Disney Skyliner

On February 15, 2017, the Reedy Creek Improvement District filed plans with the South Florida Water Management District for "various improvements." Among these plans was a design for a 100-foot-high (30 m) building in the shape of a "V," consistent with a gondola lift changing direction.[4] The blueprints described improvements to the south end of Epcot at the World Showcase, as well as in Disney's BoardWalk Resort and Disney's Hollywood Studios.[4] These V-shaped structures were also planned for Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney's Art of Animation Resort.[5]

On July 15, 2017, the gondola lift plan was confirmed at the D23 Expo. Bob Chapek, the chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said that the system was going to connect four hotels with Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios, affording "a bird's-eye view" of the area.[6] No opening date was announced at the time.[7] The proposal was announced as part of the unveiling of 23 improvements to Disney Parks,[8] including a "makeover" of Epcot[7][9] and carpool-style "Minnie vans."[10] The Skyliner would also connect a new resort called Disney's Riviera Resort.[10][11]

By 2018, the Skyliner was under construction.[12] The towers and gondola stations were more than halfway completed by summer 2018.[13] In November 2018, Disney Parks announced that Disney Skyliner would open in fall 2019.[14]

Testing with passenger cabins began in late January 2019, on the Hollywood Studios line.[15]

On July 15, 2019, it was announced that the Disney Skyliner would open on September 29.[16] The Skyliner opened as scheduled.[17][18]

Less than a week after the Skyliner's opening, on October 5, 2019, the Epcot line suffered a collision between two gondolas at the Riviera Resort station, shutting the line down and stranding passengers for over 3 hours before being evacuated by Reedy Creek Fire Department personnel.[19] Guests were instructed to utilize the emergency kits stored in each gondola in the meantime to assist in the evacuation.[20][21] The emergency kits included water, glow sticks, notepads, and human waste bags. The incident occurred due to a Skyliner gondola failing to take off from the Riviera Resort station, causing a jam, leading to broken glass on a gondola car[22] The system closed and reopened over a week later with a more limited schedule on October 14.

The longest of the three lines is the Epcot line. Departing from the Caribbean Beach hub, the line rises up to cross over the Jamaica and Aruba Villages of the resort, before descending to the first of two midstations at the Riviera Resort. This is also accessible from and adjacent to the Aruba village of Caribbean Beach. Here, the line turns west and travels alongside Buena Vista Drive. As it reaches the Boardwalk Tennis Courts parking lot, the line hits its second midstation. This midstation is unthemed, as it only serves to turn the line to resume traveling north. After crossing over the Epcot Resorts Boulevard and passing behind the France pavilion at World Showcase, the gondola descends into its final terminus at the International Gateway entrance to World Showcase. The zig-zag route of the Epcot line enables the line to avoid bisecting World Showcase and backstage areas.

The journey time for a one-way journey along the full route from Caribbean Beach to Epcot is 11 minutes. A journey between Caribbean Beach and Riviera takes three minutes, and the journey between Riviera and Epcot takes six minutes.

The Hollywood Studios line heads due west out of the Caribbean Beach hub. The first part of the line cuts through previously unused forest space, before descending and crossing over the tollbooth entrance to the Hollywood Studios parking lot. The line then crosses through the parking lot before descending into its Hollywood Studios terminus, in between the park entrance and the bus stop.

The ride time for a one-way journey on the Hollywood Studios route is 5 minutes.

The shortest of the three routes. This line heads due south from the Caribbean Beach hub towards the Art of Animation and Pop Century Resorts. The first half of the line takes place over reclaimed swampland. After passing by the Art of Animation Resort's north building, the line descends and travels across Hourglass Lake, ending at a terminus on the middle of the lake.

A one way journey on the Art of Animation route takes 4 minutes.