Can we ride the monorail?

[douglas_in_philly]

Hi!

We'll be visiting family in Pompano Beach (south Florida near Ft. Lauderdale) from March 20th - 27th. We're planning to drive up to Orlando on the 28th, to visit Downtown Disney, stay one night at the Art of Animation, then head back to Pompano Beach the afternoon of the 29th.

Our plan is to spend part of the day at Downtown Disney on the 28th, head back to the hotel for the late afternoon, then back to Downtown Disney for dinner. The next day (the 29th), we'll either spend some more time at Downtown Disney or just hang out at the hotel (swimming, etc.) until check-out time, and then grab lunch somewhere (probably Downtown Disney) before driving back down to Pompano Beach.

Are we able to ride the monorail just for fun? Or do we have to be guests of one of the hotels it serves? I just thought it would be a cool thing to do, if we can. I thought I read a thread here about taking a boat from Downtown Disney to one of the hotels, then riding the monorail. We aren't going to a theme park, so we'd just be riding it one way, then turning around and riding it back.

We might stop and look at the hotels it serves along the way just to look around.

Please let me know if we're allowed to do this, and if so, what the best plan is.

Also, we can see the fireworks from Downtown Disney, right? What time do they occur on a Thursday night? Any suggestions for good viewing spots?

Any other things worth knowing about Downtown Disney? Any special events not to be missed?

Thanks in advance!


Doug

 

[VAfamily1998]

Sure, you can take a "joy ride" on the monorail if you want.

I'm curious, who is in your group? Adults? Kids? If there are kids, how old?

Downtown Disney is fun, but I was thinking that instead of two nights there, you might want to check out the Boardwalk area...

You can see Wishes from the Boardwalk, there are some great restaurants, entertainment (Buskers--doing magic, juggling, etc.) You can rent those surrey bikes...If your group is all over the age of 21, check out Jellyrolls, it's a piano bar (with a cover charge, I think it was $12/person when I was there about a year ago) and was a GREAT time!

 

[Angeejoe]

Anyone can ride monorail, but the only places you can get on is at Epcot or MK, the TTC or the 3 monorail resorts: CR, Poly or GF. My suggestion would be to make an ADR at 1 of the resorts for a meal, this will allow you to park at hotel for free for generally 3 hrs, then you can check out hotel, have meal & ride monorail. Have fun!

 

[monami7]

Just an FYI the monorail is available to anyone. However none of the hotels that the boat to Downtown Disney services have access to it. It only runs a loop from the magic kingdom resorts and to Epcot.

 

[douglas_in_philly]

VAFamily1998, it will be me (42 y.o. man), my wife (over 29), and our daughter (who will turn 10 in about a week). I'm not even sure what "The Boardwalk" is....where is that? It's a Disney thing?

 

[Wood Nymph]

You can take a bus from Downtown Disney to either the Polynesian, Grand Floridian or Contemporary to ride the monorail. You can take a boat from Downtown Disney to Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Port Orleans French Quarter or Riverside, then take a bus to the Magic Kingdom to catch the monorail. You can see the fireworks from the beach at the Polynesian, the 4th floor observation deck of the Contemporary, the boat dock at the Grand Floridian, or from the Transportation and Ticket Center.

 

[tobikaye]

Hi!

We'll be visiting family in Pompano Beach (south Florida near Ft. Lauderdale) from March 20th - 27th. We're planning to drive up to Orlando on the 28th, to visit Downtown Disney, stay one night at the Art of Animation, then head back to Pompano Beach the afternoon of the 29th.

Our plan is to spend part of the day at Downtown Disney on the 28th, head back to the hotel for the late afternoon, then back to Downtown Disney for dinner. The next day (the 29th), we'll either spend some more time at Downtown Disney or just hang out at the hotel (swimming, etc.) until check-out time, and then grab lunch somewhere (probably Downtown Disney) before driving back down to Pompano Beach.

Are we able to ride the monorail just for fun? Or do we have to be guests of one of the hotels it serves? I just thought it would be a cool thing to do, if we can. I thought I read a thread here about taking a boat from Downtown Disney to one of the hotels, then riding the monorail. We aren't going to a theme park, so we'd just be riding it one way, then turning around and riding it back.

We might stop and look at the hotels it serves along the way just to look around.

Please let me know if we're allowed to do this, and if so, what the best plan is.

Also, we can see the fireworks from Downtown Disney, right? What time do they occur on a Thursday night? Any suggestions for good viewing spots?

Any other things worth knowing about Downtown Disney? Any special events not to be missed?

Thanks in advance!

Doug

Anyone can ride any of the three monorails. There is no boat from Downtown Disney (DTD) to a hotel on any of the monorail lines. There is a monorail that runs from the the TTC (basically the parking lot for MK) to Epcot. There is one line that goes directly from TTC to MK. Then there is the resort loop that, starting from TTC, would be TTC->Polynesian->Grand Floridian->MK->Contemporary. Since you will staying at AOA, you will get a parking pass that would give you free parking at any of the theme parks. You could park at either Epcot or TTC for free to ride the monorail. You could also park at one of the three resorts that have the monorail stops and explore the monorail and resorts. The resorts usually have a three hour time limit. Either of these options will be faster than using WDW transportation from DTD.

As for seeing fireworks from DTD, I never have. If you can, it would likely be very minimal.

I enjoy visiting DTD occasionally, but it is basically a shopping and dining area with a movie theater, Disneyquest, and a Cirque du Soleil show. I usually run into a band performing at some point.

 

[Chuck S]

VAFamily1998, it will be me (42 y.o. man), my wife (over 29), and our daughter (who will turn 10 in about a week). I'm not even sure what "The Boardwalk" is....where is that? It's a Disney thing?

