Walt Disney had a lifelong fondness for trains, so it’s no surprise that trains of various types can be found in the Parks he inspired. At Walt Disney World, guests can ride on the iconic Monorail and on two traditional trains.
Walt Disney World’s Monorail
There are three monorail routes at Walt Disney World. They all intersect at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), which means you can connect to any one of them from there.
Express Monorail Service
The Express Monorail runs between the TTC and Magic Kingdom ONLY, without making any stops. This is the line you’ll want to use if you’ve parked your car at TTC and want to get to Magic Kingdom straight away! At the end of a long day in the Park, this is the line you want if you want to return as quickly as possible to your car parked at TTC.
Resort Monorail Service
The Resort Monorail stops at all stations on the loop, including Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and TTC. This is a fun way to explore the Monorail Resorts or dine around the Monorail. And if you just need to get away from Magic Kingdom for an afternoon break, riding the Resort Monorail loop can be a great way to do that.
EPCOT Monorail Service
The EPCOT Monorail runs between the TTC and EPCOT ONLY, so this is the route you want to take if you’re trying to get from TTC to EPCOT or if you’re Park hopping from Magic Kingdom to EPCOT. EPCOT Monorail offers the added bonus of gliding through the Park on its route, giving riders a great view of the Park before they even go through the gates!
Monorail Times
During busy times — Park opening and Park closing — the Monorail trains run about every ten minutes. If they are fully efficient, waits may even be shorter than that. During less busy times — or when Monorails encounter delays — wait times can increase substantially.
Typical Monorail operating hours are:
- Magic Kingdom Express Monorail: One hour before Park opening to one hour after Park closing
- Resort Loop Monorail: 6:30AM to one hour after Park closing
- EPCOT Monorail: One hour before Park opening to one hour after Park closing.
Typical Monorail ride durations are:
- Magic Kingdom Express Monorail:under 10 minutes between TTC and Magic Kingdom (under 20 minutes roundtrip)
- Resort Loop Monorail:15-20 minutes roundtrip
- EPCOT Monorail:15 minutes between TTC and EPCOT (30 minutes roundtrip)
Monorail Capacity
Monorails typically run five or six cars per line. The maximum capacity of each car is about 40 guests (pre-social-distancing). It has been calculated that Disney World’s Monorail moves over 100,000 guests per day.
Monorail Accessibility
Monorails are both wheelchair and stroller accessible. Look for wheelchair signs for ramped areas. Cast Member will need to set up temporary ramp.
Click herefor more information aboutwheelchairs and ECVs at Walt Disney World.
Click herefor more information aboutstrollers at Walt Disney World.
Monorail Tips
- The lines for the Magic Kingdom Express Monorail can be lengthy at Park closing. Be aware of your options. You can opt for the slightly longer ride on the Resort Monorail if it has a much shorter line, or you can opt to take the Ferry Boat. The Ferry takes about eight minutes once it’s underway (plus any potential wait time).
- Monorail compartments have two bench seats (each is the width of the compartment) plus room to stand (or park a stroller or wheelchair).
- Keep your eyes peeled for Monorails wrapped to promote Disney’s upcoming movies! These are fun to spot (and ride)!
- When Disney World reopens in July 2020, Monorail compartments are expected to have new dividers to promote physical distancing.
- Monorail fans have an affinity for the service’s safety spiel:“Please stand clear of the doors. Por favor manténganse alejado de las puertas.”
Walt Disney World’s Trains
There are two trains available to ride at Walt Disney World. Both are located inside theme parks and require Park admission to ride.
Note: The Walt Disney World Railroad is temporarily unavailable while TRON Lightcycle Run construction is in progress.
Walt Disney World Railroad
The Walt Disney World Railroad circles the perimeter of Magic Kingdom and makes three stops: Main Street Train Station at the entrance of the Park, Frontierland next to Splash Mountain, and Fantasyland near Goofy’s Barnstormer.
Walt Disney World Railroad Accessibility
Personal strollers must be folded prior to passing through a station’s turnstiles. No Disney rental strollersare allowed on the trains (these strollers don’t fold). If you leave your rental stroller behind at the station, keep your stroller nametag — a replacement stroller may be available at the other stops.
Wheelchairs/ECV users will need to see Cast Member for loading. All three stations offer access to the Railroad for those in wheelchairs and ECVs, but ramps may be steep, and wheelchairs will be loaded onto specific, accessible train cars.
Wildlife Express Train
The Wildlife Express Train operates in Animal Kingdom, shuttling guests to and from Rafiki’s Planet Watch. It makes no stops along the way. This train has seats that face outward, so that guests travel sideways and can see some views of animal enclosures and backstage areas during their ride.
Walt Disney World Train Tips and Trivia
- If you’re looking for the grand circle tour of Magic Kingdom onboard the Walt Disney World Railroad, the trip is about 1.5 miles long and lasts about 20 minutes
- There are four historic trains available to run on the Walt Disney World Railroad. The trains date back to 1916-1928.
- Walt Disney World Railroad trains are named after Disney icons: the Walter E. Disney, the Lilly Belle, the Roger E. Broggie, and the Roy O. Disney.
- The Wildlife Express Train ride is about seven minutes long, and it’s the only way for guests to get to Rafiki’s Planet Watch.
