Sharp-eyed visitors to Walt Disney World Resort this week may have spotted something new up in the sky while Disney Skyliner began its initial testing.

Scheduled to open this fall, Disney Skyliner will be a new, state-of-the-art gondola system that will conveniently connect Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot to four resort hotels – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and the proposed Disney’s Riviera Resort, which is now accepting guest reservations for stays beginning December 2019. The official Resort opening date will be announced at a later time.

The Skyliner’s towers have been under construction for about a year, so to have a gondola up on its cables is an exciting milestone! Check out this video to hear more about the project from Jordan Matthews at Walt Disney Imagineering:

Several gondolas will be adorned with graphics based on Disney films, attractions and characters. So for example, you may jump into a gondola where from the ground it will look like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto or Chip & Dale are riding along with you. Several Disney animated films will be represented, including “Beauty & the Beast,” “Frozen,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “Moana,” “Peter Pan,” “The Princess and the Frog,” “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and “Zootopia.”

Here’s a sneak peek at what a few of these special gondolas will look like:

Disney Skyliner Gondolas rendering

The other themed gondolas that will be part of the system include:

  • “Coco”
  • Goofy, Pete, Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow
  • “Finding Dory”
  • The Haunted Mansion
  • “Monsters, Inc.”
  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • “Ratatouille”

These gorgeous gondolas will be gliding across Walt Disney World before we know it. Keep checking the Disney Parks Blog as we reveal more exciting details about Disney Skyliner throughout the year!