The Easiest Disney Park Hop
Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008
Park hopping isn’t the most efficient way to spend your valuable time at Disney World. Though we have made use of the option several times when we have encountered big crowds and have decided to move on. (Usually to EPCOT where big crowds are more easily handled.) But going back to the car and driving to another lot takes time and sort of destroys the temporary suspension of reality that comes with a Disney visit. The exception is the monorail between EPCOT and the Magic Kingdom. It’s an attraction all to itself.
A long 40 mph ride across four miles at treetop level seeing the other resorts and even the occasional deer and alligator (non-anamatronic), it’s the model of efficient urban transportation as envisioned by Walt himself. Rather than taking almost an hour to hop by car it takes about 30 minutes of relaxing fun.
The added bonus is the loop through EPCOT when you return. Sometimes the pilot will also pause or slow to give an extended view you can’t get anywhere else. It’s too bad that the monorail system wasn’t extended to the all the parks back when it would have been economically possible. The reported million dollars a mile keeps it off the plans now. After all, it wouldn’t bring the return that the same amount invested in new rides would generate.
The EPCOT monorail may not be an “E” ticket but it’s definitely class A transportation.
