monorail

[Padre Disney]

We have a cruise planned for March next year. We will be arriving in Orlando on a Thursday and will be visiting MGM on Friday. At this time we have nothing planned for Thursday. We arive around noon.
Is it possible to drive to the TTC and ride the monorail around to the resorts and walk around? We will not be staying at a WDW resort nor will we have our park passes on that day. I thought they would allow you to do this but you needed to purchase a special monorail ticket. Can anyone tell me for sure if we can do this and what the fee would be?
We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge a few years ago and would love to visit the lodge and see the new villas. Grandparents are coming along and would love to some of the resorts not to mention ride the monorail.
Thank You

 

[Dznefreek]

Yes, you can drive to the TTC and pay to park, but I would park at one of the resorts and tell the guard you are going to shop, eat, etc. We usually park at the Poly and take the monorail around to GF and the CR. My wife and I do this reguarly (we live 35 mins. away).

When you are done the monorail resorts, drive to WL and tell the guard the same thing. This is how a lot of the "ancillary" income is derived at the resorts; people going to eat, shop, rent bikes, boats, etc.

There is no special "monorail" ticket so there is no fee involved.

 

[jerseydizdreamer]

You could also take the monorail, get off at the Magic Kingdom stop and head down to the docks, taking a boat over to the Wilderness Lodge. My parents are at Disney this week... well, camping a few miles away, and they've been going over and enjoying all the non-theme park stuff there is to do. They've gone to the resorts, ridden the monorail, shopped at Downtown Disney and are generally having a fantastic time without actually setting foot in a park!

Richard

 

[Padre Disney]

Thanks for the info.
Jerseydizdreamer:
We really wanted to ride the boat from WL but wasn't sure if we could do that either. I had thought at some point Disney started asking people to show their park passes in order to use the transportation services inside the park. When we stayed at WL we never had the time to just look around and take in the lodge. We were always so busy at the parks. We thought since we had nothing planned we would head over and ride the monorail around and show our family the WDW resorts. BUT if we could also ride the boats we could get to the resorts not on the monorail. WOW This is great news. Oh and we have never made it to the boardwalk area. I am sure we could find a great place for lunch.
The grandparents have never seen WDW. If I remember correct when you get off the monorail or the boats at MK can't you walk right up to the front gates and see the castle at the end of mainstreet?
I am sooo excited.
Dznefreak:
Could we park at Epcot and catch the monorail or only at the TTC?
Just need to figure out the best place to park for the day. Sounds like we could even park at one of the resorts?

 

[goofygal1975]

What we normally do if we are not staying over at disney, is park at the contemporary, take the monorail around to the three monorail resorts and visit each one, then go out back of the CR and take those boats over to WL and FT. Wilderness if we want to eat at Trails End Buffett (very good and inexpensive and not that busy!) We love to drive up for the day and just have breakfast/dinner at Chef Mickeys or Trail End and then just resort hop!! It's so relaxing!! Have a great time!!

 

[shafke]

Or, you could park at Epcot and take the long way around.

There was a time in the past when you could purchase a transportation pass. At the TTC they used to have people stationed to check passes. My guess is they probably did not sell too many transportation passes and it did not pay to have somebody stationed at the TTC to check for resort id's or tickets. I figure transportation is wrapped up in the fee for parking.

 

[Padre Disney]

Do they charge you to park at the resorts?
Is parking the same rate at the TTC as it is at the parks?
Current daily rate?
Thanks

 

[ToddBreakey]

My family and I were just at WDW the weekend of Nov 1. When we went to pick up our willcalled tickets they couldn't find them. We had to show our printed receipt to the CM at the gate that get you to the ferry and the monorail. The CM BARELY looked at it. I probably could have shown her anything and she would have let me through. My suggestion, park at one of the resorts and catch the monorail there.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

It is my understanding that if you are visiting a resort and not staying there that they will give you a 3 hour pass to shop there, eat there, etc.. will that be enough time for you??? if not, then I would park at the TTC and use that as my main starting point and visit wherever I wanted on Disney Transporation..

Years ago, you had to show your passes to get on the monorail and specifically your id card from your resort, but they do not do that anymore.

 

[Dznefreek]

Do they charge you to park at the resorts?

Only if you valet ($6.00) tip your valet.

 

[sters]

The only time I saw them check park passes was first thing in the morning. Definatley on early entry days they were checking.