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Kirsten Acuna
2023-01-28T16:12:47Z
- Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway attraction opened at Disneyland Resort in California on Friday.
- A nearly identical version of the attraction opened in 2020 at Walt Disney World in Florida.
- California's version contains a completely different immersive queue. The ride features one extra room.
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After closing over a year ago, Mickey's Toontown partially reopened Friday at Disneyland to guests with a new Mickey and Minnie-themed attraction.
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is the centerpiece of the renovated Toontown, officially opening on March 8. The family-friendly five-minute adventure sends guests on, what's supposed to be, a relaxing train tour around a park with Goofy. But nothing's ever that simple when Goofy's involved.
Things go haywire when the train cars break free and set loose on their own paths through several colorful rooms.Despite trying to find a nice place to enjoy a picnic, it's up to Minnie and Mickey to try and save everyone and get the train back together in one piece.
A nearly identical version of the attraction opened in March 2020 at Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios park located in Orlando, Florida, themed to Hollywood's famous TCL Chinese Theatre.
But even if you've been on the ride in Florida, Disney diehards will want to check out this version of the ride for its completely different queue inspired by a different Hollywood landmark, extra time with Goofy, and its many hidden Mickeys. In fact, the ride's executive producer, Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, and concept designer, Jen Schwartz, told Insider Disneyland's Runaway Railway has more hidden Mickeys than any Disney attraction.
All in all, it's the superior version of the attraction that feels more at home in Toontown.
The queue is the main reason to check out Disneyland's version of the attraction if you've experienced it in Disney World.
If you've been to the attraction at Disney World, the indoor queue doesn't have much in the way of props. The inside, more or less, looks like a mini replica of the TCL theater in Los Angeles.
The Disneyland queue is completely different. An ode to Mickey Mouse through the years, guests walk through several large rooms filled with props and nods to the mouse. Mind you, they're not real props. The entire exhibit is supposed to be put together by Minnie and Toontown's "Hysterical Society" to surprise her beau and highlight his illustrious career.
Imagineers designed large props of iconic items appearing in Mickey cartoons and films going all the way back to 1928's "Steamboat Willie" and "Plane Crazy" and working its way up to 1990's "The Prince and the Pauper." It's the sort of fourth-wall-breaking stuff that kids may believe is real and that will make adults, who grew up with this stuff, smile.
There are also Easter eggs alluding to "The Goofy Movie" (keep your eye out for some Powerline-themed candy) and "Ducktales."
One of the coolest things in the queue is what Shaver-Moskowitz referred to me as "a hidden ghost." A nod to 1937's "Lonesome Ghosts" cartoon where Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are hired to exterminate ghosts from a haunted house, guests can see a few ghosts pop up in a mirror in the queue if they're standing by it at just the right moment.
The walls are adorned with fake movie posters that replace favorites like "Freaky Friday" with Disney characters.
When I wasn't trying to take in every prop in the queue, I was trying to look at every single parody movie poster that filled the walls throughout El Capitoon, which made this a queue that you really wanted to take your time moving through.
Farther down the queue there are real posters of classic Mickey toons, but when you first enter the queue, you're surrounded by humorous posters.
Some of my personal favorites included: "Mickey, I Shrunk the Nieces" (in place of "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids), "Goofy Friday" (in place of "Freaky Friday"), and "The Chipmunk Trap" (in place of "The Parent Trap").
Disney could sell some of these posters and people would buy them.
Disneyland's version of the attraction has one bonus room that you won't find at Disney World.
Near the end of the attraction at Disney World, guests go right from the factory room that transforms into a starry, picturesque evening into another room that shows Mickey and Minnie finally enjoying their picnic.
The Disneyland version of the ride adds an extra room in between those two. Before you see Mickey and Minnie at the attraction's end, you go through a tunnel where Goofy has an extended monologue.
"That was a happy accident for us," Shaver-Moskowitz told Insider, explaining that when they looked at the show scenes from the Disney World version of the ride, they realized they didn't have the right space to connect those two final scenes.
"There were two scenes that we couldn't bridge and so we actually created a covered bridge scene that's unique to Disneyland," Shaver-Moskowitz said. "So you get some extra time with Goofy and it makes it a little bit of a unique experience here for Disneyland."
The attraction is worth riding more than once. You can have a slightly different experience depending on where you sit. I recommend sitting in row three.
I love finding the best seat to sit on a ride. Runaway Railway has a boarding area with eight rows. Guests load into one of the train's four cars, each with two rows, seen above.
