Security and the monorail between MK and Epcot

[Miffy]

I park-hop between MK and Epcot a few times during each trip.

This past trip (got home last Wednesday) I started wondering about security on the monorail.

It seems to me that one could get on the monorail at Epcot by merely taking a bus to Epcot, then walking from the Epcot bus stop to the monorail platform, in which case you would never have to go through security and could take the monorail to MK and bypass security there. No?

Similarly, in the opposite direction, you could take a boat to MK from GF, for example, then get on the monorail and go to Epcot, also never going through security. It's possible there is security at the boat docks for boats going to MK, since I haven't done this in a few years, but the last time I took a boat from GF to MK, I'm pretty sure there was no pre-boat-ride security.

I hope I'm wrong about this and I'm missing something important, because I'd hate to think that it's possible to go to either of these parks without having gone through security before entering.

 

[Mommb]

As far as I can recall, passengers disembarking from the Monorail, boat, or bus need to pass through security to enter Epcot or the Magic Kingdom.

 

[BrianL]

I park-hop between MK and Epcot a few times during each trip.

This past trip (got home last Wednesday) I started wondering about security on the monorail.

It seems to me that one could get on the monorail at Epcot by merely taking a bus to Epcot, then walking from the Epcot bus stop to the monorail platform, in which case you would never have to go through security and could take the monorail to MK and bypass security there. No?

Similarly, in the opposite direction, you could take a boat to MK from GF, for example, then get on the monorail and go to Epcot, also never going through security. It's possible there is security at the boat docks for boats going to MK, since I haven't done this in a few years, but the last time I took a boat from GF to MK, I'm pretty sure there was no pre-boat-ride security.

I hope I'm wrong about this and I'm missing something important, because I'd hate to think that it's possible to go to either of these parks without having gone through security before entering.

I am pretty sure that all arrivals by boat to MK are funneled through security. Also, at Epcot, you would have to pass through security to get to the boarding ramp for the monorail from the bus loop. I think so, anyway.

 

[fla4fun]

I park-hop between MK and Epcot a few times during each trip.

This past trip (got home last Wednesday) I started wondering about security on the monorail.

It seems to me that one could get on the monorail at Epcot by merely taking a bus to Epcot, then walking from the Epcot bus stop to the monorail platform, in which case you would never have to go through security and could take the monorail to MK and bypass security there. No?

Similarly, in the opposite direction, you could take a boat to MK from GF, for example, then get on the monorail and go to Epcot, also never going through security. It's possible there is security at the boat docks for boats going to MK, since I haven't done this in a few years, but the last time I took a boat from GF to MK, I'm pretty sure there was no pre-boat-ride security.

I hope I'm wrong about this and I'm missing something important, because I'd hate to think that it's possible to go to either of these parks without having gone through security before entering.

You cannot access the Epcot monorail station without going through security, whether arriving by car or bus.

If you arrive at MK by boat or bus from any resort, you have to go through security before you can access the MK monorail station.

Resorts with monorail access have security at the resort before boarding the monorail.

 

[Miffy]

As far as I can recall, passengers disembarking from the Monorail, boat, or bus need to pass through security to enter Epcot or the Magic Kingdom.

I just did this a couple of times last week, and once I got off the monorail from MK, I did not have to pass through security at Epcot.

ETA: And after I exited Epcot a few nights ago, on my way to the bus stop, I looked at the path to the monorail and didn't see any security-type anything between the monorail entrance (which you have to exit Epcot before you can get to) and the bus stop.

 

[fla4fun]

I just did this a couple of times last week, and once I got off the monorail from MK, I did not have to pass through security at Epcot.

ETA: And after I exited Epcot a few nights ago, on my way to the bus stop, I looked at the path to the monorail and didn't see any security-type anything between the monorail entrance (which you have to exit Epcot before you can get to) and the bus stop.

This is true. Security for monorail access for MK is either at the TTC or at the resorts with monorail access. Once you have boarded a monorail after passing through one of these checkpoints, you can access the Epcot monorail without going through security again, so long as you do not exit the TTC. There is a special ramp to connect the resort monorail to the Epcot monorail, and the MK-Epcot monorail access is simply walking across the platform.

The walkway at Epcot is deceiving. When you are exiting the park and look back, or arrive at Epcot by bus, it looks like you can just walk straight ahead without going through security. It used to be set up that way, with security parallel to the monorail ramp. But they reconfigured the entrance and now the walkway does a last minute jog to the left to bring you around to the new security checkpoint.

 

[hardcorestitch]

As far as I can recall, passengers disembarking from the Monorail, boat, or bus need to pass through security to enter Epcot or the Magic Kingdom.

Same thing at the TTC.

 

[Genie+]

I know the Grand Flo/Poly boat has security right there when you get off at MK (it’s the same security that screens that walking path from GF and MK). So you do need to go through that security to transfer over to the monorail. And to get on the monorail at Grand Flo, there is security right before you get on.

 

[Miffy]

This is true. Security for monorail access for MK is either at the TTC or at the resorts with monorail access. Once you have boarded a monorail after passing through one of these checkpoints, you can access the Epcot monorail without going through security again, so long as you do not exit the TTC. There is a special ramp to connect the resort monorail to the Epcot monorail, and the MK-Epcot monorail access is simply walking across the platform.

The walkway at Epcot is deceiving. When you are exiting the park and look back, or arrive at Epcot by bus, it looks like you can just walk straight ahead without going through security. It used to be set up that way, with security parallel to the monorail ramp. But they reconfigured the entrance and now the walkway does a last minute jog to the left to bring you around to the new security checkpoint.

Ah! That explains it. Thank you!

 

[Miffy]

I know the Grand Flo/Poly boat has security right there when you get off at MK (it’s the same security that screens that walking path from GF and MK). So you do need to go through that security to transfer over to the monorail. And to get on the monorail at Grand Flo, there is security right before you get on.

I didn't realize this. Thanks.

And thanks to everyone for your responses. I feel much better now, knowing how this really works.