Several new palm trees have been planted outside Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, replacing older trees that had deteriorated around the attraction’s entrance.

Fresh Palm Trees Come to Runaway Railway

The fresh landscaping is positioned across the courtyard in front of the Chinese Theatre, including trees near the Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway marquee and standby entrance. The newly planted palms have fuller green fronds and noticeably healthier trunks than the trees previously occupying the area.

The replacements restore some symmetry to the theater’s forecourt while framing views of the Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway signage. The palms also complement the existing planters, sculpted shrubs, and Chinese guardian lion statues around the entrance.

Florida endured an unusually damaging series of cold spells during the 2025–2026 winter, beginning with a freeze in late December and continuing through several periods of severe cold in January and early February.

Temperatures fell below freezing across parts of Central Florida. The prolonged chill damaged tropical landscaping and crops across the state, with freeze injuries sometimes taking days or weeks to become fully visible. This latest landscaping change may be a result of that wintertime damage.

As you can see above, the trees that were there previously appeared heavily damaged or dead.

The work follows another recent landscaping news elsewhere at Walt Disney World. A rare kukui nut tree at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort was removed in late June after reportedly dying from damage sustained during unusually cold weather. The tree had stood near the Great Ceremonial House for nearly 30 years.

Have you noticed any other landscaping changes during recent visits to Walt Disney World? Let us know on social media.

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