@cristelvideo I just knew they had to have come from the mid-90s. My parents took a 9-year-old version of me there in 1994 and we stayed at the newly-opened Wilderness Lodge and it was probably the best vacation ever... or at least until December 95 when we we went back! :p
The "Vanished" series bring back a lot of memories! Thank you so much for posting!!!!
Anybody else thought it was weird that when you looked down there wasnt a bunch of people with maps covering their faces and little brats.. I mean kids throwing a temper tantrum...I mean being little angels?
I enjoyed the Skyway. It has been a long time since i rode it but I remember seeing a lot from that ride. Disney always has something bigger and better so I am not to concerned.
Ive been in Skyway..I loved the view but as a young kid scared of heights it was very scary!!! I miss it but maybe one day they can improve it and bring it back!!!
whats wierd that the building still there but it's abandond,wont it be funny if they open it back up but this time it's pixars "UP" theme! i mean think about it the skyways in the air and the movie "UP" is a flying type movie!
my first time going was in 1993, and THANK GOD mos of the rides in your disney vanished videos were still there when i went, but were torn down very shortly afterwards.
I disagree with you purists, the skylift gave people the chance to see the park above the hectic crowds and then you got to REST too so walking around all the time isn't such a great idea when the acreage is at least 4 miles. Being a diabetic, I couldn't enjoy anything without sitting down all the time.
When I made my third visit to Magic Kingdom in March 2009 (my home is far from Florida, so my previous visits to Disney World had been in 1993 and 1997), one of the first things I noticed was that the Skyway was gone. I have fond memories of enjoying the Skyway views during my first two visits as a kid - too bad those views are gone for good.
It's beyond amazing that you have these old videos. I remember a lot of these and I was sooooooooooooooooo little. I haven't been since!!! I'm dying to go again. Yes, I'm a 38 year old stuck in a child's mentality... which I think we all are when it comes to Disney.
@discjockeyjoe You're not the ONLY 38 year old, who also named JOE, who is stuck in a child's mentality. I so remember the Skyway as a kid. My 1st trip to WDW ever, I was 9. My mom was scared shit, but I LOVED it. The memories....
I havent been 2 disneyworld since i was mayb 2 or 3:( thats only cuz i liv in so cal so im 30 min away from disneyland:) but it looks likee a lot of fun
I was at the Magic Kingdom on Sunday and the Skyway ending point in Fantasyland is still there! Most people just don't notice it or know what it is/was. At the Tomorrowland side I didn't see any remnants. Also, all of Toontown (fka Mickey's Birthdayland) was gone and is being redone as Fantasy Circus or something. And the big section of Fantasyland that was the 20,000 Leagues ride then supposed to be an Ariel ride and then was later a playground was all gone too; behind a big wall...
it closed after a custodian was cleaning the ride and it turned on and started moving and he grabbed onto a gondola and lost his grip and fell in a flower patch near dumbo. after reading this i feel really sad watching this video especially near the dumbo ride. :'(
Not sure that it closed due to death so much as it allowed visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of Disney. I'm sure you would be able to see Mickey removing his head, or Cinderella taking a smoke break if you could see over the walls.
@mikeg642000 I hated that thing. I refused to go in there when i was 12, the last time i visited the park. To this day I loath that song. Have a happy day.
@mikeg642000 they haven't but they so need to do it i mean c'mon your going like 3 mph and it takes 15 minutes to get to the end of the freaking ride so thats something that needs to go they need to replace that with more toontown (in disneyland) and a roller coaster (in disneyworld) so yeah GET RIDE OF SMALL WORLD!!!!!!!!!
You are AWESOME to post these vids, thank you! I felt like I went back in time. I wish I could go back with my entire family to the late 70's or early 80's.
I think people may go nuts for me saying this, but I am glad the Skyway is gone. It looked so tacky, and while I am a Disney "purist", the Skyway made Disney look like Six Flags.
@thinkfaster But Disney is a theme park! The Skyway in Disney World was a virtual replica of the one in Disneyland. It was intented as a "cool" way to transport yourself around the park, not to make Disney World look like a town from the alps.
And why the quip about cultural references to theme parks, as if going to theme parks, particularly Disney World, on vacation is somehow "bad" or "culturally deficient". If I want to go to the Alps, I'll go there. However, excuse me for loving Disney.
@del1000005 I completely disagree. It added beautiful color to the park's skyline and gave riders some peaceful aerial views of the Magic Kingdom.
Every year at the local county fair, a chairlift is set up (with colorful chairs). That ride alone is enough to make me go to the fair as it brings back some very special memories of Walt Disney's skyway.
I miss the Skyway so much!!! I loved it when I was younger, and last time I went there it was gone.. I was devastated lol!! I wish they'd bring it back!
When I worked for Disney, several of my fellow WDWCPers in custodial went up to the roof of Mr Toad to clean bird droppings and other stuff including trash removal because it could be seen from the skyway.
@magermax000 Yeah, Mr. Toad has been gone for a while!! I want to say late 90's..The Winnie the Pooh ride took it's place....cute ride...but Mr. Toad shouldn't have been replaced!!
