The first ride of this kind to be built in the United States.
The cable was 2,400 feet long with 44 gondolas.
The Skyway stations were equipped with a large digital meter to gauge wind speed. It usually fluctuate between zero and three knots. If the meter hit twelve knots employees shut the ride down.
For dangerous situations, in the mid-1970s Disneyland installed speakers on the Skyway towers and microphones in the stations. By depressing the "All Ride" switch, operators could give announcements or warnings "from on high." Hosts were to use the device for emergencies only, since upon hearing a deep voice suddenly resounding from the sky, guests typically froze in terror. As such, the device became known as "the God Switch."
The buckets reached a height of 60 feet.
The drive mechanism was in the Fantasyland side with a 35 thousand pound ballast on the Tomorrowland side to keep the cable tight.
Skyway was built by Von Roll Iron Works of Bern Switzerland.
The first gondolas had fiberglass patio chairs bolted in them.
Required a "B" ticket in 1956-1957
Required a "D" ticket in 1959
Required a "D" ticket in 1964-1965
July 1964 Skyway shutdown for 5 days for the cable to be replaced.
From WED Disneyland Dictionary 1968
is the first of its kind installed in the United States. It carries streamlined gondolas aloft on a moving cable for an unobstructed view of the "Magic Kingdom" 60 feet above ground level. From a modern station in Tomorrow-land, the four-passenger view-cars rise above the monorail station and submarine lagoon, drift through Matterhorn Mountain caverns with views of racing Bobsleds and emerge high above Alice in Wonderland's Adventure, the Pirate Ship and other features of Fantasyland. The 1,200-foot journey ends in a quaint Swiss Chalet. There are 44 streamlined gondolas.
Required a "D" ticket in 1970's
From Steve Birnbaum brings you the best of Disneyland 1982:
Walt Disney well understood the joys of people-watching, and this attraction offers one of the best examples of how Disney put that knowledge into practice. Traveling to Tomorrowland through the friendly skies of Disneyland, 60 feet up, allows a peek at the people below riding in the Teacups, eating ice cream, and otherwise going about the business of having a terrific time. You are also able to see the submarines gliding through the aquamarine waters of the la- goon, and as you pass through the center of the Matterhorn you'll see the bobsleds hurtling down- hill past a growling Abominable Snowman. The touchdown in Tomorrowland, so sleek and futuristic in its way, always comes as a bit of culture shock after Fantasyland's enchanted environment. The Skyway was the first of its kind installed in the United States. There are 44 gondolas, each large enough to accommodate four passengers, and the cable that carries them is 2,400 feet long. Note that the Fantasyland end of the Skyway is almost invariably less crowded than the Tomorrowland terminus.? The trip is pleasant enough: four-passenger cars suspended from a 2,400-foot-long moving cable ride 60 feet above the ground across the Submarine Lagoon and through a tunnel in the Matterhorn, where you get an idea of the thrills available there. But the Tomorrowland end of the Skyway is always the busiest, and unless you're just looking for transportation, it's best to board in the chalet-like Fantasyland station.
During construction of the New Fantasyland in 1983 the Skyway ran round-trip only.
Why Did They Close The Skyway?
That is kinda complicated. The reason that Disney gave was it was not very popular and expensive to maintain. A couple of things may or may not have lead to it closing: In April 1994 a guy jumped out and landed in a bush with minor injuries, sued Disney and lost. The Skyway was a popular place for teen boys to spit on guests below. ADA was pushing to make the Skyway wheelchair accessible.
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