Skyway to Tomorrowland - Magic Kingdom - Walt Disney World

[Spaceshotx7]

Its too bad the skyway was closed. Now you can't take a scenic ride from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland.

[HabboThorpii]

it was closed because a man was cleaning the loading bit and it turned on he fell 40 ft and died. then it was closed.

[MrPeachlover]

I went with both of my grandmas one was scared and so my sis she was 4 so i went with my other grandma and i remember how fun it was i was sad when it was closwd :(

[galaxypa]

if only they brought it back.. then it would be true magic

[frybergh]

amaing how much the park has changed since then.... 20,000 leagues, the castle, mr. toad, the fantasyland expansion, snow white will be closing...

[galaxypa]

@frybergh WHOA WHOA WHOA! 20,000 is closing in disneyland?!?!??! I went on it 2 years ag oand had a balst. Disneyland had theres close and it was amazing to fly to CA just to go on that ride.. even though we got stuck lol

[frybergh]

@galaxypa o no sorry let me clear that up for you. I was talking about wdw florida, where this ride was filmed. Not in the disneyland one. 20,000 leagues was closed in 1997, mr toad closed for winnie the pooh, the castle was all done up for the big celebration, there is currently a major fantasyland rennovation underway, and snow white's scary adventures will be closing, to make way for a princess meet and greet. There will be a seven dwarves coaster built in the new fantasyland, though

[galaxypa]

@frybergh okeydoke! that's semi okay since its still at disneyland, but not okay since im prob not going to the land one for a long time. I wish Disney world would get "all the cool rides" back. :P

[supahdadd]

@wittmann: This ride closed in 1999, but wasn't fully removed from the park until a few years later. The pylons (towers) stood at least until about 2003.

[21sunshinee]

wow, it's amazing how different the park looks now...

[airbus001]

RIP Skyway .... the memories 

[thecoolestdad]

What year did you record this?After seeing the castle, I know we did not get to go that year,because I see the castle was transformed for that celebration that eludes me right now.I also have VHS footage of this skyway ride and I like many wish it was still there.I see what benstudio13 wrote as to why it was closed down,but with WDW's money,that can't be thrreason that is was too expensive to keep it going.It has been there since 1971 when MK opened.This was probably the cheapest ride to run.

[Benstudio13]

@thecoolestdad This has to be 1996 because the castle was decorated to look like a cake for Walt Disney World's 25th birthday.

[amyvocalist]

@Benstudio13 Yep, you're right! 

[GoPlayMW2OrSomething]

so now i know what that building near small world was there for

[WickedPlumVintage]

I went in 1987 and we have video of us on this, and it was really convenient. Went back in June 2010 for the first time since '87, and while we stood in line at the Peter Pan ride, we saw that this building is still there, and we could not remember what it was, then my dad remembered and we wondered what happened to it. Really could have used that ride a few months ago...

[fruitlady9]

I heared that the timekeeper animatronic is still at wdw they keep it hidden from guest in the tommorowland skyway station and it is still in perfect working condition disney keeps some of the old animatronic in there the old tommorowland station is now a storage room

[scotfreak]

yeah that was a really handy ride especially when i was 4 and refused to walk too much

[ztslovebird]

I remember riding this when I was little! It was a little scary (for a 5-year-old), but the view was amazing and it was a GREAT way to get around the park! Why did they close it down?

[k9774]

a worker died on that in 1999 after it was started acsedently. he attemped to hang on but landed in the bushes near dumbo

[electonicsforless]

WTF is up with the castle

[TJM862]

@electonicsforless they turned it into a giant cake for the 25th in 1996

[warhymn]

Well, all the Disney kingdoms seem to be going through a lot of cost cutting over the past decade. 20,000 leagues (and like attractions) proved too expensive to operate. Plus, Disney makes an effort to stay modern/fresh. In the case of the Skyway, with the employee's death, a supposed high cost to maintain and fix "stress cracks" in the support superstructure along with issues concerning disabled riders and this particular ride, they likely felt it was easier to simply dismantle it altogether.

[vonrollskyway1]

@warhymn The stress cracks were at the original Skyway.Disneyland inside the Matterhorn.This Vonroll Vr101 was built like an ox.