@magermax000 So is the Skyway and Mr. Toads Wild Ride in Disneyland?? I have never been to Disneyland, would like to see these rides again and I would go to Cali to see them!!!
such a shame they shut it down. it was the only way to get from Tomorrow land to frontier land [close to it] without taking the train the long way around the park. It was much better than walking the whole way especially after a long day of standing and walking
They just recently ripped out remains of the old Skyway station in Tomorrowland. My friends and I were on the TTA, lamenting how they had changed all the audio on THAT when we looked over to see that during the Space Mountain construction... they were tearing out the station. We yelled, "NOT THE SKYWAY STATION TOO!" and lamented over that as well the rest of the ride.
I always wondered what happened to the ride also... I was there in 1984, 1988, 1994, and then returned in 2004 and it was no more... Now I go back every year and it would be nice to see a ride like that again. Sad but yes is was a wonderful ride to relax on and see the views...
OOOOOH! I remember just October my dad pointed at that place where the Skyway used to be, and my Dad and my uncle are like do you know what use to be there? And I said no. And they both said SKYWAY! They told me they spit on people when they were younger. XD
On February 14, 1999, a 65-year-old part-time custodian was killed when he fell off a gondola. He was cleaning the Fantasyland Skyway station platform when the ride was accidentally turned on. He was in the path of the ride vehicles and grabbed a passing gondola in an attempt to save himself. He lost his grip, fell 40 feet, and landed in a flower bed near the Dumbo ride ...
@MainlineProductions1 He died shortly after arrival at a local hospital. The Skyway ride, which had been scheduled to be closed before the accident occurred, was permanently closed on November 10, 1999. As a result of the accident, OSHA fined Walt Disney World US$4,500 for violating federal safety codes in that work area.
last time i went i could still see the stations that you got onto the ride with. one of them is near tomorrow land i believe and is being used as a waterfall.
Yes you can see an old station as you pass from Fantasyland into Liberty Square. There's a little waterfall right in front of it and a path leading up that goes nowhere. It looks like a little Bavarian hut. I always wondered what it was fore before I saw this video.
Wow I wish that I could have gone on this once, because it gives great views of the Magic Kingdom. I'm sure that Disney closed it for a reason, but still.
it really did give great views of the whole park! It was also great for those who couldn't walk the whole distance of the park (like my dad did), it was a real lifesaver. Now he refuses to go to WDW because of the walking. :(
It was great to see it in the sky above the park while we were there. It just made it that much better.
I wish they would have kept this ride and i wish the people that complained about this ride wouldn't have cause they are saying how this ride wasn't safe well look at dumbo that ride is way up in the air and it doesn't have doors thats more dangerous then this ride i mean the people that said this isn't safe whats your ideal of a safe ride?
It was closed more so due to the violation to that it did not allow those in wheelchairs to participate. They could not stop the gondola lifts and they couldn't allow the wheelchairs inside the gondola lifts too.
i still say it was safe though and thats why they got rid of it was cause so many people didn't like it and they thought it wasn't safe but i think it was safe and i remember riding this ride when i was younger and i loved it and i still do it was the best ride ever for me
I was 10 when they shut this ride down, then, but I remember riding the skyway, and I wish it was still there. I mean, I understand why they shut it down, but it was a great concept. A way to get across the park(other than walking) and also a great view! We called them the "sky buckets"
i remember riding this when i was really small. i remember a petting zoo also, and this. and a car with roger rabbit?
i think i was like 2~4 years old so my memory of it is very foggy. Now i know that it wasnt just my imagination and that there actualy was a ride like this in disneyland,
On February 14, 1999, a 65-year-old part-time custodian was killed when he fell off the gondola. He was cleaning the Fantasyland Skyway station platform when the ride was accidentally turned on. He was in the path of the ride vehicles, and grabbed a passing gondola in an attempt to save himself. He lost his grip and fell 40 feet, landing in a flower bed near the Dumbo ride.
I thought I could remember this ride. The very first time I visited Disney was in February 1999, and I flew home the day before the accident happened. I always wondered what happened to it when we returned the following year!
It is now a baby changing station and a little medic clinic. I took a picture of it and a guy looked at me then it and was like "what is he doing?" haha
I don't think so. Because i was there 2 weeks ago and it was there. I saw the station where it would have been. I may be wrong, but I think that was it.
of course it went when izener was in office. He just webt against all the classics. I love the classics. At least splash mountian and its a small world are the same splash mountainare the same i love the classic rides. I hope they keep spectro magic to. it looks like they overhauled it which is a good sign.
aw man that sucks....I remember riding this back in 97'....I loved the view....twas cool, I mean...I was only 8 at the time, so I was just happy to be in Disneyworld period! haha
...but that sucks that it closed....it was a relaxing way to get from one side of the park to the other....good for those who can't walk much...like my dad now....he would've really benefited from this nowadays...*sigh*
Unfortunately it was becoming more and more difficult to maintain, that and they were under a lot of pressure to make the ride handicapped and wheelchair accessible...not practical in a ride that can't be stopped.
so many reawsons but the main one is floridas economy what fails to bring in goog money must go and in somthing new its sad really makes it imposible to find historic things in florida iv lived there most of my life
They closed it because there were a few incidents that went on, people died on it a few times so they shut it down...now its just a stroller parking :/
Incident happened before the park opened for the day, a Guest Show Cast Member (more commonly known as "Custodial") was inside the ride track, not authorized, and the ride was started by another Cast Member who did not know he was there. Hence, the ride started, Guest Show Cast Member was taken for a ride, held on, then let go, end. Sad yes, very.
i remember riding this the first time i went to Disney World, i was 5 at the time and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately we didn't come back again till the year after they closed it :( this was a fun ride though!
