Walt Disney World Resort to Open Seven Dwarfs Mine Train May 28 (VIDEO)

At Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL, the Magic Kingdom’s New Fantasyland will get a notable new attraction when the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opens on May 28. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs announced the expansion at a media preview and dedication of the attraction, which completes New Fantasyland, the largest expansion in the history of the Magic Kingdom.

Calling the ride “the centerpiece of New Fantasyland,” Chris Beatty, WDI Creativity for the Mine Train said it was what Disney does best. “It’s a combination of an amazing rollercoaster experience, and also an amazing dark ride,” he said, adding that the new animatronics “set the bar” for the character-driven rides. Louise Murray of WDW Entertainment said that the team wanted to make sure the attraction told a story. “Guests keep coming back for more because there is so much to see,” she said, adding that the team was inspired by the developments at New Fantasyland when creating the ride. “The Mine Ride is new,” Beatty added, “but several elements in the cottage are from the original Snow White attraction. We can’t forget about Snow White--but we wanted to explore the other parts of the film” 

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The attraction uses a new ride system that lets the cars pivot back and forth during the twists, turns, rises and drops of the ride. Taking cues from the film, riders go through various locations in the storyline, including a mountain, a mine and the Dwarfs’ cottage (with Snow White visible inside).