Disney Skyliner: Sooner than you think?

The13thLetter · Nov 5, 2018

Hey everyone, just wanted to share some info my wife got this weekend (and sorry if this is the wrong forum or if this has been posted already).

She was on the phone a few times adjusting our vacation plans for next summer and when they asked why we chose Caribbean Beach (they seem to ask what about the resort interested you) she told them we were sort of banking on the fact that the skyliner would be ready by August and the cast member on the phone told her they thought it would definitely be ready by then and most likely much earlier. They told her that they get updates every week about resort construction so they can alert potential visitors if they can expect any at the resort they are looking to stay at. They then told her the update they got this week said the construction at CBR was set to be competed by Jan 30th, 2019, so guests would not have construction notices for stays after those dates. Now I know this does not mean the entire system will be finished being constructed, or there wont be some more work such as painting and obviously test runs of the gondolas, but from what they said (and our estimations as well) it would seem that the skyliner could be ready for guests sometime in March/April (and definitely ready by August for our trip, yay!).

I don't know about everyone else but this is exciting news for our family but also makes our decision of which resort to stay at a little harder than before.

Brett Wyman · Nov 5, 2018

RIP quick entry times at the International Gateway.

The13thLetter · Nov 5, 2018

Brett Wyman said:
RIP quick entry times at the International Gateway.

Yeah I am hoping they are planning on adding more bag check stations to international gateway either before they launch the skyliner full scale or at least by the end of the summer after they realize how jam packed the international gateway has become. I have not heard anything about that though yet.

DisHmsklMom · Nov 5, 2018

I'm hoping for bagcheck prior to boarding skyliner with a separate exit area that feeds us straight through to tap our bands prior to park entry. I really like Universal's model, we never had to stand in a long bag check line. The bagcheck coming from the Contempory to MK is great, very efficient and smooth.

PaulaSB12 · Nov 5, 2018

Great news was hoping to go to Disney at Christmas next year but it's going to have to be 2020, so hoping for September next year.

Brett Wyman · Nov 5, 2018

DisHmsklMom said:
I'm hoping for bagcheck prior to boarding skyliner with a separate exit area that feeds us straight through to tap our bands prior to park entry

As big as the gondola stations are Im guessing/hoping thats the case. Logistically though they would need a separate entrance for checked gondola passengers and one for unchecked guests walking from the Epcot resorts area.

AngiTN · Nov 5, 2018

Brett Wyman said:
As big as the gondola stations are Im guessing/hoping thats the case. Logistically though they would need a separate entrance for checked gondola passengers and one for unchecked guests walking from the Epcot resorts area.

No they wouldn't. They just have to pull the bag check back so the Gondola dumps out inside the secure zone and the walk up guests are checked before they get to the turnstiles. Just look to what they did at MK for an example. There's more than enough room to do a bag check closer to the bridge

fla4fun · Nov 5, 2018

AngiTN said:
No they wouldn't. They just have to pull the bag check back so the Gondola dumps out inside the secure zone and the walk up guests are checked before they get to the turnstiles. Just look to what they did at MK for an example. There's more than enough room to do a bag check closer to the bridge

I agree, and that really would make the most sense from a crowd control standpoint. You don't want so many people filling the area trying to get in that people are unable to get out of the park (and during some busy times, it's already an issue sometimes). If they moved the bag check/detectors back to just after the spot where the bridge and the accessible path under the bridge meet, there would be plenty of room to process the people staying at Epcot resorts, and plenty of room for everyone to line up to tap in.

Brett Wyman · Nov 5, 2018

I was just hoping the benefit of entering through the IG for guests of the Epcot resorts would stay the same. But I guess thats a pipe dream at this point.

The13thLetter · Nov 5, 2018

Brett Wyman said:
As big as the gondola stations are Im guessing/hoping thats the case. Logistically though they would need a separate entrance for checked gondola passengers and one for unchecked guests walking from the Epcot resorts area.

So people coming from CBR on the skyliner would have already been bag checked at the resort station before getting onto the gondola? Have they already mentioned that as part of the plan?

Brett Wyman · Nov 5, 2018

The13thLetter said:
So people coming from CBR on the skyliner would have already been bag checked at the resort station before getting onto the gondola? Have they already mentioned that as part of the plan?

Nope. Just speculating.

