CONFIRMED: Disney Skyliner Gondolas Will NOT Have Air Conditioning, Only Passive Ventilation
As we told you back in September, the gondolas of the Disney Skyliner will not have air conditioning, despite rumors to the contrary around the Disney community. Today, Disney has confirmed to the Orlando Sentinel that indeed the system will not have air conditioning, but simply passive ventilation. According to a Disney spokeswoman, the cabins were “specifically tailored to provide a comfortable ride for our guests in the Florida climate.” She confirmed that the vehicles will have only cross-ventilation which was designed to provide sufficient air flow. As we saw on Saturday at the Destination D event, the cabins will have darkened or reflective windows to reduce the amount of direct sunlight entering and heating the interior.
The Disney Skyliner is scheduled to open in the fall of 2019. Stay tuned to WDWNT for continuing Skyliner coverage as the system is assembled.
Jason has been a lifelong fan of the Disney parks since his first visit at age 2. His biennial pilgrimages during his childhood accelerated into semi-annual visits by the year 2000, when he also Joined the Disney Vacation Club. Luckily, Jason’s bride-to-be was also a Disney fan, which allowed his infatuation with the Disney parks to continue, and ultimately culminated in their wedding at Disney's Wedding Pavilion in September 2003. Early in 2007, Jason began his involvement with the planning for what became Celebration 25, the unofficial fan gathering to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Epcot®. Soon thereafter, Jason met Tom Corless at a pin trading meet in New Jersey, and became part of the WDW News Today podcast starting with Episode 17. Jason has been involved with the WDWNT Network ever since, and can't seem to escape no matter how hard he tries.
Contact Jason at jason@wdwnt.com.
21 thoughts on “CONFIRMED: Disney Skyliner Gondolas Will NOT Have Air Conditioning, Only Passive Ventilation”
oh this should be comfortable in July
And August. And September. Guess the “engineers” don’t understand how humidity in Florida works… Those things are gonna smell like a highschool football locker room for 6 months out the year!
Sorry, I will pass on riding these now.
From the front, it looks like a four-slot toaster. Coincidence??? I think not.
Not Disneylike to cut corners…
Unusual. They are usually first class. What’s up??
You’re joking, right? Disney cuts ever corner in guest experience and safety that they can!!!!!!!
What kind of rambling are you going on about now? Even without touching on guest experience, because that will only cause a cascade of temper tantrums and whining, safety at Disney is beyond exemplary. Their rates of injuries and deaths (both of which have to be reported by law, regardless of the conspiracy theories people like to spout about them “covering things up”) are dramatically lower than parks a fraction of their size. It is beyond ridiculous to start ranting about how horribly Disney cuts corners when it is just categorically untrue.
You don’t know what you’re talking about. Disney has hourly injuries and issues which they cover up VERY well. Their track record of safety is poor and they cut corners at every opportunity. In safety. Guest experience. Reducing staffing. Food quality/safety/quantity. You’re living in oblivion to think otherwise…or…you work for them. They spend more time on Public Relations and Marketing than on safety and guest experience.
Ugh. We know the monorails can develop quite a whiff on hot days – this is going to be an experience for sure.
Yes but when you need fresh air on the monorail you can just pop the door off
So now my “…But will they have air-conditioning?” Question has been answered….Noooo! Literally, so disappointed! I’ll be calling to have my Riviera Resort DVC deposit refunded! ;) Between a Bus and a floating Air-Fryer, I’ll take the bus! Lol
All the overreactions are hysterical. If they thought it would be an issue they wouldn’t have poured millions into this for it to be a failure.
Wow, what a EPIC FAIL. So tinted glass is going to prevent these cars from getting too hot? Yeah, that’s why no cars in Florida have air conditioning….. Right.
I was born and raised in Miami. Back then there was no AC in most any car. Strange but we survived well and even arrived at Church without sweat. No longer live there and are very happy with AC but if folks don’t want to get warm in the summer, take a bus. Leave the gondolas for those of us who can handle it. Less people in them is even better. Just smile and have fun.
So what is the plan when you get stuck for 30 min on these and you are no longer moving and generating passive ventilation?
They probably looked at the risk of having an air conditioner on the gondola. There are safety risks and concerns of having such a unit on a gondola that isn’t readily accessible.
It would be exceptionally dangerous. The people freaking out obviously have never ridden any form of gondola or been on the top of a building. It is much cooler when you are that high in the air and even though they look like they are slow, they are actually moving at quite a good clip, providing plenty of ventilation. People are acting like Disney has never planned anything in their entire existence. But obviously the uneducated layman knows FAR more about mechanical engineering and transportation science than the experts who have been planning this for years. Clearly.
Uh… I don’t think it’s an over-reaction. If you read through the concerns, they are not aimed at the Gondola while it’s working. Even though, you are incorrect on their height, it is true that the speed with which they travel will be just “acceptable” in the heat, with the passive ventilation.
If you read through these so-called ‘over-reactions’ I think you’ll see that what everyone is saying is, “What about when they stop and you’re stuck on them in 90 degree heat?” “…And you’re over 55 years old or have a kid with special needs, or even just a dirty diaper?”
Anyone who has spent anytime in Disney World knows getting stuck on moving things happens often enough for this not to be much of an over-reaction.
