Review: All aboard for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disney World
The Chinese Theater at Hollywood Studios in Disney World is holding a perpetual world premiere, and it’s one your whole family will want to attend.
“Perfect Picnic” is the type of movie that will suck you in — ah, actually, you will be sucked into this movie. That’s the plot of Mickey & Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, which opened March 4, 2020.
In this first ride-through attraction dedicated to Mickey and Minnie, you burst through the movie screen into the world of a Mickey Mouse cartoon short.
It all starts with the film and the new earworm of a song “Nothing Can Stop Us Now.” Mickey and Minnie set off on a journey to find the best spot for a romantic picnic, taking their little red convertible for a drive through Runnamuck Park.
In the meantime, Engineer Goofy passes by on his train and — no spoilers, but let’s just say you end up taking a ride through Runnamuck Park on Goofy’s train.
For those who loved The Great Movie Ride, which previously occupied this space, it may help to know the idea of the new attraction is the same as the old one, “A Spectacular Journey Into the Movies.”
While The Great Movie Ride took you through a dozen scenes from famous movies like “The Searchers,” Singin’ in the Rain,” “The Public Enemy,” “Alien,” Casablanca,” Fantasia” and “Wizard of Oz,” you now go through a half-dozen scenes that take place in the Wild West, a carnival, a swirling twister, an exploding volcano and a factory.
The trackless ride system is similar to the one used on the new Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride, but appears to be a bit more reliable. Like The Great Movie Ride, each room your train car takes you in tells you a separate story. But this ride is filled with a lot more Technicolor action.
Each room is bright and vibrant, and there is a lot going on — too much to see everything on your first ride. The attraction features a combination of physical sets, Audio-Animatronics figures, animated media and projection-mapping techniques, all syncing in time with the trackless vehicles and music.
The action is fast, like the newer Mickey Mouse shorts this attraction is based on, so there is a lot to take in and a lot you are going to miss. Every time you ride there is something new you are going to discover.
And there are Hidden Mickeys everywhere. They are in the queue, they are in the pre-show and they are sprinkled through the ride. I can’t wait to see how the list grows of the locations as more and more people ride the attraction.
The Great Movie Ride for me was the must-do attraction every time I entered the park. It was filled with nostalgia with scenes from the movies I grew up with. My pulse would increase with the ending montage and sometimes bring a tear to my eye. It felt like family.
But I can see how Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will take its place as a must-do attraction. This is a ride that allows you to participate in the crazines and wackiness. There are times you might feel you have a thought bubble above your head that says “Bonkers.” This is a ride that will put a smile on your face and make you keep singing that dang song over and over — nothing can stop us now.
A few quick notes: This is a family-friendly ride. There are no age restrictions. There is a wide lap bar that will keep you in your seat, and you’ll want to take off your Mickey ears. The ride vehicles sit four across. Oh, if you don’t know anything about the new Mickey Mouse cartoons, head over to the Mickey Shorts Theater for a bit of a primer. And, if you are not a fan of how this Mickey looks, well, that’s a different discussion.
