This VIP-level Disneyland experience doesn't cost anything extra

Three of the most popular attractions at Disneyland - the Disneyland Monorail, Matterhorn Bobsleds and Submarine Voyage - all debuted on the same day on June 14, 1959. (Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney)

Even on its lightest attendance days, Disneyland is still crowded. There are exceptions, but it's a rare instance when you and your group have the chance to experience something completely by yourselves. That's part of what makes the conductor's car on the Disneyland Monorail so special. It's an elite experience - and one of those elusive moments when it's just you, your favorite people and that particular magic that only Disneyland offers. 

Even better, you don't actually have to be in the park to experience it. Better still, there's almost never a significant wait.

Today, the Disneyland Monorail is primarily a method of transportation from the far end of Downtown Disney, near the Disneyland Hotel, to the Tomorrowland station inside Disneyland Park. When it originally opened in 1959, it was a technological marvel. The "highway in the sky," as the park advertised it, was an E-ticket attraction. (Disney once used ticket books, with tickets A through E, for admission to rides. An "E-ticket" was the most valuable of them all, reserved for the most in-demand and thrilling rides.) 

At that time, it was truly a marvel: It was the first-ever monorail to operate in America, and the first in the Western Hemisphere to operate daily. When it debuted, then-Vice President Richard Nixon came to the opening ceremony. Today, well, we've been there and done that. The monorail offers a nice ride into the park, especially if you're staying at the Disneyland Hotel, and has a few secrets to reveal, like the hidden Starbucks for park employees, who are called cast members. 

A view of the Disneyland Hotel and a passing monorail train taken in 1961. (Disneyland)

But there's one way to ride the monorail that's a truly special experience. You just need to know to ask for it. Next time you're at Disneyland, head up to one of the monorail stations, either in Downtown Disney (where you'll scan your park ticket to get in) or Tomorrowland. Get to the front of the line just before boarding. Then, as politely as you can, ask the cast member at the gate whether you can wait for the conductor's car. 

If you've followed these steps correctly, you'll be directed to step to the side to wait for the next train. Get excited, because you're about to have a truly rare and special Disneyland moment. The conductor's car is exactly what it sounds like - the very front of the train, where the conductor sits and operates the vehicle. What few people know is that there are seats inside, just big enough for one small-ish party of maybe four adults and two small kids.

Sitting there is a singular experience. Not only do you get to sit down and enjoy a ride for 13 minutes (for a full round trip), but you see Disneyland from an entirely new perspective. The conductor's car has a 180-degree view, offering unparalleled viewing of the Matterhorn, It's a Small World and the "Finding Nemo" lagoon, never mind the normally off-limits backstage areas you can only see from the train. It's the most beautiful, serene, bird's-eye view of Disneyland that's possible to have. If you can't spring for the full VIP tour - which costs thousands upon thousands of dollars - this is a moment when you can feel like a VIP, even if it's just for 13 minutes. 

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The conductor's car on the Disneyland Monorail offers unparalleled aerial views of park attractions such as the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. (Julie Tremaine/SFGATE)