The Long and Winding Road to Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway

Early Attempts at Mickey-Themed Attractions

• 💡 Mickey Mouse has been the company star since 1928, but early attempts to build attractions around him struggled due to his character becoming too 'nice' and less feisty.
• 💰 The Mickey Mouse Club Circus in Disneyland, a separate ticketed event, lost $375,000 in its 1955-1956 run.
• 🎭 Walt Disney's desire to honor Mickey led to the development of The Mickey Mouse Review, which eventually opened at Walt Disney World in 1971 and was later sent to Tokyo Disneyland.

Evolving Mickey Concepts and Attractions

• 🐭 Mickey's Madhouse was conceived in the 1970s as a celebration of the old black-and-white Mickey shorts, intended for a new land called Dumbo Circus Land.
• 🎂 Mickey's Birthday Land (later Mickey's Starland) was a temporary success in the Magic Kingdom, built quickly for Mickey's 60th birthday.
• 🎬 The Disney Decade plans included Mickey's Movie Land, a recreation of Hyperion Studios, and a character-themed hotel, though these were never built.
• 🏰 Mickey's Toontown opened at Disneyland in 1993 and later as Mickey's Toontown Fair at Magic Kingdom, evolving from temporary tents to more permanent structures.

The Path to Runaway Railway

• 💡 The modern, fun, and active iteration of Mickey, popularized by Paul Rudish's shorts, was key to the development of Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway.
• 🚀 The Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway project, announced in 2017, leverages projection technology and moving ride vehicles, a first for Disney within a building.
• 🚧 Construction permits for the attraction have been extended, indicating challenges in integrating new technology with moving vehicles inside a building, with a target opening in spring 2020.
• 🎬 A new theater at Disney's Hollywood Studios will also screen the new Mickey Mouse shorts, providing context for the ride and a place to enjoy air conditioning.

Other Disney News and Updates

• 🍽️ The Space 220 restaurant in Epcot faced delays due to the executive chef departing for a Las Vegas gig, pushing its opening to winter.
• 🚀 Rise of the Resistance media event save-the-dates have gone out, suggesting a likely on-time opening, with cast member previews planned.
• меню The menus at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge have settled on a compromise, featuring both Batu names and English descriptions for food items.
• ❓ Listener questions covered the Timekeeper attraction and the unintentional discovery of its historical context, and the potential for Disney Plus to be available in resort hotel rooms.
• 🎁 Updates on subscription boxes included the Disney Backstage Collection, Disney Bedtime Adventure, and Disney Princess Enchanted Collection, with analysis of their price points.