A normal trip out of Magic Kingdom became more complicated for Walt Disney World guests on September 16 after problems affected multiple Monorail routes.
The trouble started with the Express Monorail, which normally gives guests a direct connection between Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center. Disney stopped operating the line and instructed guests to use other transportation.
Initially, the Resort Monorail gave visitors another option. That didn’t last.
The Resort line later experienced problems of its own, leaving two major pieces of Disney’s transportation system unavailable around Magic Kingdom.
Express Monorail Suddenly Becomes Unavailable
Guests discovered the Express Monorail wasn’t operating when signage appeared at Magic Kingdom directing them toward alternate transportation.
Disney hadn’t provided a reason for the shutdown at the time of the original report.
The Express line plays an important role for Magic Kingdom visitors because the park’s main parking lot isn’t located directly outside its entrance. Guests who park at the Transportation and Ticket Center still have to cross Seven Seas Lagoon to reach Magic Kingdom.
The Express Monorail normally makes that relatively simple by traveling directly between TTC and the park.
With that route unavailable, the Resort Monorail initially remained an option.
It wasn’t as direct because the Resort line makes additional stops, but guests could still use it to travel between Magic Kingdom and TTC.
Then another problem developed.
Guests Forced Off Resort Monorail
While traveling aboard the Resort Monorail, reporters noticed Express Monorail trains parked near the Transportation and Ticket Center and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
There still wasn’t a clear explanation for the Express line’s closure.
The Resort Monorail then reached Disney’s Contemporary Resort, where Disney removed the train from service.
Everyone aboard had to exit.
Afterward, the Resort Monorail line closed as well.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether both shutdowns stemmed from the same issue. The train that had carried guests eventually left the Contemporary, while another train arrived and parked.
Regardless of the cause, guests suddenly found themselves without either of the two Monorail routes serving Magic Kingdom.
EPCOT Line Continues Operating
The problems didn’t appear to affect every part of the Walt Disney World Monorail system.
The EPCOT Monorail was still operating at the time of the report.
Weather also didn’t appear to be behind the closures.
That meant Disney hadn’t experienced a complete shutdown of its Monorail system, but the two affected routes created a significant transportation issue around Magic Kingdom.
Guests traveling from EPCOT to Magic Kingdom could still ride the Monorail to TTC. However, they would need another transportation option to finish their trip if the Express and Resort lines remained unavailable.
Ferryboats Give Guests Another Option
Disney still had ferryboat transportation operating between Magic Kingdom and TTC.
Water transportation to nearby resorts also remained available.
That gave guests another way to move through the area, although transportation disruptions can become particularly noticeable when large crowds begin leaving Magic Kingdom.
Visitors staying at Monorail resorts could also feel the effects because the Resort line normally provides easy access to Magic Kingdom and other locations around Seven Seas Lagoon.
The incident is another example of why Disney guests may want to leave some extra time in their schedules when traveling around the resort.
Transportation can change unexpectedly, and this particular situation developed quickly. The Resort Monorail went from being the alternative to the closed Express line to becoming unavailable itself.
Disney hadn’t confirmed what caused either issue at the time of the report.
For guests around Magic Kingdom, however, the immediate concern was much simpler: two familiar Monorail options disappeared, forcing visitors to change how they reached their next destination.
