June 1959 – present
LOCATION
Tomorrowland – To board from inside the park, head toward the rear of Tomorrowland, near the lagoon. You’ll find the Monorail sign and a ramp to the platform on the left, between the Finding Nemo Submaring Voyage and Autopia.
Downtown Disney – To board from Downtown Disney, head toward the Disneyland Hotel. You’ll find the loading platform on your right, across from the LEGO Store.
BACKGROUND
Originally, the Monorail fit in perfectly with Tomorrowland’s emphasis on future technology; Walt believed monorail systems would become a common method of public transportation in the near future. However, with the rise in popularity of major highways, the Monorail instead became a symbol associated with Disney parks.
When the Monorail first opened in 1959, it had no transportation function at all; it was a sightseeing attraction that completed a small loop around Tomorrowland. But in 1961, Disney opened the Disneyland Hotel station (now the Downtown Disney station), officially marking the Monorail as a transportation vehicle for resort guests.
As the resort has expanded, including the opening of a new park and two new hotels, the Monorail’s track has remain largely unchanged. Instead, the resort built around the Monorail, and guests now get a tour right through the heart of the resort.
EXPERIENCE
Details:
- Single Rider Line – no
- Fast Pass – no
- Height Requirement – none
- Duration – 11:00
Guests can board the Monorail in Tomorrowland or in Downtown Disney. From either stop, guests embark on a 10-minute tour of the Disneyland Resort, including views of Downtown Disney, the Grand Californian Hotel, Grizzly Peak, Buena Vista Street, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. The narrated tour provides a glimpse of park history, shares resort trivia, and points out park landmarks visible from the track.
MY RATING: ★★★★☆
The Monorail is fun to ride, and offers some really unique views of the park. The narration is interesting, and taking the Monorail from one end of the resort to another gives your feet a much-needed break. However, it doesn’t stop in California Adventure, even though the track leads right through two of its lands. If the Monorail stopped in California Adventure, I would up this rating to five stars.
VISITING TIPS
As the day goes on, lines steadily increase, with peak lines around dinnertime. However, the cars accommodate over 100 passengers per trip, and makes return trips fairly quickly. So long as the park isn’t extraordinarily crowded, you shouldn’t have much trouble getting on. If the park is extremely crowded and you want to take a trip, try riding at lunchtime or in the late morning.
TRIVIA
At the opening ceremony, the massive ceremonial scissors couldn’t cut the ribbon, so Walt tore it with his hands.
The Monorail has had several generations of vehicles: Mark I (1959-1961), Mark II (1961-1968), Mark III (1968-1985), Mark V (1985-2007), Mark VII (2007-present). Mark IV and Mark VI models operated in Walt Disney World, but never serviced passengers on the west coast.
When the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage opened in 2002, the Monorail sported yellow and blue paint to match the submarines. And when Cars Land opened in 2012, the cars received temporary decals giving each vehicle eyes and a mouth.
