The Ferry Best Way to Go

From the Transportation & Ticket Center, Walt Disney World Guests have a choice of ways to get to the Magic Kingdom. While many forge straight ahead up the ramp to the Monorail station, I often prefer to take the Ferryboat instead (saving the Monorail for the return trip in the evening). Both take about the same amount of time, but for me there's just something about making that trip across Seven Seas Lagoon that makes the experience complete.

Since 1971, the Magic Kingdom has been served by a fleet of watercraft, although the Ferryboats we know today weren't among them. Originally, a pair of side-wheel steamers (Southern Seas and Ports of Call) traversed the lagoon, but they were quickly deemed too small and unreliable to handle all the Guests coming to the park.

In 1972, a pair of Staten Island-style Ferryboats (dubbed Magic Kingdom I and Magic Kingdom II) were introduced to help handle the demand. They were joined in 1976 by a third, Kingdom Queen, which was also outfitted with wet bars, restrooms and an upper-level dance floor so it could be rented out for charter excursions in the evening.

The three Ferryboats were re-christened in 1999 and named for key individuals who contributed to the development of the Walt Disney World Resort. Magic Kingdom I became the Admiral Joe Fowler. Magic Kingdom II became the Richard F. Irvine, and the Kingdom Queen was renamed General Joe Potter (around this time, the facilities on board were also removed, since the boat is now used exclusively for transportation).

The Ferryboats are very similar, but do sport some differences. Most noticeably, Admiral Joe Fowler has green side panels. Richard F. Irvine has red panels, and there are blue panels on the General Joe Potter. That third boat, built later by a different contractor, is also the only one with two smokestacks.

Once aboard, head up top or out front for the best views. Crossing the lagoon, it's as if each scene plays out one at a time: the tropical paradise of Disney's Polynesian Resort, the Victorian luxury of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, the majesty of Disney's Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower. All along the way, the water, islands, landscape and wildlife you encounter make it hard to believe that the whole thing is man made.

Of course, the best part of all comes as the Ferryboat rounds a bend and the Magic Kingdom comes into view. No matter how many times I've experienced it, the sight of Space Mountain and Cinderella Castle on the horizon puts a smile on my face.

Highway in the Sky

When Walt Disney introduced the Disneyland Alweg Monorail at Disneyland back in 1959, it was the first of its kind to operate in the United States. He intended it to be more than an attraction. His goal was to showcase the technology as a mass transit solution for the future. Over the years, the Disney monorails were upgraded several times from that Mark I original, but the idea never really caught on beyond the Disney Parks.

Upon the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971, the Mark IV Monorail took a leap forward as a mass transit system, carrying thousands of Guests each day between the Magic Kingdom Park, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Polynesian Resort and the Transportation & Ticket Center.

The Mark IV Monorail introduced the sleek white styling and colored stripes, a style that still looks futuristic today. Those original trains served the Walt Disney World Resort for twenty years, before being upgraded in 1991 for higher-capacity Mark VI Monorails (the Mark V designation went to an upgrade of Disneyland's Monorail in 1985).

The Mark VI trains are still in operation and still sport the traditional Walt Disney World "D" logo with Mouse Ear globe. The key differences introduced with these trains allowed them to operate more efficiently and carry more passengers. Where the Mark IV Monorails had doors that were each closed manually and opened on tightly-arranged bench seating, the Mark VI brought automatic doors and plenty of standing room.

In 1982, the Walt Disney World Monorail was extended with the addition of a separate line serving Epcot. Other changes over the years have included the addition of the Grand Floridian station to the Magic Kingdom Resort line in 1988 and graphic enhancements to the monorail fleet in honor of special events. Images of Stitch were placed on the front of trains for the opening of Stitch's Great Escape! in 2004. Swirls of color graced the front cabs during the "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration in 2007, while 2009 brought bouquets of balloons for "What Will You Celebrate?" To generate excitement for the upcoming film TRON: Legacy, one of the trains on the Epcot line is currently wrapped in a design that gives the impression of Light Cycles racing along the monorail beam.

Even with all the changes that have occurred, the Walt Disney World Monorail system still generates excitement. Seeing a train pass by is one of the quintessential signs that you have arrived at the Walt Disney World Resort, and if you're driving up to Seven Seas Way or Disney's Contemporary Resort, consider it good luck if you happen to pass under the beam just as a monorail is passing overhead.

As for the narration on board, it has been rerecorded time and time again, but one piece of the original remains intact. For many, Disney wouldn't be Disney without hearing the voice of Jack Wagner intone, "Please stand clear of the doors. Por favor manténganse alejado de las puertas."

The Vacation Hub

Before the Walt Disney World Resort expanded to what it is today, the Transportation & Ticket Center (TTC) was the central hub of the entire property. It was here that visitors left their cars - and the real world - behind and turned themselves over to the magic of Disney. For day Guests heading to the Magic Kingdom, the TTC still creates the same effect.

The Magic Kingdom Guest Parking Lot, still the largest on property, has space for more than 12,000 cars. To help you find your car at the end of a long day in the park, each section of the lot is coded by character (Chip & Dale, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, Sleepy, Dopey, Happy, Grumpy, Sneezy and Bashful), row number and colored poles along the tram route. Even if you can't recall any of those details, the Parking Cast can track down your car based simply on an estimate of when you arrived that morning, since they keep track of what section is parked at what time.

Once you're parked, it's time for a short tram ride to the TTC itself. All the way along, you'll notice that everything is coordinated to create a seamless experience. This even extends to the colors and graphic design of the Main Entrance arch, road signs, parking lot, trams, buses and the TTC. It all works in unison to let Guests know they've arrived and will be well taken care of.

Stepping off the tram, you're drawn forward to the colorful signs and banners of the TTC. Directional graphics guide you to your next destination, and Vacation Planning booths are available for those who may still need some help putting together all the options.

Once you've created your "Magic Your Way" vacation, it's time to get started. Mickey and Minnie appear in graphic form with open arms on the gates ahead, welcoming you to the transportation concourse where the fun really begins.

It's here that ferries, monorails and buses (once referred to as "motor coaches" in an attempt to make them seem apart from the ordinary) await to whisk you to your destination of choice. In theory, one could still utilize the TTC as a Walt Disney World hub, since the transportation services here provide access to all four theme parks and several resorts. Today, though, many opt instead for the convenience of parking closer to wherever they're going for the day.

Just as the TTC provides that conduit for Guests arriving to the Magic Kingdom in the morning, it's also the place where they return once their adventures are through. All the transportation options, which some may perceive as overkill by day, become welcome relief for tired feet at night.

It's at the end of the day when the TTC offers one last convenience in the form of Mickey's Gift Station, providing that one last chance to grab a souvenir or a present for someone back home.