Say a final farewell to one of Disney California Adventure’s most underappreciated attractions. Join us as The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland waves goodbye to Buena Vista Street’s Red Car Trolley.
On February 8, the Red Car Trolley will take its final trips around Disney California Adventure before permanently closing. The trolleys were once a keystone element of the extreme makeover that rethemed DCA’s original entrance plaza at the vintage 1920s-era Buena Vista Street. The trolley’s route was shortened when Avengers Campus was first created; now it is ceasing service so that the popular area can expand with two additional rides.
Much like the vintage vehicles that still travel up and down Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Park, the slow-moving trolley cars added visual interest to DCA’s entrance area, but they didn’t provide much entertainment value.
Modeled after the Pacific Electric Railway that served the Los Angeles area in the 1920s and 1930s (as seen in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?), the eco-friendly battery-powered trolleys boasted authentic details such as narrating conductors, who shared historical tidbits during your travels, and retro-style interior advertisements.
More transportation than attraction, the Red Car Trolleys ferried guests on a one-way trip between Buena Vista Street near the park entrance and the Hyperion Theater (or back the other way), making stops in Carthay Circle and Hollywood Land along the way.
It is usually faster to walk the route than to wait for the next Red Car Trolley, but if you wish to experience this nostalgic transportation before it goes away, do so in the morning. Hop on at the station near the Hyperion; it should be less crowded than the station near the park entrance.
If you miss your chance to take one last trip aboard the Red Car Trolley before February 8, or just want to relive your memories of the ride, take a virtual voyage up Buena Vista Street with this 4K POV video:
Will you miss the Red Car Trolley, or are you excited for it to make way for more Avengers attractions? Let us know in the comments below!
For all there is to see and do at Disneyland, check out The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland by Seth Kubersky with Bob Sehlinger, Len Testa, and Guy Selga Jr. All Disneyland fans should also check out The Disneyland Story: The Unofficial Guide to the Evolution of Walt Disney’s Dream by Sam Gennawey.
