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Disneygirl65
09-23-2004, 11:01 AM
When I was at DL in late August I noticed something I had not seen before and I don't think it was talked about here but I could be wrong. We were riding the monorail from the park to downtown disney and we were in the second car. After all was in and ready to go the driver got out and opened the first car and asked a small family of three if they would like to ride up with him. They got out and rode up with him. Has anyone ever seen this done before? We were going to go back and sit in the front car but never did get around to it. Anyway it was kind of cool.

cstephens
09-23-2004, 11:16 AM
Yep, you can ride in the front with the driver. It can only fit so many people, so if there are already people waiting, you wouldn't be able to, and they also periodically don't allow guests up there for various reasons. Next time, ask the CM if you can ride in front. If there's already other people waiting for that, you might be able to wait for the next one, if you're not in a hurry. It's a great view.

Susan L
09-23-2004, 04:03 PM
You can request to ride up front. I've seen it happen alot.

DCAWhites
09-23-2004, 05:08 PM
Yeah I find that simply asking is probably the best way to land a seat up there. Even easier is asking when you are at the front of the line and the front car is empty. They'll almost always allow you into the front car that way. However you may be denied seating up there if there are security concerns (don't quite know what they are, I heard they will not allow single riders up there).

For the record, guests always were able to sit up there, except shortly after 9/11 till about 5 or so months ago. And Yes, the view is awesome.

ChipmunkStar
09-23-2004, 05:21 PM
Security reasons, weather (if it's 90 degrees or hotter, no guests can sit up there), etc.

Just ask. I don't liek sitting up there anymore because I started thinking "What if the thing got stuck/stopped?" I don't like confined spaces, and at least in one of the middle cars, there are open windows...

SteveK
09-23-2004, 06:32 PM
We rode up there for the first time a couple of months ago and we always do it now. Just wait near the front of the line and go directly to the drivers area when they open the gate. If someone beats you to it, just wait for the next monorail. There is a 5 person limit and the drivers are always very nice to you.
-Steve

MrVor
09-24-2004, 03:08 AM
We try :D

Here's a few additional notes when it comes to riding up front:

1. If it's warmer than 80-85 degrees, don't count on the nosecone OR the tailcone being available. Those big windows are like a magnifying glass and it gets EXTREMELY warm on a sunny day. Generally, our A/C units work well enough to keep the cones livable at any temp under 80ish, but beyond that there's not enough airflow to keep things even remotely comfortable for 5-7 people. (Also, don't always expect the cones to open up as soon as the temp drops in the late afternoon...typically, if we've had them closed all day, we won't open them up until very near dusk, if not after sundown due to the fact that it remains VERY warm inside for a few extra hours).

2. There are times in the afternoon, or late at night when we conduct system checks on-board our trains. When these occur, we don't allow guest in the front due to a large amount of radio/pilot operations.

3. This is a big one that we have issues with all of the time...no matter how small your child is, they count as 1 person. Due to VERY strict operation guidelines, we can carry absolutely no more than 5 people in the nosecone, and 7 people in the tailcone. I can't even begin to recall how many people argue with us about how they can fit their group of six in the nose because one of their kids can ride on a lap...we just CANNOT do it. No exceptions.

4. The movement of the monorail is different in the nose and tail. Due to the tire configuration, there is a lot more movement in the cones. We tend to bounce, shake, and tilt just a bit more than you would if you're riding in one of the main cabins, and the effect is multiplied by the larger window. I mention this because some people are unpleasantly surprised by this and find it rather uncomfortable. It's akin to riding a boat in some places of the beam, so if you or someone in your group gets seasick or motion sickness easily, it may not be a wise to ride in a cone.

5. Oh yeah....please....please, please, for the love of all that is Disney, do not open the nosecone door by yourself. Please do not let your children open the door. There are lots of buttons in the nosecone, and we are very hesitant to allow in someone that feels the need to press them without our consent. At best, you'll be warned that you could be kicked off the train, at worst, you will be. It's nothing personal, but we don't know you, so it has to be addressed.

