Heigh Ho!

As promised, I want to do a quick write-up about the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at the Magic Kingdom.  Yes, I know it opened like 4 months ago, but in the Disney "World", attractions are considered new for up to four years.  That's because the average guest will only visit once every four years, and so attractions built anywhere in that time period will be new to them when they visit. You can most likely expect to see "New" Fantasyland promoted for at least another two years.

The Mine Train took over the space previously used for the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage ride.  I never had a chance to experience this attraction since it closed down in 1994.  However, it seemed to be a fairly immersive attraction with some pretty interesting ride technology.  It was also a very large attraction and so it's a little confusing as to why Disney waited 20 years before finally turning that precious, unused space into something useful again.



New Fantasyland opened in phases over the past few years, with Enchanted Tales with Belle, the Be Our Guest Restaurant, and Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid as some of the earlier offerings.  In 2013, the Princess Fairytale Hall opened as a new permanent location to meet lots of Disney princesses.  On any given day, you could meet Snow White and Cinderella or Aurora and Rapunzel.  All of that changed when the fire nation attacked, I mean, once Anna and Elsa took over. Several of the princesses were relocated to outdoor locations where they are free to stand in the sun with all their admirers while the popular newcomers enjoy the blessings of AC.  Oh yeah, and then this happened:

The final phase for New Fantasyland was the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  The ride area itself is very well detailed with lots of foliage, rock structures, and cottage/mine-like buildings. The ride vehicles are also very detailed, and they even sway from side to side.  Like its predecessor, it takes up more land than anything else in the area and must be circumnavigated to reach the other attractions.







Despite the multi-year process of landscaping and ride construction, the Mine Train only has a ride time of about 50 seconds, discounting the indoor dark-ride portion.  For many enthusiasts, this was a major disappointment after waiting so long for it to open.  Although it is a roller coaster, it has a very low thrill threshold and is easily outdone by Big Thunder Mountain on the other side of the park.  Don't get me wrong, the ride is fun and I do enjoy it, but it's just not what I was expecting it to be.  For what it's worth, the animatronics are very impressive and accurately capture the look and feel of the classic film.




If you are visiting Magic Kingdom, expect wait times for this attraction to run between 40-70 minutes on average.  Personally, I would never wait more than an hour for this ride.  For kids that are looking to try something that's a step up from the Barnstormer, this would be a good option.  Regardless of the actual thrill-level of the ride, it is a beautiful addition to the park and obviously fits right in with Fantasyland's theme.  Don't forget to keep your eyes peeled at the end of the ride for a few surprises!