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Gondola transportation system at Walt Disney World to open in September

BAY LAKE, Fla. — Walt Disney World announced the company's Skyliner gondola transportation system will be taking flight on Sept. 29.

Disney Skyliner connects Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot to four resort hotels -- the Art of Animation, Pop Century and Caribbean Beach resorts, as well as and the new Riviera resort scheduled to open in December.

The cabins feature 22 different character themes and each hold 10 people.

“With the Disney Skyliner, we’re really creating magic in the air,” said Thomas Mazloum, senior vice president of resorts and transportation.

Disney officials have been testing the gondolas the past few weeks, moving them overheard like gift-wrapped presents.

“The views you’re going to get from there are unparalleled. You’ll never forget the experience,” said Mazloum.

There are 300 Disney Skyliner cabins and five loading stations, each themed, and all part of the Disney storytelling magic.

"I think the most exciting part is the story, the gondola cabin themselves will feature class Disney stories, both old and new. It should just be a wonderful experience as the Disney characters ride along with them,” said Dean Huspen, principal architect with Imagineering.

The massive project spans three lines with 6 miles of cable.

Depending on your stop, the trip will take five to 15 minutes over vast swaths of the property.

The gondolas will work to address the influx of traffic expected with the Aug. 29 opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Hollywood Studios is expected to go from a perennial number four park, in terms of attendance, to a temporary number one and a reliable number two.

"There's going to be a lot of people there, and possibly a lot of disappointed people because 50,000 or 60,000 people cannot go on a ride that may have capacity for 2,000 people an hour," said Rick Munarriz, WFTV theme park analyst.

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Cierra Putman

Cierra Putman, WFTV.com

Cierra Putman flew south to join Eyewitness News in July 2016.