Disney Skyliner Resorts vs. Monorail Resorts (How To Decide Which One’s Best For You)

The Resorts We’re Comparing (Monorail vs. Skyliner)

Below, we’ve listed the resorts that offer access to the Monorail and the Skyliner.

*You can walk to the Skyliner from the Epcot Resorts Area, which includes Disney’s Beach Club, Yacht Club, and BoardWalk. However, these resorts do not have a Skyliner Station. So, they are not included in our comparison.

Pros and Cons for Staying at a Monorail Resort

Guests staying at a monorail resort can take the resort monorail to Magic Kingdom, the surrounding monorail resorts, and Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). When traveling to Epcot, you must transfer at the TTC, and board the Epcot Monorail.

We’ll start with what we consider the most positive aspects for staying at a monorail resort.

It’s History: The monorail opened with Walt Disney World in 1971. So you’re experiencing a little piece of history every time you ride it.

Minutes from the Magic: When you stay at a monorail resort, you’re literally minutes from the Magic Kingdom. Yes, the monorail stops at other hotels on the route, but the process is generally fast. Therefore, you’ll get dropped off at the park’s entrance in no time.

Stunning Views: The monorail offers stunning views of Seven Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom Resorts Area. But the most scenic ride is the loop through Epcot when you’re on the way to the park. It’s beautiful!

Quick Access to Other Popular Resorts: If you’re staying at the Contemporary and find yourself in the mood for a tropical treat, you can take the monorail to the Polynesian and order a Dole Whip from Pineapple Lanai. This is just one example of the nearby dining options you can take advantage of while staying on the monorail.

The Monorail Resorts Offer the Option to Walk: If you leave Magic Kingdom after the fireworks, you can walk back to any of the monorail resorts. I know what you’re thinking–you want to ride the monorail. But when a couple of thousand people are crowded around the monorail entrance, you’ll be so thankful for the option to walk. It sure beats standing in another long line.

On the flip side, we have a few negatives to consider:

High Price Tag to Stay Here: The monorail resorts all fall under the deluxe or deluxe villa category. These hotels are going to be the most expensive ones at Disney World.

You Might Feel Packed In Like a Can of Sardines: It’s every man, woman, or child for themself when boarding the monorail. During peak travel times, you can expect to be crammed into a monorail car. It’s pretty much the same as riding a Disney bus. They will load as many guests as possible, no exceptions.

No Alternatives to Epcot: This is one of the least known things about staying at a monorail resort, and it’s really important to be aware of if you’re a newbie. The monorail is the only complimentary transportation option available from the monorail resorts to Epcot. However, most guests don’t know that you have to take the resort monorail to the TTC, and then transfer to Epcot. This route takes time. It takes even more time when traveling during peak travel times. (See our How Long It Takes to Get from Grand Floridian to Epcot as an example.)

You’re Stuck if the Monorail Breaks Down: It doesn’t happen often, but it can happen to anyone. If a monorail were to break down, you’re stuck. While it probably won’t be the end of the world, you’ll have to wait until the situation is resolved. I can’t say exactly how long it could take, but (and this is also true for the Skyliner) it’s not the kind of situation where you can just exit anywhere.

Pros and Cons for Staying at a Skyliner Resort

We’ll start with the positives of staying at a Skyliner Resort.

An Incredible Way to Travel: It’s true, the Disney Skyliner is a unique mode of transportation that most guests will never experience anywhere else. Yes, you might have to wait in a long line at certain time (see negatives below). However, those frustrations tend to melt away as you look down and see your hotel disappear and soon after have a view of Galaxy’s Edge in the distance, or maybe Spaceship Earth if you’re visiting Epcot. You’ll be there shortly.

Hotels for Every Budget: Unlike the monorail resorts, the Skyliner offers hotels for every budget. You can stay at Art of Animation or Pop Century, both value hotels, and still have the benefit of upgraded transportation. It’s a win-win.

It’s a Short Ride and so Convenient: If you’re not traveling at peak travel times, there is rarely a wait for the Skyliner. You can leave your room, walk to the station, almost immediately board it, and be at your destination within a few minutes. (Note that you do have to transfer mid-way from some hotels. See our entire guide to the Disney Skyliner to learn these specifics.)

Here are a few negatives.