[yourimaginaryenemy]

I was there a month before this was filmed! Thanks so much for posting.

[crazyjayboyblue]

I was working at WDW when they discontinued Skyway. R.I.P. :(

Thanks for posting this video!

[imagineer0220]

what was that area u went through before u landed in tomorrowland? it was near the Tomorrowland Speedway.

[FLTlingit]

It's a turnstile where the cables are redirected, they make a right hand turn in the video toward Tomorrowland

[imagineer0220]

i loved when the castle was like that!

[poppy357gsp]

this ride was great. it was the best for smoking a philly blunt. dutch master took over in the late 90's but that ride was one of the best blunt rides. so much harder to puff now days. happy 420

[GNARfreshh]

lol'd hard

[catycatcat4]

Was the sub ride still running when this was filmed?

[eagles36rules]

wen i went in 1999 this was still here lol it closed like 3 months later

[Boogie1188]

I remember going on the Skyway when I was a kid!

[waytooawesome4you]

2. See how in the video the stop it for a second so you can get on? At GE they don't. You have to get on mega quick, and then pull the bar down uber fast and have it get locked. If it isnt locked quickly enough, oh well. That would be ULTRA scary. The one @ GE starts atop a hill. Followed by a creek. So if something went wrong you would fall a gazillion feet down into nasty water. Wonderful! So yes, its mega scary. AND OVER 40 YEARS OLD!!!!

[waytooawesome4you]

In Lake George, NY there is an amusement park owned by Six Flags called The Great Escape. They have the skyway thingies and they are so scary.

1.See how these ones are enclosed and then there's a gate? These ones at GE are just a booth with a bar over it. I'm mega skinny and I can slide out from under the bar. Can you imagine what 2-5 year olds could do?

2 See how in the video the stop it for a second so you can get on? At GE they don't. You have to get on mega quick, and then pull the

[MissDisneyUSA]

Also just to add a few more things...

Florida means more to me than just the parks and rides! The feeling i get when im there is unexplainable,the people i meet there are just so friendly and amazing! i spend most of my time talking to other Americans and making friends :-)

All my family love americans always have..my auntie even married one!

but to me my heart feels at home in Florida and the magic i feel at Disney will not ever compare to any other feeling in the world xxx

[waytooawesome4you]

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. He died shortly after being taken to a local hospital.

[waytooawesome4you]

The Skyway ride, which had been scheduled to be closed before the accident occurred, was permanently closed on November 10, 1999.[73] As a result of the accident, OSHA fined Walt Disney World US$4,500 for violating federal safety codes in that work area.

[waytooawesome4you]

Wiki it, "Deaths and Incidents at Disney Parks" You wouldn't believe how unsafe this lovely magical world is...

I used to love it there. Now, I'm scared to hell to go back in February.

[poppy357gsp]

tee he he

[Mattonna]

@MissDisneyUSA just got back from orlando a week ago. I FEEL YOU!!



[MissDisneyUSA]

Ive been reading what people have said about the changes that have been made to some rides or that they have gone totally! i do agree that they should have left it well alone!

my and my family are from England and have visited Almost every park in orlando many many times! and we really miss river country that was amazing,it really captured a feeling of a authentic water park,Disney needs to really think about it in the future before they make changes" Dont fix what is not broken"

[08WSChamps]

Go back this August!!!!

[08WSChamps]

playground took the place of 20,000 L.U.The.Sea nd the Extra Terrestrial Encounter b/c i was finally old enough to go in it, but they had to change it when i was like 11-13. IDK Disney is still amazing but im beginning to worry w/ all these changes, i know the economy is bad now but tht wa b4 the poor economy, and the skyway was simply b/c of too many deaths and near accidents which i can understand. I'm so glad tht i was lucky enough tosee the castle as a cak during the 25th anniv. cat wait to

[08WSChamps]

please dont get me wrong i love Disney World and always will go there as long as I live but I'm a little sad that the Disney World has had a few dissapointing changes. I totally agree w/Angree0212 there are so many refurbished rides that r killed, they ruin classic rides. I cant beieve spaceship Earth, it took them that long to pretty much take everything out of it and put this new gen shit in it. Omg tht was my fav ride and now its a piece of shit. I'm alo dissapointed that the stupid pooh...

