Disney Confirms Upcoming Closure of Iconic Monorail System

Transportation at Disney Parks is all part of the fun, but one of the Resort’s most iconic transport fixtures is closing later this year.

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Disney debuted its monorail system at Disneyland during the 1959 expansion, which included major changes to Tomorrowland and the first monorail system in the United States. At Walt Disney World, the system opened with the Resort in 1971, servicing Magic Kingdom Park along with Resorts along with the Transportation & Ticket Center plus Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Disney’s Contemporary Resort. (Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is also located on the monorail loop; however, this Resort opened in 1988.)

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For many Guests, the monorail is a must-do for any Disney vacation. As such, there is an upcoming closure of the monorail system at the Disneyland Resort that you will want to note if you plan on visiting this summer.

Disney’s official website was just updated to reflect the closure of the Disneyland monorail beginning on July 5, 2023. While the closure is taking place as a refurbishment, Disney has not noted any major changes to the system, so it is likely that the refurb will include routine maintenance.

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While the monorail system at Walt Disney World might be most known for its age and maintenance woes, it is worth pointing out that the Disneyland monorail already underwent a refurbishment this year. The system was previously closed for refurbishment for four days in March 2023 and is now set to close again just three months later. For this summer’s refurbishment, only the closure date has been confirmed, as Disney has not yet shared when the monorail will reopen.

The Disneyland Monorail

The Disneyland monorail is surprisingly sustainable, using a 600-volt DC power source with no direct exhaust system. Each Mark VII train is able to make the 13-minute, or 2.5-mile loop, around the track without adding pollutants into the atmosphere.

Planning to ride the monorail before its closure? The Disneyland monorail has two stops; one in Tomorrowland and one at Downtown Disney.

We at Disney Tips will continue to monitor updates to Disney Parks and will report back with more information on the upcoming monorail refurbishment as it is available.