Given that Mickey Mouse is at the center of the Walt Disney Company, it’s hard to believe that he didn’t have his own ride at any of the Disney theme parks until very recently. But that’s where Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Hollywood Studios comes in, of course.
Starring classic characters including Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, and Pluto, this trackless, family-friendly attraction opened in 2020 and has become a fast favorite of guests ever since.
Whether you’re a kid who loves all things Mickey and the gang or you’re an adult who has fond memories growing up with the characters, it’s so much fun to jump into a cartoon short with so many special effects and surprises that make it all feel so real.
Ready to go on a “Perfect Picnic” with Mickey and Minnie? Keep reading for our guide to Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
Runaway Railway Quick Facts
Description: Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a trackless dark ride that takes you through a Mickey Mouse short called “Perfect Picnic.” Guests will board a train that Goofy is riding for an adventure through a cartoon, using “2 1/2 D” technology (or 3D without glasses) to bring the animation to life.
Location
You can find Runaway Railway at the end of Hollywood Boulevard inside the Chinese Theatre. Once you enter the park, keep going straight — you can’t miss it. Here’s the location on the map.
How to Ride Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway has a Standby Line and a Lightning Lane. There is no Single Rider Line at this attraction.
If you’re planning to ride standby, it would be a good idea to go straight to the attraction at park opens (or very soon after). This is also a great ride to take advantage of checking out during Early Theme Park Entry hours.
The afternoon is when lines will likely be longest here; right before park closing is another great time to ride with low wait times if you didn’t get the chance to in the morning.
Since Runaway Railway is very popular and still relatively new, wait times here are usually upwards of 60 minutes throughout the day, and even longer during the busiest times of year.
Do I Need to Use Genie+ at Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway?
As far as Genie+ selections go at Hollywood Studios, this is a great one to grab. Since the lines are typically longer during most of the day, being able to jump in the Lightning Lane will be a huge time saver.
On busy days in the park, Lightning Lane for Runaway Railway may sell out later in the day. We recommend making your first selection for a headliner ride like Slinky Dog Dash or Tower of Terror first, and then going for Runaway Railway later in the day. Times are typically available until at least the afternoon for this attraction.
If you’re traveling with younger children who don’t do well waiting in lines for long periods of time, purchasing Genie+ for this ride will likely be worth the money for you.
Be sure to check out our touring strategies for Hollywood Studios for more tips and advice on Genie+.
Rider Switch/Child Swap
Rider Switch is not available for Runaway Railway, since that service is typically reserved for rides that have a height requirement. The good news: This might be the most child-friendly ride in the park, and even the youngest of kids will likely have fun on this attraction.
What to Expect When You Ride
Queue
The queue for Runaway Railway starts outside. On busier days with long wait times, you may find yourself standing in direct sunlight until you make it under the covered portion of the queue.
The Florida sunshine can be quite harsh, so bringing a bottle of water to drink while you wait (and slathering on that sunscreen) isn’t a bad idea.
Once you’re inside, you’ll find the theming is consistent with the movie theater setting — this is the Chinese Theatre, after all. The walls are decorated with movie posters that change, though Mickey and his friends put their own twist on them!
At the end of the queue, you’ll make your way into a pre-show room, where you’re introduced to the “Perfect Picnic” short, and that’s where the real fun begins.
There is also an interactive queue that guests can enjoy while they wait courtesy of the Play Disney Parks app. Make sure your smart device is charged and ready to go!
Ride Vehicles
The trackless ride vehicle is representative of a railroad car and each row can fit about three to five individuals, with six to 10 guests in each individual railcar.
There is one singular pull-down lap bar that covers all guests in a row for safety purposes. If you are with a baby or very young toddler, you may want to ride with them on your lap to keep them from sliding around.
Accessibility Information
Guests using a wheelchair or an ECV must transfer to the ride vehicles to experience this attraction. There is a step down into the ride vehicle that guests will need to navigate when they transfer.
