Monorail

[Alexx]

Can you actually ride in the front part of the monorail with the driver?

Do people get chose for it or do you ask?

If you ask what do you say?, just "Can I sit in the front of the monorail please?:lol:"

It'd be cool to sit in the front with the driver and people have seemed to have sat there thats why i'm asking

 

[RachelP6877]

you got it just ask.. you may have to wait for the next train their is usually someone already waiting...................but it is worth the wait

 

[JoeDsny]

Yep I do it all the time. All you do is ask the CM at the staging area. You might have to wait for 1 or 2 trains if it is busy but you will get in. PS honk the horn for me!!

MONORAIL PURPLE RULES!!!!! :sohappy:

 

[DisneyGigi]

We got lucky last trip and got to ride up front twice without a wait! You can get some really good pictures and they give you a Monorail Co-Pilot's license too.

 

[altpirate]

Yep. Just ask. It is lots of fun!!! You will enjoy it alot!:sohappy:

 

[Monorail_Red]

Yes, you can ride in the front of the monorail.

Your best bet is to board the Epcot Monorail or the Express Monorail. With the Epcot/Express Monorails, there's only 2 stops so everyone has to offload, so you would only have to wait (if at all) for the 2nd or 3rd train if somebody already asked, or if there is training, etc.

On the express monorail either at the TTC or MK you can walk to the front of the platform, where there is a queue area. If you opt for the Epcot Monorail, you just ask the CM at the station.

I think the best ride up front is from the TTC to Epcot. That is the longest ride, every train that comes into the station will be availabe (unless there's training, of if they aren't loading the front), plus you get to ride above Epcot. Even better at night.

Getting the front of the resort monorail is tough to come by since that there are 5 stops. But if you absolutely want to get the front of the resort monorail, I think your best bet is to try anytime before noon. Even better chances if you ask at the Contemporary or the MK since that most of the guests offload at the MK.

When you ask, just say "Can we please wait for the front of the next available train?" Then the CM will want to know how many people you have. Also - there can only be 4 guests in the front cab.

Hope this helps, I love riding in the front with the Pilot!

 

[Boray]

While we're on the subject of the monorail, I have a question. We are staying off-site in October and should be arriving around 2:00. I'd like to take a quick trip around on the Monorail that evening, but I don't want to pay $12 to park in one of the lots (either Epcot or MK) and then hop on the monorail. We usually park at the Boardwalk and walk around that area for a while in the evening of our first day. Is there an easy walk to get on the Monorail from the Boardwalk area? Perhaps a boat or something that will take us from the Boardwalk to the TTC or Epcot? I don't know the transportation system very well, so any help is appreciated. :wave:

 

[slappy magoo]

While we're on the subject of the monorail, I have a question. We are staying off-site in October and should be arriving around 2:00. I'd like to take a quick trip around on the Monorail that evening, but I don't want to pay $12 to park in one of the lots (either Epcot or MK) and then hop on the monorail. We usually park at the Boardwalk and walk around that area for a while in the evening of our first day. Is there an easy walk to get on the Monorail from the Boardwalk area? Perhaps a boat or something that will take us from the Boardwalk to the TTC or Epcot? I don't know the transportation system very well, so any help is appreciated. :wave:

You'd have to park in Boardwalk, walk through the World Showcase entrance, walk all the way to the front entrance, get on the monorail to the TTC, and then ride the monorail around the resorts. And then, of course, walk through Epcot and out World Showcase back to the Boardwalk (or go to the Magic Kingdom, and take a bus back to the Boardwalk from there.

Easier solution, book reservations for a dinner at one of the "monorail resorts," Contemporary, Polynesian or Grand Floridian. They'll give you a 3-hour pass (a pass they rarely check, but personally, I wouldn't risk going over my time...or at least, NOT TOO FAR over my time). Have a dinner, then hop on the monorail and loop the MK and the Lagoon a few times. Or switch at the TTC and ride to Epcot and back, too.

 

[Eyekimore]

We've also gone to the monorail resorts to eat at the counter service and shop at their stores and they generally let us in- Poly is the easiest. (Just tell them you're eating at Captain Cook's) They'll give you a 3 hour pass- plenty of time to do the loop-stores- and get your front ride in the monorail!

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

It makes a great video riding through The Contemporary

 

[Boray]

You'd have to park in Boardwalk, walk through the World Showcase entrance, walk all the way to the front entrance, get on the monorail to the TTC, and then ride the monorail around the resorts. And then, of course, walk through Epcot and out World Showcase back to the Boardwalk (or go to the Magic Kingdom, and take a bus back to the Boardwalk from there.

Easier solution, book reservations for a dinner at one of the "monorail resorts," Contemporary, Polynesian or Grand Floridian. They'll give you a 3-hour pass (a pass they rarely check, but personally, I wouldn't risk going over my time...or at least, NOT TOO FAR over my time). Have a dinner, then hop on the monorail and loop the MK and the Lagoon a few times. Or switch at the TTC and ride to Epcot and back, too.

Thanks, but my point is to get on the Monorail and not pay for a day at the park, which walking through Epcot would do, or pay for parking. We're probably arriving around 2:00pm. After unpacking and getting situated, it will be too late for us to justify burning a day's entrance into any park.

Last November we went to the Grand Floridian to see the gingerbread house in the lobby. We had been at AK earlier in the day, so we had already paid for parking. In order to get to the GF, we had to pass through the parking toll booths for MK (which was no big deal, because we'd paid for parking already at AK) and then we did get a 3 hour pass, so I'm familiar with that. Perhaps we took the wrong road in?

