Staying at the Disney World Skyliner Resorts gives you wonderful perks without needing to drive, pay for an Uber, or wait for a Disney World bus.
The 4 Disney World Skyliner Resorts give convenient access to both EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Each resort offers their own special theming, their unique dining options, and of course, their price range differences. Their differences give guests options to help decide on their next Disney World vacation.
But what exactly are each of the Disney World Skyliner Resorts, and what does each one offer?
Remember, not all Disney World Resorts were made equally, and the Disney World Skyliner Resorts are no exception.
The resorts along the Disney World Skyliner range from the modestly priced Value Resorts all the way up to the most expensive Deluxe Resort. Some resorts are much closer to EPCOT, while others are much closer to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. These 2 reasons alone may change your strategy when deciding to stay at a resort along the Disney World Skyliner.
Let’s go over each of the Disney World Skyliner Resorts and the benefits of staying at each resort, so that you have an easier time planning your next Disney World vacation.
In this article:
What are the Disney World Skyliner Resorts?
There are 4 Disney World Skyliner Resorts: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and Disney’s Riviera Resort.
Each have their own Disney World Skyliner station that connects each resort to each other. Additionally, the Disney World Skyliner has stations at both EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, giving guests convenient access to these 2 theme parks. To add a little fun and magic to your travel, most of the gondolas on the Disney World Skyliner are whimsically themed to different Disney characters.
Staying at any 1 of the Disney World Skyliner Resorts gives guests a very unique vacation experience.
Perks of Staying at Disney World Skyliner Resorts
Between any 1 of the 31 resort hotels at Walt Disney World, guests can feel overwhelmed by the choices they have when planning their trip to Disney World.
And with the different theming, room options, and dining options offered at each resort, there is virtually a world of combinations of experiences and activities guests can use to decide where they want to stay. Although there are a few obvious reasons to stay at a Disney World Skyliner Resort, there are a few lesser-known perks you should consider.
Let’s go over the biggest perks of staying at a Disney World Skyliner Resort.
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Convenience of Transportation
All 4 of the Disney World Skyliner Resorts provide a short trip at the start and end of your day in Disney’s Hollywood Studios or EPCOT.
Compare this to the Disney World bus system, where you may have to wait 15 minutes or more for your bus. Although there can be a wait to get onto 1 of the gondolas, the beauty of the Disney World Skyliner is that its continuous loading system ensures that guests keep getting on and off each gondola. This means that even if you encounter a wait, you’ll likely wait no more than 5-10 minutes.
How quick, easy, and convenient is that?
Early Theme Park Entry
Let’s combine the convenience of the Disney World Skyliner transportation with the perk that all Disney World Resort hotel guests get: Early Theme Park Entry.
Putting these 2 together allows guests to enter the theme parks 30 minutes earlier with the convenience of the Disney World Skyliner. This becomes especially beneficial if you plan on experiencing Disney World’s most popular attractions, whose wait times can balloon quickly once the theme parks officially open to all guests.
PRO TIP: Even with the 30-minute Early Theme Park Entry window, I recommend arriving at the theme parks closer to 1-hour earlier to account for all the other Disney Resort hotel guests arriving.
Early Theme Park Entry with the added benefit of the Disney World Skyliner, regardless, is a wonderful and convenient perk of staying at any of the Disney World Skyliner Resorts.
Extended Evening Park Hours for Guests at Disney’s Riviera Resort
This perk only applies to the only Deluxe Resort along the Disney World Skyliner: Disney’s Riviera Resort.
Unlike Early Theme Park Entry, Extended Evening Hours only occur on select evenings, but give Deluxe Resort hotel guests between 2-3 hours after the official closing of the theme parks to enjoy their time with lower crowds. This way, you can save your time to ride the most popular attractions until late in the evening. Imagine combining Early Theme Park Entry with Extended Evening Hours: this could theoretically add up to 16 hours in the theme parks!
Combining the convenience of the Disney World Skyliner with the Extended Evening Hours perk gives you a chance to really maximize your time in the theme parks.
Unique and Sky-High Views of Walt Disney World
This is 1 reason why the Disney World Skyliner is my favorite form of transportation on Disney property.
When taking the Disney World Skyliner from resort to resort, guests get magnificent views of Osceola and Orange Counties. In addition to the treeline views, guests can see theme park landmarks such as Spaceship Earth and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. My personal tip for using the Skyliner: Take time out of your theme park or resort day and ride the Disney World Skyliner during sunset.
The views at golden hour show the magical transformation from daytime into the evening.
Multiple Dining Options
Because staying at a Disney World Skyliner Resort connects you to 3 other resorts on Disney World property, you also get easier access to each of these resorts’ dining options.
Take for example a stay at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. In 2 stops, guests can get to Disney’s Riviera Resort, which gives you access to the lounge and restaurant at Topolino’s Terrace, Bar Riva, the poolside bar, and more. Because you don’t need to be staying at a certain resort to take advantage of its dining options, your dining possibilities just increased exponentially!
For those who are a fan of drinking around the world at EPCOT, we didn’t even get into the popular “Skyliner bar crawl!”
