Monorails

Image: DisneyNo vehicle is more closely associated with Disney theme parks than the monorail. Walt Disney himself traveled to Europe to investigate the transportation system, which was almost totally unknown in the United States. He gambled and won on the monorail, which remains an intrinsic part of Disney park travel to this day.

At Walt Disney World, the monorail system is something of a mixed bag. I’m a shameless aficionado of the technology, but even I must note that the current fleet is woefully outdated. Disney’s never left a set of monorail trains in operation for this long. Hopefully, they never will again, as some of the cars have a certain smell that just won’t go away. Decades of baked in sweat have a lingering impact. Also, Disney’s suffered some negative press due to an unforgivable mistake on one monorail.

Still, we’re talking about the monorail. It’s the most reliable form of transportation ever at Disney theme parks. You’re never more than a few minutes away from the next monorail train. It will efficiently transport you to your destination, which is never more than a few monorail stops away.

Image: DisneyAs a word of caution, you may suffer some confusion at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). Guests traveling to Epcot must exit one monorail and walk around the station to a different train. At the TTC, a monorail travels directly to Epcot and then back again. The main monorail line only stops here on its path to Magic Kingdom and the monorail resorts.

Overall, the monorail is a wonderful option at Walt Disney World. It’s not readily available for all guests, just the ones at certain resorts. Anyone can use the monorail, of course, but it’s more convenient to a select few than the rest. Despite some snafus caused by age, I still view it as the most reliable of all transportation options. Plus, it’s just damned cool to ride in one. Since 2017, however, it’s no longer the coolest ride at Walt Disney World. That honor belongs to…

Ride-sharing/Minnie Vans

Image: DisneyWhat price would you pay to ride around in the best transportation on the Disney campus? Presuming that your answer is $25 one way, I’ve got the ultimate suggestion for you! The Minnie Van is Disney’s answer to a frustrating problem.

Since the company’s transportation options are all imperfect, the ride-sharing industry capitalized on a great opportunity. They disrupted Orlando travel by offering direct rides to and from various locations on the Disney campus. Uber and Lyft went from non-factors to dominate players in the city in a short period of time.

Disney hates the idea of other companies earning revenue from Mouse-based enterprises. After some deliberation, they invented a ride-sharing solution of their own. Called the Minnie Van, this fleet of SUVs is attention-grabbing to say the least. In reality, they’re Chevy Traverses (mostly), but Disney put their own stamp on the cars by adding red paint with polka dots. The distinctive appearance is unmistakable…and amazingly awesome.

Unlike other ride-sharing services, the drivers of Minnie Vans are cast members. They’ve received specific training to satisfy your travel needs. For a (not insignificant) cost of $25 one way, a Minnie Van will take you from point A to point B anywhere on the Disney campus. While the ride ain’t cheap, it’s the height of Disney transportation at the moment.