Disney Reviews - Disney World Monorail

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Disney Reviews - Disney World Monorail
By special request it is possible to ride in the cab with the operator, and to tour the entire system takes about 60-90 minutes, depending on how patient you are for cab rides. If you want to ensure you get a cab ride (highly recommended), tell one of the attendants at each boarding station you want one and they will tell you where to wait. Keep in mind due to the popularity of cab rides (yes, non-railfans like them too), you most likely won't be able to do full loops in the cab, since there is a maximum capacity of four people in the cab (not including the operator).

The beams for each of the routes are easily recognizable. They are concrete and look similar to the concrete used on recent elevated transit construction such as on portions of the Washington MetroRail. From the ground, it looks like there are two rails. But, upon careful inspection, you will realize that one of the rails is the "third rail", providing power for the train. The other is the one actually guiding the train. The top of the beam itself is flat and has nothing on it other than the markers (described later). The train merely rides above the top of the beam.

There are a total of 12 trains for the monorail. The exteriors are painted white with a colored stripe around the whole body below the windows. It is this stripe that identifies the train for communication purposes. The colors of the stripes are blue, red, black, gold, silver, pink, coral, orange, green, lime, purple, and yellow. Each train is 6 cars. The cars are permanently coupled with articulated joints between each. There is a full width cab in the end cars. The interior of all the cars is the same. There are two rows with 5 seats each at each end, as well as two rows of 5 seats in the middle of the car. You cannot pass between the two halves of each car. There are two doors on each side of each car that open outwards, then slide apart, like the front doors of an RTS bus. There are also poles for standees.

The trains, contrary to popular belief, are not automatically driven nor do they have the capability to run automatically, despite there being systems capable of using Zero Person Train Operation as early as the 1960s. There is a single lever controller with five points for accelerating and five points for braking. The first point will bring the train to 15 MPH, the second to 20, and so on until the fifth and final, which will have the train reach its maximum speed of 40 MPH. Each train is equipped with the "MAPO" system, their form of cab signaling. Unlike on the Washington MetroRail, where the operator is given a speed readout, MAPO merely illuminates one of three lights, green, yellow, or red. A green light means the train in front is far enough ahead to operate at the maximum speed for that section of track. A yellow light means that the train is too close to the one in front and needs to stop by the next "marker", a set of four reflectors on the top of the beam. If the train does not stop it is automatically stopped after passing the next marker. The door controls are located on a vertical panel on the exterior of the train on each side next to the door to the cab.
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Disney World Monorail:
The Disney World Monorail opened in 1971, serving the Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), the location of the parking lot for the Magic Kingdom. In 1982 it was extended from the TTC to serve the EPCOT Center park. There are three routes, the first runs in a counterclockwise direction on the outer track, making no other stops other than the TTC and Magic Kingdom; the second runs clockwise on the inner track stopping at the TTC, Polynesian Resort, Grand Floridian Resort, Magic Kingdom, and Contemporary Resort. The third route runs from the TTC to EPCOT. In addition to one beam for each of the routes, there is a connection between the TTC-EPCOT beam and the TTC-Magic Kingdom beam near the TTC and a siding that runs along the edge of the Magic Kingdom near Tomorrowland, leading to the "shops and yard" for the monorail.

By special request it is possible to ride in the cab with the operator, and to tour the entire system takes about 60-90 minutes, depending on how patient you are for cab rides. If you want to ensure you get a cab ride (highly recommended), tell one of the attendants at each boarding station you want one and they will tell you where to wait. Keep in mind due to the popularity of cab rides (yes, non-railfans like them too), you most likely won't be able to do full loops in the cab, since there is a maximum capacity of four people in the cab (not including the operator).

The beams for each of the routes are easily recognizable. They are concrete and look similar to the concrete used on recent elevated transit construction such as on portions of the Washington MetroRail. From the ground, it looks like there are two rails. But, upon careful inspection, you will realize that one of the rails is the "third rail", providing power for the train. The other is the one actually guiding the train. The top of the beam itself is flat and has nothing on it other than the markers (described later). The train merely rides above the top of the beam.

There are a total of 12 trains for the monorail. The exteriors are painted white with a colored stripe around the whole body below the windows. It is this stripe that identifies the train for communication purposes. The colors of the stripes are blue, red, black, gold, silver, pink, coral, orange, green, lime, purple, and yellow. Each train is 6 cars. The cars are permanently coupled with articulated joints between each. There is a full width cab in the end cars. The interior of all the cars is the same. There are two rows with 5 seats each at each end, as well as two rows of 5 seats in the middle of the car. You cannot pass between the two halves of each car. There are two doors on each side of each car that open outwards, then slide apart, like the front doors of an RTS bus. There are also poles for standees.

