8 Obscure Rules You Didn’t Know About the Disney World Skyliner

Ever since the Disney Skyliner opened in 2019, it’s been my favorite mode of transportation in Disney World.

The gondola system runs between EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and four Walt Disney World hotels: Art of Animation, Pop Century, the Riviera Resort, and the Caribbean Beach Resort. However, there are still some rules to keep in mind if you’re heading to Walt Disney World anytime soon.

No Standing!

This one may be a given to some, but if you’ve never ridden before, you need to know that standing isn’t just “not recommended,” it’s not ALLOWED.

This is for your safety and the safety of everyone around you, as the Skyliner can come to a stop rather suddenly sometimes if there’s someone at one of the stations that needs more time to exit or enter. This could easily throw you around if you’re standing, and that’s definitely not safe anywhere, especially high up off the ground. So stay seated at all times unless you’re entering or exiting!

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Closures For Weather (BUT You May Still Feel Some Wind)

For the safety of guests, the Skyliner will close for lightning in the area, high winds, and storms that Cast Members feel could be dangerous for guests in the cars. 

However, I can personally tell you that this does NOT mean you won’t ever experience some wind up there! I hopped on the Skyliner right before a storm was set to hit, so it hadn’t been closed yet, and I definitely felt like I was swinging in the wind! Not only that, it was so strong it was starting to open up the doors a little bit at the bottom, which was…well, slightly terrifying. And I’ll say too, I don’t really get motion sick, but even I was a little woozy walking off it that time, so if you’re prone to motion sickness or don’t even want to THINK about being up there in the wind, check the radar before you hop on.

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Pay REALLY Close Attention During After-Hours Events

While the Skyliner typically runs an hour past park close for Hollywood Studios and EPCOT, this is often not the case for After Hours events or holiday parties! We’ve often seen that the Skyliner will close BEFORE the end of after-hours events, which means your only option is a Disney Bus, most of the time.

There’s nothing wrong with Disney buses, but if you were planning on taking the Skyliner and now you find you can’t, and you walked ALL the way over there, that can be pretty frustrating. Check your My Disney Experience App or the Skyliner times listed when you hop on to double check when it closes, or when in doubt, as a Cast Member!

We’ve also seen that sometimes, certain Skyliner routes will stay open late while others will close. There are a few different routes you can take on the Skyliner, as seen below, and it’s going to be really tricky to get to EPCOT, where you parked your car from Hollywood Studios after an after-hours event, if it’s going to be closed!

If some routes are closing before others, Disney will be sure to list that outside the stations before you hop on, so be sure to check before you ride AND check the app, just to be safe!

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EPCOT’s Skyliner Station After Park Close

Speaking of getting to EPCOT to get back to your car, I have some bad news — if you’re heading back to EPCOT from a resort on the Skyliner route or Hollywood Studios and EPCOT has already closed…you’ll need to take a bus to the front of the park.

This is because the Skyliner station at EPCOT is at the International Gateway at the back of the park, and the parking lot is all the way at the front. Since the park is closed, Disney won’t let you walk through a closed park, so you’ll need to take a bus from Disney’s BoardWalk or BoardWalk area hotels to get a ride back to the front of the park/the parking lot. It’s frustrating, I know, but that’s why it’s important to plan ahead!

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Stroller Rules Are DIFFERENT!

Unlike parking trams at Disney World park parking lots and the Walt Disney World Railroad, strollers can stay OPEN, with a child riding inside, on the Skyliner!

This means that as long as your stroller is at or below the maximum size, which is 30″ x 48″, you can keep your sleeping child in their stroller and not have to potentially interrupt their nap. A major win for parents, especially if your child falls asleep best while moving (like in a car at home) — this is a relatively quiet ride that could put them to sleep quickly!

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Wheelchairs and ECVs Use A Separate Queue

Wheelchair and ECV users are still more than welcome to hop on the Skyliner, but you’ll be put in a smaller queue to do so.

The way the Skyliner works is that the regular line has two sides, and you can go to whichever one you’d like. However, there’s a third queue that’s just for those with ECVs/wheelchairs and their group, because a Cast Member needs to bring a Skyliner car out of the regular rotation over to the side so the party can load without any rush. Then, when everyone is ready, they’ll put the car back in rotation, and away you go!

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Sound Travels

Listen, I don’t know how it works because I’m the furthest thing from a scientist, but I know from personal experience that sound travels on the Skyliner — from car to car!

I’ve been in a Skyliner car before and heard a FULL conversation from the car in front of me, and I’ve heard snippets from the cars passing by more times than I can count. There’s nothing wrong with this at all, but I’ll just say this: If you’re in a Skyliner car alone, that’s NOT the time to have a serious or personal conversation you wouldn’t want others potentially hearing!

Here at AllEars, we’re always here to give you the latest news and tips to help you plan your next Disney World vacation, so stay tuned to our site and YouTube Channel!

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Watch the Calendar

When you’re planning your next Walt Disney World visit, keep the calendar in mind as the Skyliner often closes for refurbishment for several days during the early part of the year. For example, the system will be down from January 25th through the 31st in 2026. While bus service will be available, it’s still the loss of a massive perk of staying at a Skyliner hotel.

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What’s your favorite mode of Disney World transportation? Tell me in the comments!

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