ABANDONED DISNEY: MK Fantasyland Skyway Tower
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Ahhh the Skyway. There was something about seeing the Magic Kingdom (or Disneyland) from the air. There is something magical about spitting on the heads of tourists below. There was something about large industrial-looking metal poles in the middle of a charming European storybook village. But like many things we grew up loving, Disney pulled the plug on this exciting attraction/mode of transportation. You'll often hear, "It's because someone died. That's why they closed it." Sorry, but death is not enough for Disney to shut something down. (Doesn't Mission:Space kill someone once a week?). Attractions that "don't affect attendance" and ones that give guests a view of dirty rooftops that cost money to clean... that's a different story.
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Hi there, Dopey. Don't you just love when a cool ride gets turned into a character meet-and-greet? (20.000 Leagues Under the Sea queue). Or stroller parking? The Skyway to Tomorrowland ended up being both. Only thing left, a gift shop. There's got to be a way to take iconic, world-changing, multimillion dollar, works-of-art attractions and turn them each into an all-in-one toddler playground/character meet/gift shop/stroller parking lot/boring touch screen exhibit/cement walkway. Just a thought.
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What's with all the cables? The lower right photo has a power box with "SNOW" written on it. Snow, as in Snow White? Snow White's Scary Adventure is a hundred yards away. I have no clue.
NOTE: Do not attempt to enter the Skyway tower without permission. These images and video were taken 2-3 years ago with permission. I do not know the current state of the tower, nor have I been back since.
Reader Comments (14)
Here is a great video of the Skyway to Tomorrowland queue in operation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6rDR4ts0lM
I spit on a few head in my day. My mother hated when we'd do that. "Think of those poor people below who don't want spit on their heads. How would you like it if they spit on you??"
The "SNOW" power box is probably to power the fake snow on Main Street or better yet, the fake snow at that lit up street at the Studios during Christmas time. Really efficient, Disney.
I agree - it's almost definitely power for fake snow. I don't go to their Christmas parties, though, so I don't know if they make snow here every year or if it was just a test. Excellent photos. Excellent blog!
I always find it depressing to see the Fantasyland Skyway Tower. I loved riding on the Skyway, particularly when I was a toddler (when the Skyway, "it's a small world," and the Imagination Pavilion were endlessly entertaining.)As I got older I loved it for the same reason I loved and love WEDway Peoplemover, it was a lovely way to view the park and people watch. There was never a line and I would ride it again and again when my poor abused feet needed a break and I wanted to take some pictures.
I truly miss the Skyway, almost as much as River Country. I only spit once, then saw the big guy I hit washing his hand when I got off the ride. Since I thought he was going to kill me, then realized he didn't know it was me, that was the last time I did that.
I really hope the ride wasn't closed due to handicapped accessability. To lose my favorite ride just because one group of people can't use it is very annoying. Can't they just be happy playing "Twisted Metal" on their motorized scooters, terrorizing crowds of "walkies"? Isn't having the best parking spaces and bathroom stalls enough?
The skyway station is now boarded off. It will be replaced by a restroom.
The skyway has been torn down. Word from a CM there this past week was there will be a new exit for Its a small world and possibly an added interactive line area for Peter Pan
Skyway had to be closed for several reasons. WDW was expanding in such a way that it's very crowded almost all year long. Skyway and it's queue became a point of extreme frustration to guests- a bit like Dumbo. It's the Dumbo attraction that is as iconic as the castle in ads for Disney, yet we NEVER got to ride it. An hour or more wait in hot sun for 2 minutes?! NO THANK YOU. Skyway stopped allowing even a small folded stroller - irritating. So really the only ones able to use it were the spitting teens. Parents pushed strollers and grandparents were oblivious to the spitting teens. Plus, and I've said it before, I believe the extreme weight gain the the average park guest made operating Skyway downright dangerous. We rode it once with myself, my husband, our 4 year old, her umbrella stroller AND Grandma & still had room for one more. You could NOT do that now. In ALMOST every group of people, there will be one or more 'wide loads' and Skyway simply wasn't meant to carry elephants from place to place. As for the handicapped thing, I don't think that was nearly the problem as much as the heavy loads & long queues. But yes, great parking, ability to go to front of lines should be enough compensation for being unable to experience one attraction out of many.
Actully it ended up being shut down because most of the year it couldn't run anyway due to weather or because it wasn't running properly. Someone also mentioned that it was because of the frustrating line waits, and that was also a factor. It basically became more of a henderance than a joy do they closed it down. I got my info from a cast
Member who does the Keys to the Mingdom tour (which I did this morning and I made a point to ask). And as of today the entire old building that was next to Small World is no more and that area will be a part of New Fantasy land, it seems.
I used to wait to get on a tram by myself when I was in my teens so I could take a few tokes of the green and fog a butt afterward. Just enough time to get high over disney. I forgot about that ride until I saw that site. I remember river country, the country bear jamboree, 20,000 leagues, diamond Jim's, etc. Space mountain now feels like a bumper car in some turns. The concept is still cool, but the ride sucks the bag big time along with most disney rides. The best ride is splash mountain for the visuals, audios, and combination of water and roller coaster ride. Absolutely fantastic---too bad they don't make 'em like that any more. All the new rides set a fresh low each and every time.
About 1980 I was on this attraction in Disneyworld/Orlando which has also long been taken away. I was hit in in the back of my head by what I thought was a piece of floating trash. After it starting moving, I swatted the back of my neck. It turned out to be a bat and it landed, stunned, on the floor of the gondola. My mother starting screaming hysterically - it drew a lot of attention.
In 1982 or 83, while I was in college, my friend and I were walking through Fantasyland one day and passed the Skyway station. There was an enormous line of people standing in the heat waiting to take the trip. At several spots along the line, signs had been erected stating that "This attraction is ONE WAY to Tomorrowland." After reading one of the signs, I loudly exclaimed, "WALKING is another, MUCH QUICKER way to Tomorrowland!" My friend started laughing. Then, to his amazement, several people abandoned the line ...
Planning for the new Snow White ride?