Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway - Disneyland

[Rich T]

Just watched a ride-thru. Some minor tweaks, but it’s pretty much the same experience as at WDW. Mixed feelings about the added tunnel scene. Looks like they did nothing to improve the first-car/last-car-missing-out problems.

Fortunately, adorable Pluto AA remains adorable, and it’s still a fun little ride that didn’t take anything away from DL.

 

[brb1006]

I really love the posters for the Paul Rudish Mickey Mouse shorts before the follow up "The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse". Can Disney+ please update the original shorts' selections to those posters please?

 

[KIGhostGuy]

This is a complete win for Disneyland. I would give it my seal of approval, which doesn't happen for any Disney project nowadays.

 

[CastAStone]

Stuff like this makes me more hopeful for some of the other projects we’re all nervous about. I give it a 10/10.

Not sure why they had to get rid of the fountain and all the seating over by RR, but that’s another story…

 

[The Peanut Gallery]

Very impressed by the DL version. Frankly, it's so much more appealing that the Florida version. The fantastic Art Deco theming & the queue really elevate it. I think it'll perfectly complement Roger.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I like the queue better than the ride itself.

Makes me wish the ride was a Mystic Manor-type trip through the Disney Vault, but instead of Albert the monkey opening a magic music box, it's Pluto chasing Chip and Dale around the vault causing other stuff to happen.

 

[mharrington]

Yes.

View attachment 694797

I'm getting pre-2010 CA Adventure vibes with this one!

 

[Consumer]

I'm getting pre-2010 CA Adventure vibes with this one!

For good reason. Thankfully, the Toon Town store looks much better than this tin-walled warehouse.

 

[mharrington]

For good reason. Thankfully, the Toon Town store looks much better than this tin-walled warehouse.
View attachment 694896

Yes, but I was also thinking of the California Zephyr, too:

Or maybe it looks like a Viewliner!

Anyway, from what little I've seen as of late, the ride does look pretty cool. I always thought that the show had some kind of a Toontown-esque vibe to it.

 

[mickEblu]

I’m loving the mid century modern aesthetic in the theatre portion of the queue. Splash will always be the happiest ride in DL as long as it’s running but MMRR might have a shot at the title after Splash closes.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Minnie kicks Pluto in the preshow (accidentally, but it was a choice the people who created this ride made… To have Minnie kick Pluto…because they apparently thought that was funny).

Yeah, but they all get slapsticked around.

M&M accidentally lasso each other. They wind up in a twister. Go over a waterfall. Get wrung through a factor assembly line.

Situations visited upon them and sometimes accidentally doing it to themselves. And especially Mickey's fault for hitting the track switch.

They get it just as bad as Goofy does.

Everything works out in the end.

Except for the crab (cf. secret sublot #3).

 

[BrerFoxesBayouAdventure]

My only nitpick is that Goofy's facing the wrong way during the finale scene, he's waving in the direction Mickey and Minnie were in in the MGM version.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Minnie kicks Pluto in the preshow (accidentally, but it was a choice the people who created this ride made… To have Minnie kick Pluto…because they apparently thought that was funny).

In fairness, animal harassment in the name of entertainment was not at all out of character in early animation, and the Disney animated shorts were no exception to that.

While offputting, it can't really be said to be something that Mickey or his pals never did before. And if the whole point of the newer Mickey shorts (that I haven't seen a minute of) is to pointedly return Mickey to his early years and give Mickey some of the personality he lost after he became a boring corporate mascot loved more by tradition than for anything the character actually did, I can't blame them for wanting to return to that earlier characterization where Mickey is very much a jerk.

Maybe they could do it in other ways, but I suppose I understand what they're going for.

 

[Rich T]

Yeah, but they all get slapsticked around.

M&M accidentally lasso each other. They wind up in a twister. Go over a waterfall. Get wrung through a factor assembly line.

Situations visited upon them and sometimes accidentally doing it to themselves. And especially Mickey's fault for hitting the track switch.

They get it just as bad as Goofy does.

Everything works out in the end.

Except for the crab (cf. secret sublot #3).

Pluto is a dog. As in, a pet. I cannot think of another instance in the history of Disney in which Mickey or Minnie struck Pluto, even by accident. I think Walt would not allow it.

I know it’s a little thing, but to me it says something sad about current Disney. I mean, Steamboat Willie Mickey had no problem treating cats, pigs and ducks like garbage but he evolved.

Now we have Minnie, who is supposed to represent intelligence, kindness and optimism at the parks, and they have her kick Pluto on this otherwise joyful little attraction.

Current Disney being colossally cynical and hypocritical.. why am I so surprised? Hi, folks, we’re closing Splash Mtn. to turn it into a ride with a more inspiring message, and in the meantime please enjoy Runaway Railway featuring Dog-Kickin’ Minnie.

