Monorail and Magic Morning Early Entry

[Tink Lover]

As I understand it, the Monorail runs during Magic Mornings when resort guests and certain others are allowed to enter the park one hour early.

I'll be staying at the GCH with my parents ... it seems like taking the monorail from DTD into the park would be a great way to reduce the amount of walking that they have to do. My folks are mobile, but starting to slow down a bit.

I'd like to hear from others about the pro's and con's of doing this. Is there a long line, should we get there early to account for that? Does it open up at the same time as the main entrance, or is there a delay?

Bottom line: Is the monorail a good option for early entry, or would we be better off making our way to the main entrance instead? Thanks so much!

[MammaSilva]

The monorail is not reliable for that kind of entry, it does run but often isn't ready at the early entry opening so you lose that valuable time. I'd leave the rooms earlier, take a leisurely stroll to the gates then use the monorail to go back to the hotel for a break at some point in the day.

[Malcon10t]

Another vote for walking. First, the monorail isn't always ready at opening. Second, if you don't make the first train of the morning, you will wait an additional 10+ mins or so for the next train to arrive and to get to Tomorrowland. Finally, is Nemo your destination for EE? If not, you then have to walk a decent distance to get to Fantasyland for EE.

[DisneyFunFamily4]

I vote for walking as well. We've done both for EE, we prefer to walk to the main entrance. Especially if your at the GCH it's about the same distance to walk from the DTD entrance to the main gate as it is to the monorail station. We rarely take the monorail back to DTD if we are staying at the GCH (we will take it back if we are at the DLH or the PPH and we are on that side of DL), but if we are at the GCH its usually easier to walk.

[Tink Lover]

Thank you so much MammaSilva and Malcon10t. Your responses confirm my worries ... it's not really a sure thing. It would drive me crazy to waste that time if it didn't open on time, and/or having to wait if we missed the first train. So why take a chance? Thanks for helping me figure that out ...

We do want to hit Nemo, but we also want to hit the Fantasyland rides too. Assuming that we walk in from the main entrance, do you have advice about whether to try to ride Nemo first, and then Peter Pan and the rest of the Fantasyland rides, or the other way around?

I'm just asking because I'm curious as to what you think, we'll actually be there for two MM days so we'll probably have the luxury of trying it out both ways :)

I would suspect that most of the crowd would go for Peter Pan and friends, which would mean Nemo might be great if you hit it the very first thing on a MM. Unless everybody else thinks likes me!

[Tink Lover]

I vote for walking as well. We've done both for EE, we prefer to walk to the main entrance. Especially if your at the GCH it's about the same distance to walk from the DTD entrance to the main gate as it is to the monorail station. We rarely take the monorail back to DTD if we are staying at the GCH (we will take it back if we are at the DLH or the PPH and we are on that side of DL), but if we are at the GCH its usually easier to walk.

Oops, didn't mean to leave you out, thank you too DFF4! We must have been composing at the same time. Re taking the monorail back, I guess it all depends where you are at the end of the day. On our last trip, I seem to recall being "on our last legs" at the end of the day and deciding we'd "just be able to barely make it" to the monorail. And it worked out great, because we got to sit down a bit on the monorail.

Come to think of it, only problem was that my DD really wanted to lie down on one of the benches in DTD to just "close her eyes for a second" and I couldn't let her do it because I knew she would be out for the count. Smile. She had gotten big enough that I couldn't carry her anymore. Thanks for bringing back a nice memory.

[oregontraveler]

Another vote for going to FL first for Peter Pan, etc... longer lines there later on the day. A suggestion for your parents about Nemo. If they don't want the hassle of going down the narrow steps on the subs, try the Observation Room instead. Ask any CM about where to go.

[EmmasMom]

Another vote for walking. When we did it, the monorail stopped (for about 15 minutes) on the track right in front of the entrance gates due to a problem on the track ahead. It was highly frustrating to see all the people getting in through the main entrance and in line for the rides ahead of us.

We went on Nemo first but by the time we got off it and walked over, Fantasyland was was pretty packed. Nemo is not a fast moving line so if had to do over I would go Fantasyland first.

[DisneyFunFamily4]

Oops, didn't mean to leave you out, thank you too DFF4! We must have been composing at the same time. Re taking the monorail back, I guess it all depends where you are at the end of the day. On our last trip, I seem to recall being "on our last legs" at the end of the day and deciding we'd "just be able to barely make it" to the monorail. And it worked out great, because we got to sit down a bit on the monorail.

Come to think of it, only problem was that my DD really wanted to lie down on one of the benches in DTD to just "close her eyes for a second" and I couldn't let her do it because I knew she would be out for the count. Smile. She had gotten big enough that I couldn't carry her anymore. Thanks for bringing back a nice memory.

Sometimes it is just nice to sit for a spell! Love the little DL memories that pop in to your head every now and again.

I too agree on doing Peter Pan first, we almost always head straight to PP when we do MM, we usually just walk on then do dumbo, alice and the tea cups. Then we'll head over to Tomorrowland and go nemo or space. I dont think nemo is a vastly busy as it was a few years ago so I dont think people run for it like they used to. But we'd take advantage of ALL the people in line for Nemo and do everything else while people waited hours in line for the subs.

[Tink Lover]

A suggestion for your parents about Nemo. If they don't want the hassle of going down the narrow steps on the subs, try the Observation Room instead. Ask any CM about where to go.

Thank you for reminding me of this! Although, my parents are actually two "big" little kids, and there is no way they'd miss the subs. The mobility issue for them is mostly about stamina, they can still navigate just fine, thankfully.


Another vote for walking. When we did it, the monorail stopped (for about 15 minutes) on the track right in front of the entrance gates due to a problem on the track ahead. It was highly frustrating to see all the people getting in through the main entrance and in line for the rides ahead of us.

We went on Nemo first but by the time we got off it and walked over, Fantasyland was was pretty packed. Nemo is not a fast moving line so if had to do over I would go Fantasyland first.

Ouch! I feel your pain! I'm so sorry for you, EmmasMom, that would just drive me nuts! And what you say about Nemo makes sense ... for sure on the first day we'll do FL first.


Sometimes it is just nice to sit for a spell! Love the little DL memories that pop in to your head every now and again.

I too agree on doing Peter Pan first, we almost always head straight to PP when we do MM, we usually just walk on then do dumbo, alice and the tea cups. Then we'll head over to Tomorrowland and go nemo or space. I dont think nemo is a vastly busy as it was a few years ago so I dont think people run for it like they used to. But we'd take advantage of ALL the people in line for Nemo and do everything else while people waited hours in line for the subs.

Ok, I think I have a plan now! Thank you so much, everybody!

[shamblin]

Just stayed in the GCH and honestly. It is just as close to walk to the front gates as it is to the monorail. Make sure you leave at least 30 minutes to go through the bag check lines and the gates at either the front gates or the monorail gates.
When we went through, they did not have any line(s) set up for people w/o bags so we had wait with all the others.

[Mermaid]

We like to go to FL first and then go to Nemo with about 10 min left of MM. The first rush over there has ridden and gotten off already and the line is pretty short. We get most (if not all) of FL done in that 45 minutes or so.

[Drince88]

When we went through, they did not have any line(s) set up for people w/o bags so we had wait with all the others.
I don't think they ever have non-bag lines in California.

[CariBelle]

I don't think they ever have non-bag lines in California.

I've seen it, but only very rarely. In fact I can only remember it happening during the summer and only twice.

[Malcon10t]

I believe they "tested" the non-bag line, and it didn't work.

[fairestoneofall]

I'm another vote for walking. We always hit Tomorrowland first and most times we beat the first monorail into the park.