Disney’s Skyliner Set for Big Break Later this Month

The future of Walt Disney World travel — the new Disney Skyliner system — is set to debut September 29.

The Skyliner is a gondola-based transportation system that will connect Disney's Hollywood Studios and Epcot theme parks in Orlando to Disney's Art of Animation Resort, Disney's Pop Century Resort, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, and the future Disney's Riviera Resort, which will open this December.

The system will travel through various stations around Disney property in Orlando that each are inspired by its respective resort or theme park.

For example, the Epcot station disembarks right next to Epcot's International Gateway entrance and shares similar architecture, landscaping and design of pavilions nearby which are the United Kingdom and France. The Disney's Hollywood Studios station shares the sleek movie design that welcomes guests approaching its front entrance of the theme park.

Disney currently is testing the new system, which can be seen by guests visiting Disney's Hollywood Studios and other nearby resorts. The theme park giant not only sees it as a way to alleviate traffic, but also as an attraction from which to view Disney property from high up.

Disney dominates the region's $70 billion tourism market through its four Orlando theme parks — Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios — which together welcomed more than 58 million guests through their turnstiles in 2018. That accounts for 70% of the region’s tourism market share. Last year, Central Florida drew a record 75 million visitors.

Disney — the region's largest employer, with more than 74,000 local workers — also owns two area water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, as well as several themed hotels, golf courses, a camping resort, timeshare properties, a residential community called Golden Oak at Walt Disney World Resort, ESPN Wide World of Sports and the Disney Springs retail, dining and entertainment complex.

Source: Orlando Business Journal