Is there another way to get to the MK resorts without going through the MK toll booths? I'd love to have a meal at one of these resorts and ride the monorail without having to pay for parking at MK in order to access the monorail and MK resorts.

 

[imamouse]

^^Just tell the CM at the toll booth that you are eating/visiting [insert resort name here] and they will let you through. We've eaten at the WL and had a drink, then watched the MK fireworks from the beach at the Poly (several times). We have done this as recently as last Dec 28 w/o any problems.

 

[Mick G.]

Here is what I've done in the past to ride the monorail. I parked at Downtown Disney, and made my way to the bus circle. I found a bus going to a monorail resort, and the rest is simple.

 

[Boray]

^^Just tell the CM at the toll booth that you are eating/visiting [insert resort name here] and they will let you through. We've eaten at the WL and had a drink, then watched the MK fireworks from the beach at the Poly (several times). We have done this as recently as last Dec 28 w/o any problems.

I can just tell them that we want to go to one of the resorts and they'll just let us through? Wow, I guess I didn't realize it was that easy. Thanks for your help! :wave: Now we can take our first "ride" when we get there! Cool.

 

[Eyekimore]

Yes- you can get into the MK area without doing the parking fee. I'm not sure of road names- but- when you get a map of the property- you should be able to figure it out.
Get on the road POR and OKW. Go straight until road stops. Make a left. This road will take you past a golf course and FW. When you get to the end- make a right. This will lead you to WL-Poly-GF area.

(Sorry- I'm a land-mark gal. My MIL is the road name gal!)

Hope that helps!

 

[Rob562]

Thanks, but my point is to get on the Monorail and not pay for a day at the park, which walking through Epcot would do, or pay for parking. We're probably arriving around 2:00pm. After unpacking and getting situated, it will be too late for us to justify burning a day's entrance into any park.

This is actually an out-dated way of thinking about the park tickets at WDW. (Though I admit, if you'd be going into Epcot JUST to get to the monorail, then it is a waste...)

How many days are you going? If it's more than 4 days, each additional day beyond the first 4 are only about $3. Since the introduction of the MYW tickets, adding on an extra day onto your ticket or "wasting" a day just for a few hours isn't the wallet-buster it once was.

On my upcoming trip, we bought 8-day tickets to cover the entire trip, even though we know that a few of the days we'll be going to off-site attractions. We're leaving the flexibility to go into a park just to catch fireworks or eat dinner at an in-park restaurant. (On our arrival day, we'll be arriving around 1PM, and will probably head over to Epcot in the late-afternoon for dinner and Illuminations) The difference in ticket price is negligible.

If you're heading through Epcot to catch the monorail, why not stop for a ride on Spaceship Earth or another attraction on your way?

The only time that adding those extra days might not be worth it is if you're also purchasing the "No Expiration" feature, which charges you according to how many days are on the ticket.

-Rob

 

[slappy magoo]

Thanks, but my point is to get on the Monorail and not pay for a day at the park, which walking through Epcot would do, or pay for parking. We're probably arriving around 2:00pm. After unpacking and getting situated, it will be too late for us to justify burning a day's entrance into any park.

Sorry, based on your original question, I thought your "point" was that you didn't want to pay the parking lot fee. I guess the phrase "I'd like to take a quick trip around on the Monorail that evening, but I don't want to pay $12 to park in one of the lots (either Epcot or MK) and then hop on the monorail" is what threw me. Well, that, and you never mentioned not wanting to pay to get into the parks. Boy don't I feel stupid. From now on I'll determine what you meant based on what you didn't say.


Regardless, the point I was trying to make is that, if you want to ride the monorail, there are better solutions than driving to the Boardwalk and trying to hop on the monorail from there. I believe I may have even offered an easier solution...wait let me check...oh yeah: "Easier solution, book reservations for a dinner at one of the "monorail resorts," Contemporary, Polynesian or Grand Floridian. They'll give you a 3-hour pass (a pass they rarely check, but personally, I wouldn't risk going over my time...or at least, NOT TOO FAR over my time). Have a dinner, then hop on the monorail and loop the MK and the Lagoon a few times. Or switch at the TTC and ride to Epcot and back, too."

Mick G. also offered an interesting solution, by parking at DTD and taking a bus to a monorail resort or the TTC (though one I'm loathe to use, since parking at DTD just to get a bus to get to a monorail = one more person who wants to go to DTD but might have issues finding a parking spot. But hey, that's me, to each his own).

 

[DisneyWall-E]

All you have to do is ask and you should be able to sit in the front of the monorail like everone has said. I try to do this at least once every time I go to WDW, but never more than once because I want other people to have a chance. Also, remember to have you camera ready.
You can skip out on the pay to park if you park at DTD and take a bus to a monorair resort then you can take it from there.

 

[Alexx]

Thanks for your help everyone, hopefully i'll get a chance to ride in the front on my next trip which is in 38 days!!

All those who said something about parking, I don't need parking anyway we're just using shuttle buses from our hotel etc.

Thanks everyone:sohappy:

 

[a2grafix]

Just as a reminder, there are four "co-pilot" passengers allowed in the front of the monorail.

Luckily I was on a solo trip last week and was able to be the fourth passenger on a trip from the TTC to Epcot.

Good luck and enjoy!