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Walt Disney Imagineer Gives Exclusive Sneak Peek Into Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

An all-new version of the popular Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction at the Walt Disney World Resort is set to open tomorrow, and some lucky reporters from Attractions Magazine received a guided tour by a Walt Disney Imagineer!

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a unique trackless dark ride concept that combines the magic of Disney animation with the best in screen and projection mapping technology. The dark ride in the Grauman’s Chinese Theater “weenie” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Park replaced the Great Movie Ride and received a positive response from Disney Guests.

Disneyland Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway

Credit: Disney

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Now, after nearly three years of success on the East Coast, the attraction inspired by Disney Television Animation’s “The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse” shorts is making its way to Mickey’s Toontown. Fittingly, the attraction will take up permanent residence in the Disneyland Resort area that allows Guests to visit the world of Disney Cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and even Roger Rabbit.

Known for its wacky gags, the anti-realistic design which mimics hand-drawn animation, and lots and lots of puns, the second version of Runaway Railway is certainly at home amongst other attractions such as Roger Rabbit’s CARtoon Spin and Mickey’s House if the queue is anything to go by! In fact, the new ride’s waiting areas are far more detailed than its Walt Disney World counterpart, including numerous historical references to Walt Disney Animation history just in time for the Disney100 Anniversary, which celebrates Walt’s legacy all the way back to his first shorts in 1923.

runaway railway queue

Credit: D23

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In addition, as Attractions Magazine’s article shows, numerous props and hidden Easter Eggs pay homage to a century of animated magic from the Disney Studio. Set inside the El CapiTOON Theater, Guests find a detailed concessions area, a plethora of Mickey Mouse-related artifacts, mock movie posters, and more.

For example, objects inside the queue provided “references to Powerline, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, Scrooge McDuck, and The Three Musketeers (2004).” There are movie posters presented for real Mickey Mouse cartoons, along with “props” from their filming, such as the “real” wheel from Steamboat Willie (1928), along with more modern pieces from media such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

runaway railway queue

Credit: D23

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Moreover, even down to the candy within the concessions case, there’s a veritable wealth of Disney references and puns such as Laugh-O-Grams s’mores treats and two squeezable cheese toppings: “Your Cheese” and “Nacho Cheese,” all of which continue in the original spirit of Toontown since its opening day. Guests can discover them all for themselves when Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway opens on January 27, 2023!

About Spencer Johnette

Spencer is a lifelong lover of theme parks, princesses, and Disney history that recently relocated to Northern California. She completed her undergraduate studies at UCLA, where she was the founder and first president of the campus Disney Club. A former Cast Member still mourning the loss of the Disney Store, she now haunts the Walt Disney Family Museum halls and shares her opinions with anyone who will listen @gothelsflower.