"Monorail for Dummies" aka newbies

[Summertinkerbell]

We have never stayed at a monorail resort before and have only used the monorail for ADR's. We are staying at CR and planned on using it to get to MK and Epcot. I realize that I can walk to MK, but I am recovering from a knee injury, and I don't want to do any extra unnecessary walking since I will be doing plenty in MK.

There are terms like "Express" and "Resort" and "TTC." I assume the resort monorail takes people around the resorts, and that must be the one we've already been on. Does this same Resort monorail take people to MK or just resorts? Where does Express take you? What is TTC?

I've been reading a lot of contradictory monorail information. Some say that there is a refurbishment schedule and some who are currently in WDW say that the monorail is running on schedule. Some say that the Epcot monorail has never been on time for rope drop.

As a newbie, I would really appreciate a tutorial about the monorail and current information about the schedule. I would like to be prepared for whatever the situation will be when we arrive in less than two weeks.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

 

[xnascar2x]

TTC = Ticket and Transportation Center.

Yes the resort monorail makes a stop at the Magic Kingdom.

The express monorail runs from the TTC to the Magic Kingdom and doesn't stop at any of the resorts.

 

[Tatertot75]

The Express monorail just goes from the Transportation and Ticket Center (the MK parking lot) to the MK. The Resort monorail stops at all the resorts AND the TTC and MK. AFAIK, the Epcot monorail doesn't start until 9AM, so you'll have to bus to Epcot to be there in time for rope drop.

 

[Summertinkerbell]

The Express monorail just goes from the Transportation and Ticket Center (the MK parking lot) to the MK. The Resort monorail stops at all the resorts AND the TTC and MK. AFAIK, the Epcot monorail doesn't start until 9AM, so you'll have to bus to Epcot to be there in time for rope drop.

Wow! So, it sounds like the Epcot monorail is basically a waste of time.

Does anyone know how long the resort monorail is to TTC and how long the ride is from TTC to Epcot?

Is there an Epcot bus that will get us to rope drop or should we drive?

 

[joelkfla]

There are 3 beams:

• Resort Beam circles the 7 Seas Lagoon, stopping at the MK, TTC, & the resorts. Stop order, starting from MK, is: MK, CR, TTC, Poly, GF, MK. You can take it from CR to MK when it's running, but it will be a 15-20 minute trip since CR is the 1st stop after leaving MK. Normal start-up time is 7am.
• Express Beam circles the 7 Seas Lagoon in the opposite direction, stopping only at MK & TTC. Normal start-up time is 30 minutes before MK opening.
• Epcot Beam runs from TTC to Epcot.

TTC is the MK parking lot and ticket booths, and the transfer point for the Epcot Beam. Normally, you take the Resort Beam from your resort to the TTC, and transfer there to the Epcot beam. If either the Resort Beam or Epcot Beam is not operating, sometimes Disney will run direct buses from the resorts to Epcot, and other times they will still make you transfer at TTC but one of the legs will be by bus instead of monorail.

Epcot rope drop: When the Epcot beam is on it's normal operating schedule, it's supposed to start up at 8am, which should get you to Epcot for rope drop, but not for early tours or ADR's. If you need to get to Epcot earlier, you can go to the TTC and inquire at the bus info booth (follow signs to charter bus parking); they should arrange for a bus to get you to Epcot.

Refurbishment schedule: On certain days, all 3 beams are scheduled to open late. On certain days, the Express beam is scheduled to close afternoons. I have seen the Express beam running afternoons when it was scheduled to be closed; I don't know whether that also happens with the late opens.

Be that as it may, WDW has released a modified refurbishment schedule for the next 2 weeks:

• All 3 beams will open late on the following days: M 13, Tu 14, W 15, M 20, Tu 21.
  • Resort Beam opens at 8:30am
  • Express Beam opens at 9:30am
  • Epcot Beam opens at 9am
• Express Beam closed from 11:30am-6pm on the following days: Th 16, F 17, W 22, Th 23.

On days when the Epcot Beam opens late, buses should be available from the resorts directly to Epcot, until it opens.

On days when the Resort Beam opens late, buses should be available from the resorts to MK, and between resorts (not necessarily the same bus.)

 

[Summertinkerbell]

Thank you. You've been incredibly helpful!

 

[bumbershoot]

I realize that I can walk to MK, but I am recovering from a knee injury, and I don't want to do any extra unnecessary walking

Remember that to get down from the monorail at MK you'll be walking down a relatively long hill. And up that same slant to get back.

I personally would rent an ECV from an offsite place, if I were recovering from knee surgery! Use it to get from big point A to big point B (like resort room to park), then park it in a land and use my leg while in that land. Then move to the next land in the scooter. etc.