That said, Im sure Disney has considered these logistics. Let’s hope their considerations were very thorough because the rumor is also that resorts with Gondola stations will no longer have ground transport to the Gondola serviced parks… unless, like resorts with Friendships servicing park, the Gondola’s break down.
The complete overreaction to this news is insane! This is literally ONE form of many types of transportation offered at WDW. If you are afraid of being stuck on these or of these gondola’s being too hot, then don’t get on. Chill out! (pun intended)
I am stunned Disney thinks this is going to be comfortable enough for travel to and from the parks. The monorail has air conditioning and isn’t all that cool a lot of the time. Imagine that without AC. This will not be enjoyable.
Tbh I don’t know why anyone would expect there to be air conditioning on a ride like this. I have to wonder how many people complaining about it have ridden in one before because they almost never have air conditioning or electricity. Does no one know about the old Disney Skyway attraction in Disneyland/Magic Kingdom/etc?
oh this should be comfortable in July
And August. And September. Guess the “engineers” don’t understand how humidity in Florida works… Those things are gonna smell like a highschool football locker room for 6 months out the year!
Sorry, I will pass on riding these now.
From the front, it looks like a four-slot toaster. Coincidence??? I think not.
Not Disneylike to cut corners…
Unusual. They are usually first class. What’s up??
You’re joking, right? Disney cuts ever corner in guest experience and safety that they can!!!!!!!
What kind of rambling are you going on about now? Even without touching on guest experience, because that will only cause a cascade of temper tantrums and whining, safety at Disney is beyond exemplary. Their rates of injuries and deaths (both of which have to be reported by law, regardless of the conspiracy theories people like to spout about them “covering things up”) are dramatically lower than parks a fraction of their size. It is beyond ridiculous to start ranting about how horribly Disney cuts corners when it is just categorically untrue.
You don’t know what you’re talking about. Disney has hourly injuries and issues which they cover up VERY well. Their track record of safety is poor and they cut corners at every opportunity. In safety. Guest experience. Reducing staffing. Food quality/safety/quantity. You’re living in oblivion to think otherwise…or…you work for them. They spend more time on Public Relations and Marketing than on safety and guest experience.
Ugh. We know the monorails can develop quite a whiff on hot days – this is going to be an experience for sure.
Yes but when you need fresh air on the monorail you can just pop the door off
So now my “…But will they have air-conditioning?” Question has been answered….Noooo! Literally, so disappointed! I’ll be calling to have my Riviera Resort DVC deposit refunded! ;) Between a Bus and a floating Air-Fryer, I’ll take the bus! Lol
All the overreactions are hysterical. If they thought it would be an issue they wouldn’t have poured millions into this for it to be a failure.
Wow, what a EPIC FAIL. So tinted glass is going to prevent these cars from getting too hot? Yeah, that’s why no cars in Florida have air conditioning….. Right.
I was born and raised in Miami. Back then there was no AC in most any car. Strange but we survived well and even arrived at Church without sweat. No longer live there and are very happy with AC but if folks don’t want to get warm in the summer, take a bus. Leave the gondolas for those of us who can handle it. Less people in them is even better. Just smile and have fun.
So what is the plan when you get stuck for 30 min on these and you are no longer moving and generating passive ventilation?
They probably looked at the risk of having an air conditioner on the gondola. There are safety risks and concerns of having such a unit on a gondola that isn’t readily accessible.
It would be exceptionally dangerous. The people freaking out obviously have never ridden any form of gondola or been on the top of a building. It is much cooler when you are that high in the air and even though they look like they are slow, they are actually moving at quite a good clip, providing plenty of ventilation. People are acting like Disney has never planned anything in their entire existence. But obviously the uneducated layman knows FAR more about mechanical engineering and transportation science than the experts who have been planning this for years. Clearly.
Uh… I don’t think it’s an over-reaction. If you read through the concerns, they are not aimed at the Gondola while it’s working. Even though, you are incorrect on their height, it is true that the speed with which they travel will be just “acceptable” in the heat, with the passive ventilation.
If you read through these so-called ‘over-reactions’ I think you’ll see that what everyone is saying is, “What about when they stop and you’re stuck on them in 90 degree heat?” “…And you’re over 55 years old or have a kid with special needs, or even just a dirty diaper?”
Anyone who has spent anytime in Disney World knows getting stuck on moving things happens often enough for this not to be much of an over-reaction.
That said, Im sure Disney has considered these logistics. Let’s hope their considerations were very thorough because the rumor is also that resorts with Gondola stations will no longer have ground transport to the Gondola serviced parks… unless, like resorts with Friendships servicing park, the Gondola’s break down.
The complete overreaction to this news is insane! This is literally ONE form of many types of transportation offered at WDW. If you are afraid of being stuck on these or of these gondola’s being too hot, then don’t get on. Chill out! (pun intended)
I am stunned Disney thinks this is going to be comfortable enough for travel to and from the parks. The monorail has air conditioning and isn’t all that cool a lot of the time. Imagine that without AC. This will not be enjoyable.
Tbh I don’t know why anyone would expect there to be air conditioning on a ride like this. I have to wonder how many people complaining about it have ridden in one before because they almost never have air conditioning or electricity. Does no one know about the old Disney Skyway attraction in Disneyland/Magic Kingdom/etc?