_auroraborealis_ · Nov 5, 2018

It is really important to note that construction being done at CBR doesn't mean it is done elsewhere. CBR is a single node. The other nodes must be complete for the Skyliner to run.

The13thLetter · Nov 5, 2018

Brett Wyman said:
Nope. Just speculating.

Oh ok. Just curious. That would be helpful.

That actually beings up a question I have always had but never asked and that is how come you do not have to go through bag check at MK when coming off of the Monorail? When I came from Epcot, I thought the Monorail station was outside the Epcot gate, not inside (meaning I could have gotten to it without getting into Epcot) and when coming from the transportation center, I don't remember a bag check station there either. Am I just remembering incorrectly?

The13thLetter · Nov 5, 2018

_auroraborealis_ said:
It is really important to note that construction being done at CBR doesn't mean it is done elsewhere. CBR is a single node. The other nodes must be complete for the Skyliner to run.

Yeah I know, that is why I mentioned that in the post, but the cast member seemed pretty adornment that the skyliner would be ready a couple months after that construction completion date so maybe they had more info than just want they told me. Maybe not though. I guess if you still want to go by the original rumored dates that is fine, I was just saying from newer updated rumors and now this info from the cast member, I am betting it is ready sometime in the Spring. I am guessing they want to be able to have it running as many months as possible before Galaxy's Edge opens to work out all the kinks.

AngiTN · Nov 5, 2018

The13thLetter said:
Oh ok. Just curious. That would be helpful.

That actually beings up a question I have always had but never asked and that is how come you do not have to go through bag check at MK when coming off of the Monorail? When I came from Epcot, I thought the Monorail station was outside the Epcot gate, not inside (meaning I could have gotten to it without getting into Epcot) and when coming from the transportation center, I don't remember a bag check station there either. Am I just remembering incorrectly?

You have already been through bag check before boarding the monorail. Either at the resort or at the TTC. You can't board the monorail without a bag check, so they dump you inside bag check at MK. Epcot is eventually going to do the same but the exit was built prior to bag checks so it's not in the right place yet.

Which is why there is no logical reason they would NOT have bag check before boarding the skyliner. If they check you for the monorail they are bound to do the same for the skyliner. It would be flat out stupid not to. Epcot's doesn't because it was already built but the skyliner is being built with bag checks in place so they can design it right from the start. If they don't check the skyliner it means there would be no reason whatsoever to check the monorail.

The13thLetter · Nov 5, 2018

AngiTN said:
You have already been through bag check before boarding the monorail. Either at the resort or at the TTC

Ok thanks. I must have just forgot, it has been a while since I went from the TTC and last time I went from Epcot I had just finished adulting around the world soooo...

AngiTN · Nov 5, 2018

The13thLetter said:
Ok thanks. I must have just forgot, it has been a while since I went from the TTC and last time I went from Epcot I had just finished adulting around the world soooo...

You don't go through security again if you are leaving Epcot and going to MK. The entrance from Epcot is inside the already secure zone.

_auroraborealis_ · Nov 5, 2018

The13thLetter said:
so maybe they had more info than just want they told me. Maybe not though

It is extremely rare that the phone CMs have much info on this stuff. Quite often they are making up their own rumors.

_19disnA · Nov 5, 2018

The13thLetter said:
but the cast member seemed pretty adornment that the skyliner would be ready....

^^ I agree with prior remark. My experience with cast members is similar to what several other threads have commented about. It if is not their specific area of expertise, you are just as likely to get opinions/rumors as facts. I often get different answers to the same question depending on who I get when I call with a reservation related question. Some try to sound authoritative on areas where they have no actual information.

disneyfreak202 · Nov 5, 2018

I was recently changing from Coronado to Pop for the same reason as you, the Skyliner. The CM on the phone told me she doesn't expect it to open until Galaxy's Edge and therefore her estimate was Thanksgiving or later (we are going Halloween to the first week of November). She told me not to expect the Skyliner to be available for my trip.

Disney Skyliner: Sooner than you think?

DIS Veteran

Legacy Guest

DIS Veteran

Mouseketeer

DIS Veteran

Legacy Guest

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

Legacy Guest

DIS Veteran

Legacy Guest

I like marshmallows. And adult beverages.

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

I like marshmallows. And adult beverages.

DIS Veteran

Mouseketeer

Share this page