Large Scale Central

Disneyworld Behind the Scene Steam Train tour

General Discussion
#1

I had the chance to take the behind the scene train tour at Disneyworld. The tour has to be booked in advance. There is an extra charge, and you have to pay for admission to the Magic Kingdom. The tour ordinarily begins two hours before the park opens at 9:00am . However, they had an early 8:00am opening this particular day, so they made some changes to the tour to accommodate this. The web-site tells you photos are not allowed. This turned out to be untrue. Fortunately I had brought my camera. Some others hadn’t. A voice recorder would have been nice to have. I don’t know if they would allow it. The tour is 3 hours, and the tour guide is talking the entire time. Tons of information…and no notes for reference =( I’m not even going to try and repeat all that information here. A Monorail waiting to begin the day.

A rare view of the Magic Kingdom entrance. Pictured is Jonathon Nasta. Jonathon is a Disney “cast member” and booked the tour for my wonderful daughter, Jessica, for my Father’s Day gift. She really is wonderful, as my wife always tells her she is just like her father :wink:

The Walter E. Disney

An almost empty Main Street.

Back side of the Main Street Station.

Our excellent Tour Guide, Heather. Heather is an engineer as well as Tour Guide and Trainer.

Arriving at the Disney Roundhouse aboard the Walter E. Disney. It is referred to as the Roundhouse. Monorails are upstairs. Even though they share a building, they are totally different departments. The Steam Trains are considered an amusement ride. The Monorails are considered transportation.

After we unloaded from the W.E.Disney they backed it into the roundhouse. I shot some video of that. I’ll post it later when I have time.

Some pictures of the Roy O. Disney. I would be really surprised if this wasn’t the prototype for Bachmann’s 4-4-0 American. The size and everything else looks right.

Tender mounted turbine generator.

Automatic oiler.

Ok, it’s break time. More pictures to come, and maybe a video or two. Ralph

#2

Ralph,

We also had a chance to do that tour a number of years ago. I would highly recommend it. It was very good.

#3

Do they offer this tour at Dizzyland in Anahiem? I know they had something like this at Knott’s but my understanding is that it was discontinued.

#4

Victor, I don’t see the tour on the web-site.
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/tours/

It’s possible one of the other tours includes the trains.
I was told the concept of Disneyland started with the trains.
Hard to believe they wouldn’t be covered in one of the tours.
Ralph

#5

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-zkhHqxIjo[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrKeoPWTAGA[/youtube]

There are several more up on YouTube.
I tried to upload all six videos to my Facebook. Several were “removed” by Facebook.
Didn’t add any background music. So I have to wonder why they were removed.
Ralph

#6

As promised, more pictures. More shots of the Roy O. Disney. The builder plate is cast from the original, which Disney still has. They also have a significant parts supply that was purchased with the engines in Mexico.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/Florida2011289Med.JPG)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/Florida2011290Med.JPG)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/Florida2011292Med.JPG)

After the tour I rode the train several time scouting for picture locations. There are very few locations where the train is visible from the Magic Kingdom. So I was limited to mostly shooting at the stations.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/Florida2011308Med.JPG)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/Florida2011339Med.JPG)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/Florida2011340Med.JPG)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/Florida2011341Med.JPG)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/Florida2011342Med.JPG)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/Florida2011345Med.JPG)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/Florida2011353Med.JPG)

And a few more pictures of the Monorail.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/Florida2011356Med.JPG)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/Florida2011362Med.JPG)

#7

Excellent report, Ralph…you get an A+ for that one!!
And the pix are great, too!

Yea, about the only spots to get pix of the train are at the stations. Mickey’s ToonTown was the best spot since it was all open around it, but I’m not sure ToonTown is even there anymore. And Main Street Station from outside the park was a good spot too.

#8

Another nice railfanning trip, Ralph. Give the daughter 2 points for this one. :slight_smile:

#9

Man, someone puts a lot of love, talent, and diligence, into those.

