Riding in the front of the Monorail

[Rob922]

I never have had a ride in the front and was wondering how one can do this, my 4 year old would get a kick out of it.
thanks.
Rob

 

[TheDisneyMagic]

Just ask one of the Cast Members directing guests where to wait, they will happily allow you to ride up front, sometimes you may have to wait a little extra if it is busy.

And you may be given a little suprise as well.

 

[Rob922]

I figured it was that simple. Thank you very much. We are going down on 2/1, my 4 y.o 2nd trip and the 1 1/2 year olds 1st, should be fun.

 

[Master Yoda]

You best bet is to be at the monorail station at the ticket and transportation center (TTC) as early as possible. (7:00 AM is a great time) If at all possible you will want to take the monorail from the TTC to Epcot. Not only is the longest piece of monorail track but there is generally no one at the TTC going to Epcot that early.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

I agree with all Master Yoda said.
Just ask when you get to the loading platform.
The other good time is mid-day when traffic is at a low, although your Feb. visit should be no problem.
The front can seat up to 4 visitors.

 

[MousDad]

We were asked by a CM if we wanted to ride up front. We happened to be at the gate closest to the cockpit. We also happened to be standing to the far right of that group (which was closest to the cockpit).

May be a good strategy, but hard to pull of because the entrance CMs instruct you what gate to line up at.

 

[LSonDubz]

i've been to disney well over 50 times and my last trip for christmas I got to ride in the front! the little surprise at the end was awesome also, even though my girlfriend thinks im a big dork :ROFLOL:

 

[jonesenon4]

:sohappy:we have rode up front twice once from epcot to mk the second time from mk to epcot as someone else said its the longest trip. both times it was dark which made it a little eerie because you cant really see the track.also each time all we did was find a cm and ask and we got on the next train no waiting it was also closing time at each park and emh at the one we were going to.:sohappy:

 

[tigsmom]

Remember to ask politely (not saying you wouldn't), but I have seen a family practically demand to ride in front. The CM politely said, "I'm sorry, but these people (pointing to us) asked first". We had just wandered over. :lol:

 

[CleveRocks]

Here was my experience ...

Before our last trip, I'd read that the way to do it was to ask the CM on the platform (just like we've read above). So we're at the Contemporary after a Chef Mickey's dinner, and we decide on a scenic nighttime monorail ride around the loop rather than walking to Magic Kingdom.

I approached the nice, grandfatherly CM on the platform and asked him, and he told us that if the front compartment was empty then it was ours.

So the next monorail pulls up, and we see a family exit the cockpit. EXCELLENT! At the same time, however, I see a Dad dash from the inside of one of the monorail doors to the cockpit. I can see by body language that he was asking the pilot if his family could ride in there and that the pilot turned him down (they guy went back to the same car he'd exited).

So then we're allowed to start walking, and I go right up to the cockpit and ask to ride in there with my wife and our 6.5 and 4 year olds. The pilot told us no, that we really need to get permission first. I responded that I'd already asked "Nick" (and I gestured towards the platform CM, very thankful that I'd noticed his name tag!!!) and that he said it was OK. The pilot stepped aside and said "Welcome aboard!"

So it worked out very nicely.

 

[Jessie&Buzz]

My husband, our dd, our oldest niece and I rode up front in 2003. It was awesome. We had too many people to ask on our last trip 2006. In Oct it will be just the 4 of us. I plan on asking. I know my kids would love it. The little guy hasn't ridden up front yet.

All we did was ask the CM when we got to the ttc. It was so much fun. I have some nice pics of the resorts as we pulled into them.

 

[Iakona]

You best bet is to be at the monorail station at the ticket and transportation center (TTC) as early as possible. (7:00 AM is a great time) If at all possible you will want to take the monorail from the TTC to Epcot. Not only is the longest piece of monorail track but there is generally no one at the TTC going to Epcot that early.

First time we got to do it it was the leg to Epcot at night. Absolutely gorgeous.

 

[billifer654]

I want to ride in the front!

 

[goodtimes5286]

I used to ask all the time (and in total I've probably been in front bout 5 times), but as of late I've given up. The thing I like the best about it is the monorail pilot will actually talk to you and tell you little tid bits you might not have known. :animwink:

 

[Jaytrod]

I used to do it alot when I was little, but havn't tried in a long time. However, my DW always asks to sit in front of rockin roller coaster and the cast members put us aside for a train and then let us sit in front in the next one. Same for the monorail, if someone is already sitting up front you can just wait for the next one. Im sure you can sit anywhere you want in just about anything lol all you have to do is ask.. That's that magic that is Disney ;-)

 

[stmize]

You have to time it just right. We have tried numerous trip with varying times and on our last trip (Nov 08) we were lucky enough to get to ride up front from the MK to the Poly. Granted it was early in the morning as we had an 8:30 adr at Ohana's for breakfast. So the moral of the story is:KEEP TRYING AND SOME DAY YOU WILL GET LUCKY.

 

[fmingo36]

I The thing I like the best about it is the monorail pilot will actually talk to you and tell you little tid bits you might not have known. :animwink:

Totally agree with you. Don't get me wrong-it's fun to sit there and the view is really neat but the monorail pilots have always been the highlight of sitting up front. They have always been so nice and knowledgeble! We are staying at the Poly in March and I will do my best to make sure we get one ride up front.

 

[pintraderpayee]

When you get to ride in the front, make sure to have your camera ready. You can get a very unique picture of an oncoming train on the neighboring rail....the drivers are usually happy to be in a quickly snapped picture immediately after stopping. Every year my students compete to see who can be the first group of 4 to get the "up-front" priviledge!


Less than 3 months until we are ºoºrlando bound with 30 teens on a school bus for 930 miles of smiles!

 

[goodtimes5286]

When you get to ride in the front, make sure to have your camera ready. You can get a very unique picture of an oncoming train on the neighboring rail....the drivers are usually happy to be in a quickly snapped picture immediately after stopping. Every year my students compete to see who can be the first group of 4 to get the "up-front" priviledge!

I thought the same thing, but its bowed really strangely. I tried to get pictures and they just came out weird. I'm thinking next time I do it im going to bring my 8.1 megapixel camera and see if that makes a difference. Hopefully someone can post what camera works best for that strange glass you have to take your pics through

 

[Uponastar]

We've ridden up front quite a few times, simply because we happen to notice that no one else has asked for the privilege. You just have to hit it at the right time. Good luck!