Though Runaway Railway starts off as a unified train, the cars break off early into the ride and each one individually goes on a magnetic path, zooming through multiple rooms.
Schwartz said the attraction was designed so guests have a different experience from every car on the attraction. While every car heads to the same rooms, I noticed some cars get to spend more time in certain rooms than others.
After my first attempt on the ride on Wednesday in row seven, I had a mission: Find the car that stays in Daisy Duck's room the longest.In the latter half of the ride,the four cars spill into a dance studio where Daisy has the cars move harmoniously before turning the room into a dance party with a fun conga melody.
Depending on what car you're in, you either experience the conga bit for two seconds before you're whisked away to the next room or get to groove to the beat for several seconds longer. On Wednesday, I rode rows seven, one, and eight, in that order. My first two tries were the first vehicles out of that space.
So I returned Thursday to the attraction to ride the final two cars in rows three and five. Of course, my objective wasn't solely to be the last car out of Daisy's room. I also wanted to determine if one car delivered a better overall ride experience.
I rode rows five and three, in that order. It took until my last ride to get the conga time I desperately sought.
During my five rides, I also made a few observations.
The train car you start in may not come back to the station by the ride's end in the same spot. Every car except for the fourth one shifts places by the ride's end. (The fourth car, to my understanding, is ADA accessible, and can break away to a separate loading dock.)
If you start in car one, you wind up being close to the train's caboose (car three) when you approach the ride's exit. If you start in car two, you'll become the first car. Train car three becomes the second.
Shaver-Moskowitz told me he enjoys the front row because you get to see and spend more time with Goofy in the conductor's seat. I was in agreement until returning to the attraction on Thursday. Though you start near Goofy in train car one, by the ride's end, you're far away from him in the back of the ride.
Row three is definitively the best place to sit on Runaway Railway. Not only do you get the most time in Daisy's dance studio, but you're the first car to enter most rooms front and center. Additionally, by the ride's end, you're directly in back of Goofy and get to see him up close as he gives a brief monologue that's exclusive to Disneyland's version of the attraction.
I recommend aiming for row one if you want to see Goofy or rows three through six if you want to spend more time in Daisy's room.
Runaway Railway fits more naturally in Disneyland's park than at Disney World.
In Florida, you enter a replica of the TCL theatre to ride Runaway Railway. Here, you're entering the "El Capitoon." The pun is based on the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood where Disney hosts many of its movie premieres throughout the year.
Personally, I think the "Capitoon" theater setting in an area called Toontown where you're surrounded by a cartoon backdrop is a more organic setting to help make you feel like you're naturally stepping right into the cartoon world of the attraction.
In Florida, the attraction is located in the center of Hollywood Studios, floating in between the Star Tours attraction and another "Star Wars"-themed photo op area without anything else to anchor it to a themed section of the park.
The ride has more hidden Mickeys than any Disneyland attraction.
The same was true when the attraction opened at Disney World. Schwartz estimated there are over 100 hidden Mickeys on "Runaway Railway." I wouldn't be surprised if this version of the ride has more just because the queue is so immersive.
Shaver-Moskowitz shared that his favorite hidden Mickey isn't in the shape of the iconic mouse ears. It's Mickey's name spelled out hidden in the set work of one of the ride's scenes.
I tried spying hidden Mickeys throughout my back-to-back-to-back rides, but the attraction zips along from one room to the next so it's pretty tough to make things out. I spotted a few, including a paint can to your left when you first enter the ride.
Some advice: Your hair will get blown around and you will shift in your seat a bit. Be mindful of little ones.
There's no height requirement on this ride, but the attraction recommends letting smaller guests enter a train car first.
I'd recommend keeping little ones in between two adults as there's some shifting around in seats as the cart moves from room to room and there's only a lap bar to hold you in place. It's nothing wild, but I weigh about 130 pounds and I noticed that I was sliding from side to side.
Additionally, in one room, Minnie and Mickey encounter a tornado. Gusts of wind may blow your hair into your face. I'd recommend tying any long hair back before the ride begins. I made this mistake on my first ride through.
Make sure to look out for a photo of Walt Disney on your right after you exit the ride.
Disney can be seen on the Ernest S. Marsh train, which rides around Disneyland.
During a panel on Thursday morning, Shaver-Moskowitz told a small group of media, including Insider that a tri-tone whistle used to record the train whistle in 1928's "Steamboat Willie" Mickey cartoon was used for the train whistle on Runaway Railway.