List of Disney World Skyliner Resorts
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
The first of 2 Value Resorts along the Disney World Skyliner, Disney’s Art of Animation is my personal favorite for its theming after some of the most popular Disney and Pixar movies.
With rooms and family suites themed after Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid, parents and children will have plenty to choose from to fit their needs. Like all other Value Resorts on Disney property, the dining areas are food court-style, giving quick and cost-efficient food options to families. Additionally, there is a pool bar, The Drop Off Pool Bar, by the Finding Nemo themed pool that both resort and non-resort guests can visit for an alcoholic beverage.
Guests looking for a price-friendly resort with great Disney theming should check out Disney’s Art of Animation.
Disney’s Pop Century Resort
The second of the 2 Value Resorts along the Disney World Skyliner not only is across Hourglass Lake from Disney’s Art of Animation, it also shares the same Disney Skyliner station!
Unlike Disney’s Art of Animation, Disney’s Pop Century Resort immerses guests into the unforgettable fads of the 1950s through the 1990s. Walking around each building, guests can see massvive rollerblades, Rubik’s Cubes, and even 8-tracks! Since this is a Value Resort, dining options are also food court-style, and guests also have access to 1 pool bar by the Hippy Dippy Pool called Petals Pool Bar.
If you’re wanting more whimsical theming as opposed to the Disney and Pixar theming at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, look to Disney’s Pop Century Resort.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
The only Moderate Resort along the Disney World Skyliner, each of the buildings at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort are named after famous Caribbean islands: Barbados, Jamaica, Martinique, Trinidad, and Aruba.
The views and recently renovated rooms make this Disney Resort a great option for guests seeking a little more Disney magic. Unlike the 2 Value Resorts, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort offers 3 restaurants and 1 pool bar: Sebastian’s Bistro, Centertown Market, Spyglass Grill, and Banana Cabana. Guests also get access to more amenities than the Value Resorts, including pools with a water slide, a guided fish excursion, and access to a joggling trail.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is a significant step-up from its Value Resort counterparts.
Disney’s Riviera Resort
Although this is the only Deluxe Resort along the Disney World Skyliner, it’s easily 1 of my absolute favorite resorts out of all Disney World Resort hotels.
Just a 5 minute walk from Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resort gives guests the feel of staying along the French-Italian Riviera with its marvelous tilework depicting landscapes from Peter Pan and Tangled and architectural style reminiscent of the apartments you would find in France and Italy. The number of dining options are similar to that of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, but offer a significantly elevated dining experience: Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera is an incredible signature-dining experience, Primo Piatto is the quick-service restaurant, Le Petit Café is a café in the morning and bar in the evening, and Bar Riva is the very popular open-air pool bar.
If Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is a significant step-up from its Value Resort counterparts, Disney’s Riviera Resort is head-and-shoulders above Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.
As a Bonus, the Disney World Skyliner Gives You Access to International Gateway
And in addition to a less busy entrance into EPCOT, you get access to 6 other Disney World Resort hotels that are not on the Skyliner Resort list.
Just a 5-10 mine walk from the International Gateway Skyliner station, these resorts include Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, Walt Disney World Swan, Walt Disney World Dolphin, and Walt Disney World Swan Reserve. Not only do guests have access to each of these resorts unique theming. Just like the other Disney World Skyliner Resorts, guests also have access to each of these resorts’ dining, making staying at a Disney World Skyliner Resort that much more convenient.
In the end, what’s not to like about any of the Disney World Skyliner Resorts?
Where Should You Stay?
The answer to this questions really depends on exactly what you’re looking for in a Disney Resort hotel.
For example, if you want to spend most of your time in the theme parks and less time in your resort room, stay at any of the Value Resorts which are more cost-efficient – just make sure to make extra time to get to the theme parks since the Value Resorts are the farthest away from EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. However, if you’re looking for better dining options and resort amenities, stay at either Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort or Disney’s Riviera Resort, both of which offer higher quality dining experiences and amenities.
Regardless, if you’re looking to take advantage of some of the perks of other resorts along the Disney World Skyliner, you are certainly free to do so.
Where will you stay next?
Plan Your Walt Disney World Vacation
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- Disney World Weather by Month
- Walt Disney World Skyliner Guide
- Best Disney World Hotels: Top Option for Each Visitor Type
- Magic Kingdom Rope Drop and Early Entry Strategy
The hotels that have access to the Skyliner at Disney World are Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and Disney’s Riviera Resort. This not only gives guests access to each resort, it also gives access to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The Skyliner in Disney goes to the following theme parks: EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s important to know that both Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and Disney’s Pop Century Resort are the farthest away from either of the theme parks and therefore takes the longest commute while both Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney’s Riviera Resort are closer and have shorter commute times.
The Disney Skyliner stops at the following theme parks: EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The Disney Skyliner also stops at the following resorts: Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and Disney’s Riviera Resort. This gives guests extremely convenient access to 2 theme parks and 4 resorts as well as many of their amenities.
To our knowledge, the Disney Skyliner was closed from January 16 to January 27, 2024 in order to go under refurbishment. The Disney Skyliner closed for a similar amount of time in early 2022 and 2023. This was to ensure that guests continue to have a safe and magical experience when traveling to the Disney World Resorts and theme parks.
