Use gate or monorail for entry?

[dr&momto2boys]

I've read that using the monorail to enter the park at opening may be faster than the gate especially if Nemo is first on your list.

My question...
With 10am opening, are people still let in early and allowed to go up to a rope at the end of Main Street? If so, wouldn't this be faster than the monorail? Does the monorail start running right at opening time or before?

We'll be eating breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen prior to the day I'm thinking of using the monorail for entry (already have park tickets.) So this would save us some walking too if it will be good for getting there ASAP.

Some suggest using the monorail to enter on Magic Morning early entrance days too. This would b 9am entry while we are there or 7am entry on Saturday. What do you think? Any advantage?

 

[darph nader]

IIRC the monorail doesn't leave the DtD station until opening. Add the trip around TL and you could be at nemo already.

 

[Malcon10t]

I've read that using the monorail to enter the park at opening may be faster than the gate especially if Nemo is first on your list.

My question...
With 10am opening, are people still let in early and allowed to go up to a rope at the end of Main Street? If so, wouldn't this be faster than the monorail? Does the monorail start running right at opening time or before?

We'll be eating breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen prior to the day I'm thinking of using the monorail for entry (already have park tickets.) So this would save us some walking too if it will be good for getting there ASAP.

Some suggest using the monorail to enter on Magic Morning early entrance days too. This would b 9am entry while we are there or 7am entry on Saturday. What do you think? Any advantage?

Are you staying at the hotels? Usually, first hour is restricted to hotel guests. ANd remember, the monorail fills quickly, if you don't get on the first monorail, you will be delayed by at least 15 mins getting to Tomorrowland. Most find it is faster to walk.

 

[skiingfast]

My question...
With 10am opening, are people still let in early and allowed to go up to a rope at the end of Main Street? If so, wouldn't this be faster than the monorail? Does the monorail start running right at opening time or before?

Some suggest using the monorail to enter on Magic Morning early entrance days too. This would b 9am entry while we are there or 7am entry on Saturday. What do you think? Any advantage?

It's hard to know for sure if they will do a rope drop. Being slow days they sometimes don't do it. If they do it would be much faster to Nemo from the rope drop. It's usually faster from the gates anyway because it's no sure that you will be on a Monorail leaving the station at the opening second.

I haven't heard much on this, probably because not many people do this because of the risk of it taking longer. There were reports out that the Monorail would not open until 10am due to construction in DCA near the rail. It's possible on the MM days it won't help at all.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Thanks for the input. Yes, we are staying onsite. I figured IF we did this we would line up at the monorail at least 30 minutes before hand just like we would at the front gate. In the unlikely scenario that it looked like we wouldn't be on the first ride, we would just go to the gate. Maybe we'll give it a try since we're coming from Goofy's Kitchen anyway (instead of where we are staying--Grand Californian) and if nothing else it will save us some walking. It will be a Wednesday and the crowds are predicted to be low. If it seems to go well, we'll try it the next day for early entry too.
As WDW veterans we are very familiar with how a few minutes in the morning can make or break it as far as waiting in lines. That's why I was wondering about it being closer from the rope at the end of Main Street.

 

[DTDkettleCORNfan]

Even if it isn't faster, it is just a fun and different way to enter the park. And convenient, if you are going from the DL Hotel to Nemo. My kids loved going in that way. We may have lost a bit of time, but in the overall scheme of things, I think the small amount of time we lost was well worth it.

 

[Malcon10t]

I personally prefer entering through the front gate. Its just more magical. I will use the monorail the rest of the day, but not for the morning.

Here are some thoughts. *IF* the monorail is running in the morning, the first monorail USUALLY leaves so that it gets to Tomorrowland in time for opening. They will hold you on the monorail until the front gates open. If you are on the first monorail of the day, you are good to go. The monorails carry about 100 people. If you are not in that first monorail, you will be arriving at least 15 mins after the front gate has opened. There are any number of things that can slow down the monorail. You may be on the first monorail, but something as simple as a duck or other bird deciding to sit on the monorail track can stop the monorail until it decides to move. (We've been stuck for 10 mins once, and while it was funny for us, someone who's wanting to get to the front of the Nemo line, watching all those people walk by down below would be frustrating.)

 

[dr&momto2boys]

(Oops! reposted prior post.)

 

[HydroGuy]

In general the best way to use the monorail is as a foot saver not a time saver. It also can be a fun way to enter the park when you are not pressured for time. Will it sometimes be faster than walking from DTD and useing the main entrance? Yes. But often not.

If you are trying to make rope drop then skip the monorail. If you do not care about getting into DL early and being ahead of crowds, then take it. If you do get there before others treat it as a bonus.

We rarely take the monorail in the morning. We sometime take it later in the day to save some walking. Especially if we are going for a meal to Rainforest Cafe or Tortilla Jo's (both in DTD right next to the monorail station).

Finally, Disney has had a lot of trouble with the monorail over the last year when it uograded the trains. So sometimes they need to runs less trains. But you do not know about that until after you have waited extra long trying to figure out where the next train is.

So, again, do not use monorail as a time saver. Do it to save walking or in the morning when you are Ok with being behind others who used the main gates.

 

[bumbershoot]

To ride Nemo I'm sure it would be just fine.

But for MM, if you're going to Fantasyland for MM? no. We did it once. You're coming in the opposite way the walkers are, which means you're at a distinct disadvantage for doing Fantasyland in the typical order (peter pan first, etc). Now, if you don't want to do PP, etc, in the usual dis-suggested order, that's fine. If you want Alice first, that sort of thing, it works just fine.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

To ride Nemo I'm sure it would be just fine.

But for MM, if you're going to Fantasyland for MM? no. We did it once. You're coming in the opposite way the walkers are, which means you're at a distinct disadvantage for doing Fantasyland in the typical order (peter pan first, etc). Now, if you don't want to do PP, etc, in the usual dis-suggested order, that's fine. If you want Alice first, that sort of thing, it works just fine.

That makes sense. Actually I think I read just to use the monorail on MM if for some reason you don't get there early enough and the lines are super long.
I'm still thinking we'll try it for Nemo.

 

[lauritagoddess]

So, the monorail does run the hour early on MM days?

 

[disneychrista]

Disney transportation (Monorail & Train, as well as Main Street vehicles) should be used as fun "ride" & to save "walking" but they are not effective for use for time savers.

 

[Malcon10t]

So, the monorail does run the hour early on MM days?

Sometimes. It depends on the work going on in DCA.