Credit: Disney Parks BlogMickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Disneyland Resort’s newest attraction, has experienced numerous issues since opening day in January. Some Guests immediately took issue with a statement by Conductor Goofy on the ride, while others were upset that advertisements for the ride appeared recycled from the Walt Disney World Resort version.
The most common issue, though, is, of course, frequent ride breakdowns. The cutting-edge technology used for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway was first crafted for Walt Disney World Resort, so fans expected that any hiccups would be taken care of.
One Disney Parks fan believes they found the reason for frequent breakdowns of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Reddit user u/LankyEmergency7992 created a video comparing the charging systems used on the Southern California and Central Florida versions of the ride as well as a similar trackless attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance:
Disneyland’s Runaway Railway actually uses a different charging system than the WDW version.
Disneyland’s Runaway Railway actually uses a different charging system than the WDW version. from Disneyland
“This may be a main reason the frequent breakdowns here in DL due to vehicles not making full contact to the rail and thus running out of battery,” the Disney Parks fan explained. “The charging on the rail seems less solid than the charging pads used on ROTR and the WDW Runaway Railway.”
It’s unknown if this is the reason for frequent issues on Disneyland Resort’s version of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Walt Disney Imagineering hasn’t revealed if their decision to use different ride vehicles and chargers was a technology improvement or a cost-cutting measure.
More on Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Join Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, and friends on this peaceful picnic gone amok! The Disneyland Resort version of the ride opened as part of the Toontown renovation in January after years of success in the Chinese Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort.
Related: Why Disney Fans Still Mourn the Loss of The Great Movie Ride
“Zoom off on a wild and wacky adventure through Mickey and Minnie’s madcap cartoon world,” reads Disney’s official description of the ride. “Step into the whimsical universe of a Mickey Mouse short and hitch a ride on Engineer Goofy’s train. What could possibly go wrong?”
Guests need to use a virtual queue or Individual Lightning Lane to experience Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disneyland Park.
Have you gotten stuck on Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway?
Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on a personal Disney Parks Guest experience. No two Guest experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Inside the Magic’s personal views on Disney Park operations.