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After a four-year closure due to the construction of TRON Lightcycle / Run, the Walt Disney World Railroad has officially returned to the Magic Kingdom!
Guests at the Walt Disney World Resort have been able to ride this classic attraction once again since December 23, 2022, giving them the opportunity to experience a trip around the Disney Park on the newly restored locomotives and through the TRON tunnel for the first time.
Credit: Disney
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When Disney announced that the train would return, the Resort’s official update included a note about a new conductor, and we are excited to introduce you to Walt Disney World Railroad, Cast Member since 1995, John.
John’s career in the Magic Kingdom began 28 years ago when he worked on the Walt Disney World Railroad. Coming from a familial legacy in the railroad industry, with his grandfather and even his great-grandfather working as engineers on steam trains, his family was thrilled when he began to work in the Most Magical Place on Earth.
Credit: Disney
“My grandma was so tickled that I was working on the railroad just like my grandfathers,” John shared with the Disney Parks Blog, “They love to tell the story that when I was born, my grandfather was on the train and blew his whistle nonstop when he found out he was having a grandson.”
Along with his grandfathers who had sadly passed away by the time John began working on the Walt Disney World Railroad, the new conductor felt a connection to Walt Disney who shared his family’s passion for trains.
Credit: Disney
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Today, John is thrilled to oversee the Walt Disney World Railroad and work on the very important task of keeping these historic trains running for years to come from Main Street, U.S.A. and around the rest of the Disney Park.
Like the rest of the nostalgia that would come along with working in the Magic Kingdom, John has shared his excitement for seeing his family and other Guests of all ages continue to enjoy Walt’s legacy now that the Railroad is back in action.
The train is an opening day attraction that first took off from Main Street, U.S.A. on October 1, 1971, so it is only fitting that the attraction was able to return during Walt Disney World’s 50th-anniversary celebration. Be sure to hop aboard the Walt Disney World Railroad during your next trip to the Magic Kingdom, and keep an eye out for the new experience of traveling through the TRON site for the first time!