[ChicanoTattooArt]

I hated when people used to rock them.

[Angry0212]

Same track as " If you had Wings" no changes at all. Just a cheap facelift. Again not Disney quality just crap.

[Angry0212]

A classic has now been tarnished at EPCOT Spaceship Earth is now a shell of what once was. Very disappointing. The worst is Extra Terrestrial Encounter, it was changed to Stiches pos because it scared people. WTF, that was the intention when it was designed, it was awesome. Now it totally and I mean totally sucks the nub. Spaceship Earth is disgustingly shitty now. Even the Buzz Lightyear ride is simply an adjustment to the ride vehicles.

[ztslovebird]

@Angry0212 What's wrong with Spaceship Earth? Yes, the video thing is kind of dull, but that's the only major change. Everything else was just repainted.

Stitch was fun the first time, but it got old REALLY fast! And they cut SO much out of the Buzz Lightyear ride to make room for the Laugh Floor >(

[Sumshine904]

@ztslovebird They didn't cut anything out of Buzz Lightyear... ? I've been going since I was four and I've never noticed any changes in it...

[ztslovebird]

@Sumshine904 Maybe it's just me. I've been going since before I learned how to walk, and the Buzz Lightyear ride seems a little shorter to me after they added the Laugh Floor.

[MissDisneyUSA]

Me & my family were at disneyworld when the castle was a huge cake! i loved it..i loved 20000 leagues under the sea,what has replaced it does anyone know?

[pussywire]

poohs playground is there now.

[Boghman22]

Please don't tell me you got anyone pregnant in the time between then and now...

[ztslovebird]

@MissDisneyUSA At first, the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea lagoon was drained and used for Ariel's Grotto (a meet-and-greet area) and the Winnie the Pooh playground. But with the new construction and expansion plans, the area is currently a big pile of dirt (lol) which will someday soon (hopefully) be turned into the new Little Mermaid ride, a Beauty and the Beast-themed sit-down resturant, and other Disney Princess-related stuff.

[mcrfreek89]

aww you went when the castle was still a birthday cake! Both of the times I went there (96' and 97'), the castle was a HUGE birthday cake for their 25th anniversary....

...brings back so many memories....*sigh*

[Boghman22]

I miss Horizons.

[namsivad]

This brings back memories when the skybuckets at Disneyland were still in operation. Never forget the amazing views of the park that it gave

[FemmeDePunkRock]

Actually they removed the ride because a 65 year old maintenance worker got his uniform caught on a gondola at the transfer station in the middle of the ride,you see it @ 5:01, and could not free himself before being lifted into the air. His clothing tore and he fell to his death. What I don't know is why they decided to remove the ride, other people have died on other rides they've left intact. Maybe because it was the ride design which was at fault vs his having done something wrong? IDK.

[mmtube08]

ur full of shit

[Angry0212]

Both are correct. A maintenance worker was killed and folks were throwing shit. People suck in general. I loved this ride and many others that are now gone. River Country, Extra Terrestrial Encounter, 20,000 Leagues, Time Keeper,Skyway, Mr Toads Wild Ride the list goes on and on. The main worry I have is it seems in the past few years when a ride is "refurbished" they ruin what the ride was.

[ChicanoTattooArt]

yea I remember someone died on this ride.

[monkeynuts76]

yea too many little pricks were throwing things down on people and injured some

thats why they tore it down.

[blowme23]

aww this video makes me sad.  I love this ride and I also love 20,000 leauges.

[DessertDivaFL]

I totally agree. I remember this and the 20,000 leagues ride too.

[AKJackie]

I to rode on this one back in 1994. I did notice it was missing when we went there in May 08. Sad.

[livelaughluvXD]

Awh, (:

This ride was amazing!

Im going to Walt Disney World in Florida on December 22.

Everytime I go i miss this ride so much ):

[Costerguy1234556]

4:59 operator?

[9ALLEN9]

Anyone mind explaning to me why it closed? Is it because many people fell out?

[dkslfjgh]

The only death I was aware of was the custodian getting knocked off the platform and being killed. The ride had already been scheduled for closure before that accident had happened because it was not an effective crowd mover. It was also too difficult and expensive to maintain and would have to be shut down during any kind of bad weather.

