Walt Disney World Skyliner Construction Update – January 2018
The word ‘transportation’ at the Walt Disney World Resort can have many, many interpretations. No matter what vehicle pops into your mind, you can probably find it carting on-the-go resort guests from place to place to help maximize their time getting to their destinations and more time being there. Do you want to go to Magic Kingdom? You can get to the entrance gates by boat(s), monorail, bus, and on foot. Is Hollywood Studios your destination for your close up? You can reach the entrance here by driving, taking a bus, taking a boat, or walking from select resort hotels.
With construction well underway on the new Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios, Mickey’s Runaway Railway in the works, and Pixar Land slated to open in 2018- I mean, this year (that still feels weird to say)- and park attendance expected to rise dramatically, transportation to and from the park will need a major revamp. Enter: the Disney Skyliner! Late last year, Disney released some information about the gondola system. The official name of the gondola system is to be “Disney Skyliner”. The Skyliner will connect Disney’s Hollywood Studios to the currently-under-major-renovation Caribbean Beach, Art of Animation, and Pop Century Resorts.
Connecting the Resort Hotels
Caribbean Beach Resort is currently under major construction. The entire resort is being re imagined with a new central hub for dining and shopping in the works, as well as the newest addition to the Disney Vacation Club lineup: Disney’s Riviera Resort. With the additions of new guestrooms, the resort is, of course, expecting a large increase in guests. With that said, Disney smartly made plans to connect the newly revamped resort to Epcot and Hollywood Studios via the Disney Skyliner.
Art of Animation Resort and Pop Century Resort already connect via a bridge over a lovely lake. If you’ve never been, you should really check it out, it’s a great walk and both resorts are definitely worth visiting- if only for the fabulously themed lobbies! In center of the lake, Disney has begun construction on a Skyline hub- making this the second of four stops slated to open when the system is completed.
A New Way to Tinseltown
Each gondola station will feature an architectural structure that coincides with its given location. Judging purely from the renderings- since that’s all we have to go on for now- I’m pleased with the look of these stations. I love that Disney will keep with the design concepts for each respective resort/park gondola station as a sort of homage to the Imagineers who drew up the original blueprints. For example; the Hollywood Studios station will be designed in the same style as the park entrance- 1960’s art deco modern. Here’s an official photo rendering released by Disney to give you an idea:
Epcot Gets the Gravity-Defying Treatment
Like I said before, Hollywood Studios is expecting a major rise in park attendance in the coming year(s), but that’s not the only park that will gain popularity. In 2017, the D23 Expo revealed to us the expansion plans for not only Hollywood Studios, but for Epcot too!
In case you missed it, Epcot will add two new attractions in the near future- a change and update this park desperately needs. The closing of Ellen’s Energy Adventure signaled the demise of yet another attraction at Epcot, leaving the World Showcase vulnerable to heavy crowds looking to fill their days. Luckily, Disney announced there will be two brand new big ticket attractions arriving at Epcot in the near future! A Guardians of the Galaxy attraction will replace the dated Ellen ride *thank goodness.
World Showcase, specifically the France Pavilion, will also be fitted with a new attraction. Plans are set for a Ratatouille attraction similar to the extremely popular ride at Disneyland Paris! You’re probably wondering: okay…but how does this all tie into the Skyliner?
International Gateway Construction Update: January 2018
What a great question! The fourth and final station for the Skyliner will land at the International Gateway to Epcot. For those of you unfamiliar with this second park entrance, it is conveniently located directly next to the France Pavilion, which is sure to facilitate the moving of future crowds with their signs set on the Ratatouille. Again, Disney will stick with the original design concepts utilized for World Showcase in the construction of the Skyliner stop.
Personally I can’t wait to take a spin on the new gondola system. The elevated monorail system is my favorite mode of transportation for getting from place to place around WDW Resort, so I’m looking forward to seeing the Resort in a new gravity-defying gondola system sure to be state of the art, all while keeping the original designs of Walt Disney World Resort the world has grown to love. Will you be taking a ride in the Skyliner? Which station are you most excited to see? Let me know in the comments!
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Special thanks to Maria Salerno for writing this article: Hiya pal! I am a NYC-based writer/musician thrilled to be bringing you all things Disney! I’m a WDW Annual Passholder, so you can find me in the parks regularly throughout the year. In addition to being a Disney Parks loving girl, I’m also a Disney toy and merchandise collector, a runDisney enthusiast, and Disney music and movie aficionado. You can follow me on Instagram: NYCtoAP and find me on YouTube: NYCtoAP. Thanks for reading, hope to see ya real soon!