That's pretty much it when it comes to the Nosecone/Tailcone on our trains. If you've never done it, I definitely urge you to give it a try, it is a totally different experience on the monorail. You will see things you've never seen before and won't see from any other place, and our pilots are quite a knowledgable bunch if you have any questions.

See you up there. :cool:

sdfilmcritic
09-24-2004, 03:53 AM
My recommendation is to go to Gate One at the Tomorrowland station and cram in with your group as close to the gate as possible. Gate One is the one farthest from the escalators. Once the driver comes out to open that gate (and usually it's the first one to be opened) ask him or her to ride up front with your group. On my last trip in the front it was just me and one other person, but there was another couple also wanting to ride up front. Well, we didn't exceed the capacity, so we got to share the front. I haven't rode in the back, yet. But I assume it's the same procedure.

AlxVision360
09-24-2004, 08:12 AM
When my oldest daughter was very young and just beginning to walk, my wife and I treated her to her very first Disneyland experience by going on the monorail. I don't know if it's still the case but you could buy a roundtrip ticket without admission into the park in those days. I think it was a few dollars per person. We loaded onboard at the DL Hotel station (pre-DTD). They put us into the tailcone and it was a great experience riding into and out of the park. My daughter especially liked being able to wander about the cabin freely and looking out of the big wide tailcone window at all the fantastic sights. If you get the chance I highly recommend riding in the tailcone.

Werner
09-24-2004, 09:34 AM
Hello MrVor,
Can you tell me if one may still purchase a round-trip ticket from the Downtown Disney station to ride in the tailcone? Oh please let it be so!

MrVor
09-24-2004, 02:47 PM
Hello MrVor,
Can you tell me if one may still purchase a round-trip ticket from the Downtown Disney station to ride in the tailcone? Oh please let it be so!

Unfortunatly this isn't possible anymore. The Monorail is now exclusively for Disneyland park day guests. In fact, we don't even make round trips from Downtown Disney at all anymore...once we arrive in Tommorrowland everyone is required to exit.

Werner
09-24-2004, 03:33 PM
MrVor, thanks for letting me know. It's too bad -- that used to be a fun little adventure especially during the fireworks. :crying:

MommyTo3Boys1Girl
09-24-2004, 09:53 PM
We rode there in May, it was HOT!

I remember back in oh say 1993, I got a ticket to ride in the nosecone when we had my birthday there.

In May we just asked and got right on.

SarahShep
09-25-2004, 11:37 PM
In June, my family and I (all 16 of us!) loaded on to the monorail (from the DTD station) to head into the park just as it was opening. We were in the second car and the driver came to us and asked if a few of us wanted to sit in the front with her. My younger cousins (ages aprox. 5-9) went up there. The driver was really cool and she kept making little announcements to tell us about things to look at or places to check out that day. She seemed to really know her stuff! And it was really cute when she announced the kids' names to the whole train. From what the kids told us, it definitely sounds like a neat thing to do!

disneyperson
09-26-2004, 10:46 AM
Two summers ago we rode in front during the fireworks. It was tons of fun. I can see how someone with motion sickness issues might have problems with it though. We love riding up front and always ask if it's possible. Usually they let us in.

SoCalDude
09-26-2004, 10:06 PM
4. The movement of the monorail is different in the nose and tail. Due to the tire configuration, there is a lot more movement in the cones. We tend to bounce, shake, and tilt just a bit more than you would if you're riding in one of the main cabins, and the effect is multiplied by the larger window. I mention this because some people are unpleasantly surprised by this and find it rather uncomfortable. It's akin to riding a boat in some places of the beam, so if you or someone in your group gets seasick or motion sickness easily, it may not be a wise to ride in a cone.

LOL - sounds perfect for my kids. We are going there in the morning and I will see if we can ride in the front.. should be cool.