Hi there, Erika!
Welcome back to planDisney! How wonderful that you are just a few short days away from a leisurely stroll down Main Street, U.S.A. I'm sure that by now you are packing (and probably repacking) your bags to make sure you have all of your magical necessities for a
practically perfect vacation. Don't forget to grab a water bottle, portable charger, and poncho!
Speaking of
practically perfect, Erika, I'm so glad you'll be arriving at Magic Kingdom Park by Monorail. There's nothing like beginning your day with a magical journey around Seven Seas Lagoon before you even set foot in a theme park! As you mentioned, Guests not staying at one of the Disney Resort Collection hotels along the Monorail will need to board the
Walt Disney World Resort Monorail at the Transportation and Ticket Center. There you will have the option of boarding the Resort Monorail, EPCOT Monorail, or Express Monorail. Since you're headed straight to Magic Kingdom Park, be sure to follow the signage to the Express Monorail. If you happen to accidentally board the Resort Monorail, don't worry! It will still get you to
Magic Kingdom Park, it will just make a few stops along the way.
The Monorail begins running about 30 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry begins for the day which would be an hour before Magic Kingdom Park opens for all Guests. Because you will also go through a security checkpoint at the Transportation and Ticket Center, I suggest arriving an hour before Early Theme Park Entry begins. For example, if Magic Kingdom Park is scheduled to open at 9:00 AM, this would mean 8:30 AM Early Entry and an 8:00 Monorail start time, so I would plan to be at the Transportation and Ticket Center around 7:30 AM. Even if you won't have access to
Early Theme Park Entry, Magic Kingdom Park typically allows all Guests to enter Main Street, U.S.A. for shopping, dining, and photos before the theme park officially opens. With this in mind, I always prefer to err on the side of an early arrival and soak in a bit of 'bonus pixie dust'.
Thanks for stopping by, Erika! I hope this information was helpful as you plan your magical days. If you have any other questions, please feel free to
stop back by. I'm always happy to help!
Thinking Happy Thoughts,
Lizzie