Attraction Spotlight: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a family-friendly coaster located in Disney’s Magic Kingdom near Orlando. The attraction opened in May 2014 as part of the final phase of the Fantasyland expansion of Disney World’s first theme park. Today’s post takes a closer look at the popular (and fun!) Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

History

Let’s start with a little history. As you probably guessed from the title, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is based on Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Rather than showcasing Disney’s first princess, however, this particular attraction focuses on the gem mine where Snow White’s famous sidekicks spend their working hours.

It wasn’t a completely new idea for Magic Kingdom. Another Snow White-based attraction, Snow White Adventures, opened with Magic Kingdom in October 1971. This attraction was a classic “dark ride” that also featured mine cars and at least a glimpse of the dwarfs’ mine. Guests boarded slow moving cars that glided through frightful scenes from Disney’s first full-length animated feature. The Evil Queen appeared in the ride numerous (too many?!?) times. Interestingly, Snow White did not. The idea was for guests to assume the role of Snow White themselves within the story of the ride, rather than observing her adventures from a distance.

Perhaps the effect worked too well? Disney reworked the ride in 1994 to soften the scariness a tad and add a lot more princess. Ironically, it also changed the name to Snow White’s Scary Adventures. This version remained in place for nearly twenty years.

In 2012, Disney closed Snow White’s Scary Adventures to make way for a Fantasyland expansion. The move added Be Our Guest, The Journey of the Little Mermaid and an expanded Dumbo the Flying Elephant. The building that used to house the Snow White attractions eventually reopened as Princess Fairytale Hall. Today this location serves as a meet ‘n greet setting for Cinderella and her royal friends.

When Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opened in the summer of 2014, it brought the Fantasyland project full circle. Guests once again boarded mine car vehicles to tour scenes from Disney’s classic film. Of course the animatronics are now impressively modernized and the slow-moving track has been replaced with a steel roller coaster, but the similarities within the rides are plentiful. Disney even incorporated a few props from the original attraction, such as the carved vulture sitting at the top of the first hill.

Queue

Speaking of hills, well at least in terms of roadblocks, the line for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is currently its biggest drawback. Nearly five years after opening, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is still the newest major attraction at Magic Kingdom and unquestionably the most popular. If you get a chance to grab a FastPass for the ride before arriving at Disney World, you should definitely do so. If you can’t or there aren’t any more available, take heart in knowing you can still enjoy a well-themed queue while you wait.

I never seem to remember to snap a picture of the exterior of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train line. Perhaps it’s because it’s typically wrapped around the corner? It does make for great shots of the impressive tree in front of The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh across the lane though. (shown above)

Fortunately, I did remember to take some pictures of the queue space itself. There are lots of details from the film to enjoy, as well as a few interesting interactive features too. A glowing gem game provides entertainment fairly early in the line. Spinning barrels that magically create dwarf images on the ceiling provide amusement closer to boarding. None of these features are available in the FastPass line, so perhaps there are a few perks with the longer wait.

Ride

The ride itself is fun too. It’s definitely a family-coaster, in terms of limited drops and slower speed (35 MPH), but the gentle swaying motion of the cars on the track adds a little something extra. I would place it above the Barnstormer and below Thunder Mountain in terms of overall thrills. Guests are treated to views of the mine, the dwarf’s adorable cottage and the Evil Queen disguised as a fruit-bearing witch. The ride is a little short (2.5 minutes!) to justify super long waits, but the digital animatronics, classic music (Heigh Ho!) and unique views of surrounding Fantasyland certainly add to the fun.

It’s also a great attraction to ride after dark, for a totally different feel. Sometimes the lines drop off a bit during the evening fireworks too.

On-ride Video

One of the best features of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, in my opinion, is the attraction’s awesome on-ride video. Seven Dwarfs is one of only two attractions at Disney World to offer a full-video of your ride experience. The second is the thrilling, but WAY less family-friendly Tower of Terror. Both videos provide a chance to relive part of your Disney World experience long after you leave the parks.

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train video begins with an opening shot of the track. Then it pauses a few moments to watch the dwarfs working in the mine. After these scenes, it continues with two separate slow-motion segments of your specific mine car as it drops and twists its way around the mountain. It’s great fun and perfectly done. If you’re wearing a Magic Band, the video even shows up in your My Disney Experience account automatically. I’ve included an example above.

Closing Thoughts

So I should probably stop watching the video and wrap this up. I hope you enjoyed this brief look at Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Overall, it’s a well-themed, family-friendly coaster that continues a long history of Snow White-themed attractions at Disney World. It’s a popular one too, still drawing long lines nearly five years after its opening.

If you’re headed to Disney World, you should definitely try to experience this little gem. If you’re not, well, I hope this post provided a little fun to wherever your adventures take you today.

Add a little magic to your world!