Disney World Monorail Transportation Guide
Did you even visit Walt Disney World if you didn’t ride the monorail at least once? I’m not sure. The monorail is undoubtedly the most well-known form of transportation at Disney World. It’s a rite of passage.
Whether you’re staying at a Disney Resort or visiting as a day guest, you’ll probably want to ride the monorail at least once. So below, we’ll discuss how the monorail works, where you can take it, and a few tips for using it during your vacation. Trust me when I say that learning the ins and outs of the monorail system will benefit your trip. By the time we’re finished, you’ll feel confident when someone in your travel party asks, “Can we take the monorail?”
Where Can You Take the Monorail?
As we’ve already mentioned, the monorail is pretty popular. It’s available to all guests whether you’re staying on or off-site. But where can you take it? Well, the simple answer is that it services three resort hotels, two theme parks, and a parking area. They are as follows:
- Resort Monorail (Stops at Disney’s Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Magic Kingdom, and the Transportation and Ticket Center)
- Express Monorail (Stops at Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center)
- Epcot Monorail (Stops at Epcot and the Transportation and Ticket Center)
Monorail colors include blue, lime, orange, peach, yellow, red, black, silver, gold, coral, green, and teal. Each monorail has a colored stripe down the center. From time to time, some monorails will have special wraps to celebrate new films or anniversaries. Additionally, most monorails have received interior updates and refurbishment in recent years.
Disney World Monorail Hours
The Epcot and Magic Kingdom monorails begin operation at least 30 minutes before the earliest park opening time. Therefore, the monorail begins running at least 30 minutes before the park opens for guests eligible for early theme park entry.
The Magic Kingdom monorail continues to run until one hour after the park closes, and the Epcot monorail runs two hours after Epcot closes. The monorail also continues to run up to an hour after the park closes on nights when extended evening hours are offered. (This is a special hotel perk for deluxe and deluxe villa resort guests only.) Hours of operation are the same for extra-ticketed events. For example, if you attend Disney After Hours or a seasonal party at Magic Kingdom, the monorail will continue to run up to an hour after the event.
That said, it is important to note the hours of operation before using the monorail. If the monorail is operating on a reduced schedule, signs are posted at the resorts and monorail stations. Here is an example of the signage you’ll see before boarding one of the monorails at the Transportation and Ticket Center. Note that these signs, indicating the monorail’s operating hours, can change daily. During this visit, the express monorail to Magic Kingdom was operating between 8:00 a.m. and midnight.
On this same day, the Epcot monorail was running between 7:30 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Epcot closed at 9:00 p.m. this particular evening. The monorail stays open late to accommodate guests who might have parked at Epcot earlier in the day and then used the monorail to park-hop to Magic Kingdom.
Lastly, the resort monorail was running between 7:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m. on this particular day. These hours are pretty standard. However, during slower seasons, they are likely to be reduced. During our hotel stays, we often find that the resort monorail runs as early as 6:30 a.m. to accommodate guests traveling to the other resorts for an early breakfast. The hours are always posted near the monorail station. If you don’t see them, you can ask a cast member before you board.
A Note for Guests in Wheelchairs or ECVs Using the Monorail
When you arrive at the monorail platform, a cast member will direct you where to wait. There are usually two dedicated areas near the center of each loading zone to accommodate guests in wheelchairs or ECVS. When the monorail arrives, a cast member will lay down a ramp to allow guests to load or unload. If you are using the resort monorail, they’ll ask where you plan to exit. When you arrive at your destination, someone will be waiting with a ramp.
*Disney’s site has details for those with mobility issues (e.g., wheelchairs and ECVs).
Disney World Monorail (Resort-Line)
We’ll start with the monorail that services Disney Hotels. The monorail hotels are all deluxe resorts in the Magic Kingdom Resorts area. Here is a list of each stop in order, starting with the Magic Kingdom:
- Magic Kingdom
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Transportation and Ticket Center
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Grand Floridian Resort Monorail
Disney’s Grand Floridian’s monorail platform is off the hotel’s second-floor lobby. Once you enter the resort, you can take the stairs or the elevators down to the lobby. When taking the monorail from the resort, you’ll exit at the large set of doors toward the back of the second floor. Here, you will go through a security screening.
If you visit the Magic Kingdom, you will not have to go through security again to enter or leave the park. However, when you board the monorail from other resorts, you will have to walk through security each time. For more details, see how to get to Magic Kingdom from Grand Floridian. We compare routes to see which is the fastest.
Polynesian Resort Monorail
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is another stop on the monorail resort loop. Similar to Grand Floridian, the Polynesian’s monorail station is located on the second floor of the resort hotel. When you leave Magic Kingdom, you’ll want to board the resort monorail. You’ll then stop at the Contemporary and the Transportation and Ticket Center before arriving at the Polynesian. For more on this route, see how to get from Disney’s Polynesian to Magic Kingdom. We compare all three options.
Contemporary Resort Monorail
Disney’s Contemporary Resort is the last hotel on the resort monorail loop, so it’s the first stop when leaving the Magic Kingdom. However, when leaving the hotel, Magic Kingdom is the last stop. Therefore, most guests prefer to walk to the Magic Kingdom from the Contemporary.
Disney’s Contemporary is unique because the monorail runs through the hotel. While all of the monorail platforms are covered, this is the only monorail that enters the interior of a hotel.
When To Take the Resort Monorail
In some instances, you will want to take the resort monorail line instead of the express monorail. Here are a few scenarios:
- When arriving at the TTC (Transportation and Ticket Center), and you want to visit a monorail hotel, or if you encounter a long line for the express monorail.
