UPDATE: Monday, October 7 12:30 p.m.
Walt Disney World reached out to TravelPulse to provide the following updated statement regarding the issue with the new Skyliner transportation system:
"We have a team diligently looking into the cause of Saturday's malfunction on the Epcot line of the Disney Skyliner. We have been in contact with the guests, many of whom were on the Skyliner for more than three hours until we were able to restart the system. We express our sincere apologies for the inconvenience and continue to work with each guest individually."
Walt Disney World has shut down its newly opened Skyliner gondolas to investigate why the aerial transportation system malfunctioned Saturday night, stranding dozens of passengers in the air for several hours.
"One of the three Disney Skyliner routes experienced an unexpected downtime Saturday evening," according to a Disney news release. "As a result, the Skyliner will be closed while we look into the details surrounding the downtime."
The Skyliner opened to visitors last week. The airborne cable cars operate about three stories above the ground in taking guests from hotels to theme parks. No more than 10 people are allowed in each cable car at a time.
There were no injuries and passengers were evacuated late Saturday night.
Still, the disruption was certainly un-Disney like, particularly for something that literally just opened. The gondolas came to a stop and went dark, although park officials were able to keep in touch with the stranded passengers and instructed them to open the emergency kits onboard, which included water.
Some passengers said there also appeared to be gondolas backed up into each other on the ground as well at one of the loading stations.
Police, fire and paramedics arrived to assist in unloading the stuck gondolas.
Another passenger said he and his mother were given four all-day park passes and a $200 gift card by WDW, which said it was talking with all guests who were stranded to determine the "impacts to their visit with us."
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