cmatt
Active Member
oh she knows that - ive told her that many a time... still doesnt stop her :ROFLOL: i think she just wants to embarass
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
front of the monorail
- Thread starter Capt. Salty
- Start date
oh she knows that - ive told her that many a time... still doesnt stop her :ROFLOL: i think she just wants to embarass
cmatt
Active Member
Haha - well that's always fun too!
shhh - you will give the other half ideas :zipit:
pintraderpayee
Active Member
DD(12 at the time) and one of my high school students(16) took the short ride from the Contemp. to MK with Craig or Greg. He was hilarious. Once we were under way he jumped from behind the controls and sat beside DD and said "So.....this is my first time driving this thing....what do ya think?" Actually he is an 11 year veteran......very nice...wonderful experience for the girls. We only had to wait through the one in front of us...not long at all. Hope y'all have a terrific trip!
44 days until we are ºoºrlando bound with 21 teens on a school bus for 930 miles of smiles:hammer: :sohappy:
44 days until we are ºoºrlando bound with 21 teens on a school bus for 930 miles of smiles:hammer: :sohappy:
David S.
Member
I find the easiest times to get the "nose" are naturally when a line has little or no traffic. For example, the Epcot line from TTC to Epcot AFTER Epcot has closed, especially on a night in which the MK has closed BEFORE Epcot. (Such as the 8 PM closes at MK).
What I like to do after a day at Epcot during the above conditions is hop on the monorail at Epcot, get off at TTC, walk back through the queue and ask for the nose. 9 times out of 10 there is no one waiting to even board the train, much less waiting for the front!
If there are 3 trains running the wait is very short, and even with 2 trains not more than 10 minutes.
If Epcot has EMH that night, there will be more people waiting to board at TTC than usual for an early close MK night, and in any case if using this strategy don't wait too long because if there is no EMH, the Epcot
line stops running I think about 90 minutes after Epcot closes if the MK is already closed.
Like Mick G. said, the Epcot line is awesome in the front, my favorite line, especially going TO Epcot where you get to pass through the park. Having a perfect view of the pavillions lit up at night is a perfect way to end an evening at Epcot, IMO.
I've never tried to time it where I'm arriving during Illuminations. That would be pretty awesome too, but then you would miss part of the show.
Conversely, if you get to Epcot about an hour before it opens, it's pretty easy to get the nose riding TO the TTC, and still have enough time to move to another seat and ride back to the park in time for "rope drop".
What I like to do after a day at Epcot during the above conditions is hop on the monorail at Epcot, get off at TTC, walk back through the queue and ask for the nose. 9 times out of 10 there is no one waiting to even board the train, much less waiting for the front!
If there are 3 trains running the wait is very short, and even with 2 trains not more than 10 minutes.
If Epcot has EMH that night, there will be more people waiting to board at TTC than usual for an early close MK night, and in any case if using this strategy don't wait too long because if there is no EMH, the Epcot
line stops running I think about 90 minutes after Epcot closes if the MK is already closed.
Like Mick G. said, the Epcot line is awesome in the front, my favorite line, especially going TO Epcot where you get to pass through the park. Having a perfect view of the pavillions lit up at night is a perfect way to end an evening at Epcot, IMO.
I've never tried to time it where I'm arriving during Illuminations. That would be pretty awesome too, but then you would miss part of the show.
Conversely, if you get to Epcot about an hour before it opens, it's pretty easy to get the nose riding TO the TTC, and still have enough time to move to another seat and ride back to the park in time for "rope drop".
ZapperZ
Well-Known Member
Just to add, you also don't need to have a child in your party to get to ride up front. We did that twice during the last trip this past September, and we are two adults. The monorail pilot even comment about my shirt that day (I was wearing "Please Stand Clear of the Doors (and the spanish version on the back)" t-shirt, and gave us the monorail pilot card.
I have a video of the ride from the front of the monorail in my "monorail music video" that I did for my trip report.
Zz.
I have a video of the ride from the front of the monorail in my "monorail music video" that I did for my trip report.
Zz.
ThumpersThought
New Member
Tips for riding the nose:
Once you get up there, have fun! Remember, the pilot is actually driving a rather complex machine (we just make it look easy), so their attention may need to leave you. But engage them -- ask questions.
Oh, and almost every guest asks these two questions:
"How fast does this go?" (40 -- not including...well...nevermind)
"How long have you been doing this?"
Impress your pilot by coming up with something new!
- Express and Epcot are the easiest to get (plus it's easiest to see the wait). Both those runs the front guests must step to the back of the train if anyone is waiting at the next stop. Obviously, the Epcot run is the longest. If you want to stay on for a full loop, nicely ask the pilot before departing with something like, "If no one is waiting, may we..." Unfortunately, if anyone is waiting, the pilot must take them.
