Disney World Prepares Returning Attraction After 4-Year Closure

Recent video footage has revealed that a signature ride at Walt Disney World is almost ready to reopen after nearly four years. Disney World’s Magic Kingdom contains an iconic piece from the beginning of the theme park that has been a part of it ever since. Unfortunately, Walt Disney World Railroad has been closed due to construction, scheduled repairs, and a COVID-19 pandemic. Guests could only use the non-moving locomotive as a backdrop for photos at Magic Kingdom. Guests were transported by steam-powered locomotives around a 1.5-mile-long loop that took approximately 20 minutes to complete. Three stations were located throughout the park – Main Street, Frontierland, and Fantasyland – where guests could board and disembark at their convenience.

However, progress appears to be picking up now that YouTube footage has surfaced showing the Lilly Belle chugging along the tracks in readiness for reopening. From the start of Disney Parks, trains have been an integral part of the experience. They are a common theme across all Disney properties, from the original railway to the Disney World Monorail and the Tomorrowland. Walt loved trains so much that he even had one built outside his home, the Carolwood Pacific. All four locomotives on the Railroad were built between 1916 and 1928, each named after someone who played an essential role in Walt Disney World’s success, according to DisneyDining.com. The first, Walter E. Disney, was named after the man himself, while Lilly Belle drew its name from Walt’s wife, Lillian Disney. The third locomotive was named for Roger E. Broggie, an Imagineer who worked on EPCOT and was vital to Disney’s acquisition of the locomotives. The fourth locomotive bears the name of Walt’s brother and business partner, Roy O. Disney.

The trains have a capacity of up to 365 guests and accommodate two wheelchairs on each train. They are equipped with one locomotive and five train cars. The Walt Disney World Railroad locomotives weigh between 51,000 and 67,000 pounds dry and use 25 gallons of fuel and 200 gallons of water per hour when in service. Speculation of the Railroad’s revival arose in November, when word spread about staffing changes that seemed to indicate it would reopen before this Christmas, Dec. 25, per WorldofWalt.com. The Walter E. Disney was observed testing the entire track with Cast Members on board, while work at the Tron construction zone had slowed with landscaping in progress. Additionally, train station attendants were spotted training, which could indicate the Railroad is getting closer to becoming operational again. Reopening the train in December would provide much-needed capacity to disperse crowds during Christmas and New Year and would be an early holiday gift for visitors to enjoy.