[DesslerAlmeidaGirl]

I think another custodian was on the ride and fell off while doing maintenance or something. If you check, I think the whole story is on Wikipedia.

[runlikeme1624]

Because Wikipedia is a source you can trust, so you know it has to be true.

[persephone1980]

I think I heard it also didn't meet up with new standards for Handicaps or something like that

[RequiemBell104]

Whatever Disney may tell the public of why a certain ride is closing is never the actual truth. It's always sugar coated. Slow loading, handicap un-accessible, maintenance issuses...blah blah blah.. what it all comes down to at the end of the day is saving MONEY. Not nostalgia. The best example of this is the shut down of 20,000 Leagues, the skyway is runner up.

[keepers1149]

aww. this was one of my favorite rides b4 it closed

[sdr1963]

I remember this ride, it was great to get on and decide what rides you wanted o get on and to see what rides had long lines.

[SkyFox98]

I wish I was born in 1988.

[mikekool58]

RAMKIDD123 is right but in six flags great adventure in new jersey theres a sky ride and they tell you not to shake and to keep hands and feet in the ride if they can't do that its not the parks fault nd yea its safety hazzards if the car gets shooked

[ramkidd123]

i have a friend that works there and he said they took that down cause kids and adults would rock back and forth and was a safety hazzard. also a few had jumped off to their death. so disney took them down.

[rayzeus86]

i went to disney world in 94, i remember riding on this to get around. I didn't know it no longer operational. :(

[roseanna8871]

This video is awesome! I was there during this time I remember the castle looking like a cake! Thanks for the memories......

[JBandMMluvr]

that was a while ago i reamber when it was like a cake too!

[chicypooh]

Thanks for this video! My husband proposed on this ride in 1998 and we were so sad to see it gone when we took the kids (3!) back in '05. It's such a nice way to relive that magical moment!

[Gilmore44]

Hey did you know that Disneyland can fit inside the PARKING LOT of Magic Kingdom in Disney World? Try that on for size =]

[DanceFreakHannah]

at 3:49 what ride is that?

[kritnik]

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

[runswithscissors86]

An utterly awesome ride that I miss every time I go down there...it was too expensive to maintain, I guess. Very sad.

[wittmann]

I cannot remember this being there in 2008.... anyone know if it is or not?

[Celli0905]

It has gone a long time ago!

[TEXASPEST]

@Celli0905 And the stations are gone now too... More room for strollers I guess...

[imbo8w]

It was closed in about 1999, due to technical failiures and accidnets, including an employee that was killed while he was cleaning the ride and it started up accidently

[scotfreak]

@wittmann yeah someone fell off in like 2000

[Benstudio13]

@scotfreak 2000? The ride closed in 1999. That acciden't happened the same year, but the reason the attraction closed was because it was too expensive to operare and maintane.

[TheRealBeeQue]

Ownage video Thakns

[bigblue1986]

Thank you for taking me back there...

[Celli0905]

My pleasure :-)

[deadaim1993]

yes thank you

[mduncan81]

It closed because of upkeep and maintenance costs. I also suspect that it was becoming a liability concern since guests don't behave as well as they used to. I miss flying to Tomorrowland on it, especially at night. It was beautiful.

[stadalberts]

Bingo! The attitude of people today is most certainly one of the main reasons.

[mickeylover415b]

why did they take it away?

[holtskee]

I was so pissed when they removed this ride!

[tamasurvivor]

I have never been to WDW but looking at the line for this attraction is it just me or are the wait times for the attractions at the Magic Kingdom or other WDW parks longer than the wait times for attractions at Disneyland! I remember the skyway at Disneyland never had a line that long or even an extensive queue to hold a line as long as the line at the beginning of this video! I miss the Skyway sad they took it out of both parks! This one looks like a longer trip than Disneyland's Skyway

[yophilly17]

the reason y the lines are longer, is because thers more people in Disney World than Disneyland, since its alot bigger as well.

[tgustafson85]

Disneyland has more rides, and thus is able to suck up more people. Disneyland also has smaller walkways, and tends to be more crowded due to this fact.

