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View Full Version : Does anyone know why they got rid of Skyway to Tommorrowland?



AliceinDisney
03-23-2007, 11:29 PM
Was it a saftey issue? Was it lack of popularity?

KAJUNKING
03-23-2007, 11:37 PM
im not sure why, other than it being dated, i wish it was still there it was really cool looking at the park from that perspective :mickey:

Brer Mickey
03-24-2007, 12:01 AM
I remember reading several years ago that the ride was aging and closing/ removing it was due simply to maintenance and operation costs.

RescueRanger23
03-24-2007, 12:25 AM
I miss it so much. The perspective on the park was so amazing. If nothing else it was such a fun way to get across the park. It really helped in a jam.

MrPeetrie
03-24-2007, 12:31 AM
I thought it involved an accident with a cast member.:confused:

PAYROLL PRINCESS
03-24-2007, 12:54 AM
There was an incident with a cast member being killed when he was performing maintenance on it, but that wasn't the reason it closed. If I remember correctly, it was too slow loading and it needed too much work to make it feasible to keep it open.
It was a nice relaxing ride though.

May524
03-24-2007, 02:00 AM
I miss this! I don't know when it closed, but the last time I rode it was May of 1998. It was a great quick trip to tomorrowland from fantasyland. Also...very relaxing!

Maleficent's Dad
03-24-2007, 07:27 AM
I thought it also had to do with the lack of accessibility for those with physical disabilities. At least this is what a few different CM's told me years ago...

alpro2
03-24-2007, 07:41 AM
Three Skyways closed in a span of 6 years - Disnelyland 1994, WDW 1999, Disneyland Tokyo in 2000, so I am not sure if it was because a CM was injured. Probably due to a number of reasons mentioned: inaccessibility for the physically disabled, load times, etc.

pasghetti
03-24-2007, 08:52 AM
The last time I was there was 10 years ago with my then 10 year old ds. We got on the skyway and just as we were halfway across the fireworks started. Such an amazing perspective as well as one of my favorite memories.

Mousehead35
03-24-2007, 09:05 AM
What a great question! I had always wondered what happended to the skyway. I have some great camera shots that I took from there and I always miss it everytine we visit.

LudwigVonDrake
03-24-2007, 09:36 AM
I thought there was also an issue with Guests dropping things over the side? :confused:

Speedy1998
03-24-2007, 09:57 AM
I thought there was also an issue with Guests dropping things over the side? :confused:
This is what I had heard.

From what I heard there was a particular problem with teenagers (with no adult supervision) who thought it was funny to drop things on people.

battle beast
03-24-2007, 03:16 PM
I wish I could have ride it, at least once. Never got there to see it, though.

LudwigVonDrake
03-24-2007, 04:32 PM
I wish I could have ride it, at least once. Never got there to see it, though.

I was able to ride it once in 1994 :mickey:

Main Street Jim
03-24-2007, 05:17 PM
I thought it also had to do with the lack of accessibility for those with physical disabilities.This was one of the bigger reasons. This was also one of the reasons 20K closed in 1994. The Skyway's last run was in October of 1999, and the towers and turn station at the Grand Prix Raceway/Tomorrowland Indy Speedway were removed in 2001. It also had to do with some not-so-responsible guests dropping things into Tomorrowland and Fantasyland.
Ya know...the world we live in today is so much different from what I grew up with. I never ever thought of doing things like that, especially at a world-leading theme park. Because I knew if my parents ever found out about something like that, I woulda had my butt whooped right then and there :D *Some* kids today have very little respect for others, and for following rules, especially for safety reasons. Sorry to get off on a tangent...let's not let this turn into an argument over this kind of stuff, please :)

Kristi Kay
04-02-2007, 05:25 PM
I heard that it was an accident with a mantance man as well...I really loved that!! I think about it every time I'm in Fanstyland and see the rough concret where it use to be....

LoriMistress
04-02-2007, 06:29 PM
The information that you're looking for is at this link:

http://yesterland.com/skywayfant.html

AliceinDisney
04-02-2007, 10:25 PM
Interesting. Thanks guys!

TheRustyScupper
04-03-2007, 03:41 PM
1) Closing was a combination of things.
2) There was no single reason.
3) The issues, in order were
. . . soaring maintenance costs
. . . liability of objects dropped from cars
. . . low per-hour rider capacity

NOTE: Yes, the rumors are true, and a worker was killed during maintenance. But, as I understand it, this was not a significant factor in the decision to close the ride.

DisneyEpcotDad
04-03-2007, 09:48 PM
I'm glad I took a video of my two sons riding it around 1995. Several attractions that are no longer there, such as Horizons', I thankfully have some video of.

ffrda
04-04-2007, 03:28 PM
Horizons?
That pavilion was in EPCOT, not the MK.
(just FYI)

I too miss this ride, it was relaxing, and as mentioned, provided a great view of the MK.

caryrae
04-04-2007, 04:45 PM
I would think it would be cool to have some kind of rotating space needle type ride in the park. I would love to get a birds eye view of the park. I suppose though the riders per-hour would be kinda low on one of those rides too. Maybe even something like Dr. Dooms freefall like at universal. Just some kind of ride that would give you a nice view of the park up high would be cool.

DisneyEpcotDad
04-04-2007, 06:13 PM
Horizons?
That pavilion was in EPCOT, not the MK.
(just FYI)

I too miss this ride, it was relaxing, and as mentioned, provided a great view of the MK.

Yes, a long work day. I was trying to short cut and mention that I also had taken a video of another closed attraction (not at MK).