- If you leave the Magic Kingdom and want to go to any of the stops on the loop, for example, you might visit one of the monorail resorts for lunch or dinner.
- If you are at a monorail resort, use the resort monorail to travel to other resorts on the loop.
Whatever your reason, remember that the resort monorail makes five stops before it comes full circle. Also, it takes time to load and unload at each stop.
Disney World Express Monorail
Disney’s express monorail provides service solely between the Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center, which is basically the Magic Kingdom parking lot. All guests arriving by vehicle must park here and then walk or take a tram to the TTC. A large body of water, Seven Seas Lagoon, sits between the Transportation and Ticket Center and Magic Kingdom.
Guests can take the ferry or monorail from the TTC to reach Magic Kingdom. We have a separate article that discusses taking the Magic Kingdom Ferry. Once you pass through security, you’ll run into a large open area with three monorail entrances. The Magic Kingdom monorail is in the center.
Often, the express monorail is the fastest option for traveling to the Magic Kingdom since there are no stops along the way. For most, the fun thing is traveling through Disney’s Contemporary Resort on the way to the park. The picture below shows the Express Monorail at the Transportation and Ticket Center. It will soon be on its way through the Contemporary and onward to Magic Kingdom.
The Express monorail slows down as it travels through the Contemporary. You can look down from the monorail and see guests dining at Chef Mickey’s or browsing the resort’s Grand Concourse floor. However, in the event of extensive lines, you might elect to take the resort monorail line we discussed above. That line is to the left of the Magic Kingdom monorail. Its entrance is a bit inconspicuous. Remember to stay on until you get to the Magic Kingdom stop.
The same rules apply when returning in the evening. In most cases, you’ll want to take the express monorail back to the TTC. When leaving the Magic Kingdom, you might board the resort monorail instead of the express in the event of long lines. On the return trip, the resort monorail will stop at Disney’s Contemporary before arriving at the Transportation and Ticket Center.
Tip: We like to wait about 30 minutes after the fireworks to leave in the evening. Crowds are terrible during this time, and merely trying to exit the park is a hassle.
Magic Kingdom Monorail Stop
Below is a photo of the entrance to the express monorail line at Magic Kingdom. This entrance is on the immediate right when you exit Magic Kingdom. When you arrive at Magic Kingdom, there’s an exit ramp between the two monorail lines. If you look closely, you can see guests walking down the ramp and toward the park in the photo.
Epcot Monorail
Perhaps the most popular monorail ride is the one to Epcot from the Transportation and Ticket Center. The picture below gives you an idea of what a beautiful ride it is, especially during the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival.
Guests planning to drive their car to Epcot have two options. They can park at Epcot, which only requires walking into the park, or they can park at the Transportation and Ticket Center and take the monorail to Epcot.
If you don’t plan to park-hop, you will likely want to park at Epcot. If not, you’ll have to take the monorail again in the evening to return to your car. After a long day in the parks, everyone is usually exhausted, and this extra step requires more effort.
It is also important to note that the monorail is the only complimentary form of transportation to Epcot from the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and Contemporary. Guests of these resorts will need to take the monorail from their hotel to the Transportation and Ticket Center. From there, they will unload and join the line for the monorail to Epcot. However, guests of Disney’s Polynesian will find it’s usually easier to walk over from the resort to the Transportation and Ticket Center since they are next door to each other. We have an overview of walking from the TTC to the Polynesian if you want to learn more.
For reference, the line for the Epcot monorail is on the far right side of the Transportation Center.
Epcot’s monorail leaves the Transportation and Ticket Center and travels to Epcot. Before arriving, the monorail enters the park and makes a large loop through the center of the park. The monorail then exits the park and stops at the monorail platform. After arriving, guests can walk down the ramp and head straight to the park’s ticket entry area. Since the Transportation and Ticket Center is within a secure area, you won’t have to go through security at Epcot again.
When the monorail takes the loop inside Epcot, it offers different views from each side. For example, from the interior side, you will see the World Celebration Gardens. On the exterior side, you will see more along the lines of Mission: Space, Test Track, and a view of the World Showcase. Then, you’ll pass the Imagination and Land Pavilions before exiting outside of the park past Spaceship Earth.
Either side offers terrific views of the park. However, those views only last a few moments as the monorail glides through the park to its destination.
Tip: If you aren’t visiting Epcot during your vacation, you can still take this monorail for a brief glimpse inside the park. You’ll want to stay on the monorail and take it back to the TTC instead of exiting at Epcot.
Using the Epcot Monorail for Park-Hopping
Here are a few other scenarios with guidance for using the monorail to Epcot.
Take the Epcot monorail when park-hopping. (Parking at Epcot)
- When park hopping, you might park at Epcot if you’re planning to end the day there. So you would take the Epcot line to the Transportation and Ticket Center. From the TTC, you would board the express or resort monorail to the Magic Kingdom.
Take the Epcot beam when park-hopping or visiting Epcot. (Parking at Transportation and Ticket Center)
- Others like to park at Magic Kingdom (Transportation and Ticket Center) and then monorail to Epcot for the day. After that, they visit the Magic Kingdom for the evening. When you leave Epcot, you’ll walk up the ramp and board the monorail back to the Transportation and Ticket Center. After arriving, you’ll board the express or resort monorail to Magic Kingdom.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the monorail is a fun and unique way to travel to and from several destinations at the Walt Disney World Resort. Hopefully, this guide provided you with everything you need to know to use it efficiently. Check back with Resorts Gal for more planning details.
In the Comments
Are you planning to ride the monorail when you visit Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments.