Disneyland Monorail

Disneyland Monorail
Company type	Transportation system / Attraction
Industry	Amusement park transportation
Founded	June 14, 1959; 67 years ago in Anaheim, California, USA
Founder	Walt Disney
Headquarters	Anaheim, United States
Products	Monorail transportation and attraction

The Disneyland Monorail—initially named the Disneyland Alweg Monorail System—serves as both a transportation line and an attraction within the Disneyland Resort located in Anaheim, California, USA. It holds the distinction of being the first monorail system worldwide to operate on a daily schedule.

History

Walt Disney imagined the monorail as an innovative urban transit option, representing a vision of future public transportation. However, this technology did not achieve broad acceptance across the United States. With the growing dominance of automobiles in American society, monorails remained primarily a feature exclusive to Disney’s theme parks.

The initial contract for constructing the monorail was awarded to Standard Carriage Works based in East Los Angeles. Nevertheless, by late 1958, Walt Disney redirected production efforts to his Burbank studios. The design and manufacture of the vehicles and propulsion systems were led by Disney designer Bob Gurr, who received technical collaboration from the German firm Alweg, known for pioneering straddle beam monorail technology.

The Disneyland Alweg Monorail System commenced operations on June 14, 1959,^[1] coinciding with the re-dedication of Tomorrowland and Disneyland’s expansion that introduced attractions such as the Matterhorn Bobsleds and Submarine Voyage. The initial Mark I trains—designated Red and Blue—each comprised three cars. The inauguration ceremony was attended by then-Vice President Richard Nixon and his family.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Expansion

At its inception, the monorail functioned primarily as a scenic ride encircling Disneyland. By 1961, it evolved into a practical transit system when its track was extended two miles to reach a second station adjacent to the Disneyland Hotel. The Tomorrowland station was expanded to accommodate four-car Mark II trains, and a third train, painted Yellow, was introduced.

From the Hotel Station, visitors could opt for either a brief tour or general admission rides above Disneyland. Special round-trip tickets provided access to a vista-dome offering panoramic park views along with a stopover in Tomorrowland’s tail-cone compartment. Access was managed through a dial-controlled system regulating guest entry, while hostess attendants oversaw boarding procedures based on ticket classifications to ensure smooth passenger flow.

In 1968, platforms at both stations were lengthened to support five-car Mark III trains. A fourth train, Green in color, was added to enhance capacity and operational efficiency.

Mark V (Mk5) trains

By the mid-1980s, the original Mark III trains had aged and were subsequently rebuilt into Mark V models. The Mark III Green train was transformed into Mark V Purple; Yellow became Orange; Blue retained its lighter blue shade; Red remained unchanged. Significant improvements included replacing the bubble-shaped driver’s cabin with a sleek "Learjet"-style design akin to Walt Disney World’s Mark IV monorails, enclosing passenger areas with windows that could be opened, and installing pneumatic doors. Following the 1985 monorail fire incident at Disney World, additional safety measures were implemented such as handrails and emergency roof exits. Ride & Show Engineering constructed the Mark V trains using bodies manufactured by Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm (now Airbus). The Purple train debuted in late 1986, Orange followed in 1987, Blue arrived early 1988, and Red completed refurbishment by 1988.

In 1994, track realignment was undertaken to make way for the Indiana Jones Adventure attraction. Trains received upgrades including new electrical pickup shoes and tail-mounted cameras enabling two-train shuttle operations aimed at boosting efficiency. During the late 1990s construction of Disney California Adventure, multiple temporary monorail closures occurred due to track regrading around support pillars and demolition of the Disneyland Hotel Station to build a new facility. Subsequently, Downtown Disney Station opened as an additional park entrance requiring valid admission; this change led to discontinuation of the tail-cone tour experience.

Limited shuttle service resumed in 2000 after Downtown Disney Station became operational. By 2001, full forward circuit service was restored, passing through Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and highlighting newly developed park areas.

Monorail Orange was retired in 2004 for reverse engineering purposes at Walt Disney Imagineering’s Glendale facility. Monorail Blue underwent refurbishment starting September 2006. From August through December 2006, the monorail ceased operations temporarily to accommodate preparations for the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage expansion set to open in 2007.

Mark VII (Mk7) Monorail

The Mark VII Monorail series consists of three trains—Red, Blue, and Orange—each undergoing individual refurbishment. Monorail Red was delivered to Disneyland on December 20, 2007, but due to design setbacks, it commenced operation on July 3, 2008. Mark VII Blue arrived on April 10, 2008; it began riderless trials on August 1 and started carrying guests on September 16, 2008. The Mark VII Orange train reached Disneyland on August 14, 2008, underwent unoccupied testing in March 2009, and opened for passenger service on April 7, 2009.