"It ties that legacy all the way through from the beginning to today," Shaver-Moskowitz.
Unfortunately, you won't be able to walk right up and jump in line to ride.
Unlike the Florida park, the ride won't have a standby queue when it opens to the public.
Instead, Disneyland will use the park's virtual queue system for the attraction.
In other words, if you want to ride Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, you'll need to make sure you have the Disneyland app downloaded on your phone and have your park tickets linked to the app.
You'll then need to make sure your tickets are connected with anyone heading to the park with you who may also want to ride together.
After all of that, you have to hit a few buttons in the app at a certain time and hope that you hit them fast enough before other parkgoers who are trying the exact same thing.
If it sounds a bit complicated and stressful, I get it. It totally can be. I've been relegated to handling virtual queues in my family.
For more on optimizing your chance at joining a virtual queue, you can read my previous guide on how to successfully use the virtual queue tool for a previous ride opening here.
Alternatively, if you don't want to use the virtual queue, or aren't successful at joining the queue, guests will also be able to purchase a Lightning Lane pass for an additional amount of money to skip the main queue.
If you don't want to deal with the stress of either of those, we're sure you can wait a few months and you'll be able to enter the standby queue hassle-free.
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FAQs
Is Mickey and Minnie's runaway railway better than Great Movie Ride? ›
I think Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway is the superior ride. The vibrant colors, cartoon whimsy, and spirit of Walt Disney elevate this attraction. Also, The Great Movie Ride celebrated Hollywood, which is understandable given the name of the theme park that hosted it.
What kind of ride is Mickey and Minnie's runaway? ›Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway Accessibility Information: This is a trackless ride in Disney's Hollywood Studios® at Walt Disney World® Resort. The ride's duration is about seven minutes, including the two-minute cartoon and five-minute ride.
How many Hidden Mickeys are in Mickey and Minnie's runaway railway? ›Disneyland | Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway: 15 Easter eggs hidden in the new Disney ride.
What is the number 1 ride at Disney? ›1. Avatar Flight of Passage. Deep inside beautifully designed Pandora — The World of Avatar is Disney's best ride: Avatar Flight of Passage.
Is Mickey's Runaway Railway worth it? ›Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway is highly repeatable, with the experience differing fairly dramatically based upon your ride vehicle. There are also a ton of gags, Easter Eggs, and even the obligatory nods to Great Movie Ride and Walt Disney's love of trains.
How rough is Mickey and Minnie's runaway railway? ›Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway isn't a very scary ride, but it has moments that may scare some kids. Our toddler went through a phase (about 15 months to 2 years) when they were afraid of most indoor dark rides, and the intense moments of Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway really scared them.
How intense is Mickey and Minnie's runaway railway? ›Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is a smooth, gentle ride experience with no height requirement or health or safety warnings. There is one scene where a screen is used to simulate going over a waterfall, but there is no sensation of free fall.
How do trackless rides work? ›A trackless ride is any ride that does not involve some sort of track. Instead of following a predetermined architectural path, like a track, the ride follows a virtual path determined by its programming.
What is the oldest ride still operating at Disney World? ›In 1971, “it's a small world” was recreated to become one of the Opening Day attractions at Walt Disney World Resort.
Is runaway railway a thrill ride? ›
Runaway Railway is kid-friendly. There are a few fast and thrilling moments that could frighten little ones, but, overall, it's a fun ride for the entire family.
What is the longest running ride at Disney World? ›Kilimanjaro Safaris is a 20-minute+ safari attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This makes Kilimanjaro Safari the longest ride at Disney World.
Is there a Hidden Mickey in every Disneyland ride? ›Since the classic Disney characters were absent, Disney Imagineers (Disney engineers and builders) found ingenious ways to sneak in a Mickey image. Imagineers since then have added Hidden Mickeys in each theme park architectural design of any new attraction or building.
What is the smallest Hidden Mickey in Disney World? ›Want to find the smallest Hidden Mickey in Walt Disney World's four parks? Then locate a merchandise cart near the exit of Kilimanjaro Safaris and search the tile on the counter. There, embedded in the grout, are three tiny beads in the shape of a classic three-circle Hidden Mickey.
What is the safest ride in Disney World? ›Soarin' Around the World
The gentlest of the rides on our list can be found at Epcot, in the Land Pavilion. This is truly one of the most loved attractions at Walt Disney World. While you will be physically lifted into the air, this is really not a “thrill” ride.
Expedition Everest is the tallest attraction at Disney World, and its drop is the longest and most intense of the roller coasters.