Long Lines: You can expect long lines for the Skyliner at peak travel times. If you’re visiting a park at rope drop or early entry, you’re going to run into a long line for the Skyliner. The good news is the line continually moves, but the length of the line might have you questioning everything. This situation is inevitable when it comes to complimentary options. For those who can’t deal with the line, you can always take a paid car service or drive to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. (Most guests don’t realize this, but Hollywood Studios main entrance is literally a block or two from the entrance of Art of Animation and Pop Century. Caribbean Beach and Riviera are just a little further.)

Tip: We avoid leaving Epcot immediately after fireworks because of the long lines that form for the Skyliner. We always take our time leaving by shopping or relaxing on a bench while the masses exit. You could even take a stroll down the Boardwalk and around the Epcot Resorts Area while the line for the Skyliner clears.

No alternatives: If the Skyliner is operating, there are no alternative forms of transportation to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We see it all the time. Guests will see the line for the Skyliner first thing in the morning and say forget this! For whatever reason, they think they’ll just take the bus. A long walk to the bus stop later (and possibly a wait) they realize the bus isn’t coming. Then it’s back off to join the long line for the Skyliner. This makes for a rough start to your day.

The Skyliner is Scary for Some: Okay, to clarify, I do not think the Skyliner is scary. But some people do, and that’s perfectly okay. However, if you know someone in your party doesn’t care for heights, then you might want to read that last point: there are no alternatives! We hear guests all the time say well, we thought we’d have a backup if someone didn’t do well on the Skyliner. The other thing is, and I’ve mentioned this several time on the site, you might not know how someone will do. I’ve ridden the Skyliner with parents who were taking it for the first time, and their young child had a complete meltdown as soon as we left the ground. It was so unexpected but these things happen.

Sometimes the Skyliner Pauses: Okay, this issue won’t happen to everyone. But there have been times when the Skyliner pauses for a couple of minutes or more. Now, the Skyliner does pause here and there. Then it resumes rather quickly. However, there could be a time when you end up hanging in midair for longer than you like. So if you’re worried about these things ahead of time, you might want to consider how you would feel if your were on a bus that broke down or if you were on the monorail and it stopped on the tracks. Again, these things are few and far between, but they can happen.

Which One Will It Be?

As you can see, the decision is tough. While I can’t make it for you, I will share a little of my thought process when planning our resort stays. Our budget always comes first, no matter what. It hasn’t always, but it does now. If I were on a limited budget, I would go with Caribbean Beach, Pop Century, or Art of Animation.

However, if I had a budget with less restrictions, my next consideration would be where we wanted to spend the most time. If we were planning a Magic Kingdom heavy trip, I would choose a monorail resort. I cannot stress enough the convenience of being within a short distance of a theme park. It’s also pretty hard to beat having the alternative to walk if there’s a long line for the monorail. Again, these options come with a high price tag so it won’t be the best decision for everyone.

To reiterate, that’s also what’s so great about the Skyliner Resorts. They work for a variety of price ranges. You might also plan to spend more time at Epcot or Disney’s Hollywood Studios since you’re so close. We really enjoy visiting both of these parks at night, even if it’s just for a ride, dinner, or to enjoy the evening entertainment offerings.

This point brings me to one important tip. Regardless of whether you choose a Skyliner or Monorail Resort, we think the park hopper ticket option is worth consideration. Now if you’re brand new to Disney World, you might not want to take on more than one park a day. But if you’re open to breaking up your trip, you might take advantage of being so close to any of these parks. We really enjoy spending time at one park during the day, followed by a break, and the returning to another park in the evening.

Final Thoughts

We hope this comparison of the Monorail and Skyliner Resorts offered ideal expectations. While we highlighted a few negatives, it’s important to remember that some of these things are just the facts of life. But I like to believe that, in most instances, being aware of possible hiccups beforehand allows you to handle them better if they were to happen.

For more resources, regarding the Skyliner and Monorail Resorts you might enjoy the following:

Is a Resort on the Disney Skyliner Right For You?: This article highlights even more pros and cons for the Skyliner Resorts.

A Complete Guide to Disney’s Monorail Hotels: This article provides an overview of all three monorail hotels.

Every Resort Restaurant Accessible from the Skyliner: If you decide on a Skyliner Resort, you might like to know your nearby dining options that don’t require a park ticket.

Or you might like to read how we’ve Ranked Every Resort Based on Its Transportation Options. Spoiler, our top choices are not Monorail or Skyliner Resorts.

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In the Comments

So, which would you choose? The Skyliner or the Monorail? Let us know below in the comments.