[yophilly17]

hey screw u tgustafson85, didnt need 2 get all goofy about a simple comment i made i didnt say tht it sucks or nething cause ive nevr even been to disneland, and make sure i wont just b/c of ur gay comment, and yes i have heard its a little of a dissapointment b/c of how much bigger wdw is!

[yophilly17]

o my bad yea tht would make more sense srry bout tht tgusta :)

[robinscute12345]

i never got to go on it was it the fact that u saw the top of the rides so it ruined the magic of disney alittle bit for its closing? i mena when i am on ride i usually feel like u go behind the wall then come back its kinda weird

[splashtrash]

It closed because a man who was doing routine maintenance on it, right around Dumbo, accidentally fell to his death. Horrible, I know. I only found this out when I did an internship at Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom.

[southofnowhere86]

I think any real WDW fan knew this fact...

[CarribbeanLady]

I wish I could have gone on it. My parents told me how great it was. Those idiots who threw stuff down on people are practically to blame for its closing. Those morons just make me so angry!!

[ssigirl]

What a great video!  I miss the skyride--- but still love Disney -- can't wait to go again! Thanks for sharing!!

[4618070028]

The ride is no longer there, it was taken out like 6 years ago. Aroungd the same time as 20,000 leagues under the sea

[prettypredey]

if thats in florida, ive been going there my whole life and i never noticed that.

[nightmare374]

very nice video. It's amazing to see that and 20,000 leagues under the sea! But in Pooh's play area in Magic Kingdom if you look on one of the things in the play area you can see a 20,000 leagues under the sea sub.

[Pongball]

I miss the 20,000 Leagues ride! I'm so glad I got to experience it as a kid anyways. It was fun, plus the experience was so different from all the other attractions. *sigh* memories.

[merrittswhat]

i cant waint to go! on the 6th, were hopin on a plane and going to wdw! im so exited!!! even tho this ride is out :{ oh well!

[magicman205]

I miss this ride. It looks there is not a lot of room up there compared to now. I was there when it had the birthday cake castle! I love Disney!

[greekyct]

wow it looks great from up there what a waste changing 20,000 leageus under the sea to poohs play area

[BamaJen]

Great video! Not only a memory of the Skyway but of so many attractions, like 20,000 Leagues, that have come and gone! Plus this just happened to be during the "birthday cake" castle. Great job!

[Chele90]

TY for the trip down memory lane. I can remember riding the Skyway as early as '75; however we stopped riding it because the lines we long and slow moving.

I just wish that I had realized the "behind the magic" things that we were seeing before it was too late. The staff parking lot at 3: is probably something that makes Disney cringe, but I get chills to see it.

I know, I know a parking lot, BUT it's a cast member parking lot! Ah the little things in life that are priceless.

[Waltismyhero]

Hmmm, I used to work in MK (magic Kingdom), and can definitily see why they took this ride out. Safety, of coarse is number one, another would be if a guest on the ride saw cast members backstage and out of character, then there's the fact that it rains all of the time...everyday, and hard. Plus when you ride, you can see the rooftops of all the buildings, Disney likes everything that the guest's eyes can see to be part of that land.

[gothictikidragon]

Awesome! Thanks for posting it!!

[Harikou]

I miss this ride, but they had good reasons for shutting it down. One of the main ones being safety.

[memoryreciever]

aww :[[ i remember this ride from when I was like 7 years old. I remember being on it and asking my dad if fairies were real.

[oldsteinar]

I Agree. Thank you. Grandpa Clarence Jones

[bflatgirl]

I agree!!! Bring back this 'ride'!!! I went in 2002 and we were like, where is it?!?!?!

[fnapoli1]

I saw what was left of the station in Tomorrowland between Space Mountain and The Carosel Of Progress.

[StevenMichaelFord]

Great video memory! I miss the ride and wish they'd bring it back. :(

[Celticfreeze]

Check it out. When this was made 20,000 Leagues was already out of comission. I don't see any subs in the water at all. Very lonley down there. Both rides were awesome. Disney won't be the same without them in my opinion.

[Celli0905]

That's right! 20.000 leagues was just a basin full of water at the time I taped this.

