Wait. Is It OK That We’re Doing This On The Skyliner in Disney World?

I have a really good secret about the Disney World Skyliner…and I’m pretty sure it’s not breaking any rules. Like, 97% sure.

Disney Skyliner EPCOT Station

Even if it might be toeing the line just a little bit, I’m still gonna tell you about it, ’cause I don’t gate-keep secrets THIS good.

Here’s my secret: the Disney World Skyliner is TOTALLY a ride, and with wait times shorter than almost any other attraction in Disney World, it might even be the BEST ride. Let me explain.

Skyliner

My family recently took my two little nephews to Disney World for their first trip EVER. They’re four years old, and one and a half years old. We thought they’d love Peter Pan’s Flight and “it’s a small world,” and we were positive they’d be super excited to meet Mickey Mouse. We planned to get them delicious snacks throughout the day, and we even scheduled a hotel pool day because we knew they’d love the fun Disney theming there.

Hey, Mickey!

All of those things were hits on various levels (“it’s a small world” didn’t go nearly as well as we’d hoped, though), but the BIGGEST hit was super unexpected: the Disney Skyliner!

Seriously, they completely adored the Skyliner. We rode it to get to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, thinking it was just a pretty convenient way to get from our hotel (Disney’s Art of Animation Resort) to the park, but little did we know how exciting it would be to my nephews.

Skyliner station

They were thrilled that we were “flying” through Disney World (when I asked one of them what their favorite part of it was, his answer was “it go-ed up in the air”), and the take-off and landing — you know, the part where it kind of dips up or down as you’re approaching or leaving the stations — were especially fun for them. Come to think of it, all the grownups in our gondola did scream and put their hands in the air for the take-off, so maybe that contributed to the little ones’ idea that this is a super fun ride. 😂

Skyliner Station

We got to see Disney characters on the gondolas that passed by us, going the other way, which was another hit. They watched the scenery out the windows and liked flying over Caribbean Beach Resort.

The ride was SO fun that, when we got to Hollywood Studios, we turned right around and hopped back on. You’re allowed to do that, right? Surely there’s no rule against over-using the Skyliner…😬 We really hope so, because we just rode it again and again — it’s like an endless Disney World ride that hardly ever has a line! 

Disney Skyliner at Hollywood Studios

Plus it was super convenient that we didn’t have to fold up the stroller to get on, like you do with Disney buses, and we were happy to take a break from standing in lines and walking around the parks. Bring a hand-held fan in case it’s hot out (remember that those gondolas don’t have air conditioning) and a couple of snacks, and you’re set for the best Disney day ever, no park ticket required.

Skyliner Gondola views

That experience got me thinking — the Skyliner is basically just a real-life version of Peter Pan’s Flight. That attraction (which usually has a 75-minute wait at minimum in Magic Kingdom) is simulating soaring over a city and other scenes from Peter Pan, but in a Skyliner gondola, you can ACTUALLY fly over Disney World. Sure, we didn’t see any mermaids or pirates, but the kiddos didn’t seem to mind.

Skyliner gondola system

We’ll definitely be using this hack in the future, and you should too! If anyone gets in trouble, though, you didn’t hear it from us. 🤫

Keep following DFB for more tips for your upcoming Disney World vacation!

Click here to see the BIG Skyliner mistake that rookies make in Disney World.


Do you think the Skyliner counts as a ride in Disney World? Let us know in the comments!

The post Wait. Is It OK That We’re Doing This On The Skyliner in Disney World? first appeared on the disney food blog.