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View Full Version : Sitting in the front of the Monorail.



mask41
03-18-2007, 06:48 PM
I have often heard it suggested to ask if your kids can sit in the front of the monorail. Is this often accomodated or is in too high demand that you need to be lucky to get the front spot? Who and when do you request this?
Thanks,
Amy

bassett1976
03-18-2007, 06:57 PM
Anyone can sit in the front of the monorail. I think the DL version seats 4. Just ask a CM when you get to the top of the monorail platform. Sometimes you might have to wait one extra turn for the next monorail if someone is already in line for it.

Also, you can ask to go to the wheel house of the Mark Twain and you can ask to sit behind the train engineers on a couple of the engines.

Malcon10t
03-18-2007, 07:34 PM
I have often heard it suggested to ask if your kids can sit in the front of the monorail. Is this often accomodated or is in too high demand that you need to be lucky to get the front spot? Who and when do you request this?
Thanks,
AmyThe nose cone is limited to 4, you ask the pilot, but its first come first serve. You may need to wait a train or two. At the station, ask one of the CMs. They can tell you if anyone has already requested it. If no one has, they will tell you where to stand. The rear cone is also fun. My kids prefer it and it is easier to get. It seats 5.

TP2000
03-18-2007, 07:52 PM
10 years ago all of these special little experiences (Monorail nose cone, Mark Twain pilothouse, steam train engineer ride, etc.) were little known and would often be courtesies extended by Cast Members to visitors they felt were especially deserving.

With the proliferation of the Internet and Disney fan websites none of these things are surprises or secrets anymore. It's now fairly common for Cast Members to decline requests to do these things, often because the requests come from Annual Passholders who read about it on the Internet and are bored with the regular park experience and now demand more specialized attention and experiences to remain entertained during their monthly park visit.

I don't blame the CM's for rolling their eyes at these now constant requests and sometimes telling the customers that it is not a request that can be accomodated (which is often a lie).

It's no longer a special surprise when 700,000 Annual Passholders read about it on the Internet and start asking for the "surprise" to happen on purpose. If you do have the nerve to ask for this special treatment from a Cast Member, try and be as deferential and polite as possible to better your chances of being accomodated.

Darkbeer
03-18-2007, 08:12 PM
Actually the Front cone of the Monorail accomodates 5 guests, and the back cone takes either 6 or 7 guests.

First come first serve, so you need the luck of the Irish during the busy times, getting to be the first folks in the queue for the next Monorail, since the waits have been multiple trains. And you have a better chance at the Tomorrowland station, since they have returned to round trips.

Bytebear
03-18-2007, 09:24 PM
I agree it should be at the CM discression and not something you should request. today, a couple in their late teens begged the CM at the rear of the train to ride in the cone. He told them they had to ask at the front of the train, and they ran off to bug another CM. He had a big Cheshire grin on his face.

When I had my cousin and her 10 year old son in town, we were asked if we wanted to be in the front. I never even knew they let people in the front, so it was a real treat for our party. The conductor announced that he had a co-pilot calling him by name. It was totally cool, and a once in a lifetime experience. At least it should be.

Stupid_American
03-19-2007, 06:30 AM
Asking to ride up front really isn't a big deal. The platform CM will probably tell you to ask the driver when the monorail arrives. He/she will either say yes or no.

Even with the hordes of "jaded passholders", and newbies empowered with the secrets, it's surprising how few people seem ask.
The couple of times we asked, we were welcomed up front.

Since you must detrain and reboard at Downtown Disney, you will have 2 opportunities to ask.

Malcon10t
03-19-2007, 07:03 AM
Since you must detrain and reboard at Downtown Disney, you will have 2 opportunities to ask.You no longer must detrain at DTD, its now a full loop.

DangerMouse
03-19-2007, 07:42 AM
Also, you can ask to go to the wheel house of the Mark Twain and you can ask to sit behind the train engineers on a couple of the engines.

I was informed during our visit in January that piloting the Mark Twain is now a "Dream Prize" and is not being offered on a regular basis.

kered22
03-19-2007, 06:00 PM
It wasn't any courtesy handed out by the CM's when I did it as a kid (I'm 28 now). You just waited at the gate near the front of the monorail. The pilot came out, said "maximum of x people" (depending on which monorail was in service, the bubbletops were cool since there were 2 seats next to the pilot up there) and when they were done unloading, they opened it and everyone boarded. Kind of funny once, he said that and due to the number of kids and only 1 adult, we got 6 in. He came up to check, raised his eyebrows, laughed and we got going. LOL

mulansgirl
03-19-2007, 07:57 PM
I got to ride it once. My hunny asked if we could, it was our 1 yr wedding anniversary. It was so exciting for me, in all my years I had never done it, neither had he. We asked lots of questions like what will you be doing while the monorail is down, how did you get this job, he even encouraged me to try and get a job at DL since we were tossing Disney info back and forth. A little too short a trip I thought though. But very fun.