The OTHER “Highway in Sky” – Take a Gondola Ride through History on Disney’s Skyway to Fantasyland and Tomorrowland

in Disney, Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World

The Skyway to Fantasyland and the Skyway to Tomorrowland is one of several Disney attractions featured in more than one of the company’s theme parks.  This “D ticket” attraction first appeared at Disneyland (Anaheim California) a year after the park opened.   Boarding at the Fantasyland station, up to four guests enjoyed a leisurely three and half minute ride in the sky (60 feet high) across the park to Tomorrowland (Skyway to Tomorrowland) and/or board at the Tomorrowland station for the trip to Fantasyland.  The attraction closed briefly, a year later to allow for construction of the Matterhorn and reopened in 1959, now with the gondolas travelling THROUGH the mountain!

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The Magic Kingdom, at Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, Florida) opened in October of 1971, with same gondola in the sky trip between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland for a D ticket.  Tokyo Disneyland also opened with the same attraction in place to take guests between the two lands when that park opened in April of 1983.

All three variations of the parks offered a birds-eye view of the attractions below (and an excellent photo op of the parks submarine rides in Anaheim and Lake Buena Vista).

imge: Disney Parks Blog
imge: Disney Parks Blog

 

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The skyway rides were designed by WED Enterprises and built by Von Roll Holding.  42 gondolas operated on a Vonroll Type 101 detachable mono-cable gondola lift.  Each travelled at a speed 4 miles per hour over the 1200 foot span.  With the closure of the attraction at the Magic Kingdom, none of the Skyway ride systems are in operation today.

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SOURCE – Wikapedia, Disney Wiki

in Disney, Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World

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