#10

A few more short videos.
Ralph

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Yg_aspK_m4&feature=related[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAxdz3V1Usw&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa3aMQ4MYFo&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL[/youtube]

#11

Hi Ralph:

Thank you for posting the photos.

Cinderella’s Castle at the end of Main Street USA is a wonderful work of art. The castle and all the buildings along Main Street USA are of a forced compression design so that the structures appear taller than they actually are. On one year’s visit, Cinderella’s Castle was tented over to look as a birthday cake. Major blunder as the castle no longer appeared to be as tall as before as the forced compression illusion was gone. The castle appeared far shorter.

The Grand Floridean Hotel of Victorian architecture was also very interesting.

The Disney World locos were actually of the modern 1900’s design when purchased and were quite ugly at that. The Disney Imagineers did a magnificent job of back dating the locos to the 1800’s design “look”. One Disney World locomotive engineer explained to me that the cabs are of fibreglass due to termite infestations! Strange to see the steam dome whistle feed coming off the side of the steam dome.

For folks who have not yet visited Disney World: eat well prior to attending the Park as the food prices are insane. Last time I visited the cost of a cheap hambuger was 12.00 ! I skipped lunch and supper and later ate at a restaurant near my hotel.

Disney World is a wonderful place to visit with the locomotives being the main attraction for myself. Last time the crowds were so dense I simply rode the train around the park all day!

Norman

#12

Victor - no DLR version at present. (Though, some day perhaps. It has been discussed many times.)

Norman - the design philosophy you are thinking of is called “forced perspective”

#13

Those engines look like they’re a lot bigger than the ones at Disneyland.

#14

They are Ray… 1 and 2 at Disneyland we’re built in house at Disney, and not full scale. 3-5 were purchased based in part on their diminutive size. The WDW engines dwarf their California sisters.

#15
Ray Dunakin said:
Those engines look like they're a lot bigger than the ones at Disneyland.
The trains at Disneyland are 5/8ths scale. The trains at Disney World are full size narrow gauge locomotives. Ralph
#16
Norman Bourgault said:
Hi Ralph:

Thank you for posting the photos.

Cinderella’s Castle at the end of Main Street USA is a wonderful work of art. The castle and all the buildings along Main Street USA are of a forced compression design so that the structures appear taller than they actually are. On one year’s visit, Cinderella’s Castle was tented over to look as a birthday cake. Major blunder as the castle no longer appeared to be as tall as before as the forced compression illusion was gone. The castle appeared far shorter.

The Grand Floridean Hotel of Victorian architecture was also very interesting.

The Disney World locos were actually of the modern 1900’s design when purchased and were quite ugly at that. The Disney Imagineers did a magnificent job of back dating the locos to the 1800’s design “look”. One Disney World locomotive engineer explained to me that the cabs are of fibreglass due to termite infestations! Strange to see the steam dome whistle feed coming off the side of the steam dome.

For folks who have not yet visited Disney World: eat well prior to attending the Park as the food prices are insane. Last time I visited the cost of a cheap hambuger was 12.00 ! I skipped lunch and supper and later ate at a restaurant near my hotel.

Disney World is a wonderful place to visit with the locomotives being the main attraction for myself. Last time the crowds were so dense I simply rode the train around the park all day!

Norman


If I 'm eating inside Dizzyland, I’m eating at the Blue Bayou :wink:

Can’t talk about Dizzyworld but one great way to beat some of those food prices at Dizzyland is to get your hand stamped and go just outside the park to Downtown Disney, they have several very good restaruants that have decent prices and good food, the Monorail can drop you off then take you back, beats the $12 dryburger anyday. If you dont mind walking there are a lot of restaraunts just outside the park property but we’ve always eaten at Downtown Dizzy.

