Disney has introduced that Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, the large new attraction opening at Disneyland on January 27, 2023, will use a digital queue and promote Individual Lightning Lane entry. This trip information covers the best way to expertise it since there will probably be no standby line when it debuts–technique for efficiently scoring spots within the VQ and shopping for an ILL for the Toontown trip.
After Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure each stopped their digital queues, there are at the moment no rides at Disneyland using this much-maligned system. With that mentioned, World of Color – ONE may even use a digital queue, identical to all different variations of that nighttime spectacular at Disney California Adventure. Disneyland Resort additionally makes use of digital queues for sure purchasing and restricted merchandise releases, so it’s not like VQs have been vanquished fully.
In case you’re new to the digital queue “conversation,” Disney’s rationales for utilizing them primarily contain crowds, however reliability/downtime and bodily queue area have been different points. With Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in its first few months, there was additionally the difficulty with friends arriving at Disney’s Hollywood Studios earlier and earlier, which resulted in refinements to its digital queue when the identical trip debuted at Disneyland.
Before we get into the small print of the digital queue for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and its seemingly motivations, we’ll begin with the information that the trip will probably be an Individual Lightning Lane attraction. This really comes as a slight shock.
Even although Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway had Individual Lightning Lane standing at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, it was one of many much less well-liked secondary choices, above Expedition Everest and Space Mountain, however behind Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. As you would possibly recall, Walt Disney World shifted all of its secondary Individual Lightning Lanes to Genie+ rather less than a 12 months in the past on a short lived foundation, which was made everlasting final fall.
The variations at Disneyland are two-fold. First, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is brand-new in California, whereas it opened at Walt Disney World in March 2020. The trip briefly supplied FastPass+ pre-closure and was standby-only for just a little over a full 12 months after that.
By the time it obtained Individual Lightning Lane standing in Fall 2021, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway was barely one of many prime 5 wait occasions in DHS. In different phrases, quite a lot of the demand from locals and Walt Disney World regulars–who in any other case would possibly’ve purchased ILLs–was exhausted throughout the FastPass+ and standby window.
Second, Disneyland is extremely ride-dense and affords all kinds of points of interest–arguably probably the most well-rounded trip roster of any Disney theme park on the earth. Disneyland is basically the reverse of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which is extremely top-heavy, with a lot of headliners, however not sufficient “supporting players” to assist soak up crowds.
This is critical as a result of Disneyland has the capability for Genie+ to work effectively with out Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway being added to the lineup. As we’ve identified beforehand, our comparative lack of protection about Genie+ at Disneyland just isn’t on account of neglect or lack of curiosity (we’ve used it many occasions over the past year-plus), however as a result of the system works pretty effectively more often than not. Continued protection could be overkill, whereas that may be very a lot not the case at DHS. (To make sure, it’s getting higher at Walt Disney World…however nonetheless has issues.)
From these views, it is smart that Disneyland would promote Individual Lightning Lane entry for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Fans will probably be upset, nevertheless it’s a great way to seize extra income and the a la carte line-skipping received’t negatively influence Genie+ customers.
It’s actually a query of how a lot Individual Lightning Lanes will value for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and the way shortly they’ll promote out every day. My guess is that it’ll be very similar to Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure each in pricing and recognition. Despite being latest, that was the least-popular of the ILL choices, behind each Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Radiator Springs Racers. I like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, nevertheless it’s not so good as both of these trendy classics.
That Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will use a digital queue is the extra attention-grabbing information, so let’s flip to that…
Here’s the data instantly from Disneyland’s web page on digital queues:
When Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway opens on January 27, 2023 a digital queue will probably be in place. Guests might want to use the Disneyland app to enter the attraction. A standby queue won’t be obtainable. Each visitor can enter the digital queue not more than as soon as per day.
Follow these necessary tips to hitch the digital queue and expertise this wild and wacky attraction:
- Guests with a legitimate ticket and theme park reservation for a similar day could have 2 alternatives to hitch the digital queue by way of the Disneyland app, topic to availability:
- To entry the digital queue within the morning, Guests will need to have a legitimate ticket and theme park reservation for Disneyland Park. Guests can verify their designated occasion beginning at 6:00 AM after which verify for an obtainable boarding group beginning at 7:00 AM.
- To entry the digital queue later within the day, Guests will need to have entered Disneyland Park with a one-park ticket or Park Hopper ticket, or Disney California Adventure Park with a Park Hopper ticket. Guests can verify their designated occasion beginning at midday after which verify for an obtainable boarding group beginning at 1:00 PM.
- If the Guest’s boarding group is known as, they’ll obtain a notification by way of the Disneyland app to go over to the doorway of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway inside a delegated return window.
Get Ready to Join the Virtual Queue! – On the day of your go to, you will have the chance to hitch the digital queue at day by day distribution occasions, that are topic to vary or cancellation as availability permits. Distribution schedules will probably be obtainable within the Disneyland app. Follow these steps to hitch the digital queue:
- Step 1 – Check Availability: Log in to the Disneyland app at one of many distribution occasions. Select “Virtual Queues” on the house display to view the present standing and subsequent steps for becoming a member of a digital queue. The app will point out when there is no such thing as a availability for a selected distribution time, or if a backup group is offered.
- Step 2 – Enroll Your Group: As lengthy as your Disney account is linked to your group’s park tickets, and everybody has legitimate admission and park reservations for the park you’ll go to, you possibly can enroll everybody within the digital queue on the similar time (topic to availability).