He accidentally turned on the ride while he was in front of one of the cars.. The car pushed him out of the launching area and he held on for awhile.. He fell off and died by the Dumbo Ride. Sounds like something from Final Destination movie if you ask me....creapy
It closed in Nov of 99. A Disney worker was killed after park hours while he was cleaning the ride. Disney got slammed with expensive fees from OSHA and decided to close it down soon after.
When did this officially close? I remember riding it when I was a kid and my mom being terrified of the height. I'm glad that the launch structure still exists, today, though. Even if it does look abandoned and ominous.
It landed in Tomorrowland on the left side of the old America sings building ( the round building next to Autopia)The Disneyland Skyway was removed in November 1994 due to stress cracks in the matterhorn roller battery supports. At Disneyland, the Fantasyland Skyway station remains, off limits to guests and completely empty (no machinery), but the Tomorrowland station has been mostly removed.
I did an internship at Disney World in 2007 from Jan-June, and somebody definitely died on this thing. Sort of a freak accident about the loading or unloading station, I cant recall which.
It was also a security nightmare. As the behavior of American teens changed my showing less respect, less personal restraint and an utter disregard for others, this ride began to become dangerous to everyone below. Countless complaints and injuries took place from individuals spitting from above and dropping coins on people below. The frequency of these behaviors continued to grow until the ride was closed. Myself and other WDW employees took great care to never walk under the skyway.
Also the quest would bounce in the "buckets" and shake it. Once the ride shutdown because of that and they had to get them out by ladders from the fire department.
Don't forget about all the Cast Members that died while working on this ride. In 1997, I vividly remember 2 CMs dying while doing routine maintainance. The lock-out tag-outs never seemed to work for this ride. But you're right about the teens and throwing things... I remember that too!!
Overwhelming problem with the skyride was that the ride itself stood out like a sore thumb in the park and hurt the themed areas effect. This ride is best retired.
3. The ride was an insurance nightmare for Disney (guests dropping dangerous items, including chewed food and saliva, on guests below). It also revealed some of the "off stage" areas of the park, including the pale gray roofs of the Fantasyland buildings.
The Skyway had its time, but its was a "cheap state fair" attraction for the high-class, world renown theme park. It LONG overextended its welcome.
And the boats used for that ride have all been scrapped, with the two that weren't scrapped going to the Caribbean, where hurricanes took them to their graves.
I miss the bucket ride! I really miss carousel of progress and america sings, and country bear jamboree. Where is all the stuff you could sit and watch for 20 minutes, and get off your feet!
No, a maintenance worker was killed. It resulted in the Federal government issuing fines against WDW for numerous OSHA violations regarding the way the Skyway was operated and thus, to avoid costs required to bring it up to code, they had it shut down.
There was a person who did jump from a car previously and tried to sue the park, but witnesses and the person themselves all agreed that he jumped out of the car.
I'm so happy someone has footage of these old Disney rides. I have been to Disney countless times, and everytime I am there with someone who hasn't been there before, I am compelled to point out what used to be. Horizons, Skyway, Mr. Toad's, World of motion, Imagination (the original), etc... I have old pics of the outsides, but these vids are great!
How old are your videos?? They're great, btw!
iceman4785 4 days ago
@iceman4785 The majority of videos featured in the "Vanished" series were filmed in 1994.
Others filmed on subsequent trips get added when the rides are closed down.
cristelvideo 4 days ago
@cristelvideo I just knew they had to have come from the mid-90s. My parents took a 9-year-old version of me there in 1994 and we stayed at the newly-opened Wilderness Lodge and it was probably the best vacation ever... or at least until December 95 when we we went back! :p
The "Vanished" series bring back a lot of memories! Thank you so much for posting!!!!
iceman4785 4 days ago
I enjoyed this ride, but as much fun as it wa,s I think it was a bit too dangerous. I loved that Bavarian cottage it came out of in FantasyLand xD
SilverGummiShark 2 weeks ago
I was looking in my album and saw a pic of this from 1999 in orlando. I freaked out just thinking it was there and i didnt remember! XD
xXPivotGirl19Xx 2 months ago
Anybody else thought it was weird that when you looked down there wasnt a bunch of people with maps covering their faces and little brats.. I mean kids throwing a temper tantrum...I mean being little angels?
Mandimaemoo 3 months ago
I enjoyed the Skyway. It has been a long time since i rode it but I remember seeing a lot from that ride. Disney always has something bigger and better so I am not to concerned.
Charles77598 4 months ago
Ive been in Skyway..I loved the view but as a young kid scared of heights it was very scary!!! I miss it but maybe one day they can improve it and bring it back!!!
babygfeva 5 months ago
Don't care what you say, was the best way from one end to the other!
Onlinepoetrycafe 5 months ago
whats wierd that the building still there but it's abandond,wont it be funny if they open it back up but this time it's pixars "UP" theme! i mean think about it the skyways in the air and the movie "UP" is a flying type movie!
