The Walt Disney World Railroad has recently returned. There is something intrinsically comforting about hearing the whistle of the authentic steam locomotives once again circling the Magic Kingdom. The Railroad closed in December of 2018, with the construction of Tron forthcoming. It allowed time for the trains to be refurbished and much of the track to be replaced entirely.
Like many others, I took the trains for granted and didn’t realize how much I would miss just hearing them, even from across the Seven Seas Lagoon. You could hear that delightful familiar train chugging along, bringing guests to and fro.
Knowing that these are still the original steam engine locomotives warms my heart. I feared we might lose them to something more generic. The solid iron parts are certainly not easily manufactured should they need replacing, and less and less companies are equipped to fabricate new parts.
With the refurbishment also comes a new spiel with familiar voice giving the narration around the park with stops at Main Street USA, Frontierland, and Fantasyland before returning back to Main Street.
Even if you just catch a ride, without needing transportation, count this as another attraction on your next visit. It’s nostalgia at its very best, alive and well in the Magic Kingdom. Here is a video of my most recent trip around the Magic Kingdom, via train, of course.
