The Rare Skyliner Route CHANGE You Need to Know About If You’re Staying at Disney’s Riviera Resort

Skyliner fans, you’re gonna want to hear this.

Skyliner

If you’ve ever relied on Disney’s Skyliner to float you between resorts and parks with ease, you know just how much of a game-changer it can be. But there’s a rare hiccup in the system that pops up on specific nights — and if you’re staying at Disney’s Riviera Resort, it could totally throw off your plans. This isn’t something most people know about, so let’s break it all down before it catches you off guard.

The Route Change Most Guests Don’t Know Exists

Most nights, the Disney Skyliner works like clockwork. It starts running one hour before Early Theme Park Entry for EPCOT or Hollywood Studios and keeps going until 90 minutes after those parks close. That gives you plenty of time to wrap up your night, grab a snack, take some photos, and glide back to your resort without a rush.

Skyliner at Riviera

But there’s one exception that can really mess with your expectations — and your return trip.

On nights when EPCOT hosts Extended Evening Hours, the Skyliner closes one hour after those hours end. That alone might not seem like a huge deal…until you find out how the route changes during that window. Here’s the curveball: The Skyliner will ONLY offer service between EPCOT and Disney’s Riviera Resort during that time.

Riding the Skyliner with the Riviera in view

That means the main Skyliner hub at Caribbean Beach, plus the lines to Pop Century and Art of Animation, will be completely offline. So if you were planning to take the Skyliner back to your resort after Extended Evening Hours and you’re not staying at Riviera? You’re out of luck. You’ll need to use alternate transportation — and let’s just say the bus lines at EPCOT around that time are not for the faint of heart.

Why This Matters if You’re at Riviera Resort

Here’s the silver lining: if you’re staying at the Riviera, this rare change actually works in your favor.

Disney’s Riviera Resort

You’ll still be able to hop on a gondola and glide back to your room from EPCOT even after Extended Evening Hours end. But if you’ve got dinner plans at Caribbean Beach or a late-night craving for a bite at Pop Century, you won’t be able to get there by Skyliner. You’ll have to walk, bus, or find another route altogether.

Skyliner

Again, this limited service only works in one direction — from EPCOT to Riviera. So don’t try to hop on at Riviera hoping to ride to Caribbean Beach or over to Hollywood Studios. That part of the route will be closed. If you’re someone who likes to resort-hop or you’ve booked dinner somewhere off the Riviera line, you’ll want to plan accordingly on these nights.

Wait, When Are Extended Evening Hours Again?

Good question — Extended Evening Hours aren’t every night and are typically reserved for Deluxe Resort guests. They’re also usually posted a month or two in advance, so you’ll want to check the official park calendar when planning your trip.

Extended Evening Hours sign

Sometimes you’ll see them falling on Mondays or Wednesdays, but it varies by season and crowd levels. If you see Extended Evening Hours on the EPCOT schedule during your stay, go ahead and expect this Skyliner route change to be in effect that night.

Bonus Tip: Skyliner Refurbishment Is Back in 2026

Speaking of planning ahead — the annual Skyliner refurbishment is coming back in 2026. After skipping the usual January downtime in 2025, Disney has announced that the Skyliner will be closed January 25th through 31st in 2026 for scheduled maintenance.

The Skyliner closes temporarily in January

All lines will be fully shut down during those dates — that means no access between EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and any of the connected resorts. Disney will offer complimentary bus transportation to cover the gap, but those buses tend to get way more crowded without the Skyliner running.

Alternative transportation options

If you’re staying at Art of Animation, Pop Century, Caribbean Beach, or Riviera Resort because of the Skyliner convenience, you might want to consider rebooking to a resort that has alternate options like the Monorail or boat service — or even one where you can walk to EPCOT.

Skyliner closed

And if you’re sticking with your current plans, just build in extra travel time, especially in the mornings. With all those extra guests on the buses, wait times will stretch.

Bottom Line

If you’re staying at Disney’s Riviera Resort and plan to take advantage of EPCOT’s Extended Evening Hours, the Skyliner will only be running between EPCOT and Riviera — no other stops. That can be super convenient if you’re heading back to your room, but a surprise headache if you’re trying to get anywhere else. Make sure to bookmark those Extended Evening dates, make a backup transportation plan just in case, and always check posted hours before you count on a Skyliner ride.

Skyliner Station

Make sure you keep following Disney Food Blog for more tips and tricks you need for your next Disney vacation.

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What’s your go-to resort transportation hack when the Skyliner isn’t running? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

The post The Rare Skyliner Route CHANGE You Need to Know About If You're Staying at Disney's Riviera Resort first appeared on the disney food blog.

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