SuperFamfan 6 months ago
my first time going was in 1993, and THANK GOD mos of the rides in your disney vanished videos were still there when i went, but were torn down very shortly afterwards.
lsvtecb18c1 6 months ago
I disagree with you purists, the skylift gave people the chance to see the park above the hectic crowds and then you got to REST too so walking around all the time isn't such a great idea when the acreage is at least 4 miles. Being a diabetic, I couldn't enjoy anything without sitting down all the time.
CNNRotatingSquare 7 months ago
@CNNRotatingSquare Someone died because of it though...
angrybeaversfan 6 months ago
When I made my third visit to Magic Kingdom in March 2009 (my home is far from Florida, so my previous visits to Disney World had been in 1993 and 1997), one of the first things I noticed was that the Skyway was gone. I have fond memories of enjoying the Skyway views during my first two visits as a kid - too bad those views are gone for good.
potts5588 7 months ago
they took the skyway away when a repairman fixing it fell to his death
shanski2011 7 months ago
@shanski2011 yes but also 3 nuts job jumped out of the skyway and died on impact. (by small world) disney shut it down permently after that.
ramkidd123 7 months ago
i want this back.
randomvideouploader8 7 months ago
Good riddance. Fantasyland had the atmosphere of a circus with these things floating around.
stephl349 7 months ago
It's beyond amazing that you have these old videos. I remember a lot of these and I was sooooooooooooooooo little. I haven't been since!!! I'm dying to go again. Yes, I'm a 38 year old stuck in a child's mentality... which I think we all are when it comes to Disney.
discjockeyjoe 8 months ago 10
@discjockeyjoe you sound like a pedophile.
bachmann4president 4 months ago
@discjockeyjoe You're not the ONLY 38 year old, who also named JOE, who is stuck in a child's mentality. I so remember the Skyway as a kid. My 1st trip to WDW ever, I was 9. My mom was scared shit, but I LOVED it. The memories....
bkboy1016 2 months ago
Oh yeah I remember this from when I was little. I always *thought* they had this, but when I went back as I got older it was nowhere to be found lol.
xheathermichelle 8 months ago
It scared me to death. I'm over it now though.
Maybe.
GeneDexter 9 months ago
I havent been 2 disneyworld since i was mayb 2 or 3:( thats only cuz i liv in so cal so im 30 min away from disneyland:) but it looks likee a lot of fun
bombSKEEZ123 10 months ago
I was at the Magic Kingdom on Sunday and the Skyway ending point in Fantasyland is still there! Most people just don't notice it or know what it is/was. At the Tomorrowland side I didn't see any remnants. Also, all of Toontown (fka Mickey's Birthdayland) was gone and is being redone as Fantasy Circus or something. And the big section of Fantasyland that was the 20,000 Leagues ride then supposed to be an Ariel ride and then was later a playground was all gone too; behind a big wall...
leeloo67 10 months ago
Good times , the 90's . the only i was afraid of was that somebody trow something for the sky way and hit someone down there
MrOnixroldan 11 months ago
when was this shot??
WeaslysWizardWeezes 11 months ago
it closed after a custodian was cleaning the ride and it turned on and started moving and he grabbed onto a gondola and lost his grip and fell in a flower patch near dumbo. after reading this i feel really sad watching this video especially near the dumbo ride. :'(
Kagenore 11 months ago
They're called gongalas you can see them in Canada. I might have spelt it wrong lol
rubyredmedia 11 months ago
I actually thought the Skyway was FUN! I feel horrible that it is no more.
oneblackhorse 1 year ago
When you were tired of walking, this was always the way to get from Tomorrowland to Fantastyland. A piece of WDW never to be forgotten.
lotsabears 1 year ago
Not sure that it closed due to death so much as it allowed visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of Disney. I'm sure you would be able to see Mickey removing his head, or Cinderella taking a smoke break if you could see over the walls.
kellymarkwell 1 year ago
I loved the skyway!
aubreycanfield 1 year ago
I hope they got rid of that insipid, "It's a Small World" too!
mikeg642000 1 year ago
@mikeg642000 I hated that thing. I refused to go in there when i was 12, the last time i visited the park. To this day I loath that song. Have a happy day.
MrCombat1965 1 year ago
@mikeg642000 they haven't but they so need to do it i mean c'mon your going like 3 mph and it takes 15 minutes to get to the end of the freaking ride so thats something that needs to go they need to replace that with more toontown (in disneyland) and a roller coaster (in disneyworld) so yeah GET RIDE OF SMALL WORLD!!!!!!!!!
puckorr 1 year ago
You are AWESOME to post these vids, thank you! I felt like I went back in time. I wish I could go back with my entire family to the late 70's or early 80's.
2muchreality4u 1 year ago
I think people may go nuts for me saying this, but I am glad the Skyway is gone. It looked so tacky, and while I am a Disney "purist", the Skyway made Disney look like Six Flags.
del1000005 1 year ago 15
@del1000005 LOL...yep it looks like a Six Flags ride to me too.
dlastqueen 1 year ago
@del1000005 Except the skyway made it look like a town in the alps to anyone whose cultural references extended past theme parks.
thinkfaster 6 months ago
@thinkfaster But Disney is a theme park! The Skyway in Disney World was a virtual replica of the one in Disneyland. It was intented as a "cool" way to transport yourself around the park, not to make Disney World look like a town from the alps.