- The resort trains belong to specific stations. Every day what train belongs to what platform is different. That means that if you're waiting at the Contemporary, and monorail Red belongs to the Contemporary, you would be guaranteed the front of Red -- However, three problems: Red may be three trains away. Also, not all pilots follow this to the letter, so there is some inconsistancy. Last, if you decide to ride Green, you may only get to go a stop or two. The CM at the platform can tell you what train belongs to that resort.
- Always ask at the platform! Do not simply wait at the front of the train. I've seen so many guests wait eight minutes for an Epcot train only to have some other family that just walked up get ushered inside the front cab. Save your place by asking a cast member on the platform!
- Pilots are not allowed to load guests from the train. It's up to the platform CM, not the pilot, who rides up front.
Once you get up there, have fun! Remember, the pilot is actually driving a rather complex machine (we just make it look easy), so their attention may need to leave you. But engage them -- ask questions.
Oh, and almost every guest asks these two questions:
"How fast does this go?" (40 -- not including...well...nevermind)
"How long have you been doing this?"
Impress your pilot by coming up with something new!
ThumperDude
New Member
The one time my family and I rode in the front was way back in '93. The platform CM asked US if we wanted to. Of course we accepted and sat down. I'm sure this was before the buttons but we still had a unique experience. We had a pilot-in-training along with a the veteran. We went all the way from MK to EPCOT waving at the cars on the road. Riding the cirlce around FutureWorld was my favorite part. My only complaint was with all the glass it got a little warm. But who cares, it was a blast. I highly recomend it if you get the chance.
Mr.EPCOT
Active Member
Always ask the station attendent as soon as you get into the station, and they'll tell you if someone has already asked, if they're even loading the front, etc. You're always more than welcome to wait in the station as long as you want until it becomes available, as long as we're not shutting down, but you can't wait in the normal part of the train and ride it around until someone gets out of the front.
unkadug
Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Possible question:
How much does this thing weigh, anyway?
How many volt are surging through the rails...at what amperage?
Why were the monorails color coded and not numbered?
Jorden
Member
I had a similar experience a year and a half ago at Disneyland. I think they allow more than 4 in their cockpit as there was allready a family waiting which gave me and my mom the idea to ask. A lady and her daughter noticed all of us waiting and well the daughter was none to pleased to hear that there was only room for one more person so they wern't alloud in the next train (and I don't think the mom was too keen on the idea of waiting for the next train). A few noisy minutes later (and after a few dirty looks) I had my first experience in the front of the monorail.
Never had a problem in Florida while I was working down there, unless there was allready people in it. My favorite was the TTC-Epcot line.
Scooter
Well-Known Member
I am a big monorail fan and take pictures of the monorails several times each trip.
On my last trip, my wife and I were getting into the first car right behind the "nose" of the monorail. The pilot was standing right next to his door and the door was open so I ask the pilot if I could take some pictures of the front of the monorail. Not only did he say yes, but he also invited my wife and I to ride up front all the way to EPCOT.
So in reality, I didn't ask the platform cast member at all. It was the driver that invited me and my wife to ride up front. I hope he didn't get into any trouble.
We got some great shots and video that day! :sohappy:
On my last trip, my wife and I were getting into the first car right behind the "nose" of the monorail. The pilot was standing right next to his door and the door was open so I ask the pilot if I could take some pictures of the front of the monorail. Not only did he say yes, but he also invited my wife and I to ride up front all the way to EPCOT.
So in reality, I didn't ask the platform cast member at all. It was the driver that invited me and my wife to ride up front. I hope he didn't get into any trouble.
We got some great shots and video that day! :sohappy:
NCState
Member
On our last trip we got to Epcot super early and took this ride to MK and back and I agree, it's the best ride at WDW:sohappy:
TheMagicMouse
New Member
It's a great experience.. I try to do it as many times as possible during each trip, sometimes you'll get some behind the scenes info on the monorail also from the pilots, like how fast they're permitted to go, and how fast the monorails can actually get up to, from what they've told my group, if they get above a certian speed the computer automatically so they can't go too fast.. 
plus a bunch of other info like that.. I can say I've only been on a monorail once with a quiet monorail pilot.
plus a bunch of other info like that.. I can say I've only been on a monorail once with a quiet monorail pilot.
PintoColvig
Active Member
After visiting the World multiple, multiple times since 1976, we only recently (dec.) rode in the front of a monorail. We rode the MK express to the TTC and then--later that same day--we rode from the TTC to Epcot. Such a cool experience! I can't believe we've missed the fun so many times before. Definitely worth the wait.
WDWRLD
Active Member
Not completely sure but last summer we rode up front from TTC to EP. As we got to the top of the ramp we asked the first CM and they directed us to another CM who showed us to what lookes like a short line as in one for a ride in the park. There were like 2 families in front of us and we were told we could wait if we want or ride anywhere else now. We chose to wait, so now it seems that they have a little more organized system to handle more than one family at a time.