[quixoticvalue]

The castle looked like that for the Disney World 25 year anniversary that was going on at that time. Basically, it was made to look like a giant birthday cake.

[GalateaBloom]

WOW THERE BUDDY! the castle is-is-is o-oo-o-o-o my goddness! WOW! :o

[dkslfjgh]

This was one of my favorites. I was sorry to see it go. However, it was a very difficult ride to operate.

[rct3er]

wow that submarine thing is huge!

[Celli0905]

Well, it's always a sad thing to say ... but it WAS huge :-(

[Chele90]

I read somewhere that 20K Leagues was the largest single attraction (per square foot) of any attraction at WDW. You can clearly see how large the lagoon is, but what most people don't realize is, that there is also a huge building attached to the lagoon that the ride went into (for the underwater scenes) that is absolutely immense.

[rct3er]

whoa!! the castle looks so much more different than it is right now

[timedasher]

That's when it got a total cake makeup for the 25 annv of the park.

[EnigmaticCZM]

Raymond Barlow, 65, was sweeping off a narrow skyway platform inaccessible to park guests an hour after the park's 9:00 A.M. opening when other cast members, unaware of his presence, started up the ride. Barlow, startled by the approaching gondola, grabbed onto it and tried to climb inside; he fell 40 feet into a flower bed, hitting a tree on the way down, and died.

[CHNKYGRLLOVR]

SHIT!! THATS WHY IT'S GONE NOW.

[coopdaveel]

I always thought Skyway had the best and most romantic view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks.

Yes, it's gone now. About the only things left are the buildings on either end.

That water ride was "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." Yes, it's gone now too!

That must've been a gorgeous day to be in the parks. Wonderful ride...thanks for sharing the memories!

[lvs2k1]

What was the ride with the water that can be seen? It isn't there now.

[Celli0905]

That probably was the Submarine Voyage - I think it's a playground now :-(

[keyman1967]

I remember riding on that. It was a nice leisurly way to get across the park.

[joy4amos]

such a great ride!

[tomokh]

The memories.... :( I've been wondering where they went for a few years now and now I know. Thank you for putting this up. ^_^

[kraigsnowden]

A cast member told us that a guy was up there cleaning it, and it was just before opening time, and someone started the ride, he about fell off, but caught himself hanging onto one of the "buckets" and he held on as long as he could, then fell to his death, and that's what closed the ride. I've heard this from many many people that have worked there, so I'd say that may be why it's closed.

[EnigmaticCZM]

Raymond Barlow, 65, was sweeping off a narrow skyway platform inaccessible to park guests an hour after the park's 9:00 A.M. opening when other cast members, unaware of his presence, started up the ride. Barlow, startled by the approaching gondola, grabbed onto it and tried to climb inside; he fell 40 feet into a flower bed, hitting a tree on the way down and died.

[whoopiedoo]

i always wanted to go on this

damn disney for ruding the park

[powerplayer84]

this isn't there anymore? crap.

[eddieo92]

I also think they took it out was also because you cauld see things that werent ment to be seen by visiters like the employee parking or the rooftops that destroyed the whole mediaval castle theme etc.

[Xavarri]

Wow, thanks so much for this video! I've just been searching for Disney World videos in anticipation of my first trip there in a decade and this really took me back.

[Stankonia07]

i member riding on that thing it was fun

[Sailormoonfan92]

The ride got taken away because a worker got caught in the door and fell and I think he died...

[Stankonia07]

yes he died,and also cuz it was against some regulation law in florida r sumthin

[Sailormoonfan92]

It wasnt suitable for disabled people also and was too expensive for alot of reasons.

[neonxchemicals]

that ride isnt there anymore. =[

[Blixzit]

At around 5:49/5:50 you are right above the bathrooms.

[Celli0905]

Always feels good to bring back some memories ... to whom ever they belong ;-) I love watching this when I have my lunch break ... it was one of my fave rides ... just closing my eyes to ride it again :-)

[JasonCellucci2006]

Aw... This Brings Back So Many Memories.

This Ride Was In Disneyworld A Long Long Time Ago

When I Was Around 5 Years Old I Remember Riding This

This Was A Very Cool Ride..

Thanks For The Great Video..

And Thanks For The Memories..

Love This..