Hmmm all this talk is making me think maybe its time to plan another trip, but I’m planning to go the Knott’s sometime this summer, just to see how different it is from my memories as a kid. Some people have thier childhood memories at Dizzyworld, but for me it was Knotts, it was closer, cheaper and for a train obsessed western obsessed kid like me, way way better than Uncle Walts place with all those silly stuffed animals :wink:

I recently picked up one of those Images of America pocketbooks on early Knott’s and I realized between the ghost town steam train and the mine ride THAT is where I got my love for narrow gauge steam and little tiny trains, kinda shows in my layouts when I realize’d that.

#17
Victor Smith said:
Norman Bourgault said:
Hi Ralph:

Thank you for posting the photos.

Cinderella’s Castle at the end of Main Street USA is a wonderful work of art. The castle and all the buildings along Main Street USA are of a forced compression design so that the structures appear taller than they actually are. On one year’s visit, Cinderella’s Castle was tented over to look as a birthday cake. Major blunder as the castle no longer appeared to be as tall as before as the forced compression illusion was gone. The castle appeared far shorter.

The Grand Floridean Hotel of Victorian architecture was also very interesting.

The Disney World locos were actually of the modern 1900’s design when purchased and were quite ugly at that. The Disney Imagineers did a magnificent job of back dating the locos to the 1800’s design “look”. One Disney World locomotive engineer explained to me that the cabs are of fibreglass due to termite infestations! Strange to see the steam dome whistle feed coming off the side of the steam dome.

For folks who have not yet visited Disney World: eat well prior to attending the Park as the food prices are insane. Last time I visited the cost of a cheap hambuger was 12.00 ! I skipped lunch and supper and later ate at a restaurant near my hotel.

Disney World is a wonderful place to visit with the locomotives being the main attraction for myself. Last time the crowds were so dense I simply rode the train around the park all day!

Norman


If I 'm eating inside Dizzyland, I’m eating at the Blue Bayou :wink:

Can’t talk about Dizzyworld but one great way to beat some of those food prices at Dizzyland is to get your hand stamped and go just outside the park to Downtown Disney, they have several very good restaruants that have decent prices and good food, the Monorail can drop you off then take you back, beats the $12 dryburger anyday. If you dont mind walking there are a lot of restaraunts just outside the park property but we’ve always eaten at Downtown Dizzy.

Hmmm all this talk is making me think maybe its time to plan another trip, but I’m planning to go the Knott’s sometime this summer, just to see how different it is from my memories as a kid. Some people have thier childhood memories at Dizzyworld, but for me it was Knotts, it was closer, cheaper and for a train obsessed western obsessed kid like me, way way better than Uncle Walts place with all those silly stuffed animals :wink:

I recently picked up one of those Images of America pocketbooks on early Knott’s and I realized between the ghost town steam train and the mine ride THAT is where I got my love for narrow gauge steam and little tiny trains, kinda shows in my layouts when I realize’d that.


Definately the Blue Bayou for food.

Vic,

Knott’s was where I first got my taste of small, narrow gauge locos and Colorado NG rolling stock, as a kid…very early fifties in my case.

#18

Gary I suspect ALOT of us west coasters got our first tastes of NG steam at Knotts or Dizzyland :smiley:

#19

Toon Town is still there, at least it was last year.

I remember going to Epcot for a tour before they opened. They told us they didnt want picture because many of the plants in the park are replaced every night, and some had yet to be placed and they didnt want pictures taken of an incomplete park.

I had to laugh, when I was in WDW last year, my wife got mad at me because I kept wanting to ride the train. I remember a particular good picture taking spot of the train crossing a wood bridge over Adventure land near the Log ride. I’ll have to search for a picture, I know I took a few.

#20

Toon Town is closed and being rebuilt into something else.
There were a few places in Toon Town to photograph the trains.
But they’re gone for now.
Ralph

Toon Town is behind the construction fence. The station is closed and they are building a new station.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXTchU_u3Qc[/youtube]