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Do you remember what happened on December 3, 2018? We do! The iconic Walt Disney World Railroad at Magic Kingdom Park closed on December 3 to make way for the construction of the new TRON coaster. Now, well over 1,350 days later, it looks like progress is being made to reopen the greatly missed attraction.
Little did we know we would still be talking about the Walt Disney World Railroad being closed 44 months later, but here we are. We’re not sure anyone (even The Walt Disney Company) expected the construction of TRON Lightcycle Run, the new rollercoaster, between Space Mountain and Tomorrowland Speedway, in the Tomorrowland portion of Magic Kingdom, to last this long. But with COVID closures, it feels like the Walt Disney World Resort project has crawled.
RELATED: TRON’s Current State: 5 Years After Chapek Announced Its Arrival
And while the Walt Disney Railroad needed to be closed to be routed through the new TRON coaster, it’s been a long wait to board the steam engine trains for that memorable 1.5 scenic route around the Disney Park.
But, FINALLY, we’re seeing the update that could mean the engines will be up and running soon!
@bioreconstruct took to social media to share a photo update on August 13, 2022, noting, “Zoom in to see that bolts are ready the secure track through the steam train tunnel under Tron. Top left is a view of the guest walkway for Storybook Circus access.” Check out the image in the tweet below:
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That’s right – that’s the tunnel the Walt Disney World Railroad will take through TRON to continue along with its 20-minute journey around the Park. It’s been over 1350 days, but the train finally has a way to pass through the coaster!
While Disney has teased the reopening of the train ride is coming soon, they have yet to release a reopening date. We are excited about this progress and believe the tunnel completion could be the final stages, or at least finally heading in the right direction for reopening.
RELATED: Could Disney World Railroad get its own ‘Primeval World” Segment for Reopening?
Even though the Walt Disney World Railroad has been listed as “Temporarily Unavailable” for several years now, the Walt Disney World website still has its classic Disney experience description listed as:
All Aboard! Listen to the clamor of the engine, the chug of the wheels and the call of the whistle as you travel aboard the Walt Disney World Railroad. Take your seat on 1 of 4 meticulously restored, vintage narrow-gauge steam trains—originally built between 1916 and 1928—and enjoy a relaxing 20-minute, 1.5-mile scenic round-trip tour. It’s a convenient—and nostalgic—way to get around Magic Kingdom park!
Find a Train Station: You can board or disembark at any of 3 stations:
- Near the entrance to the park on Main Street, U.S.A.
- The Frontierland station
- The Fantasyland station
We’ll be sure to share updates with our Disney Fanatic readers as we learn more theme park updates about the Walt Disney World Railroad and TRON Lightcycle Run’s progress in the coming months.