And why the quip about cultural references to theme parks, as if going to theme parks, particularly Disney World, on vacation is somehow "bad" or "culturally deficient". If I want to go to the Alps, I'll go there. However, excuse me for loving Disney.
del1000005 5 months ago
@del1000005
I would also imagine that it would take a good deal of the "magic" away for children to see that all those fanciful buildings were facades.
MyManOWarSmiles 4 weeks ago
@del1000005 I completely disagree. It added beautiful color to the park's skyline and gave riders some peaceful aerial views of the Magic Kingdom.
Every year at the local county fair, a chairlift is set up (with colorful chairs). That ride alone is enough to make me go to the fair as it brings back some very special memories of Walt Disney's skyway.
GeorgiaKev 3 days ago
I loved this ride, we convinced my grandma to go on it with us, shes afraid of heights she sat on the floor the entire ride
MrUmpalumpa29 1 year ago
this closed because someone died.
ohamberxx3 1 year ago
Of all the rides that have been removed over the years I think this one breaks my heart the most! I loved this ride so much as a kid!
supersuperwendydvc 1 year ago
I miss the Skyway so much!!! I loved it when I was younger, and last time I went there it was gone.. I was devastated lol!! I wish they'd bring it back!
bflatgirl 1 year ago
I miss all the old Disney World rides. I started going there in 1971.
Djvdzss 1 year ago
I NEVER GOT TO SEE THIS MY FIRST VISIT WAS MAY 2000 I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE GONE ON IT
136miles 1 year ago
I remember this ride! As well as the others that they took out, like Time Keeper.
DragonLover789 1 year ago
I remember going on this with my Dad in the early 90's.
The next time I went back in...2002(?)...it was gone =/
idkjade 1 year ago
When I worked for Disney, several of my fellow WDWCPers in custodial went up to the roof of Mr Toad to clean bird droppings and other stuff including trash removal because it could be seen from the skyway.
frikitiki 1 year ago
@frikitiki I love hearing stories like this!!!! I loved the Sky Way and I miss Mr. Toads Wild Ride!!! They really need to bring back the Sky Way!!!
tinytoes409 1 year ago
Comment removed
magermax000 1 year ago
@magermax000 Yeah, Mr. Toad has been gone for a while!! I want to say late 90's..The Winnie the Pooh ride took it's place....cute ride...but Mr. Toad shouldn't have been replaced!!
tinytoes409 1 year ago
@tinytoes409 Forgot that this is a disney world video... I've only been there twice. Disneyland, however, is a different story. We go way back.
magermax000 1 year ago
@magermax000 So is the Skyway and Mr. Toads Wild Ride in Disneyland?? I have never been to Disneyland, would like to see these rides again and I would go to Cali to see them!!!
tinytoes409 1 year ago
such a shame they shut it down. it was the only way to get from Tomorrow land to frontier land [close to it] without taking the train the long way around the park. It was much better than walking the whole way especially after a long day of standing and walking
TrainsitFan 1 year ago 2
I remember going on that when I was little. It was fun.
Xenomorph237 1 year ago
They just recently ripped out remains of the old Skyway station in Tomorrowland. My friends and I were on the TTA, lamenting how they had changed all the audio on THAT when we looked over to see that during the Space Mountain construction... they were tearing out the station. We yelled, "NOT THE SKYWAY STATION TOO!" and lamented over that as well the rest of the ride.
AmbyLeigh 1 year ago
miss this thing, cant remember going on it but ive got photos lol. so what mad incident happened that caused it to shut down??
angiebucko 1 year ago
I always wondered what happened to the ride also... I was there in 1984, 1988, 1994, and then returned in 2004 and it was no more... Now I go back every year and it would be nice to see a ride like that again. Sad but yes is was a wonderful ride to relax on and see the views...
TheProduction101 1 year ago
OOOOOH! I remember just October my dad pointed at that place where the Skyway used to be, and my Dad and my uncle are like do you know what use to be there? And I said no. And they both said SKYWAY! They told me they spit on people when they were younger. XD
Beeblez55 1 year ago
im so sad they got rid of this this was my fave ride :(
YTNimron 1 year ago
When was it taken down?
MainlineProductions1 2 years ago
@MainlineProductions1 this is on wikipedia : Skyway
Main article: Skyway (Disney)
On February 14, 1999, a 65-year-old part-time custodian was killed when he fell off a gondola. He was cleaning the Fantasyland Skyway station platform when the ride was accidentally turned on. He was in the path of the ride vehicles and grabbed a passing gondola in an attempt to save himself. He lost his grip, fell 40 feet, and landed in a flower bed near the Dumbo ride ...
tooawesome2bereal 1 year ago
@MainlineProductions1 He died shortly after arrival at a local hospital. The Skyway ride, which had been scheduled to be closed before the accident occurred, was permanently closed on November 10, 1999. As a result of the accident, OSHA fined Walt Disney World US$4,500 for violating federal safety codes in that work area.
tooawesome2bereal 1 year ago
@redsoxfanatic334 they've recently taken down the building that used to be the skyway station near Space Mountain.
dreamingstar213 2 years ago
bringit back! updated for ada etc
surgeaholic 2 years ago
last time i went i could still see the stations that you got onto the ride with. one of them is near tomorrow land i believe and is being used as a waterfall.
redsoxfanatic334 2 years ago
Yes you can see an old station as you pass from Fantasyland into Liberty Square. There's a little waterfall right in front of it and a path leading up that goes nowhere. It looks like a little Bavarian hut. I always wondered what it was fore before I saw this video.
