Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is the newest ride in Hollywood Studios and one of the best family rides at Walt Disney World Resort. In this post, we’re going to cover two topics. First, we start with a section about the basics of the ride—what, when, and where. Then we follow up with a section going into detail about how to ride it. Read on to learn all about Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway!

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railways Basics

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a trackless dark ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World. The ride

has no height requirement
does not offer rider switch
is a Tier 1 ride on Lightning Lane Multi Pass
does not have a single rider line
is a part of Early Entry at Hollywood Studios
is about 6 minutes long

As it’s one of the two rides in Hollywood Studios without a height requirement and Mickey Mouse themed, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is definitely going to be a staple of a day at Hollywood Studios with kids. That said, we’ve noted elsewhere that in our experience Runaway Railway walks of a fine line of not being too scary but still keeping our little one on the edge of their seat.

If you had to prioritize the rides for adults, Runaway Railway is probably going to be in the bottom half of priorities for adults, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad for adults, just that the thrill of Tower of Terror or Rise of the Resistance is probably higher priority for most adults. You can read more about visiting Hollywood Studios as an adult.

Where Is Mickey And Minnie’s Runaway Railway?

In Hollywood Studios, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway has a marquee spot in the park—the Chinese Theatre. This is the building at the hub of the park that used to house The Great Movie Ride. Walking into the park, you’ll walk straight and hit the ride, it’s impossible to miss.

How to ride Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Here are some thoughts on how to fit Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway into your day.

Riding “Whenever it Makes Sense”

We’re all about planning on this site, but occasionally the opportunity to not plan pops up. If you were going to not plan for one popular ride, and just fit it in “whenever”, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a good option. It’s at best the third most popular ride in the park (a park with an excellent ride lineup), and it’s located right in the middle of the park. You’ll probably pass it several times during the day, and it’s rarely “out of the way.” If you have to walk into the park with no plan for it, you’re not in horrible shape.

Lightning Lane Multi Pass & Early Entry

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a tier 1 ride in Lightning Lane Multi Pass. You’ll have to choose between it and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, and Slinky Dog Dash for your initial tier 1 “slot”.

Of those three, I think the best options are Runaway Railway and Slinky Dog Dash. With the caveat that you first need to have a plan for riding Rise of the Resistance (a Lightning Lane Single Pass at Hollywood Studios), the choice between Runaway Railway and Slinky Dog Dash for Multi Pass basically comes down to what’s available and what you expect from your Early Entry and rope drop time.

If you don’t have Early Entry, you need to book Slinky Dog Dash with your initial tier 1 slot. If you have Early Entry, you’ll want to balance two factors:

What Lightning Lane times are available for the two rides when you book them
How early you want to get up for rope drop and Early Entry

Ideally, you get an early time for Slinky Dog Dash so that you can arrive a little later and start your morning with Runaway Railway. But if there are no—or no good—times for Slinky Dog Dash, you’ll book Runaway Railway and then arrive very early to beat the crowds to Slinky Dog Dash.

Tremendous Trackless 2.5D Fun

Runaway Railway is a trackless dark ride that takes you on an adventure with Mickey and all his pals. While it is not a 3D ride (no glasses required) it uses screens, animatronics, and practical sets to create a fun, animated, dark ride experience.

I think Disney did a great job with the innovative “2.5D” design. It doesn’t have the best practical effects; it doesn’t have the best screen effects; but the way it immerses you in a whimsical cartoon world is very satisfying.

When I think of a 3D ride like Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, for example, everything can feel a bit forced. Something about the glasses and screens—you can’t escape feeling like you’re on a ride. Runaway Railway is better at suspending my disbelief—it feels like a cartoon in the same way that Haunted Mansion feels like a haunted house or Rise of the Resistance feels like a spaceship.

Where the ride pushes my boundaries is with its chaotic nature. For a family-friendly ride, there is a lot going on, and just when you catch your breath in one scene you’ll be thrust into the next. My one-liner on the ride when it comes to the smallest children is that it basically walks a tightrope—your kids may feel overwhelmed, but Disney is betting that Mickey, Minnie, and co. are going to keep it an overall pleasant experience.

You can see a video here:

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway FAQ

Does Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway have a drop?

No. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a trackless dark ride that stays at the same level throughout. There is a screen-simulated drop at one point, though.

Is Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway scary?

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway isn’t a very scary ride, but it has moments that may scare some kids. Our toddler went through a phase (about 15 months to 2 years) when they were afraid of most indoor dark rides, and the intense moments of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway really scared them. That said, the overall atmosphere is much more fun than scary.

Is Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway a roller coaster?

No. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is not a roller coaster. If you’re looking for roller coasters, we have a post about the roller coasters of Disney World.

What did Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway replace?

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway replaced The Great Movie Ride.

Is Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway fast?

Not particularly, but the vehicle rotates 360 degrees and jostles back and forth a little bit.

All Your Other Disney World Planning Questions Answered

Don't be overwhelmed by Disney World planning! Take a second to check out our most important content and you'll not only be an expert, but you'll save big $$$ along the way.

Just starting out? Check out our Walt Disney World planning guide! If you're still picking dates, we've got everything you need to know about Disney World crowd calendars. For picking your hotel, check out our Walt Disney World hotels guide.

When it comes time to book we’ll help you find discount Disney World tickets. Decide whether you need a dining plan in our Complete Guide to Disney World Dining Plans! And don't forget to book those Disney World Advance Dining Reservations!

Don't forget to master your Disney World Lightning Lane Guide and Strategy a few months in advance. We'll keep you out of long lines so you can maximize the magical time in the parks! We've got park-specific guides as well: Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, Epcot Lightning Lane Strategy, Animal Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, and Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Strategy.

Know what to ride with our guides to: Magic Kingdom rides, Hollywood Studios rides, Epcot rides, and Animal Kingdom rides! Plus learn about the water parks with our guide to Blizzard Beach and our guide to Typhoon Lagoon! And for some some fun prep, check out our Ranking of Every Ride at Walt Disney World.

Finally, before you head out, be sure to check out our to-the-point packing list, 10 essentials you forget to pack for every Disney trip. And if you're interested in saving, there's no better list than our 53 Ways to Save on your Disney trip from start to finish.

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