck for 45 minutes. I would be very annoyed and angry about it especially with no communication. However, you said you did call CBE, and the hotel told you what was going on and they were trying to get it back up and running. I’m not excusing the lack of the announcement, but what else did you need? No one else can be told we will resume in “x” minutes because Disney can’t estimate the startup down to the minute. Their goal is always to get it back up and running as quickly as possible ensuring everyone’s safety. It sounds like they run the generic, “Your ride will resume shortly” on a loop. Shortly could be 5 minutes or 50 minutes. As others have said though, I won’t be taking the Skyliner if I know their stoppage would make me miss a flight because they don’t have it figured out yet. I do think they’ll get there, but it’s still not there yet.

Yeah, not to sound cold, but my thoughts exactly.

 

[maxiesmom]

Yeah, not to sound cold, but my thoughts exactly.

They ride because they trust Disney to have a system that works. Even if you take away the cars stopping, why is the intercom system not functioning? What if someone in one of those cars had a medical emergency? Is Disney relying on you to dial 911? Seems crazy. And that is assuming every person has a cell phone. Many people don't carry them, as hard as it may be to believe. Being trapped in a tram in the sky with no way to get help seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

 

[Disneylover99]

Why would someone with a fear of heights, anxiety, and/or claustrophobic ride the Skyliner? It seems like you’re playing with fire because unless everything goes 100% smoothly, you will have issues. I have no desire to ever go skydiving or bungee jumping because that scares me. I’m not going to sign up to do it and hope everything goes well, and I get over my fear. It scares me, so it’s out. Maybe I’m missing out on an amazing experience, and I would be completely fine, but I’ll never know. We’ve just seen so many reports of people with these fears and anxieties, and when something isn’t working properly, they have a freak out or go into hysterics. Why why why would you ride something that may cause a meltdown?!? No Disney transportation is worth that to me, but maybe that’s just me.

I think some people don’t realize they have a true fear or think about the potential for extended periods of stopping. It’s not like bungee jumping or skydiving, it’s a form of Disney transportation. It’s encouraged. I think the bus monitors wait times indicate service is available by gondola at the skyliner resorts, even though bus service is still running, so it’s pushed.

They should have signs warning people with certain fears not to ride the skyliner. Maybe they do.

 

[Captainkidd76]

They ride because they trust Disney to have a system that works. Even if you take away the cars stopping, why is the intercom system not functioning? What if someone in one of those cars had a medical emergency? Is Disney relying on you to dial 911? Seems crazy. And that is assuming every person has a cell phone. Many people don't carry them, as hard as it may be to believe. Being trapped in a tram in the sky with no way to get help seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

I trust Busch Gardens to have Falcons Fury work, but you won't catch me on it because I don't like heights.

 

[snappy]

I think some people don’t realize they have a true fear or think about the potential for extended periods of stopping. It’s not like bungee jumping or skydiving, it’s a form of Disney transportation. It’s encouraged. I think the bus monitors wait times indicate service is available by gondola at the skyliner resorts, even though bus service is still running, so it’s pushed.

They should have signs warning people with certain fears not to ride the skyliner. Maybe they do.

I agree. Phobias can surface at the most inopportune moment. I was fine while I was driving over steeply inclined bridges until 2005 when I had a dramatic reaction. Since then, nope.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Do you think the possibility of other lines being built in the future is now gone because of all the problems.

Is WDW "one and done" as it pertains to the Skyliner business?

If you compare problems with the boats, buses and monorail compared to problems with the Skyliner, then I have a feeling that the Skyliner may not look too bad. I realize that it has had its problems, especially with some very long stops, but for the amount of people it can move with very little to no problems, it looks pretty good. I do think that more care must be taken to iron out these problems and get things fixed properly, though.

I’m wondering if they just made a mistake with trying for the ADA boarding in all cases. I’m not trying to be mean here because I travel with family that require assistance and I get it that it’s not easy, however, maybe it is just too much? Is it required to make it accessible if you have good alternate transportation (boat, busses)? I would love for it to smooth out and be fully ADA accessible but if that is really the issue then perhaps it requires better tech to do this. Could some lines, sadly, be not accessible to all? Like the RIV line?

ETA- do we know for sure that is the reason and source of the issues? Perhaps Disney and gondola co. will work it out though with time.

I think that Disney needs to do everything it can to make all of these modes of transportation ADA accessible.

 

[Lynne M]

Skyliner is very relevant to those staying at Pop, AoA, CBR, and eventually Riviera. Also relevant to those looking to book there. It isn’t standalone transportation.

Yes, that’s why I’ve left this post here.

 

[heidijanesmith]

I am so sorry that you had such an awful experience.

The emergency communications not working is unacceptable. After how many months of testing and now actual usage of the system, how can Disney let this happen? You can not tell me they are not aware of the communications failures. They are aware and they did not fix it, totally unacceptable!

I am glad a CM helped you get a cab and they reimbursed you. That was the right thing to do.