DisneyWorldVIP 2 years ago
Wow I wish that I could have gone on this once, because it gives great views of the Magic Kingdom. I'm sure that Disney closed it for a reason, but still.
DisneyWorldVIP 2 years ago
it really did give great views of the whole park! It was also great for those who couldn't walk the whole distance of the park (like my dad did), it was a real lifesaver. Now he refuses to go to WDW because of the walking. :(
It was great to see it in the sky above the park while we were there. It just made it that much better.
mcrfreek89 2 years ago
Darn worker that turned it on and died on it. Ruined it for EVERYONE! I feel bad that he died, but really? Did it HAVE to be closed? No.
They better recreate something like this, and soon!
mcrfreek89 2 years ago
I wish they would have kept this ride and i wish the people that complained about this ride wouldn't have cause they are saying how this ride wasn't safe well look at dumbo that ride is way up in the air and it doesn't have doors thats more dangerous then this ride i mean the people that said this isn't safe whats your ideal of a safe ride?
BigThunderFan 2 years ago
It was closed more so due to the violation to that it did not allow those in wheelchairs to participate. They could not stop the gondola lifts and they couldn't allow the wheelchairs inside the gondola lifts too.
SaruCameraNinja 2 years ago
i still say it was safe though and thats why they got rid of it was cause so many people didn't like it and they thought it wasn't safe but i think it was safe and i remember riding this ride when i was younger and i loved it and i still do it was the best ride ever for me
BigThunderFan 2 years ago
I was 10 when they shut this ride down, then, but I remember riding the skyway, and I wish it was still there. I mean, I understand why they shut it down, but it was a great concept. A way to get across the park(other than walking) and also a great view! We called them the "sky buckets"
wackacatfan1 2 years ago
i remember riding this when i was really small. i remember a petting zoo also, and this. and a car with roger rabbit?
i think i was like 2~4 years old so my memory of it is very foggy. Now i know that it wasnt just my imagination and that there actualy was a ride like this in disneyland,
ThisIsRonald 2 years ago
i wish i could ride this ride but i was not born yet
2009Dest 2 years ago
the building is there but that isnt
BassGuitar98 2 years ago
I still remeber riding this when I was 4 or 5 years old
Renegator92 2 years ago
I remember bits and pieces of it. Why must the good rides die?
ztslovebird 2 years ago
On February 14, 1999, a 65-year-old part-time custodian was killed when he fell off the gondola. He was cleaning the Fantasyland Skyway station platform when the ride was accidentally turned on. He was in the path of the ride vehicles, and grabbed a passing gondola in an attempt to save himself. He lost his grip and fell 40 feet, landing in a flower bed near the Dumbo ride.
papuchongo 2 years ago
Oh. But it wasn't the ride's fault; it was the fault of whoever accidentally turned it on.
ztslovebird 2 years ago
I thought I could remember this ride. The very first time I visited Disney was in February 1999, and I flew home the day before the accident happened. I always wondered what happened to it when we returned the following year!
sprki 2 years ago
I'm so glad I got to ride this many many times through the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's.
rmmcclay 2 years ago
We all miss these attractions, but if parks don't update the rides then they become stale and visitors will go elsewhare.
MLeyden91 2 years ago
It is now a baby changing station and a little medic clinic. I took a picture of it and a guy looked at me then it and was like "what is he doing?" haha
Bater8slater 2 years ago
I think it was just demolished :(
dirtysexym0ney 2 years ago
I don't think so. Because i was there 2 weeks ago and it was there. I saw the station where it would have been. I may be wrong, but I think that was it.
Bater8slater 2 years ago
of course it went when izener was in office. He just webt against all the classics. I love the classics. At least splash mountian and its a small world are the same splash mountainare the same i love the classic rides. I hope they keep spectro magic to. it looks like they overhauled it which is a good sign.
vintageepcot 2 years ago
Oh how I miss the SkyWay!
usabritcouple 2 years ago
got a handy in a red car once...