Operations

The Disneyland Monorail system serves two stations: Tomorrowland and Downtown Disney. Originally designed as a continuous loop without stops, the track was extended in 1961 to include a station at the Disneyland Hotel—later replaced in 1999 by the Downtown Disney Station. All riders are required to exit at Tomorrowland Station; during busy periods, one-way trips necessitate disembarking and re-boarding at Downtown Disney. Admission to Disneyland Park is mandatory for boarding.

In 2006, the Tomorrowland Station underwent renovations prompted by the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage construction. The original speed ramps were substituted with a concrete ramp for queue access and stairs designated for exiting passengers.

The monorail operates in a single direction with boarding conducted from one platform. Departing from Tomorrowland, the train crosses over the Disneyland Railroad and travels alongside Harbor Boulevard before entering Disney California Adventure near Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! and the Sunset Showcase Theater. It then passes through Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa before curving toward the Downtown Disney station, which features landscaping that complements the shopping area's aesthetic.

At Downtown Disney station, there is one platform where trains pause for approximately five minutes before looping around the shopping district. The monorail then crosses above the esplanade between the two parks and returns to Disneyland. Within the park boundaries, it again crosses the railroad and maneuvers tight turns around Tomorrowland, traveling above Submarine Lagoon and Autopia with four separate lagoon crossings. The route curves near Matterhorn Bobsleds offering views of Fantasyland before arriving back at Tomorrowland Station.

Each monorail is equipped with Grover 1056 dual-chime air horns that sound when departing stations, near the unused PeopleMover/Rocket Rod track, approaching Matterhorn, when birds perch on the tracks, and as a salutation to Disneyland Railroad trains. Previous monorail models featured horns imitating traditional ground-level train sounds.

Maintenance

The "Monorail Shop," Disneyland’s dedicated maintenance facility located behind "it's a small world" close to the I-5 Freeway entrance at Harbor Boulevard, has capacity for four monorails on its upper floor. The lower floor stores five steam locomotives. Trains access the yard through a network of track switches, ensuring all monorails are housed indoors overnight while routine upkeep is performed daily.

Tractor

Diesel/hydraulic "work tractors" play a crucial role in daily beam inspections and maintenance tasks such as trimming vegetation, cleaning and repairing electrical commutator rails, as well as scheduled maintenance and painting of the concrete beam guideway. These tractors possess sufficient power to tow a fully loaded train using tow-bars from any location back to a station platform and subsequently to the Monorail Shop without relying on the 600 V track power supply.

Installation and removal

When it becomes necessary to replace monorail trains, the cars are moved to maintenance shop beam "D," where each segment undergoes individual preparation by detaching bellows, cables, and motor trucks. Subsequently, the cars are rolled outside to be lifted by a crane onto transport trailers. Throughout this procedure, a diesel/hydraulic tractor functions as a switcher. The installation of new car segments follows the reverse sequence of removal, accompanied by comprehensive system testing that spans several months before the trains enter revenue service. Notably, after the Mark VII Monorail Red was delivered, platform clearance complications caused by its extended end compartments required alterations to Monorail Blue at the manufacturing facility, enabling Blue to commence service prior to Red.

Emergency evacuation

Evacuation methods depend on the train’s position and the nature of the emergency.

When at stations or work platforms, passengers exit directly onto the platform even if doors remain closed; cast members have the ability to forcibly open door panels using an air pressure release handle located beneath a central window.

For trains positioned on open beams, evacuation is conducted through roof hatches by first removing decorative plastic coverings situated above bulkhead footstools and then lifting hinged hatches that fold across bulkheads separating individual cars. These bulkheads serve as fire barriers, confining any fire to a single car. Passengers can move between cars via these hatches while awaiting emergency personnel.

In cases where the entire train is compromised, passengers utilize roof hatches and handrails atop the cars to proceed toward the front of the train for evacuation. The Disneyland Fire Department provides assistance in safely evacuating any disabled trains.

Platform safety

Platform gates are manually operated and stay closed until cast members verify it is safe for boarding. The trains receive power from a 600 V DC electric supply drawn from a bus bar located along the right side of the beam, functioning similarly to a subway’s third rail system.

Facts and figures

Grand opening date: June 14, 1959
Designer: WED Enterprises
Trains in operation: 3 - Mark VII Red, Mark VII Blue, and Mark VII Orange
Length of beamway:
Duration of round trip: 13 minutes
Original ride system details: Each train rides on ten nitrogen-filled truck tires positioned atop the beamway; four tires are powered by , electric motors. Additionally, forty smaller guide tires run along the beam’s sides, with steering tires under each cab allowing up to 3 degrees of directional adjustment.
Construction costs in 1959 averaged over $1 million per mile.
During the televised opening ceremony, oversized scissors intended for ribbon cutting failed; Walt Disney himself tore the ribbon instead.