Mickey Mouse popped out of my mind onto a drawing pad 20 years ago on a train ride from Manhattan to Hollywood at a time when business fortunes of my brother Roy and myself were at lowest ebb and disaster seemed right around the corner.
Trains have been a part of the Disney experience from almost the inception of the company. That is evident as you approach The Magic Kingdom. You can hear the wonderful engine before you even enter the park, and the Main St. Railroad Station sits prominently above the entryway.
The ride is a circuitous route (about a mile and a half) around the entire park with stops in Frontierland and at Mickey’s Toontown Fair, although we usually ride all the way around. On the route you get a different perspective on the topology of the park and can even sneak a peak behind the scenes of the park.
The four trains in use at the park are:
- The Lilly Belle
- The Roy O. Disney
- The Walter E. Disney
- The Roger E. Broggie
Although these trains were all built domestically, they were discovered in the Yucatan Peninsula hauling freight. Brought back to the states, they were tenderly refurbished and placed into service, here at Walt Disney World.