The Boardwalk Inn and Boardwalk Villas is a Disney Hotel & DVC Timeshare Villas resort located near Disney Studios. It has a Disney stylized version of the Atlantic City Boardwalk with shops and restaurants behind the resort. She shops and restaurants are open to everyone, not just hotel guests.

 

[douglas_in_philly]

My daughter wanted to post some "smilies"....it's a tradition of hers to post them whenever I post here about an upcoming Disney trip.

 

[tobikaye]

VAFamily1998, it will be me (42 y.o. man), my wife (over 29), and our daughter (who will turn 10 in about a week). I'm not even sure what "The Boardwalk" is....where is that? It's a Disney thing?

The BoardWalk Inn is a WDW resort that has a boardwalk with dining and usually has some form of performers in the evening. I may be wrong, but the fireorks seen from here usually would be from Epcot's Illuminations.

Here is a link that will let you check click on information to both DTD and BoardWalk:http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/.

 

[VAfamily1998]

The BoardWalk Inn is a WDW resort that has a boardwalk with dining and usually has some form of performers in the evening. I may be wrong, but the fireorks seen from here usually would be from Epcot's Illuminations.

Here is a link that will let you check click on information to both DTD and BoardWalk:http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/.

Epcot's illuminations can be seen from the "non boardwalk side" of the Boardwalk Inn. So, some "garden view rooms" and the Boardwalk Inn's Club level lounge, etc. will have a view of those. If you are on the actual Boardwalk, or have a room with a Boardwalk view, you can see the Magic Kingdom Wishes fireworks from the distance

Douglas, so you're daughter would not be admitted into Jellyrolls, but I think the Boardwalk could still be a lot of fun. You could always go check it out, and if you don't like it, leave and go to Downtown Disney.

 

[RRB]

Hi!

We'll be visiting family in Pompano Beach (south Florida near Ft. Lauderdale) from March 20th - 27th. We're planning to drive up to Orlando on the 28th, to visit Downtown Disney, stay one night at the Art of Animation, then head back to Pompano Beach the afternoon of the 29th.

Our plan is to spend part of the day at Downtown Disney on the 28th, head back to the hotel for the late afternoon, then back to Downtown Disney for dinner. The next day (the 29th), we'll either spend some more time at Downtown Disney or just hang out at the hotel (swimming, etc.) until check-out time, and then grab lunch somewhere (probably Downtown Disney) before driving back down to Pompano Beach.

Are we able to ride the monorail just for fun? Or do we have to be guests of one of the hotels it serves? I just thought it would be a cool thing to do, if we can. I thought I read a thread here about taking a boat from Downtown Disney to one of the hotels, then riding the monorail. We aren't going to a theme park, so we'd just be riding it one way, then turning around and riding it back.

We might stop and look at the hotels it serves along the way just to look around.

Please let me know if we're allowed to do this, and if so, what the best plan is.

Also, we can see the fireworks from Downtown Disney, right? What time do they occur on a Thursday night? Any suggestions for good viewing spots?

Any other things worth knowing about Downtown Disney? Any special events not to be missed?

Thanks in advance!


Doug

Doug - this is pretty weird.....

My nephew from Philly is coming down to WDW for a vacation on March 26

My family will be meeting him at WDW on March 28

I grew up in Pompano and now live in Delray, about 8 miles north

crazy, right?

 

[129hutch]

My daughter wanted to post some "smilies"....it's a tradition of hers to post them whenever I post here about an upcoming Disney trip.

How Cute!!! My daughter would totally do that too- if I'd let her.

 

[douglas_in_philly]

That's pretty funny, RRB!

 

[skriegerjr]

Monorail is my favorite ride at Disney!

Sent from my rooted Samsung Galaxy SIII using the DISBoards app

 

[figmentfrenzymommy]

Monorail is my favorite ride at Disney!

Sent from my rooted Samsung Galaxy SIII using the DISBoards app

Same for my kids too! Funny we spend all that $ and the free monorail is what they love!

 

[Belle'sFan]

No way I could take a 10yr old on a monorail ride past MK and not go in!

 

[sndral]

Here's what I would do:
Day 1 - Check in enjoy swimming in your resort maybe go over and check out the new Art of Animation resort.
Early Evening - take the bus from your resort to the magic kingdom and then take the resort monorail and get off at each resort and explore/shop - Contemporary, Grand floridian and last the Poly. Have dinner there @ the Poly at Ohana - ideally during the time that wishes is happening in the MK so you can watch them from Ohana. After dinner walk through the Poly grounds and take the Epcot monorail over to Epcot it's a nice long monorail ride, then walk over to your resort's bus stop and ride it back to your resort.
Day 2 - check out then drive over to Downtown Disney explore maybe take the boat to Port Orleans resort walk around take the boat back to Downtown Disney even getting off at Port Orleans French Quarter and having some of their famous beignets from the food court. It's a lovely long boat ride.

 

[Schmeck]

Good news is that if you are driving to AoA, you will get a parking pass so you can park at EPCOT for free, or at the TTC, and catch the monorail from either of these two lots.

 

[disneynutz]

Here are some things to do outside the parks besides the monorail.

From DTD, take a boat ride to Port Orleans Riverside, get lunch at the Riverside Food Court then back to DTD.

From DTD take the bus to BWI, proceed to the Boardwalk, check it out and check out the BWI, YC, and BC. Take a boat ride on the lake. At 9:00 PM go to the bridge between ESPN and the BC to watch Illuminations Fireworks from Epcot.

Buses don't run between resorts so you have to transfer at a park or DTD.

Google and/or check out the WDW website for ideas and information.

Bill