What is the most liked ride at Disney World? ›Slinky Dog Dash is undoubtedly one of the most popular rides at Walt Disney World, and long lines start the minute Hollywood Studios opens up. While not the most thrilling ride, the thrills sneak up on your and it's more intense than you think before riding.
How common is a runaway train? ›Troublesome train records
Cases like these — referred to technically as runaway rolling stock — happen on average 35 times a year, far more often than previously thought, CBC News has learned after examining a railway database kept by the Transportation Safety Board (TSB).
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
It is a trackless ride system that fully immerses guests into a Mickey Mouse cartoon. Babies and young toddlers will love spotting Mickey and friends throughout the attraction.
They start lining people up for Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway before the official park opening, which means that even though the line looks super long at the beginning, once they officially open the ride, it actually moves really quick.
What is it like in Disney jail? ›
Disneyland jail is a security office. Depending on where you are in the parks, you'll be taken to a different one – with the largest one being behind Main Street. There are no bars, no costumed characters…just security guards.
What is the slowest ride in Disney World? ›The slowest roller coaster in Disney World is The Barnstormer with a top speed of only 25 mph.
How fast is the slowest ride at Disney World? ›This icon of EPCOT also happens to be one of the slowest attractions in all of Walt Disney World, clocking in a top speed of 1.24 miles per hour (whoa, slow down there, Spaceship Earth).
Does Mickey's Runaway Railway have lightning lane? ›Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway
The virtual queue will open at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. PT. Guests can also purchase a separate Lightning Lane arrival window (subject to availability) to get faster entry.
Tip 1) Go with family or friends, as they will comfort you and make you feel less scared. Tip 2) Sit in the front, so you can see what's coming. Sitting in the middle is fine too, so you feel protection on both sides. Tip 3) Go on less scary rides first, and work your way up to the more intense ones.
Why are all Disney rides dark? ›The “dark” element comes from the concept that the attraction overall is in a dark environment, with specific elements and scenes illuminated to draw the rider's attention.
How do roller coasters not fall off the track? ›The two major types of roller coasters are wooden and steel. Features in the wheel design prevent the cars from flipping off the track. Wooden tracks are more inflexible than steel, so usually don't have such complex loops that might flip passengers upside down.
Why do Disney rides keep stopping? ›When a person steps off an attraction most likely it will be stopped automatically. Many rides have ways to detect that a guest has gotten off the attraction. For this same reason when something heavy is dropped the attraction it might mistakenly believe that their item was a person that had gotten off the ride.
What is the oldest living thing in Disneyland? ›Twenty-two topiary animals and characters call the Disneyland Resort home. The oldest living tree at the Disneyland Resort is a two-foot-tall Mugho Pine, which is more than 150 years old.
What is the oldest roller coaster still in use? ›Leap-the-Dips: Altoona, Pennsylvania
Leap-the-Dips in Lakemont Park, Altoona, Pennsylvania, is the world's oldest operating roller coaster. Rolling downhill at an average speed of 10 miles per hour, it may not be the fastest ride, but its history is unmatched.
What is the highest thrill ride in the world? ›
Formula Rossa — Ferrari World, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
When it comes to speed, no other coaster in the world can compare with Formula Rossa. Developed to resemble a Ferrari sportscar, this roller coaster is the fastest in the world. It launches riders from zero to 150 miles per hour in five seconds.
Disney could soon lose exclusive rights to long-time mascot Mickey Mouse and many more of its beloved characters. Since his creation in 1928, Mickey has become the cheerful face of the multi-billion dollar Disney brand. But in 2024 - 95 years after his debut - the unassuming mouse will enter the public domain.
How many miles do you walk a day in Disney? ›The average Walt Disney World guest walks 7-10 miles PER DAY during their vacation. For some guests, this is great – you want to get those steps in as your form of vacation exercise (gotta work off all those cupcake and turkey leg calories).
Is 6 days too long at Disney World? ›Ideal Length – 6-7 days is the best length if you are looking to visit all four Walt Disney World theme parks, two water parks and Disney Springs. Short Trips – The most important thing to remember with quick trips is to plan your days and pick exactly which rides you want to see.
How much does it take to run Disney world for one day? ›Operating all of Disney's parks and resorts cost $14.015 billion in 2019, according to the company's annual report. If the cost to operate was split evenly per park, that would amount to around $5.49 million per park per day.
What is the craziest ride in Disneyland? ›Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
This mining-themed roller coaster can reach a max speed of 58km/hour and has a total duration of about three minutes. Many kids claim that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is the scariest ride at the park, because of its frequent and sometimes unexpected drops.
