There are so many different Disney World resorts to enjoy!
From the monorail resorts like Disney’s Contemporary Resort to the All-Star stays, there is a place for anyone and any budget in Disney World! We’ve stayed at every Disney World hotel and made plenty of mistakes, which we like to share with you so that you can avoid them! Let’s talk about something to be wary of at Disney’s Pop Century Resort.
Disney World is a super safe place to vacation but we will be the first to admit that coming back late after the parks close can be a little eerie! There’s one hotel in particular that has a danger of leaving late at night, and it’s Disney’s Pop Century Resort.
Pop Century is a value resort that takes you back through the decades with its over-the-top theming and different sections dedicated to the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s! One of the biggest perks of this resort is it’s located right by a Skyliner Hub, making transportation even easier.
If you’ve never heard of it, Disney’s Skyliner is a gondola-style transportation option that stops at Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, Art of Animation, Riviera Resort, and Caribbean Beach in addition to Pop Century. We love the Skyliner, and it’s a major perk to Pop Century but as with anything, there can be drawbacks.
The main issue with this mode of transportation is if you leave Pop Century late at night, you might not have an easy way to get back to the resort! The Skyliner is just like any other mode of Disney transportation, and its operating hours aren’t 24/7. The Skyliner begins running 1 hour before Early Theme Park entry at EPCOT or Hollywood Studios.
The skyliner then closes 90 minutes after those same two parks close, which can be a major problem! If you’re anything like us, we savor every single second in the parks all the way until the end of the night. Disney allows anyone to get in an attraction line up to 1 minute before the parks close, so sometimes that might mean joining an hour-long line as the park is closing.
You can also grab last-minute dining reservations in the parks as well, so there might be a few reasons that you aren’t leaving right as the parks close. 90 minutes might seem like plenty of time, but once you’ve left the line, signed your checks, or are taking those nighttime pictures it goes a lot faster than you might think.
You might also be heading to an EPCOT area resort to enjoy a late dinner reservation or hanging out in a lounge, thinking that if EPCOT has Extended Evening Hours, the Skyliner will stay open for one hour after that event ends. That might sound nice right? Beware! On nights when extended evening hours take place, the Skyliner will only offer transportation to Disney’s Riviera Resort, since it’s the only deluxe resort on the line, and deluxe resort guests are the only ones eligible for Extended Evening Hours.
So if you miss the Skyliner’s operating hours, unfortunately, you’re out of luck. Disney’s bus and boat transportation operate on similar schedules, and if you’re staying at a resort that offers a boat or Skyliner option, Disney typically doesn’t offer a bus route alternative unless there is bad weather or a refurbishment going on.
This is why we warn you of the dangers of leaving Pop Century late at night. Once those gondolas stop moving, it’s up to you to figure out a way home. One free way is to try to make your way to Disney Springs (if it’s still open) on a bus leaving the parks or hotel you’re spending time at and then catch a bus to Pop Century from there.
We have found ourselves stuck in this situation, but don’t panic. Don’t forget that ride-share options are always available at Disney World. It’ll cost you a little, but Uber and Lyft both operate around the resort with Lyft being Disney’s official partner. Every park and Disney Springs has a ride-share specific pick-up and drop-off location making it easier for guests to use.
We have used both in the past but find that Lyft frequently offers better deals. They also offer Minnie Vans which let you get around the resort in true Disney style but it’s going to cost you quite a bit more than a non-themed ride. We like the convenience of the ride-share option but we don’t love paying for transportation unnecessarily which can happen if you miss the operating times of Disney transpo.
As always, make sure you’re following AllEars so you can save time and money on your trip to Disney World!
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Have you ever experienced this problem? Tell us in the comments!
Always the bus option to art of animation and walk over to Pop Century
We also check if there are other parks opening later with after show events. They then run buses later or the Skyliner to accommodate. Generally MK is open later.