Skyliner question

[marinejjh]

This will be our first trip with access to the skyliner. If we are going from Pop to Epcot or Studios, do I have to get off and back on when it goes to Caribbean or Riviera or do you stat on until your final stop?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

This will be our first trip with access to the skyliner. If we are going from Pop to Epcot or Studios, do I have to get off and back on when it goes to Caribbean or Riviera or do you stat on until your final stop?

From Pop/AoA, you have to get off at the CBR station and transfer to either the DHS line or Epcot line. Same thing in reverse.

Enjoy the Skyliner, we love it! (As long as it’s not storming)

 

[Lizgistix]

On the ride from Caribbean Beach to Epcot, when it gets to Riviera, there you can just stay on as it goes through the station.

 

[tzeitel]

Do you get back in line behind everyone from CBR or is there a dedicated line for Pop/AoA transfers?

 

[erionm]

Do you get back in line behind everyone from CBR or is there a dedicated line for Pop/AoA transfers?

End of the line.

 

[tzeitel]

End of the line.

ouch

 

[nkereina]

On the ride from Caribbean Beach to Epcot, when it gets to Riviera, there you can just stay on as it goes through the station.

You just stay on. The gondolas will slow and the doors will open to allow for people to exit at Riviera if they want to. But if you are going to Epcot as your destination, you stay on.

Do you get back in line behind everyone from CBR or is there a dedicated line for Pop/AoA transfers?

This is only an issue for mornings going to DHS where there is a long line at the Skyliner. Any other time of day, or going to Epcot, the lines at the Skyliner are minimal (if any) and move quickly.

The line for the Skyliner to DHS in the morning is probably better now with the ROTR boarding group changes since we were there in October. But when we were there, people coming from Pop would line up quite early in hopes of being one of the first several parties to board the Skyliner. The first several parties arriving at the CBR hub would be directed to the DHS queue on the platform to wait. Once the queue on the platform was full, they started re-routing incoming Pop guests down the ramp to the back of the line full of CBR people.

 

[willowsnn3]

Do you get back in line behind everyone from CBR or is there a dedicated line for Pop/AoA transfers?

There are dedicated lines for each destination. We were there Christmas week & each time we got off to transfer, we rarely had to stop walking from one lift to the next one.
We really liked the skyliner except when leaving Epcot on Christmas Eve and the sky started getting dark & the wind really picked up....my grown daughter turned pale, lol. Got off at POP just as the rain came.

 

[Heather07438]

Caribbean Beach has the big station, where each of the legs meet. You'll need to transfer there from one color to another. Numbers are minutes of travel time.

 

[married2grumpy]

Is the skyliner from Pop to HS the best way to get there for park opening or is there a quicker option? Also, how do you access the skyliner station when staying at Pop? Is it right between Pop and Aoa? Thanks

 

[nkereina]

Is the skyliner from Pop to HS the best way to get there for park opening or is there a quicker option? Also, how do you access the skyliner station when staying at Pop? Is it right between Pop and Aoa? Thanks

Yes, the Skyliner station is at the bridge between Pop and AOA.

There's debate about whether its the fastest way to get to DHS at park opening in the current environment, but the only alternative to get to DHS from Pop would be to drive yourself or take an Uber.

As an example, if DHS has a posted park opening time of 10am, they will unofficially open around 9:10-9:20am. The Skyliner has a posted start time to DHS of 9am (for a 10am opening), but will unofficially start running around 8:45-8:50am. So, you want to be towards the beginning of the line when the Skyliner starts running to ensure you get into DHS around the time they open. Coming from Pop/AOA, you need to be one of the first in line there in order to be one of the first in line at the DHS queue on the platform at the CBR hub. If the queue on the platform at the hub is full by the time you arrive from Pop, you'll be directed to the end of the line behind all the CBR people. So, you'll see people lining up at the Pop/AOA Skyliner station quite early for this reason.

Personally, I found everything with the Skyliner moves quickly. For us, it wasn't worth standing at the Skyliner station for 60+ minutes prior to it opening just to get into DHS 20 minutes earlier. Lines in the park were low enough for the first hour or two of the morning that we didn't find being on one of the first gondolas significantly impacted what we could accomplish in the morning. We got to the Skyliner about 25 minutes before it opened, were in the middle of the line, and everything worked out fine.

As an alternative to the Skyliner, you could take an Uber but drop-off is within the parking lot and you can't enter until the parking lot opens (approx. 9ish I believe). Some Ubers won't even pick up if you order it early and they know the lot isn't open yet. Some people are also ordering Ubers and being dropped off at the Speedway station across the street and then walking over to DHS in order to avoid the parking lot opening time/traffic issue. You could also Uber to Swan/Dolphin and walk (same distance as Speedway). If you Uber to Boardwalk to walk from there, you will need an ADR or a mobile order to enter the property.

 

[WEDWDW]

There's debate about whether its the fastest way to get to DHS at park opening in the current environment, but the only alternative to get to DHS from Pop would be to drive yourself or take an Uber.

There are now buses running from AoA to DHS and Epcot that POP Guests can also use.

 

[nkereina]

There are now buses running from AoA to DHS and Epcot that POP Guests can also use.

Yes, good point. Are the buses running on a regular schedule? Pre-pandemic, they only ran the buses once per hour.

 

[married2grumpy]

There are now buses running from AoA to DHS and Epcot that POP Guests can also use.

That sounds like a better bet. I thought about the Uber but that sounds too complicated. Anyone know what time the buses start heading to HS from Pop if park opens at 9:00?

 

[summerlvr]

That sounds like a better bet. I thought about the Uber but that sounds too complicated. Anyone know what time the buses start heading to HS from Pop if park opens at 9:00?

There are no buses from POP to HS. You would have to walk to AOA to catch a bus to HS. If your goal is to be on the first bus, best bet is to be at the bus stop 90 minutes before park opening, so 7:30 for a 9 am opening.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

FYI, during 12/30 to 1/2 the Sky Liner was the only option of travel to Epcot and HS at POP Century.

Important to know if someone has a fear of heights.

 

[nkereina]

FYI, during 12/30 to 1/2 the Sky Liner was the only option of travel to Epcot and HS at POP Century.

Important to know if someone has a fear of heights.

This has been the case since re-opening. They only run buses from Pop when the Skyliner is down currently. The buses mentioned above are running from AOA, which is walkable from POP, though may be considered a long walk by some people.

 

[Mainyo]

If we decided to drive to HS from POP, what time would you advise leaving in order to be one of the first people in the parking lot?

 

[Heather07438]

If we decided to drive to HS from POP, what time would you advise leaving in order to be one of the first people in the parking lot?

The issue is parking lots don't let cars line up at the gates too early, usually no more than 60 minutes before official park open (sometimes less, yikes). Cars arriving too early have been turned away and directed to drive a big loop before attempting again.

I'd leave POP at 7:55a for a 9am HS open and try pulling up to the parking booths about 8:05am. AK and MK have been known to not start allowing cars until 40mins pre park open but I think that's been getting better lately?

Check back a week or two before your trip to see how things are going. They try to avoid having a crowd lined up at park front before tap-styles open by controlling transportation entry timing. More changes expected once the Onsite Perk starts for 30 minute early entry.

 

[cjlong88]

I will say, even if driving was faster, I might still be inclined to take the skyliner. It really does feel like an attraction to me. It’s so fun and relaxing. Almost like I’m starting my park day before I even walk through the tapstiles.

Then again, you could always just take it to and from Epcot and then choose to drive to HS to ensure you get there when you want to.

Have fun!