Disney News

Tag: Gondolas

  • Disney World Skyliner Gondolas Opening Date Announced

    Disney World Skyliner Gondolas Opening Date Announced

    Magic is definitely in the air as testing of Disney Skyliner cabins and other elements is well underway, and today Disney announced the opening date for Disney World’s newest form of transportation.

    On September 29, Disney Skyliner gondolas will take flight and officially begin transporting guests around Walt Disney World Resort.

    As many of you have seen, this state-of-the-art transportation system offers a new way to experience the resort with amazing views only available from the sky. Disney Skyliner connects Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot to four resort hotels- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and the new Disney’s Riviera Resort scheduled to open in December 2019. Take. Look at the video below:

    Some Disney Skyliner cabins feature graphics based on Disney films, attractions and characters. We previously featured a few of the character cabins on Disney Dorks, including those with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto and Chip & Dale. Other Disney stories taking flight with guests include:

    • “Coco”
    • Goofy, Pete, Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow
    • “Finding Dory”
    • Haunted Mansion
    • “Monsters, Inc.”
    • Pirates of the Caribbean
    • “Ratatouille”

    Before you know it, Disney Skyliner will be floating guests across Walt Disney World Resort!

  • Reedy Creek Firefighters Voice Saftey Concerns with Disney World Expansion

    Reedy Creek Firefighters Voice Saftey Concerns with Disney World Expansion

    Disney World is under the largest expansion in resort history and with Disney’s new Skyliner Gondola system opening Fall of 2019, Firefighters working at Disney are starting to voice saftey concerns.

    The union representing firefighters who protect Disney property say they’re understaffed at a time when they need to be hiring and are concerned about what will happen if the Skyliner ever goes down.

    With 10 people to a pod, about 2,000 people could be up to 90 feet in the air at a time and over water in some spots.

    Firefighters said they were already stretched to the max even before all the new growth started, according to WFTV. They say more people should mean more firefighters at a place that can have a population of up to 350,000 people on its busiest days.

    “We’re at the max now,” said Tim Stromsnes, with Reedy Creek Professional Firefighters. “We’re just worried that with all this expansion, we’re not going to have enough firefighters.”

    Stromsnes said 32 Reedy Creek firefighters work each shift. He said the fire chief recently requested to hire about 40 more but was only approved for two administrative positions.

    “And we got no boots on the ground,” Stromsnes said. “Nobody that could do a gondola rescue or be on the tower truck or on the special ops team. None of those people were hired.”

    Disney spokeswoman Andrea Finger and Reedy Creek Improvement District administrator John Classe disagree, saying safety for Disney guests is their biggest concern.

    “The safety of our guests and cast is, and always will be, our core focus in operating our parks and resorts,” Finger said in a statement.

  • Disney Skyliner Gondolas Make First Test Runs Between Parks and Resorts

    Disney Skyliner Gondolas Make First Test Runs Between Parks and Resorts

    The Disney Skyliner Gondola system has been making a lot of progress lately and this week it hit another exciting milestone! The first guest cabins have begun making test runs back-and-forth between Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

    The state-of-the-art gondola system will begin transporting guests at the Walt Disney World Resort beginning later this fall. The system will conveniently connect Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot to four resort hotels- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort as well as the proposed 15th Disney Vacation Club property, Disney’s Riviera Resort.

    The test-run gondolas recently traveled across Victory Way between the stations at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and the station at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. “Soon there will be more gondolas added and cycling on the line as teams continue testing and training,” said Walt Disney Imagineering associate project manager Steve Pratt.

    As you can see in the image with The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in the background, the gondolas remained covered during testing. But when operating later this fall, some cabins will feature beautiful graphics based on Disney films, attractions and characters.

  • First Look: Disney Skyliner Gondola Revealed at Walt Disney World Resort

    First Look: Disney Skyliner Gondola Revealed at Walt Disney World Resort

    Earlier this week, we shared the exciting update that Disney’s new Skyliner gondola system will begin operating at the Walt Disney World Resort in fall of 2019. Today, we finally get a first look at one of the actual finished gondolas up close!

    Disney Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products Chairman Bob Chapek unveiled the gondola to Disney fans during D23’s Destination D: Celebrating Mickey Mouseevent.

    Once operating, the gondola system will connect Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot to four resort hotels- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resortas well as the proposed 15th Disney Vacation Club property, Disney’s Riviera Resort. You can take a look at the reveal below.

    As you can see, Disney Skyliner will be fun and offer a new way to experience Walt Disney World Resort with amazing views only available from the sky.

    Disney Gondolas Skyliner

    Select gondolas will have iconic Disney characters incorporated into their exterior design to give the appearance that a Disney pal is riding along with guests, such as characters from the ‘Fab Five,’ figures from Disney attractions, fan favorites from movies, and more.

  • BREAKING: First Disney Skyliner Gondola Cable Car Seen Arriving at Disney World

    BREAKING: First Disney Skyliner Gondola Cable Car Seen Arriving at Disney World

    Construction on Disney’s new Skyliner gondola system is moving along rapidly and the progress is clear as the first gondola cable car was spotted making its way into Walt Disney World today.

    Thanks to a twitter user who was quick to snap some pics, we get a really great idea of exactly what these gondolas look like and the size of them.

    As you can see in the pictures, the gondola cars are currently unthemed, but once they are installed the exterior will be covered with various Disney characters.

    Disney Gondolas Skyliner

    When it’s finished, the transportation system will connect Disney’s Art of Animation, Pop Century and Caribbean Beach resorts and other locations with Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the International Gateway at Epcot.

    There is no official date, but the Disney Skyliner project is expected to be completed by 2019.

  • Details on Disney’s New Skyliner Gondolas

    Details on Disney’s New Skyliner Gondolas

    The new gondola system known as The Disney Skyliner isn’t running yet, but is still flying high today with some really exciting new details and visuals. Today Disney unveiled concept art and elaborated on new the gondolas that will connect A few of the theme parks and resorts at Walt Disney World.

    Guests will experience an unforgettable journey and a picturesque view of Walt Disney World Resort as they take to the sky to travel from select Disney resorts to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

    Select Disney Skyliner cabins will have iconic Disney characters incorporated into their exterior design to give the appearance that a Disney pal is riding along with guests, such as characters from the ‘Fab Five,’figures from Disney attractions, fan favorites from movies, and more.
    Disney Gondolas Skyliner

    The design of the Disney Skyliner station at International Gateway at Epcot will be inspired by the park’s nearby European Pavilions, and will be covered with metal and glass canopies, hand-painted murals and ornamental steel structures that harken back to the early 18th century Art Nouveau style. Guests traveling to Epcot via the Disney Skyliner will be welcomed to the park with a rare birds-eye view of World Showcase.

    Disney Gondolas Skyliner

    The Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort station will be the hub of activity for Disney Skyliner. This station is inspired by the open air village marketplaces of the Caribbean and will showcase the nearby resort’s architectural detailing and color schemes. At this station, passengers will be able to transfer gondola routes to reach their destination, or are invited to sit and admire the waterfront resort setting.

    Disney Gondolas Skyliner

    The design style of the station at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will fit with that of the park’s main entrance and bus stations. Passengers traveling here from the Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort station can expect a new aerial perspective of the park’s iconic attractions, like The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

    Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will share a Disney Skyliner station that feels whimsical and contextual with both resorts. Upon departing the gondola station, Skyliner passengers will ascend over Hourglass Lake and enjoy a panoramic view of these two colorful resorts.

    Finally, cabins will slow down at the Disney Skyliner turn-station along Buena Vista Drive, where guests can see the mechanical and aerial components that make up the Disney Skyliner.