There are two places in the world where ground-breaking innovation in film technology takes place – Hollywood and, of course, Disney’s Hollywood Studios! And Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway celebrates the magic in film like no other attraction, while leading the innovation in immersive technology and taking it to a whole new level – beyond the theater screen!
Inspired by the award-winning Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is actually the first attraction of any Disney theme park to feature the two titular mice, along with all the other very original characters. But just because its stars are from Disney’s yesteryear, the experience itself is nothing short of the wonders of tomorrow.
5. The Queuing System Is An Experience In Its Own Right
The fun starts even before the main feature. Reminding us of its decades-long relationship with the real Hollywood, the queuing system is a replica of the iconic Chinese Theater from Hollywood Boulevard. Inside the foyer area you’ll discover Mickey Mouse décor and marvel at classic shorts starring the mouse himself. And then it’s onto the screening of Perfect Picnic.
But not so fast. In order to maximize the queuing system’s full potential where all things entertainment are concerned, be sure to download the Play Disney Parks Mobile App ahead of your trip. That way you can enjoy games, trivia, quizzes, music and, in the case of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, test your knowledge on the classic Disney bunch!
4. The Adventures Begins Before The Ride Does
Unlike many other attractions, your adventure here starts before you board the runaway train. First you’ll enjoy short animated film Perfect Picnic, which stars the classic Disney crew – Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald, Daisy and Goofy. However, it’s not all smooth sailing as things go awry very quickly, and what follows is a chain of events that creates a hole in the theater screen!
This is when things start to get really exciting. Goofy interacts with a Cast Member to organize the boarding of Guests onto his train which, naturally (or perhaps not so much) involves, you know, stepping inside the world of animation. Yes, you read that right. This attraction is enough to put everyone’s favorite nanny Mary Poppins out of work!
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3. It’s a Colorful Journey In More Ways Than One
One of the main reasons you’ll fall in love with this attraction is because of the journey itself, which is instantly both charming and dazzling. Once you’re on board one of the locomotive cars, it’s then full-steam ahead. Prepare to meet your conductor, Goofy, while Mickey and Minnie, in their car, try to catch the titular runaway train when it splits in two!
You’ll also meet Pluto, Donald and Daisy along the way, too, as you pass through open deserts, evade angry tornados, explore underwater settings, dark alleyways and more. But one of the most thrilling parts of this adventure is actually ‘The End’ – pun intended – as you pass back through the movie screen and into the real world. Just be careful not to knock your head on those end credits!
2. It Uses ‘2 ½ D’ Technology
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway ingeniously blends our ‘live action’ world with that of animation and colour. Once you enter the simulated movie screen – a transition that is not at all seamless and all the better for it – you’ll embark on a whimsical ride like no other. In fact, it’s so colorful it almost renders the rest of Walt Disney World Resort somewhat pale by comparison.
But the dazzling colors are the very least of what’s most impressive about this attraction. The ride pioneers ‘2 ½ D’ technology (that’s 3D but without the need for glasses), which allows for the 2D environments to come to life in an almost-3D fashion, hence ‘2 ½ D’. In other words, it really looks like these animated characters are occupying real-world settings. In fact, technically-speaking, they are!
1. It’s Traditional Disney
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is the first attraction in any Disney theme park to not only feature the two mice, but also the rest of the classic crew – Goofy, Pluto, Donald and Daisy. Combine them with the fact this attraction is like stepping into that bygone golden age of cinema, this is a truly vintage Disney experience, and definitely one for the Disney purist in all of us.
But you needn’t be paying close attention to spot the world’s most famous mice, dogs and ducks – they’ll be with you on your wild and whimsical whirlwind of a journey. What you will need to look out for are Hidden Mickeys, because Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway hides more than any other ride on the planet. Good luck spotting them all, though!
While the attraction remains closed, be sure to keep in the know with all things Walt Disney World Resort by visiting the official website.
