Walt Disney World Railroad to Operate in ‘Shuttle Mode’ as Frontierland Station Closes July 7th

Walt Disney World Railroad Frontierland Station Closing on July 7th

Walt Disney World has confirmed upcoming operational adjustments for the iconic Walt Disney World Railroad at Magic Kingdom, coinciding with the significant Frontierland expansion. Beginning July 7th, the day after the Rivers of America attractions permanently close, the railroad’s Frontierland station will also close, and the trains will operate in a limited “shuttle mode.”

During this period, the Walt Disney World Railroad will not complete its traditional grand circle tour of the park. Instead, it will travel backward and forward on the track exclusively between the Fantasyland station (located in Storybook Circus) and the Main Street, U.S.A. station.

To enhance guest comfort during these altered operations, Disney Imagineers will be modifying some of the seating. A number of the train benches will be flipped to face in the opposite direction, accommodating guests who prefer not to face backwards relative to the train’s primary forward motion when it operates in reverse.

These changes are being implemented to facilitate the major construction involved in the Frontierland expansion. This ambitious project is set to transform the land currently occupied by the Rivers of America, the Liberty Square Riverboat, and Tom Sawyer Island, and will notably bring the popular “Cars” franchise to Magic Kingdom for the first time. The Frontierland railroad station itself had undergone a refurbishment recently as part of the area’s transition from Splash Mountain to the upcoming Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

By operating in “shuttle mode,” Disney aims to keep the beloved railroad accessible to guests for a portion of their Magic Kingdom visit, avoiding the kind of extended full closure experienced during the construction of TRON Lightcycle / Run. The Walt Disney World Railroad was famously closed for four years during that project, reopening in December 2022 after an extensive refurbishment which included track replacement.

Disney has not yet announced how long the railroad will operate in this shuttle mode, nor has an opening timeframe for the complete Frontierland expansion been detailed. Guests are advised to check the My Disney Experience app for the latest operational updates.

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