Waiting for the reopening of the Skyliner

[BabybetterDisney]

The government is talking about reopening the economy now. When Disney World reopens, I’m eager to see if the Skyliner will open right along with it. Why wouldn’t it reopen with everything else? It wouldn’t reopen if it costs too much to run. That is, if buses are much cheaper, the Skyliner will be shelved until Disney has more money. On the other hand, if the Skyliner is much cheaper, it will definitely reopen promptly. Why do I care? I don’t know, I’ve been curious about the Skyliner for years now. Is this thing worth it? Not that it concerns me, I am most definitely staying at a Skyliner hotel and taking the Skyliner when I make it to WDW again. But now that Disney is short on money, the Skyliner’s opening with everything else will be a clear indication of whether it is a financially feasible operation.

Of course, another sign would be if Disney wants to build another Skyliner for AKL and All Stars, but that won’t happen for a while now thanks to the plague, even if it is a financially sound venture. If years down the road, when the economy recovers and Disney still doesn’t talk about the Skyliner, then it is likely not a good deal.

I missed the opening of the Skyliner by 10 days during my last trip. If it isn’t open by the time I get there next trip, then my luck with the Skyliner is really, really bad. Oh well. I need to be grateful if I make it staying alive to be able to go to Disney World again.

 

[gharter]

Looking forward to our October trip. We will be at BWV and plan to take the skyliner to Riviera for Dinner.
It just looks really fun.
Hoping this trip happens as April didn't.

 

[Echo queen]

The skyliner is great. Our trip was 2/24/20 to 3/4/20.

 

[gatour]

I am guessing the skyliner is cheaper to run than the buses, plus it removes traffic from the roads. Also easier to segregate people/families than the buses. So I imagine the Skyliner will be running the day the hotels open and at least either the Studios or EPCOT open.

 

[SaintsManiac]

The Skyliner is the absolute best form of transportation for social distancing.

 

[chad_1138]

Can’t wait to ride it for the first time in July!!

 

[monarchsfan16]

I expect that it will reopen, but they won't put multiple parties together on it. So waits might be longer, but they're definitely going to want to utilize it, because no bus drivers needed-just the staff at the stations.

 

[KPeterso]

I am sure it will open. I rode it in March and loved it! So much better than the buses. There will also not be way too many people shoved into one like on the buses.

 

[Simba's Mom]

The Skyliner is the absolute best form of transportation for social distancing.

As long as they only put you and your immediate traveling party per car, which they'd darn well better do when they reopen. But initially, they said they'd put up to 10 people per car.
I'm wondering-I'll be using an ECV. Does that mean that just DH and I get a car (skyline bucket)?

 

[SaintsManiac]

As long as they only put you and your immediate traveling party per car, which they'd darn well better do when they reopen. But initially, they said they'd put up to 10 people per car.
I'm wondering-I'll be using an ECV. Does that mean that just DH and I get a car (skyline bucket)?

I rode it many times Thanksgiving week and we were with another party maybe 3 times.

 

[joelkfla]

As long as they only put you and your immediate traveling party per car, which they'd darn well better do when they reopen. But initially, they said they'd put up to 10 people per car.
I'm wondering-I'll be using an ECV. Does that mean that just DH and I get a car (skyline bucket)?

Yes, there's only one wheelchair or ECV per cabin, and boarding is in a separate area from able Guests.

I've ridden dozens of times on my ecv, and there was only one time when I shared a cabin. It was with a gentleman of advanced age, who had difficulty walking but was not using a chair, and his daughter. I suspect the cm put us in the same cabin because we had struck up a conversation while in the queue.

 

[dmband]

Yes, there's only one wheelchair or ECV per cabin, and boarding is in a separate area from able Guests.

I've ridden dozens of times on my ecv, and there was only one time when I shared a cabin. It was with a gentleman of advanced age, who had difficulty walking but was not using a chair, and his daughter. I suspect the cm put us in the same cabin because we had struck up a conversation while in the queue.

Do they have to stop it in order for people with challenges to get on and off?
either way, it seems like it would be much faster than a bus with someone needing to be hooked in

 

[Polydweller]

Do they have to stop it in order for people with challenges to get on and off?
either way, it seems like it would be much faster than a bus with someone needing to be hooked in

Every station except Riviera has a separate track that a car with an ECV can be put onto and stopped. The main line keeps moving. At Riviera the line moves very slowly.

 

[CarolynFH]

Do they have to stop it in order for people with challenges to get on and off?
either way, it seems like it would be much faster than a bus with someone needing to be hooked in

Every station except Riviera has a separate track that a car with an ECV can be put onto and stopped. The main line keeps moving. At Riviera the line moves very slowly.

But it’s still much faster than hooking someone in on a bus.

 

[Jeterdog2004]

I expect that it will reopen, but they won't put multiple parties together on it. So waits might be longer, but they're definitely going to want to utilize it, because no bus drivers needed-just the staff at the stations.

When we were there for a week in November we rode it many times on all the lines and we were only put with another group one time. The line moves so fast anyway. Hopefully it wouldn’t have too much impact.

 

[kaytieeldr]

As long as they only put you and your immediate traveling party per car, which they'd darn well better do when they reopen. But initially, they said they'd put up to 10 people per car.
I'm wondering-I'll be using an ECV. Does that mean that just DH and I get a car (skyline bucket)?

Up to six people per cabin if one is using a bulkier mobility device.

 

[pooh2001]

I hope it would only be 4 people

 

[kaytieeldr]

I hope it would only be 4 people

Assuming they will not combine groups - may I ask why you hope partielarks of five or more will need to use two cabins? I mean, you could choose to split your party, and if the CMs were to split one party, no big deal. The overall effect would be minimal.
Y
But lots and lots and lots of people visit as large familie, or large group. Say, for ease of calculation, 50% (no source, just a number, could be more, might be less). Now by the end of the day, it's going to take 50% longer to get into a cabin.

They'll still shut down at the same time. Now you need more buses. If you're leaving Epcot after EMH, now you have to get all the way back through the park to the busus.

 

[EACarlson]

I rode it many times Thanksgiving week and we were with another party maybe 3 times.

I was at POP the week after Thanksgiving. My mom and 7yo son both said it was their favorite ride at WDW. Unless it was park opening or closing we never got put with another group if it was 4 or more of us. My wife and I went a couple of times on our own and got put with another couple fairly often.

 

[Tallis]

As long as they only put you and your immediate traveling party per car, which they'd darn well better do when they reopen. But initially, they said they'd put up to 10 people per car.
I'm wondering-I'll be using an ECV. Does that mean that just DH and I get a car (skyline bucket)?

Yes. We were there for the first week in December and I used an ECV. My husband and I had a cabin to ourselves on every single ride. The line moves super fast and I didn't see any party having to share a cabin with another party the entire time we were there.

While I suppose you could technically seat 10 people in one, I never saw more than 4 or 5 people, at the very most, get in any one car.