[2] The job of building the monorail was originally assigned to the Standard Carriage Works of East Los Angeles, but in late 1958, Walt Disney, pressured for time, moved it to his Burbank studios.

[4] At opening, the monorail was merely an attraction, taking people on a scenic trip around Disneyland before returning to its only station.

In 1961 it became a true transportation system when the track was extended 21⁄2 miles outside the park to a second station near the Disneyland Hotel.

Guests wishing to embark upon a vista-dome view of the park, including a leisurely layover in Tomorrowland within the tail-cone could purchase an exclusive round-trip tour ticket at Hotel Station and save the expense of general admission to Disneyland.

Hostess attendants at Tomorrowland Station would check the dial position and open the door for general admission guests.

The notable difference was the loss of the bubble-top driver's area in favor of a streamlined "Learjet" look similar to the Mark IV trains at the Walt Disney World Resort.

The attraction's name remained the "Disneyland Monorail System", as it had been painted on the Mark III trains' skirts.

The Mark V trains were built by Ride & Show Engineering, Inc., incorporating bodies that were produced by Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm of Germany (now Airbus).

The beamway path was re-aligned into the Eeyore section of the parking lot in 1994 to accommodate the construction of the Indiana Jones Adventure show building.

[5] Downtown Disney Station is treated as a second gate into Disneyland Park, so a general admission passport or valid annual pass must be presented to ride the monorail and the tail-cone tour is no longer offered.

In 2001 the monorail resumed full capacity forward direction circuit operations, passing through Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, as well as showcasing the new park.

It was originally expected to be in service by the end of February 2008, but due to design change issues, it did not begin serving park guests until July 3, 2008.

Leaving Tomorrowland station, the monorail crosses the Disneyland Railroad and continues along Harbor Boulevard on the eastern edge of the park.

After a five-minute loading, the train leaves Downtown Disney and makes a short loop around the district before crossing above the esplanade between the two parks and heads back to Disneyland.

The track then curves around the Matterhorn Bobsleds, giving a view of Fantasyland, then turns left to reenter the Tomorrowland Station.

They are also sounded when a bird lands on the track, and as a greeting to passing Disneyland Railroad trains near the switch to the barn.

The diesel/hydraulic powered "work tractors" are primarily used each morning for beam inspection and maintenance-of-way which includes trimming vegetation beyond the reach of guests, cleaning and repairing the electrical commutator rails as well as periodically scheduled servicing and painting of the concrete beam guideway.

The procedure is reversed for fitting new segments of monorail train cars to the beam while testing each system and connection.

Each fully assembled train is then slowly and methodically tested thoroughly over many months before it can be placed into revenue service for guests.

Platform gates are operated manually and remain closed until the next train arrives and cast members determine that it is safe to board.

The trains are powered by 600 V DC electric current, drawn from a small rail (bus bar) running along the right side of the beam.