- Step 3 – Enjoy the Experience: If your boarding group is known as to return, you’ll obtain a notification by way of the Disneyland app. Then, head over to the doorway of the expertise inside your designated return window.
If you beforehand used the digital queue for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance or Web Slingers – A Spider-Man Adventure, you’re undoubtedly accustomed to this course of–and to a higher diploma than what Disney describes. If you haven’t, that most likely didn’t do sufficient to familiarize you with the digital queue course of.
In phrases of technique, our recommendation right here is much like we’ve coated in previous posts. However, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway hasn’t opened but, so some specifics might differ. (We’ll complement this as soon as the trip debuts.)
In the meantime, it’s necessary to optimize to make sure your timing is correct and your cellphone and web connection are as quick as potential to hitch the Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway digital queue. This would possibly sound like overkill, however milliseconds matter. We’d advocate doing a fast velocity take a look at a couple of minutes earlier than it’s time to enter the VQ.
Anything at or above 50 Mbps must be enough, however the greater the higher. If essential, transfer round to get away from different folks or improve your velocity to that threshold. Additionally, take a look at on each WiFi and mobile to see which is quicker and use that.
Second, ensure that your cellphone is absolutely up to date and drive shut all apps, together with the Disneyland app shortly earlier than it’s time to hitch the digital queue. This will velocity up your cellphone so there’s no lag in your finish.
Finally, double-check the time in your cellphone or watch towards time.gov, which is what Disneyland makes use of for opening the digital queue. Attempt to hitch the digital queue for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway the second the clock on time.gov hits 7 am or midday. These three easy steps can typically be the distinction between success and failure!
In phrases of commentary, the large query amongst readers is probably going going to be why Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway on condition that it’s counterpoint at Walt Disney World by no means used one–regardless of opening only some months after Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
As a reminder, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance debuted with a digital queue throughout regular operations as a result of it was (and nonetheless is) extremely unreliable, inefficient, and liable to hour-plus breakdowns. It’s potential that Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway has a digital queue as a result of, like Rise of the Resistance, it’s unreliable and breaks down loads. I extremely doubt that. That wasn’t the case with the primary model of the attraction, so it’s unlikely to be true with the cloned copy.
Instead, let’s look to variations between the 2 incarnations. The apparent one for me is the “blessing of size” loved by the Disney’s Hollywood Studios model. Not within the conventional sense that’s typically touted by Walt Disney World followers, however particularly, for this one attraction.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is positioned on the finish of Hollywood Boulevard in DHS, in an enormous open courtyard. There is a ton of area for an prolonged queue, and on opening day manner again in March 2020, that line stretched again down the doorway road. (Since then, it has merely stuffed the ample courtyard area.)
By distinction, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is opening at Disneyland whereas the remainder of Toontown continues to be being reimagined. No one is aware of what meaning at this level–it might imply a hall of development partitions resulting in the attraction entrance. It might imply that there are Cast Members stationed on the Disneyland Railroad underpass and solely permitting friends with digital queue or Individual Lightning Lane reservations again into Toontown given the dearth of area.
Neither state of affairs would shock me. No matter what the state of affairs, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway can have considerably much less obtainable area for an prolonged queue at Disneyland. The trip’s recognition might want to die down a bit earlier than it may well use a standby line.
The excellent news is that the remainder of Mickey’s Toontown reopens on March 8, 2023. At that time, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway can have been open for over one month, so the preliminary surge of locals must be beginning to die down and the land ought to have extra obtainable area.
I wouldn’t anticipate the digital queue for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway to be retired on or across the time Mickey’s Toontown reopens, because it’ll see a second-wind of recognition then. However, after the Spring Break crowds subside (so round April 17, 2023) the tip of the digital queue appears extremely seemingly. Who is aware of, although. I additionally don’t assume Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind has “needed” a digital queue since about final August, and but it nonetheless has one.
It’ll be extra attention-grabbing to see how lengthy Individual Lightning Lane entry sticks round at Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. It’s already gone at Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure, which doesn’t have a clone within the United States.
However, the doubtless key distinction is that Disney California Adventure has a lot much less Genie+ Lightning Lane capability than Disneyland. So that change may be much less about ILL demand, and extra about Genie+ provide. As such, I’m not ready to make any bets or guesses about when Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will drop the ILL. It might final only some months, or a couple of years.
Ultimately, we’re barely upset by this information. Not that Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will probably be an Individual Lightning Lane attraction–that really doesn’t trouble me all that a lot regardless that we by no means purchase ILLs. More in order that it’ll use a digital queue. While we’ve gotten good at gaming the boarding group course of (and have “speed strategy” recommendation so you possibly can obtain comparable success), my private hope was for a standby queue.
Having a standby line is the extra guest-friendly strategy that ranges the enjoying area, is much less irritating, and leads to fewer complaints. Then once more, if it finally ends up being something like Cosmic Rewind, the afternoon drop will turn into very simple more often than not. That’s equally a high-capacity and environment friendly attraction, and the VQ there has principally turn into a “free” trip reservation. So maybe the Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway digital queue will probably be a internet constructive for many friends as soon as the preliminary rush subsides!
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site inns in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of different locations!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you trying ahead to Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway? What are your ideas on the digital queue? Worried that that is going to be frequent for future points of interest, or agree that it’s seemingly a short lived factor ensuing from development partitions in Toontown? Are you planning a go to to Disneyland Resort for the opening of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and kick-off of the Disney100 Celebration, or will you wait till later? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? Hearing your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!