The Original Skyliner - Walt Disney World's Skyway

 by Sam
10/29/21

Way back when Walt bought all that Florida property, most people (including probably most of Disney's 'money people') thought it was for some amazing theme park. In reality, it was for a pretty way out there idea. Walt Disney's 'Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow' was some fairly Orwellian stuff of the future. But when everybody started to balk at it, the eastern version of Disneyland became a stark reality. In order to build Walt's EPCOT, it would take building a Magic Kingdom first.

With an Epcot coming though, it's obviously important to put as many strange and bizarre means of transportation throughout. Monorails are one thing... but you need more than just that. And it's not like there was no solid precedent for Walt's wacky ways to get around. While the Disneyland monorail opened in 1959, it was beat by another, older model to get from one place to another.. The Disneyland Skyway opened on June 23, 1956.

Purchased from Switzerland's own Von Roll Ltd, Disneyland's Skyway connected 20,000 Leagues, the monorail, the Matterhorn and the Motor Boat Cruise. It rolled nearly uninterrupted (aside from a Matterhorn refurb in 1959) for nearly 40 years until closing in 1994 due to "metal fatigue". Amazingly enough, the Fantasyland Skyway Station remained standing and merely roped off until being removed in 2016 due to construction of the park's Star Wars themed land, Galaxy's Edge.

As for the WDWMK version, it was an opening day attraction, with a moderately terrifying L-shaped turn near the Tomorrowland Speedway. Since only one-way trips were allowed, the Skyway was billed as 2 separate attractions: the Skyway to Fantasyland and Skyway to Tomorrowland. Guests traveled the Skyway in colorful, open air gondola buckets with each having a capacity of four adult guests.

Regardless of whether guests were traveling to or from Fantasyland/Tomorrowland, riding the Skyway guaranteed views over both lands, including shots of the rear of Cinderella Castle as well as distant views of the Contemporary, Splash Mountain and even the Grand Floridan.

One of the highlights was an aerial view of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea and's clear blue lagoon.

Sadly, all expensive and mostly unnecessary things come to an end. The reasons for closing and replacing attractions are complex, and we may never know the full stories behind why they happen. What we do know is the Skyway was a low-capacity attraction and expensive to operate. Also, Disneyland had already removed their Skyway years prior in 1994. It’s true that a Cast Member died after being swept off the Fantasyland station by a gondola early in 1999. But the decision for closing the attraction down for good was most likely due to costs and logistics.

For the longest time, the former Fantasyland station was used for stroller parking. It sat unused for over a decade until finally being removed prior to the massive Fantasyland overhaul. Also in Disney Springs, there is still a lone Skyway gondola hanging in Disneystyle's doorway that's pretty hard to miss.

I'll be doing a new post soon about the spawn of the Skyway, the all new Disney Skyliner. Although you can't ride it's relatively scary and less safe precursor, you can glide through the air from a variety of locations including the Art of Animation/Pop Century.  

Looking to book a trip? Save time, money and energy by booking with a former cast member herself. We've got the expertise to get you in the resorts and parks and do almost anything you'd ever want to. Best thing, it's no cost to you! Hit up our FB page HERE or email us HERE.