The Disney World monorail system is a quintessential part of a Disney vacation and one aspect that sets the resort apart from other theme park experiences. As such, guests planning a trip to Disney World have a lot of questions about using the Disney World monorail.
So, we’re answering the most common questions, based on our experience as Disney travel advisors and over 2 decades of using the Disney monorail system.
What Are the Disney Monorail Hotels?
One purpose of the Disney World monorail system is to provide transportation for guests of certain hotels to the Magic Kingdom park. The resort monorail route of the Magic Kingdom line also offers service to the Transportation Ticket Center, where guests may depart the resort monorail and board a separate monorail to EPCOT Park.
The Disney World Hotels with access to monorail transportation are:
- Contemporary Resort/Bay Lake Towers
- Grand Floridian Resort and Spa/Grand Floridian Villas
- Polynesian Village Resort/Polynesian Villas
Where Does the Disney World Monorail Go?
The Disney World monorail operates on 2 distinct lines, or as Disney calls them, beams. The first line/beam travels from the Transportation Ticket Center to EPCOT park. This line provides service to EPCOT for guests staying at a Magic Kingdom Area Resort.
The second line runs from the Transportation Ticket Center to Magic Kingdom Park. There are two routes operating on this section of track. The first offers nonstop service from the Transportation Ticket Center to Magic Kingdom. The second runs from the Transportation Ticket Center and stops at all Magic Kingdom area resorts in the following order:
- Stop 1: Polynesian Village/Villas
- Stop 2: Grand Floridian Resort & Spa/Villas
- Stop 3: Magic Kingdom
- Stop 4: Contemporary Resort/Bay Lake Towers
How Often Does the Magic Kingdom Monorail Run at Disney World?
While official answers vary on how often the Magic Kingdom monorail runs at Disney World, our experience across multiple trips has revealed the following:
- Average wait time for a Magic Kingdom/resort monorail during peak travel periods: 3-6 minutes
- Average wait times for a Magic Kingdom/resort monorail during non-peak travel times: 8-12 minutes
During our travels, we’ve observed that peak travel times typically begin 30 minutes prior to park opening up to 3 hours after park opening. The second wave of peak travel will begin around an hour prior to park closing and up to an hour after park closing. If the park offers a nighttime spectacular, such as Happily Ever After at the Magic Kingdom, you will also see a peak wave of guests departing the park immediately following the close of the show up to an hour after.
You will find that more monorails are running during peak travel periods, resulting in shorter waits for the next available train.
How Often Does the EPCOT Monorail Run at Disney World?
Since the EPCOT monorail has a much longer travel route, you may find your wait for the next train is a little longer than arrivals for the Magic Kingdom. In our experience, monorails traveling to EPCOT arrive every 4-7 minutes during peak travel periods. You may wait up to 10 minutes for monorail service to or from EPCOT during non-peak travel times.
Again, peak travel times are defined as 30 minutes prior to park opening up to 3 hours after park opening, or around an hour prior to park closing and up to an hour after park closing. Typically, the busiest time for the EPCOT monorail is immediately following the nightly Luminous The Symphony of Us show up to an hour after.
Can You Ride the Walt Disney World Monorail System for Free?
Anyone can ride the monorail at Disney World, provided they are a guest of a Disney World Magic Kingdom resort or a day guest visiting Magic Kingdom or EPCOT. However, you will need to pay for parking when driving to either theme park. Guests who are dining at a Magic Kingdom resort restaurant may also ride the monorail for free, by picking up the resort monorail from the hotel station.
Additional monorail stations are located just outside the gates of EPCOT park and at the Transportation Ticket Center. Disney World’s Transportation Ticket Center acts as a hub for guests arriving by car to visit the Magic Kingdom. Additional stations are located at each of the Disney monorail hotels, located on the Magic Kingdom resort line.
What Are the Disney World Monorail Hours?
According to Disney’s website, monorails begin operation 30 minutes prior to park opening. Since the monorail system serves guests of Disney resorts who are eligible to attend Early Theme Park Entry, the monorail would officially begin service for the day 30 minutes prior to the established early entry time. However, this does not seem to be a hard and fast rule, as we’ve seen monorail running as much as an hour prior to opening when higher crowds are expected.
For up to the minute information, make sure you check the Disney World app. You can find transportation information under the resorts section if you have a current reservation at a Magic Kingdom area resort.
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Are Strollers Allowed on Walt Disney World Monorail System?
Guests are welcome to use strollers across the Disney World monorail system. In many cases, strollers may be pushed unfolded, with child onboard, directly onto the Disney World monorail. However, if there is a large crowd waiting to board, and you are at the end of the line, you will have a better chance of securing a spot by folding up the stroller.
In this case, if you prefer to keep the stroller operational, you can always wait for the next monorail. By passing up the current train, you’ll be one of the first in line for the next train, giving you space to board with an open stroller.
Medical strollers will be treated as wheelchairs. Guests utilizing a medical stroller will be asked to wait on the accessible platform where a Disney cast member can assist with boarding.
At Which Disney World Hotel Does the Monorail Run Through It?
The monorail track runs directly through the Contemporary Resort. Guests staying at this hotel will board from a station located inside the hotel.
More Information on the Disney World Monorail System
The information above is meant to provide quick answers to the most commonly asked questions about the Walt Disney World monorail system. If you want to take an in-depth dive into using the monorail at Disney World, check out our complete monorail guide. We’ve included monorail route maps, insider information and additional tips and tricks for using Disney’s Highway in the Sky.
