Construction is “on track” for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, with the latest addition springing up overnight at Mickey’s Toontown in Disneyland.
Construction walls now surround the Toontown Five & Dime and Gag Factory shop, which will be transformed into the El CapiTOON Theater entrance and exit to the new attraction.
The walls extend all the way to the bandstand and seating areas for Pluto’s Dog House and Clarabelle’s, which are temporarily closed.
Sadly, it looks like the gags ahead are no more as a new era dawns in Toontown. Below, you can see concept art of the theater’s exterior.
While inside the queue of the El CapiTOON, guests will see a display of props, courtesy of the Toontown Hysterical Society, before they attend the world premiere of the Mickey & Minnie Mouse short “Perfect Picnic.” And if you’re familiar with the Walt Disney World incarnation of the attraction, you’ll know things may not go exactly as planned.
While Disneyland has remained closed to guests for over a year before its reopening today, work on the new ride has progressed steadily. The massive show building is visible from the Toontown skyline, prompting a humorous sign to be draped over the exterior, firmly declaring that “There’s NO big building here!”
Having been delayed from its initially planned 2022 opening due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is expected to open at Disneyland in 2023.
Keep reading WDWNT and Disneyland News Today for more coverage of the ongoing construction!
Why does everyone keep saying that Gag factory is being replaced, but not the town hall? It would make much more sense for the entrance to be where town hall is.
It’s not going where the Town Hall is.
Two things relating to the MASSIVE building, which is #1 judging from the concept art, it looks like toonish mountains will cover most of the huge building. This is what Disney has been doing successfully with mountains that hide things behind Radiator Springs, Batuu, and all the other new attractions throughout the Disney Parks universe. Of course these mountains here are more two dimensional like an old-fashion toon. #2 I also noticed, in the interior concept art, a doorway labeled “Cinemas 1-4” which leads me to believe that there is another door on the opposite side leading to other “Cinemas” like a common multiplex. These possible multi entrances make me guess that there is a mirror train ride experience to accommodate twice as many guests, thus the massive building. Anybody agree or disagree?
There is not two rides, it’s just the one. They also haven’t covered every show building in the last few years, i.e. Guardians of the Galaxy or TRON.