DBRGroup 2 years ago
i had quite a bit more than that in a yellow car... easy to duck down when ur up int he sky :P
chevydrivingguy 2 years ago
i rode this when i was 3!
jchav324 2 years ago
would you like a cookie, congrats
junktehgreat 2 years ago
sure, you got oatmeal? thanks!
you are so kind!
jchav324 2 years ago
aw man that sucks....I remember riding this back in 97'....I loved the view....twas cool, I mean...I was only 8 at the time, so I was just happy to be in Disneyworld period! haha
...but that sucks that it closed....it was a relaxing way to get from one side of the park to the other....good for those who can't walk much...like my dad now....he would've really benefited from this nowadays...*sigh*
mcrfreek89 2 years ago
Unfortunately it was becoming more and more difficult to maintain, that and they were under a lot of pressure to make the ride handicapped and wheelchair accessible...not practical in a ride that can't be stopped.
tangentslayer 2 years ago
They're bringing it back....
whurdsderodan 2 years ago
No, they're not.
happybelly4 2 years ago
so many reawsons but the main one is floridas economy what fails to bring in goog money must go and in somthing new its sad really makes it imposible to find historic things in florida iv lived there most of my life
darkhalo116 2 years ago
I thought they closed it due to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) regulations. The ride vehicles were too small to accomodate a wheelchair.
bugman1109 2 years ago
They closed it because there were a few incidents that went on, people died on it a few times so they shut it down...now its just a stroller parking :/
gabyybabyy531 3 years ago
Incident happened before the park opened for the day, a Guest Show Cast Member (more commonly known as "Custodial") was inside the ride track, not authorized, and the ride was started by another Cast Member who did not know he was there. Hence, the ride started, Guest Show Cast Member was taken for a ride, held on, then let go, end. Sad yes, very.
PLeyava 3 years ago
now why would they get rid of this?
who wouldn't want to go on this?
supermusicfun 3 years ago
they got rid of it?
sportychick11498 3 years ago
good riddens, to many new rides today, that was a phase now its gone
cooknthyme 2 years ago
Many reasons it's gone.
1. You can see backstage, bad show.
2. You can do this kind of ride anywhere, any carnival, so it's not unique.
3. Someone died from being stupid, good enough.
I work there, and it was an eye sore, I'm glad it's gone.
PLeyava 3 years ago
i remember riding this the first time i went to Disney World, i was 5 at the time and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately we didn't come back again till the year after they closed it :( this was a fun ride though!
Arei 3 years ago
I miss the Eastern Airlines flight! Buzz Lightyear doesn' hold a candle to it!
JPPT1974 3 years ago 9
what was that ride? (Eastern Airlines fligh) Yah I wasn't too crazy 'bout Buzz Lightyear ride...!
jchav324 2 years ago
Delta Airlines
ateliere 2 years ago
@JPPT1974 are you kidding buzz rocks!
puckorr 1 year ago
He accidentally turned on the ride while he was in front of one of the cars.. The car pushed him out of the launching area and he held on for awhile.. He fell off and died by the Dumbo Ride. Sounds like something from Final Destination movie if you ask me....creapy
Jaytrod 3 years ago
I heard he fell right by stroller parking, not far from the departure, but enough to kill him.
This incident is why Disney made R.A.C. procedures.
PLeyava 3 years ago
It closed in Nov of 99. A Disney worker was killed after park hours while he was cleaning the ride. Disney got slammed with expensive fees from OSHA and decided to close it down soon after.
Jaytrod 3 years ago
When did this officially close? I remember riding it when I was a kid and my mom being terrified of the height. I'm glad that the launch structure still exists, today, though. Even if it does look abandoned and ominous.
iambluebird 3 years ago
The accident involved a worker--the park was still closed.
michaeljrivero 3 years ago 2
It landed in Tomorrowland on the left side of the old America sings building ( the round building next to Autopia)The Disneyland Skyway was removed in November 1994 due to stress cracks in the matterhorn roller battery supports. At Disneyland, the Fantasyland Skyway station remains, off limits to guests and completely empty (no machinery), but the Tomorrowland station has been mostly removed.
slugdawg 3 years ago
I did an internship at Disney World in 2007 from Jan-June, and somebody definitely died on this thing. Sort of a freak accident about the loading or unloading station, I cant recall which.
observewithcouth 3 years ago
not many people no where it landed in tomorrowland either its where the waterfall is now next to space mountain
DizneeImagineer14 3 years ago
Ive Always Wanted To See The Haunted Mansion From Above...Stupid Teens Throwing Rubbish At People From The Top X(
DrachenClawStudios 3 years ago
thts not y they got rid of the skyway its becuz a worker fell off and died
DizneeImagineer14 3 years ago
Oh, Thanks FOr Telling Me.
DrachenClawStudios 3 years ago
Hey, these videos were really beautifully shot.
WastedPo 3 years ago
i didn't know this was gone. :(
kitkel4 3 years ago
i miss this. I loved it on my first trip ever
bbbblazin2802 3 years ago
I thought this ride was cool. I loved being able to see the park in a completely different way.
PhantomStella 3 years ago
This ride allowed me to take the best photo I have ever taken at WDW. It was a wide shot of the back of the castle in the ealry evening.
Guntahkela 3 years ago
The lines for this ride were incredible. I remember hoping we'd get a blue bucket with a "cool" number.
durhay 3 years ago
i rode this when i was little, i revisited disney 4 years later and it was gone, i didnt know it had a name so i couldnt ask where it was:(
pknight14 4 years ago
It was also a security nightmare. As the behavior of American teens changed my showing less respect, less personal restraint and an utter disregard for others, this ride began to become dangerous to everyone below. Countless complaints and injuries took place from individuals spitting from above and dropping coins on people below. The frequency of these behaviors continued to grow until the ride was closed. Myself and other WDW employees took great care to never walk under the skyway.
siftingcinders 4 years ago
Also the quest would bounce in the "buckets" and shake it. Once the ride shutdown because of that and they had to get them out by ladders from the fire department.