 

[Rich T]

In fairness, animal harassment in the name of entertainment was not at all out of character in early animation, and the Disney animated shorts were no exception to that.

While offputting, it can't really be said to be something that Mickey or his pals never did before. And if the whole point of the newer Mickey shorts (that I haven't seen a minute of) is to pointedly return Mickey to his early years and give Mickey some of the personality he lost after he became a boring corporate mascot loved more by tradition than for anything the character actually did, I can't blame them for wanting to return to that earlier characterization where Mickey is very much a jerk.

Maybe they could do it in other ways, but I suppose I understand what they're going for.

Mickey and Minnie being jerks in a brand new attraction… kinda makes their role as ambassadors of “Magic” at the parks seem kinda stomach-churningly hypocritical. Please see my response to MisterPenguin for a more specific expression of my feelings toward this.

The kicking Pluto gag might be a little thing… but it sums up in one mean-spirited moment many of the things I can’t stand about current Disney.

 

[ParkPeeker]

Our version seems to be a little better compared to DHS. I love the museum esque queue full of references, and the outside facade, the aesthetics are great.

the only place I see a downgrade is the final transformation, sadly ours seems to be more screen based as compared to DHS where there's noticeable '2.5 D' movement. Ours still has some of it, but noticeably less (look at all the trees) .
This effect is what I'm referring to. Always loved this effect because of the physical movement


The goofy thing at the end, it actually works if you're sitting farther behind, or if plays at the right time before exiting the final tunnel, there needs to be some tweaking.

Still, love that we have this ride on the west now

 

[mharrington]

Pluto is a dog. As in, a pet. I cannot think of another instance in the history of Disney in which Mickey or Minnie struck Pluto, even by accident. I think Walt would not allow it.

And yet, in "Steamboat Willie", Mickey was not above pulling on a cat's tail, as he does in "Steamboat Willie" to make it yowl in time with the music! He also squeezes on a duck's body and pulls its neck in and out, causing it make quacking noises like some kind of a trombone (or maybe it's bagpipes?). He then pulls on a bunch of piglets' tails to make them squeal as they are nursed by a mother sow before he shakes the piglets off of her and squeezes her body in and out while pressing on her teats, causing her to squeal notes, like some kind of accordion.

In another cartoon, "The Fire Fighters", Mickey again pulls on a cat's tail to make it yowl like a fire truck siren.

 

[Rich T]

And yet, in "Steamboat Willie", Mickey was not above pulling on a cat's tail, as he does in "Steamboat Willie" to make it yowl in time with the music! He also squeezes on a duck's body and pulls its neck in and out, causing it make quacking noises like some kind of a trombone (or maybe it's bagpipes?). He then pulls on a bunch of piglets' tails to make them squeal as they are nursed by a mother sow before he shakes the piglets off of her and squeezes her body in and out while pressing on her teats, causing her to squeal notes, like some kind of accordion.

In another cartoon, "The Fire Fighters", Mickey again pulls on a cat's tail to make it yowl like a fire truck siren.

Did you not read my entire post? I already talked about Steamboat Willie.

Disney, over the years, has established a wonderful friendship between Mickey and Pluto. The characters evolved into much more likeable heroes. Now they have Minnie kicking an innocent dog, not intentionally, but that was a writer’s choice. With all the possibilities for humor with these characters, they went with Minnie kicking Pluto. What a “magical” thing for one of the park’s main ambassadors. Says a lot about the company’s cluelessness about their own IPs.

If they ever sell a “Dog Kickin’ Minnie” shirt, I’m sure there’ll be people lining up to buy it.

 

[Rich T]

I’m loving the mid century modern aesthetic in the theatre portion of the queue. Splash will always be the happiest ride in DL as long as it’s running but MMRR might have a shot at the title after Splash closes.

Yeah, nothing says happiness like Dog-Kickin’ Minnie. Kidding, but BOY do I hate that part. PETA bait aside, I do think this is a fun addition to the park.
(EDIT)
I think Small World’s got a lock on happiest attraction. Sez so right on the signage, so it must be true!

 

[mharrington]

Did you not read my entire post? I already talked about Steamboat Willie.

Disney, over the years, has established a wonderful friendship between Mickey and Pluto. The characters evolved into much more likeable heroes. Now they have Minnie kicking an innocent dog, not intentionally, but that was a writer’s choice. With all the possibilities for humor with these characters, they went with Minnie kicking Pluto. What a “magical” thing for one of the park’s main ambassadors. Says a lot about the company’s cluelessness about their own IPs.

If they ever sell a “Dog Kickin’ Minnie” shirt, I’m sure there’ll be people lining up to buy it.

To be fair, that was prevalent in the original Florida ride, too. And yet, and I could be mistaken, but I don't remember there being any outrage over Pluto being kicked back then. Then again, the pandemic shut everything down just literally days later, so it's likely that that made this controversy old news real fast.