Riding the Monorail

[artbaum]

I've never been on Disneyland's monorail (though I have taken them at WDW), and I wonder: can I enter the park taking the monorail in from Downtown Disney? (Or do you have to be a hotel guest/have a re-entry hand stamp to board in Downtown Disney?)

[spaulo]

There is a ticket turnstile at the Monorail station in Downtown Disney. You do not have to be a resort guest, and the entrance is good for both re-entry with handstamp, and the initial entry of the day. They will check your bags like at the Esplanade entrance every time you want to get back into the station.

[rudekick]

There is a ticket turnstile at the Monorail station in Downtown Disney. You do not have to be a resort guest, and the entrance is good for both re-entry with handstamp, and the initial entry of the day. They will check your bags like at the Esplanade entrance every time you want to get back into the station.

This actually used to be the case, but they recently changed it. (My brother works front desk at the Disneyland Hotel.) During certain times of the year (i.e. high occupancy/attendance times) you need to be a resort guest to use the monorail. I think this is related to the fact that the monorail is currently only operating with one train on half the track, and it might only be restricted for the Downtown Disney to Disneyland trip (and not for coming out of the park), but I do know that sometimes there are some restrictions.

[spaulo]

The only restrictions I've ever heard of are (A) for early entry... obviously must be a resort guest, and (B) express entrance line at the Tomorrowland station for resort guests.

However, with the renovations happening at Tomorrowland station, and the reduced capacity of the monorail, the type of restrictions you mention make perfect sense.

Sorry if I gave bad info. The info I had was good as of last September, my last trip there.

[kgmadorin]

I thought I read somewhere that the monorail was operating in shuttle mode instead of it's usual loop because of the renovations to the sub lagoon. That eliminates a section of track and shortens the ride duration. Anyone else hear something similar? Would that affect who's able to board at Downtown Disney?

[spaulo]

that situation is definitely going down, madorin, and is probably the cause of the changes rudekick mentions.

[ttztotdca50]

Yeah, I've been on the shuttle monorail track. It's not that bad - the only thing is that the ride is significantly shorter than the regular circuit track. Gets you to your destination faster, which is always a good thing...

[bigthunderlover]

I prefer the original monorail. I like that it gives you all this information about disneyland while you are riding it. I persomally haven't been on it since they first started builing Indiana Jones.

[proudcanuck]

The only reason we take the monorail into the park is to bypass the longer lineup at the security checkpoint. Always seems to go way faster at the monorail checkpoint. We also count it as a "ride" as well.

[proudcanuck]

The only reason we take the monorail into the park is to bypass the longer lineup at the security checkpoint. Always seems to go way faster at the monorail checkpoint. We also count it as a "ride" as well.