Who can use the Monorail???

[DebbieB]

I have seen them checking tickets at the TTC. CM's stand by the gates that you go through before the monorail ramps. They really don't look at them, you just flash the ticket.

One thing I don't get is they have security for cars entering a resort, they check your license, etc. But anyone can get into a resort on a bus or boat. I've never seen an ID check on a bus or boat.

 

[bicker]

Hmmm - more and more confusing. It almost sounds like the 'rules' are very flexible and are at the discretion of the WDW employees...

Always. Every rule is subject to discretion. The rules exist to make things better, not worse, so they're only typically enforced when doing so would make a difference.

The rules are very clear. I even asked and received an official confirmation from WDW about it: Resort transportation is for the exclusive use of resort guests. However, over the last 15 years, I can count on one hand the number of occasions I've seen them enforce that rule. There is absolutely no reason to enforce it except when the transportation system is overloaded, so you won't see it enforced on a regular basis.

 

[helenk]

It does seem strange that the transportation options would be limited to resort guests only.
If you park at the TTC the only way to get to any of the parks is Disney Transportation. There are buses that go to the parks and the monorail and Ferry.
If Disney transportation was only for resort guests, then why have the option of parking at the TTC area?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

That doesn't make sense a many choose to buy tickets at the MK or Epcot. Or perhaps are meeting people at one of those parks who is holding their tickets.

Maybe not, but I am just reporting my personal experience. In January 2006, my family and I (and everyone else boarding) were asked to show our park admission passes before being allowed to board the monorail.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

It does seem strange that the transportation options would be limited to resort guests only.
If you park at the TTC the only way to get to any of the parks is Disney Transportation. There are buses that go to the parks and the monorail and Ferry.
If Disney transportation was only for resort guests, then why have the option of parking at the TTC area?

It's not all transportation just the Resort Transportation that I have seen them check.If I'm not mistaken there is no busses that go from the TTC to any resort you would have to go to Epcot or MK to do so.

So Monorail express,ferry to MK and busses to other parks are for park guest.

The problem is when people are using resort transportation overloading that for resort guest.

I think there system is broken anyhow and poorly set up. I still use it as I drive all week so on vacation I try to limit the driving I do.

 

[ducklite]

So lets say DH and I decide to go to WDW. I have an AP, he just buys park tickets one day at a time, as he only goes a couple times a year.

Let's say we are at Epcot, and decide to go have dinner at Citrico's at the GF. We live local, and yes, sometimes take car service to WDW so we can drink responsibly.

If they refused to let my DH take the monorail to the GF, they would simply put, lose a $200 dinner tab. (we usually order wine, so that's not an exageration.) Do you really think WDW wants to lose that customer? I sure don't. And no, I'm not spending $40 to take a cab there and back.

I can understand that they don't want people parking for free at DTD and then just riding around looking at the resorts and leaving without spending a dime. But to tell someone who wants to have a meal that they can't because they aren't a resort guest is absurd.

Anne

 

[goofy4tink]

Always. Every rule is subject to discretion. The rules exist to make things better, not worse, so they're only typically enforced when doing so would make a difference.

The rules are very clear. I even asked and received an official confirmation from WDW about it: Resort transportation is for the exclusive use of resort guests. However, over the last 15 years, I can count on one hand the number of occasions I've seen them enforce that rule. There is absolutely no reason to enforce it except when the transportation system is overloaded, so you won't see it enforced on a regular basis.

I have also talked to WDW about this one....I've been told that anyone holding park passes is entitled to use any of the transportation at WDW, with the exception of the resort monorail. That is subject to resort ID's being asked for. Every piece of WDW package info you see will tell you that you are entitled to the use of all WDW transportation if you buy a park hopper pass.

Of course, I have had someone tell me that only those staying at the GF can ride in the front car of the monorail, or that they took the monorail directly from the GF to Epcot...never got off to change!!! There is a ton of misinformation out there.
My advice? Be prepared to show resort/park pass info at any time while in WDW.

 

[Mickiethepooh]

There used to be something right on the ticket itself stating it gave you access to all disney transportation. it is part of the Ticket. Now if you are not a guest and don't have any ticket yet, then that could be a problem though I have never seen anyone asked to show a ticket.

 

[bicker]

It does seem strange that the transportation options would be limited to resort guests only.

It says that resort transportation would be limited to resort guests only. Transportation between the theme parks, and between TTC and MK, surely are never restricted in that manner.

 

[bicker]

I have also talked to WDW about this one....I've been told that anyone holding park passes is entitled to use any of the transportation at WDW, with the exception of the resort monorail.

It actually applies to all resort-specific transportation. I've seen it enforced (just once, though) on the water launch from MK to WL. Other than that, the only other instances of enforcement were all related to the resort monorail.

 

[bicker]

There used to be something right on the ticket itself stating it gave you access to all disney transportation. it is part of the Ticket.

Actually, all it said was that the ticket included a transportation fee. That's all. It was ostensibly for the use of the monorail or boat from TTC to the MK. The legend never included the word "all".

That was done for tax reasons, back-in-the-day, and of course no longer applies.

