"Behind the scenes" with the steam trains at MK and monorail?

[Mandalou]

I've got a DS (8) who is OBSESSED with anything trains. . . including the monorails at WDW. In fact, when asked what's the first thing you want to ride on at WDW, he always says "the monorail." I guess I really have two questions. First, do they give behind the scenes tours of the monorail roadhouse? Then, I know that I read they give behind the scenes tours of the Steam Train at MK and I was wondering if it's worth the extra cost. I also thought that I read you have to be a certain age to take this tour, so maybe our DS is too young. If he's not, is it worth the extra money? He knows A LOT about trains, so I don't know if this tour would be "informative" enough for him. (He's a REAL train nut!!)

If anyone has info on this, I'd appreciate your input!

 

[Figment2]

I know I saw the monorail barn on the all day backstage tour. But we didn't go in.

The Steam train tour is fantastic. It's more of a history lesson on Walt Disney and his love of steam trains. They do take you back to the roundhouse and give you information on the trains.

I believe there is age limit of 16 on most of WDW's tours.

Cyn

 

[betterlatethannever]

Originally posted by Mandalou
I've got a DS (8) who is OBSESSED with anything trains. . . including the monorails at WDW. In fact, when asked what's the first thing you want to ride on at WDW, he always says "the monorail." I guess I really have two questions. First, do they give behind the scenes tours of the monorail roadhouse? Then, I know that I read they give behind the scenes tours of the Steam Train at MK and I was wondering if it's worth the extra cost. I also thought that I read you have to be a certain age to take this tour, so maybe our DS is too young. If he's not, is it worth the extra money? He knows A LOT about trains, so I don't know if this tour would be "informative" enough for him. (He's a REAL train nut!!)

If anyone has info on this, I'd appreciate your input!

We took the steam train tour in May of 2003. It was very informative. Got to go into the cab of the train when it was at the roundhouse. There was a boy yonger than 16 on the tour. I don't know what the minimum age is. The boy got to throw the switch for the train to back into the roundhouse spur. We go to look into the roundhouse but couldn't go in it.

The monorail "barn" is above the train roundhouse. As far as I know, there are no tours of the barn. I have asked, suggested, wrote letters asking if they would start one but no luck.

They used to give a railroad spike (decorated in grand Disney style) to the tour guests. But they stopped it because (since 9/11) the guests weren't allowed to take them on the plane and were confiscated by security.

Ed

 

[LibertyBelle]

Minimum age for the train tour is 10. So your DS is just a little too young... BUT when you come, you are more than welcome to come up to the cab of the locomotive (at Main Street or Toon Town...Frontierland is harder to get to) and any of the engineers would be more than happy to talk to you and take pictures (just remember, the trains are only in the station for a few minutes, so it would be a breif hello). Your son can also be the guest conductor and ride in the back cage of the train with the conductor helping with the all aboard, just ask when you get to the station. When are you coming? I ask because I am an engineer (and tour guide) and if I know when you are coming I can tell you a good time to come by if you want to talk to the more talkative engineers


There is no tour of the monorails as the roundhouse (central shops) is not wheelchair accessible...for the monorail bays, so ADA will not allow that to be a part of the tour, but you can also ride in the nose of the monorail with the driver if you ask at the station.

 

[Mandalou]

Thanks, LibertyBelle! Wait until I tell my DS that you are one of the engineers!! He'll flip! If you are there when we are, be prepared to have a picture taken with my DS!! We'll be at WDW from the 28th of November through the 6th of December. We'd really appreciate any tips you can give us!!

 

[Maridw]

We just booked the Steam Train Tour for Oct 30th and can't wait.

My DH would love to be able to build an outdoor train set, but at this time, he can't even begin to consider it. He is working on collecting enough of the Monorail sets to make his own WDW. As he puts it, "Once DD has moved out, we'll have the extra room" (LOL). On the same note, he is planning on expanding her room so that she will have more room (She is 17 & a senior in HS).