Skyliner resort hopping during thunderstorms

[liamthompson]

If I'm at Caribbean Beach and need to get back to Art of Animation while skyliner is shut down, is the procedure to take the bus from CBR to Hollywood studios/Epcot, and then catch another bus from the parks to AoA?

We likely won't be in a rush so I'm wondering how feasible it is to wait out the storm. Is it unusual for downtime to be more than a hour?

 

[Mle8308]

You could do that, or take a bus to Disney Springs and then get a bus back to AoA. There are quite a few options.

 

[EACarlson]

You would need to look at the weather and make a guess on how long it's going to be shutdown. I believe the standard is lightning within 10 miles, if it's a quick line moving through, then it's going to be faster to wait. If it's a good sized blob on the radar, it probably makes more sense to go to either a park or DS and transfer.

 

[Tiggr88]

You might also want to check the price on Uber/Lyft. $10-15 may be worth avoiding the hassle, especially if you don't need car seats.

As for downtime, the answer is it depends. I was on the Friendship boat once, which has a similar lightning and weather policy as the skyliner. We had gotten on at the IG at Epcot on our way to Swan. At BC/YC they told us the boats were being shut down due to lightning in the area and we would have to get off. As we started walking down the dock towards BC/YC, they said never mind. We're back up and running! We had to yell ahead to some of the people who were out of ear shot. Got back on immediately and went on our way.

Given that it takes a little longer to stop and start up the skyliner, it may be a few more minutes, but it could be really short. Or it could be all afternoon or night. All depends on the weather.

Also, the skyliner was once down between AoA/Pop and CBR when we were there for no stated reason. Didn't find out until we got to the Pop station. So while it is rare and uncommon, you never know when it might have an issue. Its good to be prepared with a backup. Since we had an ADR at Topolino's, we ended up taking an Uber/Lyft because we would have not had time for the two bus approach. Especially since the skyliner resorts can be notoriously iffy about how soon they get the bus transportation up and running when the skyliner goes down.

 

[gottalovepluto]

The Skyliner bus might run to AoA that day if it runs the whole Skyliner route. Idk if that’s normal procedure but it ran the whole Skyliner Route when it went down and I was there. EP-Riv- other hotels-DHS. Idk the order of other hotels. So, I’d hop the Skyliner bus or DS bus/MK bus and transfer.

If you don’t need car seats or accessible transport I’d get a rideshare. You can be picked up from any hotel and dropped off at your hotel.

You have to watch your own weather at the time. Could be 20 mins, could be hours.

 

[liamthompson]

The Skyliner bus might run to AoA that day if it runs the whole Skyliner route. Idk if that’s normal procedure but it ran the whole Skyliner Route when it went down and I was there. EP-Riv- other hotels-DHS. Idk the order of other hotels. So, I’d hop the Skyliner bus or DS bus/MK bus and transfer.

I did not know the skyliner bus was a possibility!

 

[gottalovepluto]

I did not know the skyliner bus was a possibility!

“Might”
Alas, their procedures seem change often

 

[DVCjj]

I've been in Disney thunder/lightning storms that seem to last a lifetime and others are gone very quickly. Weather is so fickle at Disney like none other it seems.

I usually text my daughter back home who has a great App where she analyzes the radar pattern around Disney and gives me quite good advice. She seems to know how fast it will move away or stuck there (not good at Disney).

I vote Uber also as waiting for those busses in a storm are not a treat. We have been in massive storms at Disney Springs and the other daughter I travel with always sings the Hotel California song at Springs so many times because it was impossible to leave via any method due to storms.