The Disney Monorail is the crown jewel of the public transportation system in Walt Disney World.
The Disney Monorail an innovate and fun public transportation system that connects several Disney Parks together.
Guests at Walt Disney World are able to use the Monorail to travel between some parks and to some resorts on Disney property.
But for new visitors to Disney Parks, it can be kinda confusing to figure out the best ways to use this iconic Disney service.
Today, I’m going to share with you all the things you need to know about how to use the Disney Monorail, and even some handy insider tips to make your ride even more fun!
Disney Monorail Basics
The Monorail has three main routes through Disney World, but only has stops at two of the four main Disney World parks.
The main station to catch the monorail is located at the Ticket and Transportation Center. You can park your car and catch any of the three routes from this location.
Walt Disney World does not charge any additional fees to use public transportation on Walt Disney World property. There is a charge for parking, and of course, for park tickets, but guests do not have to pay to hop on the Monorail.
Parking and the Disney Monorail
Many first time visitors do not realize that if you plan on driving to the Magic Kingdom, you’ll need to park your car at the Ticket and Transportation Center.
Then you can take either the Disney Monorail or a riverboat over to the entrance to the Magic Kingdom.
Disney World does offer bus service from their resorts and other parks to the front entrance from Magic Kingdom, but personal vehicles are not allowed into this area.
After parking your car in the vast lots at the Ticket and Transportation Center, you might be worried about the long walk to the entrance.
Thankfully, at every Disney World Park, trams are offered to carry guest to and from their cars.
Each area of the parking lots have name, and each row has a number, which makes finding your car extremely simple.
The Ticket and Transportation Center parking lot has areas named after Heroes and Villains.
Navigating the Ticket and Transportation Center
After a quick ride on a tram, guests are dropped off at the Ticket and Transportation Center in front of several rows of ticket booths. You can purchase park tickets and event tickets here.
If you already have your tickets, you can quickly walk past these areas, and move into the security lines.
Walt Disney World thoroughly searches all bags that are coming into the parks, so be prepared with all pockets of your bags already open.
After you’ve made it through security, you’ll be faced with a choice. Disney riverboat or Disney monorail?
If you want to ride the riverboat over to the Magic Kingdom, head left towards the dock. This ride is really relaxing, and sometimes less crowded than the monorail.
During specially ticketed After Hours events, if you stay to the bitter end, sometimes the monorail is already closed. If this is your situation, the riverboat is the best way to get back to the parking lot at the Ticket and Transportation Center.
Choosing a Monorail Line
If you’ve decided to take the Disney monorail, your next choice will be which monorail route do I need to take?
There are three separate platforms to choose from at the Ticket and Transportation Center. Each one is clearly labeled with which monorail like arrives and departs from which platform, and what destinations each line goes to.
The platform for the Resort Monorail will be to the left.
The platform for the Express Monorail to the Magic Kingdom will be straight ahead.
The platform for the Epcot Monorail will be to the right.
Express Monorail to the Magic Kingdom
The Express Monorail route runs directly to the Magic Kingdom and back to the Ticket and Transportation Center.
Guest enjoy a scenic view of Seven Seas Lagoon and three the Deluxe Disney World Resorts on their journey to and from the Magic Kingdom.
This is the best route to take for those just wanting to make their way over to the gates of the Magic Kingdom, unless it is exceptionally crowded on the day of your visit. More on that in a minute.
Disney Resort Monorail
The Resort Monorail route makes stops at the three most iconic resorts on Walt Disney World Property.
After leaving the Ticket and Transportation Center, the trains on this route will stop at the Polynesian Resort.
The next stop will be the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, followed by the Magic Kingdom.
After the Magic Kingdom, the Resort Monorail runs directly inside of the Contemporary Resort, where a stop is located inside the hotel.
Then the train completes the loop with a final stop back at the Ticket and Transportation Center.
Many visitors to Walt Disney World do not realize that you can visit these luxurious resorts even if you aren’t staying there. Each of them have fantastic restaurants and offer unique activities for guests.
I highly recommend visiting them if you are in Disney Parks during the Holiday Season.
Epcot Monorail
The Epcot Monorail offers direct service between Epcot and the Ticket and Transportation Center.
This route is fantastic if you plan to park hop during your day at Disney. It also offers some of the best views of Epcot, since the train runs behind Spaceship Earth (the giant silver sphere), and through the park before making its stop at the Epcot Monorail Station.
I’ve gotten some fantastic pictures of Epcot while riding this route.
Tricks and Tips
When you get to the platform for your train, be sure to listen closely to in announcements and cast member instructions. By following the directions, loading and unloading of cars runs very smoothly. (Be sure to “please stand clear of the doors!”)
The monorail can get very crowded during opening and closing hours. If you want to ride the monorail and really get the most out of the experience, ride at off peak times. We often use it to park hop between the Magic Kingdom and Epcot.
During these crowded hours, be sure to make room for everyone traveling. Wheelchairs and strollers are easily loaded into the train cars. If you’re having trouble, just ask a cast member for help.
Cars directly in front of the platforms fill up quickly and tend to be the most crowded. Head to the front or the back of the train for a less crowded car.
Some of the best views of Disney Parks, especially Epcot Center can be seen from the monorail. Be sure to have your camera ready to catch some amazing shots from the window of your train car.
If you are at the Ticket and Transportation Center on an exceptionally crowded day and the wait for the Express Monorail is quite long, you can hop on the Resort Monorail to the Magic Kingdom.
Just be prepared for the train to stop at the Polynesian Resort and the Grand Floridian on your way there. If you listen to the announcements and pay attention, you’ll easily know when to get off the Disney Monorail for the Magic Kingdom.
Bottom line, the Monorail is one of my favorite ways to get around at Walt Disney World. Give it a try, and I’m sure you’ll love it too!
Looking for more Disney World tips and tricks? Check out all the info you need to know to have the BEST TRIP EVER by clicking here!
Disney Monorail: Everything You Need To Know!