The Disney Skyliner Is Shutting Down in Early 2028

If you're the type of Disney traveler who plans vacations years ahead to snag the best room rates and dining reservations, you will want to take a very close look at late January 2028 before booking your stay.

Ever since the Disney Skylinertook flight in late 2019, the colorful aerial gondola network has transformed how visitors experience Walt Disney World. Gliding above the treetops and lakes, it turns what used to be a slog waiting on crowded resort buses into a breezy, continuous 10-minute ride straight to the front gates of Disney's Hollywood Studiosand the International Gateway at Epcot.

Because of regular safety checks, the system pauses briefly each winter for annual maintenance. As reported by Shannen Ace of WDW News Today (WDWNT) , Disney has officially slated the 2028 downtime: the Disney Skyliner will be completely closed from January 24 through February 2, 2028.

This follows the upcoming 2027 refurbishment scheduled from January 24 through January 30, 2027—a shutdown period that Ace notes Disney has already begun prepping for behind the scenes, having "recently filed a construction permit for the Disney's Hollywood Studios Skyliner station, potentially for this refurbishment period."

Related: Disney Just Brought Back a Beloved Travel Perk to Another Popular Resort

Which Resorts Are Impacted by the Shutdown?

During the 2028 closure window, Disney will swap in complimentary bus service to ferry guests back and forth to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. While the buses get you where you need to go, the loss of direct flight lines impacts several of the most popular resort tiers across property:

• Value Favorites: Disney's Pop Century Resortand Disney's Art of Animation Resort

• Moderate Hub: Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort(home to the system's central transfer hub)

• Deluxe & DVC Flagships: Disney's Riviera Resort, Disney's BoardWalk Innand BoardWalk Villas,and Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts(all accessible via the Epcot International Gateway station)

Related: Why the Swan Reserve Is Currently the Smartest Stay at Walt Disney World

Why Skyliner Resorts Are Gold for Hollywood Studios and Epcot Fans

For park enthusiasts—especially families with strollers and travelers who love rope-dropping the parks at park opening—booking a "Skyliner resort" has become the gold standard of Disney logistics.

Unlike Disney buses, where folding up a fully loaded stroller while corralling exhausted toddlers in a packed line is an Olympic sport, standard strollers can roll directly onto Skyliner gondolas without folding.

It's an absolute game-changer for hitting high-demand headliners. Boarding a gondola at Pop Century or Caribbean Beach gets you dropped off at Epcot's International Gateway in World Showcase, perfectly positioning you for a head start to Remy's Ratatouille Adventure or Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind . Over at Hollywood Studios, you arrive right outside the turnstiles with plenty of time to beat the general parking-lot rush to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Slinky Dog Dash .

Beyond logistics, the Skyliner has quietly turned into an unofficial dining trail. Staying at a value resort like Pop Century suddenly gives you easy, car-free access to French pastries at Riviera's Le Petit Café , seaside dining at Caribbean Beach's Banana Cabana , or a stroll around Crescent Lake for dinner at the BoardWalk.

Related: Why the Swan Reserve is Currently the Smartest Stay at Walt Disney World

What's Next for Park-Hopping Skyliner Fans

The timing of the January 2028 closure is particularly important because of all the major expansions rolling into the parks over the next few years.

With Disney investing heavily into new lands—including the major Monsters, Inc. door-coaster land heading to Hollywood Studios and continuous reimagining across Epcot—staying on a direct transit line to both parks will only grow more valuable.

If your travel dates fall outside that late January window, Skyliner properties remain arguably the best bang-for-your-buck stays on Disney property. But if you have your sights set on late January 2028, you may want to shift your trip by a week or consider a Monorail resort instead so you don't find your favorite highway in the sky grounded.

Related: One of Disney World's Most Popular Rides Is Temporarily Shutting Down This November

This story was originally published by Parade on Sep 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.