After years of shuttling guests through the glitz and glam of Buena Vista Street, one of Disney California Adventure’s iconic Red Car Trolley vehicles has officially been relocated—and its next chapter might be even more magical than the last.
From Theme Park Icon to Educational Marvel
While one of the two operational trolleys, vehicle 717, has remained near the park entrance for guests to snap photos with, the other has found a fitting home beyond the resort walls. Vehicle 623 has been donated by Disney to The Garner Holt Foundation, an organization devoted to introducing young minds to careers in STEAM and themed entertainment.
Honoring Innovation and Imagination
The Garner Holt Foundation, named after legendary animatronics pioneer Garner Holt, shared the news on social media with an image of the Red Car Trolley now housed at their facility. Their caption celebrates the trolley’s continuing mission to inspire dreamers:
“Straight from the tracks of Buena Vista Street and into the future of inspiring innovation—the iconic Red Car Trolley has found a new home at the Garner Holt Foundation!
Thanks to this generous donation from our friends at the Disneyland Resort, this piece of theme park history can continue to inspire the next generation of dreamers and doers to discover potential careers in STEM and STEAM.
Let’s keep moving forward down the tracks to the future for aspiring designers, engineers, and other visionaries who participate in Garner Holt Foundation events and keep the wheels of imagination turning!”
A Legacy of Creative Collaboration
This isn’t the first time Disney has worked closely with Garner Holt Productions, the award-winning animatronics company behind the foundation. Founded in 1977, the company has delivered more animatronic figures for theme parks than any other firm in the world.
Garner Holt Productions was behind several major Disney milestones, including:
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The Jack Skellington animatronic for Haunted Mansion Holiday in 2001—marking the first time Disney outsourced an animatronic for a core attraction.
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The fire-breathing Maleficent dragon added to Fantasmic! at Disneyland in 2009.
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Numerous animatronic figures for Cars Land’s Radiator Springs Racers, which debuted in 2012.
More Than Just a Museum Piece
While vehicle 717 enjoys its retirement as a nostalgic photo spot for parkgoers, vehicle 623 is now being positioned as an educational tool. The Garner Holt Foundation offers programs including STEAM workshops, career camps, and special events that expose students to the creative and technical possibilities in themed entertainment and robotics.
Rather than ending up in a warehouse or fading into obscurity, the trolley will now inspire hands-on learning and creativity for the next generation of imagineers.
Preserving the Magic Beyond the Parks
With construction underway to transform Disney California Adventure’s landscape for Marvel’s expanding universe, the retirement of the Red Car Trolley may have felt like the end of an era. But through this thoughtful donation, Disney has ensured that a tangible part of that era lives on—offering a bridge between nostalgia and innovation.
And for students dreaming of bringing theme parks to life one day, seeing the Red Car Trolley up close might just be the spark that sets their imaginations in motion.
Want to learn more about The Garner Holt Foundation? Visit their official site for upcoming programs and ways to get involved.
What are your thoughts on this donation? Did you ever take a ride on the Red Car Trolley? Share your memories with us in the comments!