 

[snowy76]

Seems like the rule is just a CYA thing for WDW management -- if there's an extreme situation that would require restricting the resort transportation, it's there in black and white. But the vast majority of the time it's not necessary -- as Anne said, management wants you to spend your money all over the resort, not just the parks. Anne's example is a great one. Also, I'd imagine there are many off-property visitors who take a peek at the resorts and maybe decide to book their next trip onsite. WDW won't want to discourage that. But if there is an exceptional situation, they have something in writing.

 

[bicker]

Quite right. As I mentioned earlier, the rules Disney has tend to be to make things better, not worse, so they'll only be applied when they have an overall positive effect (though it might disadvantage some guests).

One other thing to keep in mind, though: Disney has substantially improved their transportation management over the years, so they tend to do a better job at predicting how many busses (especially) they'll need where/when. So at least with regard to busses, you can almost expect to NEVER see any enforcement whatsoever. The monorail and boats are a little more difficult to manage in that way, because they only have a limited number of them, and cannot readily redeploy other monorails/boats from one part of the property to the other.

 

[disneyfreak71]

Yes, you were staying at POFQ, but you didn't have any right to jump in front of those folks. Staying at a particular resort does not give you line jumping rights, unfortunatley.

Duds

When my wife and I discussed it with those in line that were not staying there, they agreed with us that we should be in front of them. They actually felt bad because we paid and they did not. I would do it again if the same situation presented itself. The boat drivers should check for ID at DTD before allowing people on the boats to the resorts.

 

[ducklite]

When my wife and I discussed it with those in line that were not staying there, they agreed with us that we should be in front of them. They actually felt bad because we paid and they did not. I would do it again if the same situation presented itself. The boat drivers should check for ID at DTD before allowing people on the boats to the resorts.

Hmmm....I go to DTD a lot for work. What if I decided one evening to go there a bit early so I could park and take the boat over to POR to have dinner. I'm going there to spend money, does that mean I shouldn't be able to take the boat? If I'm refused a boat ride, I'll spend my money at a non-WDW owed restaurant at DTD. So how would that help Disney?

Anne

 

[Mickiethepooh]

When my wife and I discussed it with those in line that were not staying there, they agreed with us that we should be in front of them. They actually felt bad because we paid and they did not. I would do it again if the same situation presented itself. The boat drivers should check for ID at DTD before allowing people on the boats to the resorts.

Um there is no requirement that you be staying at the resort the boat goes to or from. not unless this is something very new.

 

[Robert P]

Several years ago, we took the DTD pontoon boat up to OKW, to scout out the place for a future visit. The 'captain' told the waiting line (before they opened the gate to the dock) that any OKW guests would be given priority for the seats, and anyone not staying at OKW would be allowed to fill in the remaining seats. As the line was not huge, it was a non-issue going up there. He told us that it would be the same coming back from OKW as well, that OKW guests would have a priority in boarding (over non OKW guests), since they were staying at the resort.

It made sense to us, that the paying guests of that resort should have priority over 'visitors', since they were paying to stay there, and even that their items (change of clothes, et al) were located in their rooms at that particular resort.

As Bicker mentioned, the boats do have a limited capacity, versus the possible solution of adding an extra bus to a route to pick up waiting guests.

We've been going to WDW now for 9 years. We have only seen resort id required for transpo purposes twice, both times at MK, on an EMH (was EE) morning. We thought it was more for an added level of EE access control, rather than for just the use of the monorail.

 

[AllyBri]

We are on line waiting for the Pontoon at OKW (fairly long line) we get into a conversation with the group in front of us, they are staying at SS, first time and they are brand new members. They took the Pontoon to OKW to have dinner and look around.
Pontoon shows up and driver gets off and announces that OKW guests will be the first to board and then if there is room others can board. He starts checking room ids and see's that these guests are from SS and tell them to stand aside. Checks our id and we are on the pontoon. He then tells these people, that they should take a bus to DD and from there to get the bus to SS.
I said to the driver, how can this be possible? He said, that's the way it is (I don't think so) I think some of these drivers make their own rules.
I called back to the SS people and told them to be sure they report this at the front desk, when they get back to SS.
Of course I was given a few dirty looks from the driver.

 

[ducklite]

We are on line waiting for the Pontoon at OKW (fairly long line) we get into a conversation with the group in front of us, they are staying at SS, first time and they are brand new members. They took the Pontoon to OKW to have dinner and look around.
Pontoon shows up and driver gets off and announces that OKW guests will be the first to board and then if there is room others can board. He starts checking room ids and see's that these guests are from SS and tell them to stand aside. Checks our id and we are on the pontoon. He then tells these people, that they should take a bus to DD and from there to get the bus to SS.
I said to the driver, how can this be possible? He said, that's the way it is (I don't think so) I think some of these drivers make their own rules.
I called back to the SS people and told them to be sure they report this at the front desk, when they get back to SS.
Of course I was given a few dirty looks from the driver.

Using my previous scenarios of going to dinner, that resort would have lost my business. I'm not screwing around waiting for a bus when I've already waited for a pontoon--especially because there's no signage indicating that I wouldn't be accomodated.

Anne

Anne

 

[bicker]

Playing the odds -- for the very few times they'd have to restrict the pontoon (once every two or three years, for about two or three trips max???), that's not a big concern.