Monorails. Just the word seems to invoke visions of the future - streamlined, energy-efficient trains gliding silently overhead, carrying happy people. People who are happy because they do not have to fight traffic. People who are enjoying seeing the world pass by below them. One of my favorite activities at Walt Disney World is riding the Monorail, partly because it is fast and efficient, but also because it is fun.

A Mark IV Monorail approaching the Grand Floridian

Disney's first Monorail was the Disneyland-Alweg Monorail System that debuted in Disneyland's Tomorrowland in 1959. The first Monorail left the station in Tomorrowland and circled around that area of the park before returning to the station, giving guests an overhead view of the sights below, including the also new Submarine Voyage and Matterhorn.

The original Monorail was developed in Switzerland by Axel Wenner-Gren. Disney used his ideas and expanded them, leading to the Disneyland-Alweg Monorail. The Monorail, built at the Disney Studios, consists of a train on an elevated concrete beamway; rubber tires support the train on the beam; tires are located on the top and either side of the beam. The tires also propel the train along the beam. The original train was known as the Mark I; Mark II and III trains were later added to Disneyland.

A Mark IV Monorail passing in front of the Magic Kingdom

A big day in the history of Disney Monorails came in 1961, when then beamway was extended to the Disneyland Hotel. Now the Monorail was not just theme park attraction, it was a transportation system! Guests staying at the hotel could board the trains at the hotel station and ride to the park, offering a convenient way of getting there. Looking back now, it is easy to see that long before the Monorail first opened at Disneyland, Walt was already exploring options for his dream of a future city. The Monorail would come to be an important part of that plan, providing efficient transportation between distant areas of the city, and even high-speed transportation between cities.

A Mark IV Monorail at the Transportation and Ticket Center

Another big step came ten years later, with the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971. Brand new Mark IV trains were introduced for the new resort. Because the Magic Kingdom and the main parking lot were on opposite sides of Seven Seas Lagoon, a way was needed to get guests from their cars to the parks. One obvious answer was boats to carry passengers across the Lagoon. But Disney also provided Monorail transportation between the two areas, further showcasing the ease and efficiency of Monorail travel.

A Mark IV Monorail waiting at the Transportation and Ticket Center

And as a further showcase, a local Monorail route was run alongside the express route. While the express route just stopped at the Transportation and Ticket Center, the local route stopped at the new hotels built at the resort, the Contemporary and Polynesian. In a move that brought even more attention to the Monorail as well as the hotel, the trains even ran right through the middle of the Contemporary's lobby. Guests at these two hotels enjoyed easy access to the park thanks to the convenient Monorail.

Another boost for the Monorail came 11 years later with the opening of EPCOT Center. To help guests get there from the Magic Kingdom, the Monorail line was extended from the Transportation and Ticket center to the new park, further enhancing its value as a transportation system. Although many claim that Walt's original dream of EPCOT as an actual working city was never realized, many of his ideas can be seen throughout the Florida property, and one of those most obvious ideas is the Monorail.

Mark V Monorail trains were introduced at Disneyland in the late 1980s. These Mark V trains were actually the original trains rebuilt with new bodies. Brand new Mark VI trains were introduced at Walt Disney World in the early 1990s. These trains had automatic doors that opened and closed with the touch of a button. The trains also had more standing room, increasing their capacity over the old Mark IV trains. The old Mark IV trains were used for a time in Las Vegas after their retirement in Florida, although they were recently retired in Las Vegas as new trains were brought in.

A Mark V Monorail at Disneyland

A new design of Monorail was introduced at Tokyo Disneyland in 2001 as they expanded their resort and opened Tokyo DisneySea. This new generation of Monorail, like its cousins at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, aides guests in getting from place to place. And the familiar Mickey Mouse designs seen throughout the trains add to guests' sense of fun.

I have fond memories of riding the old Mark IV trains at Walt Disney World. The driver could push a button to open the doors, but then the doors had to be closed manually. I can still remember the sound of doors being slammed one by one as a Cast Member walked down along the side of the train. While the new Mark VI trains were nice with their automated doors, there was still something I missed about the slamming doors. But such is progress.

A Mark V Monorail passing by the Indiana Jones show building in 1995

I would often spend my spare time riding the Monorails around Walt Disney World. Occasionally, we would have a day where we hadn't planned on visiting any of the parks (back when there were only two), so we would go visit the different hotels, riding the Monorail around to each one. We would also occasionally ride the Monorail to EPCOT Center, just for the fun of riding it. We would get off the train at the station, and then get right back on the next one for the trip back. But in addition to being fun, I also got a sense of their practicality. For part of the trip to EPCOT Center, the beamway travels along beside World Drive. As I would watch people driving by in their cars or riding buses, I would realize the savings of energy, space, and pollution for those of us riding the Monorail.

A Mark VI Monorail entering the station

The Monorail has always proved popular with guests. Very often, guests at Walt Disney World ask when the Monorail will be extended to the Disney-MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom, or the newer hotels. Guests realize that this form of transportation is not only fun, but also practical. Of course, the initial cost for such an expansion would be high, but the rewards would be found in the long run.

A Mark VI Monorail zipping through the Contemporary Resort

Monorails seemed futuristic when they debuted at Disneyland in 1959, and again at Walt Disney World in 1971. Perhaps at that time, people thought that in 30 years or so, everyone would be riding Monorails everywhere they went. But these days, Monorails still aren't everywhere. Some cities do have them, and other cities are exploring Monorail options as their roadways become more crowded. But at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Tokyo Disneyland, it is still fun to ride a Monorail and dream of the future.

- Story and Photos by Steve Burns
Posted

Steve is a three-time Disney Store National Trivia finalist and webmaster of BurnsLand, home of Steve's Disney Railroad Adventures.

E-mail Steve at steve@startedbyamouse.com, discuss this article in the StartedByAMouse.com Disney Discussion Forums or use the Talkback feature below.

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