The trains, contrary to popular belief, are not automatically driven nor do they have the capability to run automatically, despite there being systems capable of using Zero Person Train Operation as early as the 1960s. There is a single lever controller with five points for accelerating and five points for braking. The first point will bring the train to 15 MPH, the second to 20, and so on until the fifth and final, which will have the train reach its maximum speed of 40 MPH. Each train is equipped with the "MAPO" system, their form of cab signaling. Unlike on the Washington MetroRail, where the operator is given a speed readout, MAPO merely illuminates one of three lights, green, yellow, or red. A green light means the train in front is far enough ahead to operate at the maximum speed for that section of track. A yellow light means that the train is too close to the one in front and needs to stop by the next "marker", a set of four reflectors on the top of the beam. If the train does not stop it is automatically stopped after passing the next marker. The door controls are located on a vertical panel on the exterior of the train on each side next to the door to the cab.

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Overall rating:		(4.60)

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Overall rating:		(4.25)

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Dierdre76

November 28, 2007

Ratings from: Dierdre76
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Summary Fun alternative

Reviewer's Comments

We've neve had to wait long for a ride on the monorail. I guess we've been lucky. They are quiet and quick. Plus you get to see resorts from a different view. Esp. nice to go thru the Contemporary and sometimes you can catch fireworks if you time it right. Only drawback is that they only run around the Magic Kingdom and Epcot.

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mrphil1959

November 28, 2007

Ratings from: mrphil1959
Overall rating:

Summary Great fun for kids

Reviewer's Comments

My 4yo son loves to ride the "train" as he calls it. A few times when he was tired out we got on and rode around a few times for him to relax and to get cool. The beef would be it does extend to MGM or Animal Kingdom and the wait times are often horrible.

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curious alice

November 27, 2007

Ratings from: curious alice
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Summary Classic Disney Ride

Reviewer's Comments

If you're going to a Disney park, you must go on the monorail at least once. A nice, smooth, comfortable way to get around.

If you're in a party of four or less, ask a cast member at the station if you can ride up front with the driver. You might have to wait for the next monorail, but this is a truly special experience.

My only beef with the monorail is that it doesn't service Animal Kingdom or MGM, which would make park-hopping even easier.

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MickeyMouseşoşŽ

January 30, 2007

Ratings from: MickeyMouseşoşŽ
Overall rating:

Summary MONORAIL RULEZ!!

Reviewer's Comments

We love going on the monorail!!! Sometimes we go on the monorail 100 times around for the whole day!!
NOT KIDDING!!!

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sjaakie

May 24, 2006

Ratings from: sjaakie
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Summary Great !!!

Reviewer's Comments

We took a roundtrip with the monorail and saw the future coming.
This is the tranportation for tomorrow.

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tinkerbella

April 30, 2006

Ratings from: tinkerbella
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Summary Ride the Monorail!!!!

Reviewer's Comments

We love to ride the monorail, not only to get us to where we need to be, but it's fun!!!! My son and I got to sit up front and he got to be the "pilot". It was great!!! We love to resort hop, so the monorail is a great way to do this!!! We love to take it to the TTC and then go to Epcot!!! It's great!!

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G00fyDad

April 30, 2006

Ratings from: G00fyDad
Overall rating:

Summary Pretty good

Reviewer's Comments

We road the monorail from Magic Kingdom to the TTC just to be able to say we rode this transportation. However, we didn'texpect it to take quite so long. We will ride again on the next trip so we can see if they will allow us to ride up front. It was a rather neat ride though.

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Tinas Travel

April 28, 2006

Ratings from: Tinas Travel
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Summary A ride in itself!

Reviewer's Comments

Riding the monorail is a great way to get into the Disney spirit. If you have kids, ask to ride in the cab. You get a great view and you can talk to the operator about Disney. We always take the time to ride from the MK to Epcot, just to enjoy the view.

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debfen

April 24, 2006

Ratings from: debfen
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Summary Sit Back and Relax

Reviewer's Comments

The Monorail is the perfect way to travel. Quiet, cool and no bumps! The best place to ride is up front with the driver. All you have to do is as the CM if you can ride up front and if no one is already there, your in. The driver is full of Disney info, so talk to him and enjoy the ride.

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CrashPQ

April 19, 2006

Ratings from: CrashPQ
Overall rating:

Summary Must do

Reviewer's Comments

The only time we neede to use the monorail was to go from MK to Epcot and to Chef Mickey's. I would reccomend that anyone visiting WDW take a ride on every transportation vehicle available. If only to say you did. Besides, no one can go to Disney and not ride the monorail. The monorail is Disney.

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