Disney Skyliner Disability Access

Indicator For Wheelchair/ ECV Accessibility

May Remain In Wheelchair/ECV Symbol Used In Mobility Access Guide

I had half-day passes to the WDW parks on my last trip. Therefore, I had time to kill before I was able to enter Hollywood Studios one day. One of the new Disney Skyliner stations was near the entrance. Therefore, I wanted to try the Disney Skyliner gondola to test its disability access using an ECV.

Wheelchair And ECV Accessibility With Walt Disney World Transportation

Most of the transportation options at the Walt Disney World Resort are accessible to guests with disabilities. The Disney Skyliner Gondola System is just one part of the extensive Disney Transport System. Above all, the Walt Disney World Resort guests receive complimentary use of any mode of transportation they offer. In addition to the Skyliner Gondola, The Transport System consists of buses, watercraft, monorail, and parking lot trams. Click on this link for a great map of the “Walt Disney World Transportation Map & Guide” provided by magicguides.com.

Disability Access Entrance

Here is the Disney Skyliner disability access entrance at Hollywood Studios. This route goes over to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. A cast member told me to “just ride up the ramp.” When you go through the gate, you ride up the incline to the staging area. The other image shows the down ramp when you come back.

I rode over to the Caribbean Beach Resort area and got off. Then I was able to go back on another gondola to return to Hollywood Studios. In this case, note that you have to go through security again. It’s because you exited into an unsecured area and are traveling back to a secured area.

**Handicap entrance to Disney Skyliner at Hollywood Studios**

Skyliner Disability Access Loading Area For ECV’s And Wheelchairs

At the top of the ramp is the staging area. The image illustrates people waiting to be loaded into the gondola. This is a separate area away from the regular loading area for guests with mobility scooters or wheelchairs.

disney skyliner ecv accessibility — **Gondola System loading area**

Here’s a picture of the staging area leading right into the gondola at the Hollywood Studios station. There is a slight incline but no transition ramp to deal with. Next, the cast member will tell you to turn the scooter speed control to the lowest position. Then drive all the way to the front of the gondola.

Set the key to the “off” status once you are in place. There are no straps or tie-downs required to hold the scooter in place. Subsequently, the cast member will put wheel chocks on the back tires. It prevents the unit from rolling backward. Generally speaking, the gondola loading and unloading processes are quick and very efficient.

Image showing an empty Disney Skyliner gondola. — **Looking inside the gondola** **car**

There is a maximum capacity of ten guests and six if there is a scooter or wheelchair on board. For the most part, accommodating six people and an ECV is nearly impossible in a Disney Skyliner gondola. However, maybe it can be done with stick figures!

Sign posting with maximum capacity of the Disney Skyliner gondola — **Posted sign listing maximum capacity of the gondola car**

Image showing a loaded Disney Skyliner gondola — **Image of a loaded gondola car containing an ECV and passengers**

Inside The Skyliner Gondola With The Mobility Scooter

There is not a lot of room remaining once the scooter is inside. In the first place, the edges of the bench seats come close to the sides of the ECV. Seating is possible, but there would be no legroom. The scooter takes up more than half of the available floor space. Accordingly, a wheelchair would take up less floor space and allow more seating space.

**Inside a gondola** **car** **with an ECV**

Backing the ECV out of the Skyliner gondola is almost as simple as getting into it. In this case, nothing is tying you down. You still have to wait until the cast member removes the wheel chocks and tells you to back out. Then, finally, check that the speed control is on low, turn the key back on, and carefully back out!

Backing out of the Disney Skyliner gondola — **Backing out of a gondola car**

Disney Skyliner’s disability access is excellent using an ECV! It proved to be very easy and convenient. However, the only problem I can see is during peak periods. Since only one ECV or wheelchair is allowed on simultaneously, the waiting lines could get quite long.

Map Of The Skyliner Routes

I’m not going to explain how to go from station to station. Besides, other online posts explain the transfer process from resorts to Epcot and Hollywood Studios, etc. The map is just for your reference. The red ears are Skyliner station locations. Also, if you want more detailed information about the Disney Skyliner system, click on “Our Expert Guide to the Disney Skyliner Transportation System at Walt Disney World.” Undercovertourist.com initially posted this guide on November 20, 2019.