taking the monorail in the morning

[asumom]

We are staying at Stovall's inn in March and thought, if the timing is right, we might take the monorail into the park on some of our days. It would be close to park opening time. We are usually rope droppers but it may or may not happen this trip so I am just looking for information from people who have taken the monorail into DL in the morning. Crowds? Wait Time? tips? What if it is our first day......can we exchange our vouchers for tickets at the monorail as well? I do understand if we do no have magic morning, we cannot enter until the park opens to the public, but isn't this how it is everday?

 

[soniam]

I think you can only exchange vouchers for tickets at the ticket booths in the esplanade between the two parks or at the onsite hotels. I don't know if there is any where in Downtown Disney to exchange vouchers. The monorail picks up much closer to the Disneyland Hotel, which is the far side of Downtown Disney, opposite side from esplanade. I don't remember seeing the monorail running first thing in the morning, but we have only been during summer, when it was hot, and it barely ran as it is.

 

[Where's Wall-E]

So is your thought to walk up Disneyland Drive, through the PPH and over to the Monorail?

You can exchange your vouchers at the entrance to the Monorail and receive your park tickets. Depending on the timing of the system and the crowds already formed, you could be waiting quite a while to enter the park. The Monorail does not run during MM, and may not start right away at park opening.

 

[pharmama]

If truly have vouchers and not eTickets you will need to go to the ticket booths in the esplanade to exchange those first.

I’d just play it by ear with the monorail. It’s usually open at park open but sometimes is delayed and/or they may have fewer monorails running so there may be a bit of a wait on the platform. The line can also vary. So when you’re walking by (which you will, of course, coming from the BW Stovall) if it’s open, the line is short and you don’t mind if it might be a few minutes to wait for a monorail, go for it. That’s how we approach it.

You may also find it useful heading back to the hotel depending on where you are in the park when you’re ready to leave. Though I think they recently announced that it will be closing before the park on some nights.

 

[asumom]

Thanks. I think we will have eTickets (we always buy from the disney site). And, will just play it by ear. Last time at Stovalls we were able to shortcut through the GCH; now with that option taken away, we thought the monorail might be a good way to save some steps. We will just have to wait and see.