Disney World has many secrets and little-known facts that not all Disney fans will know. Cast members have hidden tunnels, go through "Traditions" trainings, and do the "Disney Point." There are hacks on how to meet your favorite characters, where to watch parades, and how to win games.
Does Disney have hidden cameras? ›You may be able to spot some of these cameras as you walk around the parks and resorts, but some of them are harder to locate than others. And some are likely completely unseen by guests. Yes, Disney does track your every move! There are cameras all over the rides and attractions, too!
What is Disney's best kept secret? ›The existence of the utilidors — a system of tunnels underneath Magic Kingdom — is perhaps the best-known Disney World secret. The tunnels are key to keeping this park running — and the magic alive. Ever wondered how you've never spotted a cast member in an Adventureland costume over in Fantasyland?
What is the darkest Disney? ›
Arguably the darkest film in the entire Disney animated canon is the 1996 film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The movie opens with Frollo killing Quasimodo's mother and attempting to kill an infant Quasimodo before he's forced to stop.
Can you hug Mickey now? ›Since April 18, 2022 guests can hug the characters once again.
Can you hug Mickey at Disney? ›You bet we do! During character meet-and-greets, make sure you're allowing everyone to embrace the magic and be immersed in the story. Get Ready to Hug Mickey!
What is the hardest Hidden Mickey? ›- He's in a restaurant that rotates. He's located in The Garden Grill in the Lands Pavilion at Epcot. ...
- He's camouflaged by the leaves painted on the walls.
- He's not a traditional “Hidden Mickey.” He looks like a vintage, old school Mickey Mouse from the 1920s.
The Avatar Flight of Passage attraction came in as the top ride with 17 states, however, among those surveyed the roller coaster attraction, Expedition Everest was No. 1. Floridians picked Expedition Everest as their favorite attraction.
What is considered the best Disney movie of all time? ›- #1. Pinocchio (1940) 100% #1. ...
- #2. Zootopia (2016) 98% #2. ...
- #3. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) 98% #3. ...
- #4. Dumbo (1941) 98% #4. ...
- #5. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) 97% #5. ...
- #6. Moana (2016) 95% #6. ...
- #7. Aladdin (1992) 95% #7. ...
- #8. Fantasia (1940) 95% #8.
- 1 'Home on the Range' (2004) – 5.4.
- 2 'Strange World' (2022) – 5.5. ...
- 3 'Olaf's Frozen Adventure' (2017) – 5.6. ...
- 4 'Chicken Little' (2005) – 5.7. ...
- 5 'The Black Cauldron' (1985) – 6.3. ...
- 6 'An Extremely Goofy Movie' (2000) – 6.3. ...
- 7 'The Three Caballeros' (1944) – 6.3. ...
- 8 'Dinosaur' (2000) – 6.4. ...
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is one of the best rides at Disneyland and it's located in Galaxy's Edge.
What is the most liked movie on Disney? ›- Cars, 589K.
- Aladdin, 528K.
- A Bug's Life, 469K.
- Cinderella, 240K.
- Mulan, 188K.
- Lion King, 188K.
- High School Musical, 168K.
- Ratatouille, 123K.
- Turning Red.
- Moana.
- Avengers: Endgame.
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
- Lightyear.
- Eternals.
- Thor: Love and Thunder.
- Hocus Pocus 2.
What is Disney's darkest movie? ›
Arguably the darkest film in the entire Disney animated canon is the 1996 film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The movie opens with Frollo killing Quasimodo's mother and attempting to kill an infant Quasimodo before he's forced to stop. He attempts to atone for the sin of murdering Quasimodo's mother by taking the boy in.
What is the least busy Disney park? ›As a general matter, Animal Kingdom is the park that requires the least strategy and is the easiest place to beat the crowds in all of Walt Disney World.
What is the least liked movie ever? ›- 5.1 Myra Breckinridge (1970)
- 5.2 Zaat (1971)
- 5.3 An American Hippie in Israel (1972)
- 5.4 At Long Last Love (theatrical version, 1975)
- 5.5 Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
- 5.6 The Swarm (1978)
- 5.7 I Spit on Your Grave (1978)
- 5.8 Caligula (1979)
In any case, Disney has fumbled pandemic-era offerings like “Lightyear,” one of the few Pixar films to lose money in its theatrical run, as well as “Encanto,” which didn't become a viral TikTok sensation until the musical fable landed on Disney+.