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Credit: DisneyOne of Disney California Adventure’s most charming transportation attractions, the Red Car Trolley, has officially rolled into retirement—but its story isn’t over just yet. Following the permanent closure of the Red Car Trolley attraction earlier this year, Disney has donated one of the only two operational trolley vehicles to an organization with deep ties to the world of themed entertainment: The Garner Holt Foundation.
A Fond Farewell to a Classic Disney Experience
The Red Car Trolley attraction at Disney California Adventure made its final run on February 8, 2025. Originally inspired by the historic Pacific Electric Railway system that once crisscrossed Los Angeles, the trolleys had become an iconic part of Buena Vista Street, transporting guests in vintage-style vehicles that echoed the early 20th-century charm of Walt Disney’s Hollywood.
However, the beloved attraction was officially shuttered to make way for the planned expansion of Avengers Campus. The area housing the trolley barn—the structure that once stored and maintained the vehicles—is being taken over as part of this major development, bringing the trolley’s regular operation to a close.
In the days following its final trip, vehicle 717, one of the two Red Car Trolleys in service at the time of closure, was placed near the entrance of Disney California Adventure as a stationary photo op, offering guests a final chance to interact with a tangible piece of the park’s recent history.
Vehicle 623 Rolls Into a New Chapter
Now, it has been revealed that the second trolley vehicle, number 623, has found a permanent home thanks to Disney’s ongoing commitment to education and innovation. According to a recent Facebook post, Disney has donated this piece of themed entertainment history to The Garner Holt Foundation, a nonprofit organization known for its focus on STEM and STEAM education.
“Straight from the tracks of Buena Vista Street and into the future of inspiring innovation—the iconic Red Car Trolley has found a new home at the Garner Holt Foundation!
Thanks to this generous donation from our friends at the Disneyland Resort, this piece of theme park history can continue to inspire the next generation of dreamers and doers to discover potential careers in STEM and STEAM.
Let’s keep moving forward down the tracks to the future for aspiring designers, engineers, and other visionaries who participate in Garner Holt Foundation events and keep the wheels of imagination turning!”
Who Is Garner Holt?
For those unfamiliar with the name, Garner Holt is a trailblazer in the field of animatronics and themed entertainment. In 1977, he founded Garner Holt Productions, Inc., which has since grown to become one of the world’s leading creators of animatronics and special effects systems for theme parks and attractions around the globe.
According to the foundation’s official site:
“Garner Holt Productions, Inc. has produced more animatronic figures for theme parks than any other company on the planet.”
Their influence within the Disney parks specifically is notable. In 2001, Disney entrusted Garner Holt Productions with the creation of the Jack Skellington animatronic for Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland—marking the first time Disney had outsourced animatronic development for a legacy attraction to a third-party company.
That collaboration would lead to others, including:
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The Maleficent dragon for Fantasmic! at Disneyland Resort (2009)
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Several animatronic characters for Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land (2012)
These groundbreaking contributions helped shape the guest experience in meaningful and memorable ways—and with this latest donation, Garner Holt’s legacy now includes a tangible piece of Disney transportation history.
A New Role in Education and Innovation
The Garner Holt Foundation is not only preserving the Red Car Trolley as a historical artifact—it’s integrating it into a larger mission to inspire future generations. Through the Foundation’s STEAM workshops, Career Camps, and special events, students and aspiring creators are exposed to real-world applications of design, engineering, robotics, and creative storytelling—all within the framework of themed entertainment.
By placing the Red Car Trolley vehicle in this educational environment, the foundation aims to continue “moving forward down the tracks to the future”, as the Facebook announcement poetically put it.
Disney’s Ongoing Dedication to Legacy and Learning
This donation follows in a long-standing Disney tradition of preserving the legacy of its attractions, even after they’ve been retired from the parks. The decision to place vehicle 717 as a photo opportunity within Disney California Adventure and to donate vehicle 623 to an organization that emphasizes STEAM education and innovation is both practical and symbolic.
Rather than allowing a beloved piece of themed transportation to disappear behind the scenes, Disney has ensured that the trolley will continue to inspire, educate, and entertain—but in a new, deeply meaningful way.
A Thoughtful Final Destination
With Avengers Campus poised to expand and reshape the Disneyland Resort landscape, some fan-favorite attractions must naturally make way. But for the Red Car Trolley—especially vehicle 623—this isn’t the end of the line. It’s a new beginning, and a perfect one at that.
Visitors to The Garner Holt Foundation will now be able to get up close and personal with an authentic Disney artifact that once cruised through the heart of California Adventure. And for students hoping to break into the world of theme park design and storytelling, it’s a tangible reminder that magic and mechanics can go hand in hand.
What do you think about Disney’s decision to donate one of the Red Car Trolleys? Do you have fond memories of riding it down Buena Vista Street? Let us know in the comments below.