IBMeddling 4 years ago
Don't forget about all the Cast Members that died while working on this ride. In 1997, I vividly remember 2 CMs dying while doing routine maintainance. The lock-out tag-outs never seemed to work for this ride. But you're right about the teens and throwing things... I remember that too!!
LMann32869 3 years ago
Also a cleaner died while he was cleaning early after the park opened and the ride started up accidently
imbo8w 3 years ago
Overwhelming problem with the skyride was that the ride itself stood out like a sore thumb in the park and hurt the themed areas effect. This ride is best retired.
jdohe 4 years ago
ya true thats the sorta thing that would really bug me
knokout1 3 years ago
I have to agree. Those buckets and the lines were pretty ugly up there.
Monty22001 3 years ago
wow, this ride went from fantasyland (behind small world) to main street usa. you can still see parts of it at wdw.
elvingtonjr 4 years ago
I went on this ride back in 1978,,,and then it was shut down.
eventvisionsinc 4 years ago
Beautiful shot at 1:30!
dkslfjgh 4 years ago
i remeber going on the sky ride
Blinkfortress 4 years ago
Aww I miss the skyway!
SilverSynchro7 4 years ago
Luvv the view of the castle during sun set, It looks pretty
americanjrsfan 4 years ago
I'd be unsure of this because I am afraid of heights!
americanjrsfan 4 years ago
same
trendymeg101 4 years ago
this was at disney wold florida!!! wow i never knew this either!
rct3er 4 years ago
Great video - thanks for sharing! I remember these - I loved taking this ride when I wanted a rest!!
puppyluvx3 4 years ago
Yeah but they still have ski lift rides at Busch Gardens...I miss the Sky Ride, it was a good way to get across the park too.
yeeeow 4 years ago
3. The ride was an insurance nightmare for Disney (guests dropping dangerous items, including chewed food and saliva, on guests below). It also revealed some of the "off stage" areas of the park, including the pale gray roofs of the Fantasyland buildings.
The Skyway had its time, but its was a "cheap state fair" attraction for the high-class, world renown theme park. It LONG overextended its welcome.
SonofEmmy2 4 years ago
2. The attraction was not able to accommodate guest in wheelchairs, a direct violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
SonofEmmy2 4 years ago
how bout'
- Mr. Toad's wild ride
- tarzan rocks!*
- who wants to be a millionare! play it
-& that sea ride where you go under water
*syc
the rest i want
JmanAnimation 4 years ago
Sorry, I don't have footage of these rides. Under the sea - do you mean 20,000 leagues ? - Vanished Disney 3.
cristelvideo 4 years ago
oh i forgot the name
JmanAnimation 4 years ago
And the boats used for that ride have all been scrapped, with the two that weren't scrapped going to the Caribbean, where hurricanes took them to their graves.
InuKun2008 2 years ago
I miss the bucket ride! I really miss carousel of progress and america sings, and country bear jamboree. Where is all the stuff you could sit and watch for 20 minutes, and get off your feet!
4skorand7 4 years ago
Carousel of progress, country bear jamboree, journey into imagination all still exist.
brndncrsn 4 years ago
What year did this close?
estelle497 4 years ago
1999
imbo8w 3 years ago
I used to call this the "Up-Sky-and-High Ride". :( I loved it.
LitByFireflies 4 years ago
Why and when did this close?
BUTTONBICHON 4 years ago
The Skyway closed November 10, 1999. Three reasons: 1. After hours on Feb. 14, 1999, a maintenance worker was swept from the loading dock and killed.
SonofEmmy2 4 years ago
SonofEmmy2,ur exactly right, thats why they closed it, they couldn't except more deaths....
Girlygirlnat101 4 years ago
1. Cleaner was killed accidently when the ride started up without the notice of the cleaner.
2. Negligence occurred through the years, such as spitting and throwing rubbish
imbo8w 3 years ago
the cleaner getting killed was just a rumor that never happened
fordmustangconv94 3 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
yes it did
mondopimp 3 years ago 2
yes it did happen
DizneeImagineer14 3 years ago
No, a maintenance worker was killed. It resulted in the Federal government issuing fines against WDW for numerous OSHA violations regarding the way the Skyway was operated and thus, to avoid costs required to bring it up to code, they had it shut down.
There was a person who did jump from a car previously and tried to sue the park, but witnesses and the person themselves all agreed that he jumped out of the car.
InuKun2008 2 years ago
I'm so happy someone has footage of these old Disney rides. I have been to Disney countless times, and everytime I am there with someone who hasn't been there before, I am compelled to point out what used to be. Horizons, Skyway, Mr. Toad's, World of motion, Imagination (the original), etc... I have old pics of the outsides, but these vids are great!
jessemedic 4 years ago
i miss those thins cause i remember my rents tricked me and my sister saying that my grandma was at disney (which she wasn't)
XxTennisFan001xX 5 years ago
This is excellent. What year was it taken?
dmcfee 5 years ago
1994
cristelvideo 5 years ago
Thank you so much for sharing your video of the vanished world of Disney. It brings back so many memories!
studster 5 years ago