Your social anxiety bestie is BACK from another recent Disney World trip (buying an Annual Pass may have been my best decision this year) and I’m ready to tell you about ALL my experiences!
My generalized anxiety disorder never goes away, I live with it constantly, but I promise all my stories from this recent trip won’t have to do with being the human equivalent of that Spongebob meme where he’s running around while his brain is on fire. THIS one, however, does, and it’s all about my unmatched love for the Resort Monorail.
You may be thinking, “Duh, everyone loves the Monorail, JP, you’re not special.” And to that, I say two things: first, ouch, and second, I’m not just talking about the Monorail — I mean the Resort Monorail specifically, which runs to and from the Transportation & Ticket Center (TTC) and Magic Kingdom with stops at the 3 Magic Kingdom Resorts:
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
When you’re heading to Magic Kingdom from the TTC, you likely want to get there as fast as possible, which means the obvious choice may be the Magic Kingdom Monorail which takes you directly to the park from the TTC.
Yes, this is the faster Monorail when you look at time it takes to ride. However, lines for the Magic Kingdom Monorail are almost always MUCH longer than the Resort Monorail line, which means the time you’re spending waiting for an Express Monorail could be spent sitting in a cool Monorail car on your way to the park. (SIT WHEN YOU CAN, your legs will thank you.)
So not only are you seated on a Monorail faster, but there’s another massive perk that eases my anxiety every time. Remember when I said those lines are shorter? That means you very likely could have the car to YOURSELF, or at the very least, not be squished up against a ton of people.
On my last trip, I rode the Resort Monorail a few minutes after rope drop on a Friday morning, and I had my side of the car completely to myself for the WHOLE ride! There was a larger family that took up the opposite side of the car, but I was able to breathe much easier knowing that I wasn’t bumping up against other people. Because in addition to being anxious, I’m also autistic and don’t do well with most people touching me/being too close to me. (Shoutout to Emma for double checking if I was cool with being just casually touched on the shoulder, I love you endlessly 🫶)
I know that there’s a lot that overstimulating in Disney World, so I choose to start my day in the least overwhelming way possible to preserve my spoons for the rest of the day (spoon theory, anyone? It’s a thing, I promise). Also, just like the Express Monorail, to be closest to the stairs down to the park entrance, head to the car on the far right when you’re boarding! These far cars are also less likely to fill up because many people don’t want to walk that far.
So next time you’re looking for a little more space, head to the Resort Monorail and settle in for a relaxing ride! Plus, if you’re like me and travel on a budget every time and likely won’t ever stay in these fancy deluxe hotels, you get a hint of luxury without the price tag! As always, stay tuned to AllEars for all the latest Disney news, tips, and tricks!
Oh hey, I also got to try some new Animal Kingdom Lodge snacks, but one of them deserves JAIL TIME
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Do you prefer the Monorail or Ferryboat? I’ve done both and love the Monorail, but want to hear your thoughts below!
I cannot remember a time I visited Disney when the Magic Kingdom-to-TTC monorail was open. Seriously, it’s always been closed, and every single visitor was routed to the Resort Monorail.
Wow! This is genius. I feel so stupid for not thinking of that. We usually stay at an on property resort (not monorail one),so we usually do buses, but this December we are staying at the Dolphin, and I think it takes you to the TTC, so this is super information! Thanks.
Take one of the first ferry boats in the morning. It has a capacity of 600 and you could be the only one on it! Fresh air, great views and you could even have me as your Captain. If you use the ferry back to TTC in the morning it will be empty. Everybody else is going the other way.
Hi Missy! You are correct, the Dolphin will drop you off at the TTC so you can take the Resort Monorail! Please don’t feel stupid — it can all be very confusing. Thank you so much for reading — I’m so glad this information was helpful to you!