Handheld captioning and audio description is available for guests with hearing or visual disabilities.
Motion Sickness
Runaway Railway is a pretty smooth and tame dark ride, but certain elements — like sudden movements and the use of screens — could trigger motion sickness in someone who is sensitive to it.
For more information to help you make the call on whether or not to ride, check out our guide to motion sickness at Disney World.
On the Ride
Those hoping for a spoiler-free ride experience might want to skip this next section — details about what happens on the attraction are ahead!
After weaving your way in and out of the queue (and feeling that cool breeze of air conditioning hit you the second you stepped inside the theater), you’ll know it’s almost time to ride when you walk into the pre-show room.
You’re watching a new short called “Perfect Picnic,” and all is going well… until Goofy crashes his train in one of the coolest pre-show effects
Goofy will invite you to board his train and a few minutes later, it’ll be your turn to board. Before long, you’re chugging through a Mickey and Minnie short come to life (and probably realizing that the song “Nothing Can Stop Us Now” is about to be in your head for the rest of the day).
All of the scenes you ride through are pretty cool, but one of the stand outs is inside Daisy’s dance studio. This is where the trackless technology really strides, allowing you to do a box step from your train.
You’ll survive a tornado, go over the side of a waterfall, and narrowly escape The Smasher, but you’ll make it to your happy ending in time to witness a pretty magical nighttime picnic scene including Minnie, Mickey, and Pluto.
Is Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway Kid-Friendly?
Yes, Runaway Railway is totally kid-friendly, and it’s geared towards even the littlest of Mickey Mouse fans. Babies, toddlers, big kids, and adults alike all have fun on this ride.
However, some kids might be afraid of the sudden movements and screen effects in this ride (like we said before, the close call with The Smasher is no joke), but in general, everything here is pretty tame.
For more tips, check out our guide to things that could scare little ones at Disney World.
Strollers
You will need to park your stroller before joining the queue, and there is ample space to do so in the designated parking area right in front of the Chinese Theatre.
Even though you’re in the “Disney bubble,” it doesn’t hurt to be cautious. Be sure to take your valuables with you before leaving your stroller behind, and you might want to cover it up with a rain cover or poncho before you go, lest a Florida pop-up rainstorm get it soaked while you’re enjoying Mickey’s picnic inside.
History
Runaway Railway is one of the newest attractions at Hollywood Studios. It first opened on March 4, 2020. This is the first ride-through attraction in Disney history starring Mickey and Minnie.
With the opening of Runaway Railway also came the closing of the beloved and iconic attraction The Great Movie Ride on August 13, 2017.
Runaway Railway was first announced during the 2017 D23 Expo, along with the official closing date of The Great Movie Ride.
Even though the rides are very different, several Great Movie Ride remnants remain, including the Chinese Theatre itself and the handprints, footprints, and autographs of famous figures outside the theatre.
Also, once you’re on the actual ride, make sure you listen for the train whistle. This is the exact same tri-tone boat whistle used in the classic Steamboat Willie cartoon.
Other Fun Details
- A super fun hidden detail is that throughout the entire ride you can spot Pluto with a picnic basket in the background.
- In the first scene, you’ll see four passengers on a bike that represent The Dapper Dans, who are frequently seen singing barber shop tunes at the Magic Kingdom.
- Keep your eyes peeled during the carnival scene for a poster titled “The Great Moving Ride” that obviously is in honor of The Great Movie Ride.
- Look for the numbers 1901 and 1928 while you ride; these are the years that Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse were born.
Other Attractions on Hollywood Boulevard
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Opens January 2023 at Disneyland, Plus More Disney100 Celebration Details
- Disney After Hours Returning to Disney World in 2023
- Mickey’s Toontown Reopens March 2023 at Disneyland
- Minnie Vans Return To Disney World On June 29
- Fantasmic Returns to Hollywood Studios in November 2022