The Fluffy Duffy Monorail is Cute & Sweet
If you’ve ever thought, “the monorail is fun, but I’d rather the highway in the sky have its Duffy-factor dialed up to 11,” then the Duffy & Friends Resort Liner servicing Tokyo Disneyland is for you! This Duffy-themed monorail features a wrap with Duffy & Friends on the outside, and interior cabins styled to Duffy, ShellieMay, Gelatoni, StellaLou, and CookieAnn. (Updated January 9, 2020.)
These interiors are crazy-cool. The highlight is fluffy seat covers that use the same fur as you’d find on a Duffy, ShellieMay, or Gelatoni (which could be a bit morbid depending upon your level of Duffy-reverence). In addition to that, the handle grips each feature a character, and the color palettes of the cabins have all been changed to match the characters.
This Duffy & Friends monorail first debuted a few years ago for the Duffy 10th Anniversary, a celebration of the forbearer of Disney Kawaii. It has since returned for other “Sweet Duffy” and “Duffy & Friends Heartwarming Days” events, which runs this year from January 10, 2020 until March 27, 2020…
For the 2020 Duffy & Friends Heartwarming Days, CookieAnn will be added to the Duffy-orail. For those unfamiliar with her, CookieAnn is “a puppy with cute floppy ears and a nose for good ideas. With her natural curiosity and healthy appetite for food, fun and flair, she’s a whiz at mixing up unique and wonderful creations, much to the enjoyment of Duffy and Friends.”
CookieAnn previously debuted as a Hong Kong Disneyland exclusive and was recently added to the team in Cape Cod at Tokyo DisneySea. Now, she joins the Heartwarming Days lineup for 2020 and, by extension, the Duffy-orail.
CookieAnn will also appear alongside Duffy and Mickey Mouse in “CookieAnn’s Greeting Drive,” a Disney Character Greeting with the three friends taking a drive around American Waterfront in a Big City Vehicle.
Tokyo Disney Resort regularly themes its monorail cabins to the season, but we’ve never seen anything this elaborate or cute. Even if you aren’t a fan of Duffy, I think you have to admit that these are just flat out fun. It’s all part of the Tokyo Disney Difference.
Let’s start with a quick video that we shared on the DisneyTouristBlog Facebook Fan Page the first night of our trip…
Guests absolutely adore this monorail. Every time we rode, people were posing, taking photos, and just generally having fun with it.
Without question, this is an attraction unto itself, and the perfect way for many guests to start (or end) their day at Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea.
The nose of the Duffy & Friends Resort Liner (and all of the monorails at Tokyo Disney Resort) allows guest seating for a great view as you go around the resort and through Tokyo DisneySea.
Per the Tokyo Disney Parks Blog, 236 of these fluffy handle strap covers were created for the Duffy-orail!
To commemorate your ride on this special monorail, you can also purchase themed monorail pass designs. (As required by Japanese transportation laws, there’s a small fee for using the Resort Liner–well worth it considering the reliability and maintenance.)
Above is the ShellieMay-orail, which is a similar style, except pinker.
Each of the monorail cabins features display cases that showcases new Duffy & Friends merchandise.
Here, Gelatoni pulls off a sharp preppy look that would make Ralph Lauren blush.
Gelatoni has not made his way to the U.S. parks, but he is Duffy’s friend–a cat who uses gelato to paint with his tail. (I did not make that up.)
Whenever we have posted photos of the Duffy-orail on social media, there are invariably replies about how it’s “impractical” will “get dirty in a hurry” or other comments about maintenance, upkeep, and cleanliness.
The thing is, we took our photos nearly four months after these monorail cabins debuted, and a month after they were supposed to end their run. They were still in perfect condition.
What has kept these monorails in great shape is that Cast Members regularly enter and clean the monorails throughout the day before guests board (presumably, they receive a deeper clean each night, too). Maintenance and upkeep are impeccable throughout Tokyo Disney Resort, and a sterling example of the “Disney Difference” at the Tokyo parks.
It also doesn’t hurt that guests in Japan are actually respectful of property that isn’t theirs. (Just one look at the condition of Tokyo’s mass transit as compared to New York City’s bears out some stark cultural differences that extend far beyond Disney parks…)
We hope you enjoyed this quick tour of the Duffy & Friends Resort Liner at Tokyo Disney Resort. You probably should not plan a trip to see this monorail–there’s a good chance it’ll be gone by the time you visit–but this should underscore the type of guest experience you’ll encounter in Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea.
Little things like this all add up, and collectively are the big reason why we implore Disney fans who are able to do so, to plan a trip to Japan. Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea are the two best Disney parks on the planet, and they are worth seeing if you can swing the trip. The rest of Japan is pretty stunning too!
Planning a trip to Tokyo Disney Resort? For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea Trip Planning Guide! For more specifics, our TDR Hotel Rankings & Reviews page covers accommodations. Our Restaurant Reviews detail where to dine & snack. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money post. Our What to Pack for Disney post takes a unique look at clever items to take. Venturing elsewhere in Japan? Consult our Ultimate Guide to Kyoto, Japan and City Guide to Tokyo, Japan.
Your Thoughts
What do you think of the Duffy-orail? Which character cabin is your favorite? Are you interested in visiting Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea? Do you agree or disagree with our take on the Duffy-orail? Any questions? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I’m seeing the Gelatoni monorail for the first time… my life will never be the same! LOL #gelatoniislife
So Disneyland’s monorail needs a major overhaul compared to these! They’re nice but they’re like riding a bus! I want a themed interior and fuzzy seats!
Gotta say, I always thought Duffy was nothing but a cash-grabbing shill of a Disney “character”…..until I went to TDR.
I get it now. And I love it. I rode on this monorail multiple times during our visit and it captures the spirit of Duffy perfectly and is another wonderful detail that shows how far this resort goes to really deliver the total experience.
Oh – and Gelatoni rocks!
Great post, Tom. This kawaii monorail amazed my wife and I when we visited TDR in June. Watching the joy and amazement of Duffy fanatics going car to car for pictures each morning and night was the perfect way to start and end our days at Disney. People-watching on the Duffyrail was an attraction in itself.
P.S. – We would never have made it to TDR without your inspiration and advice. It was a trip we will long treasure. Thanks for inspiring us!
I don’t have words……..
Actually “beyond weird” are 2 that might apply.
“no thank you” are 3 more that could work.
I love Disney Whimsey, but that’s just over-the-top ridiculous.
This is Japan we’re talking about. Producing 78% of the world’s weird “stuff” since 1952.
Thanks Tom for all the hard (awesome fun) work you put in to make our trips that much better. We2+1 Disney fans head off from Oz to Japan in a few weeks – can’t wait. Thanks again for all the tips.
Tokyo 2018 almost paid, thanks to you Josh and Sarah.
Brasil-Florida check 5 times
Brasil-California check 3 times
Brasil-Tokyo 2018
Brasil-Paris loading
Brasil-Shangai-hongkong loading
Tom and Sarah meet and greet loading
=)
That is too adorable. My 9 year daughter says she’s crying from cuteness over your the Duffy-orail and Shellie May-orail. We hope they do bring over Gelatoni. He’s an adorable character too! I am also not surprised as to how well it held up because the people of Japan are so respectful of other person’s property! Wish some of this would rub off over here in the US!
I’m amazed this exists! also funny that Sarah comes grinning toward you filming in parallel. Expected her to discreetly deliver your next assignment, should you decide to accept it,..