Well hello there Jeff, and welcome back to planDisney!
It's so great to have you here again asking a question on behalf of the folks you travel with; we remember how important it was for you several years ago to see whether
Sanaa had less-adventurous items on the menu and are now taking into consideration some acrophobia-friendly
transportation options. It seems as though you're the kind of person who'd make a great expedition leader who cares about their travel party, and I'm happy to help you find some height-free alternatives for their next adventure!
I spoke with a friendly Cast Member at Disney's Art of Animation Resort who let me know that unfortunately the Disney Skyliner is currently the only form of complimentary Disney Transportation offered at that location to EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios. (Note that this is the most recent policy, which may be subject to change in the future without prior notice.)
I have however, personally experienced taking bus transportation to and from these Theme Parks - but this is only during exceptional circumstances when the gondolas are not operational and replacement buses must be used. (In both instances, this was due to lightning and high winds present at the time!) For this reason, you may even find dedicated bus lanes at EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios for Disney's Art of Animation to be used whenever necessary.
I recently had friends staying at Disney's Pop Century Resort who similarly did not wish to use the Disney Skyliner as a mode of transportation and here were the various options that they used over the course of their stay:
- The fastest option included using Minnie Van service as well as other rides scheduled via mobile apps when complimentary transportation was taking too long or if they were experiencing poor weather conditions.
- A longer method that did not require payment included taking a bus to Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park or to Disney Springs, and from there transferring to another bus with ground transportation service to EPCOT or Disney's Hollywood Studios such as Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. This method takes some additional time and bus rides, but avoid having to be hoisted high above the ground!
At the end of their experience, they decided that it would've been better in the end to choose a Disney Resort Hotel that was not connected to any of the Disney Skyliner routes. In fact, they chose Disney's BoardWalk to be their destination of choice for a place to stay, due to the ability to take advantage of either complimentary Watercraft Service or the convenience of being able to walk to two Theme Parks! Don't hesitate to come back to planDisney for any other questions you'd like to ask me or our team; we're always happy to lend our best tips and tricks to guide you on your way.
Here's to some great Disney adventures at lower altitudes!
Prince