Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Walt Disney World may rank really high in Disney ride reviews, but how scary might it be – and what exactly might you be afraid of?
What was originally touted as the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history, “New Fantasyland” welcomed Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. And along with it, plenty of new and interesting detailed environments that brought extra life to Magic Kingdom.
More than a decade after it first opened, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train still sees high wait times. In fact, it's consistently a ride we recommend that you either need to rope drop or purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass for. To many guests, it's simply a must-do ride. But what exactly might make it a scary ride?
We've ridden Seven Dwarfs Mine Train plenty of times and understand the ins and outs of it like the back of our hands.
This is why we at MickeyVisit put together this comprehensive ride review of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train so you have a clear idea of what to expect when riding it.
In an effort to clearly define just how scary a ride is, we developed an ultra-scientific backed-by-research rating system.
We call it the Mickey Visit Ride Rating System – MVRRS for short (pretty clever, huh?)
The MVRRS goes as follows:
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is arguably one of the most beautiful attractions in all of Magic Kingdom.
Built into a mountain that forms the heart of New Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train takes you through a lush forest, past detailed rockwork, and into the gem mine full of our favorite dwarfs from Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Your ride – in what looks like hand-carved wooden carts – even gives you a little surprise every time you go through each turn.
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If you're willing to wait in the standby queue, you and your kiddos will be in for a treat.
Both the standby queue and Lightning Lane queue start just under the sign for the ride, directly across from The Friar's Nook and Storybook Treats. However, often times the standby queue can extend far beyond the ride's entrance. In fact, it's known to snake behind the ride and toward Storybook Circus.
While the first half of the standby queue is outdoors and in the Florida heat, the Lightning Lane queue quickly enters indoors and out of the sun. The merge points for the Lightning Lane queue and standby queue happen shortly before boarding your ride vehicle.
Here's where the standby queue may be more worth your time though.
At first glance, the ride vehicle for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train seems like a typical roller coaster ride vehicle made to look like a mine train.
Once you make your way to the front of the queue, a Cast Member will direct you to your designated seating area. Each mine car seats 4 guests – 2 in the front row and 2 in the back row, with 5 mine cars making up 1 train.
Yes, you're seated in a traditional roller coaster vehicle with your feet touching the ground, the sides enclosed, and a handrail in front of you to hold onto. However, there's one aspect of the ride vehicle that makes it stand out among any other roller coaster you've ever ridden.
What makes the ride vehicle for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train so special is that it swings side-to-side. And while it doesn't swing excessively, how much it does swing depends on how your weight shifts with every turn of the ride.
This makes for an added thrill element to your overall experience!
Almost any guest who's ridden this roller coaster will tell you the same thing about their first experience riding it: it's surprisingly smooth.
After boarding your ride vehicle, you're whisked out of the mine and down a short, curving drop. You'll then climb a relatively small hill before going down a mild descent toward Diamond Pass.
You'll then re-enter the mine, where your mine car will slow down as you see the seven dwarfs happily singing their song and digging away. Then, your mine car will go up another peak that reaches even higher than the first before going down another mild descent back toward the mine and at your starting point.
Along the way, you'll go through several turns and bends that cause your mine cart to swing side to side. Even with this unique roller coaster feature, your entire ride experience is smooth from beginning to end, making it feel much gentler than you would expect.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train to this day is one of the smoothest roller coasters I've ridden.
Let's review the aspects of the ride that that make Seven Dwarfs Mine Train thrilling and add to its MVRRS rating:
Despite what many guests say about it being extremely short, here's why you need to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
Watch all the POV footage you like. This ride will still surprise you – in a good way. I still remember the first time I rode Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. One of my good friends told me all about it and what to expect. He even told me the details of the ride vehicle that swings side-to-side.
However, this is the type of ride that simply must be experienced in-person and not on the screen.
In all my anticipation of how thrilling this ride seemed, I expected something akin to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. What I got instead however was something much more gentle – yet just as fun. The extremely smooth ride paired with its short drops and sweeping turns made for a ride experience that allowed me extra mental space to enjoy the environment around me: the intricate rockwork, the lush forest, and the mine lit up by the gems the dwarfs were digging up.
To me, its the environment that surrounds me as I ride that makes me want to ride this roller coaster again and again.
So, how does our ride review of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train stack up against our MVRRS?
On my first-ever ride on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, I was pleasantly surprised by 3 things. First, the ride vehicle was extremely quite and smooth – smoother than any other roller coaster I've ever ridden. Second, the swinging motion of the ride vehicle added just enough thrill to my ride experience without increasing its scary factor. And finally, the ride's gentle drops and sweeping turns made what seemed like a high-speed thrill ride actually feel more like a moderately thrilling roller coaster.
In fact, in the grand scheme of roller coasters across Disney World, I'd put Seven Dwarfs Mine Train as one of the least-thrilling roller coasters at the Disney parks.
It doesn't have any big drops, loops, or inversions. It has a relatively low top speed. Its dark portion is lit up by beautiful gems as you slowly roll through it.
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Disney World Ride Review
In an effort to clearly define just how scary a ride is, we developed an ultra-scientific backed-by-research rating system.
We call it the Mickey Visit Ride Rating System – MVRRS for short (pretty clever, huh?)
The MVRRS goes as follows:
- Wimp Proof: Not scary at all
- Wimp Proof-ish: Seems scary at first, but after, you feel it's nothing to worry about
- Scary but Survivable: Moderately scary
- Scary: Definitely scary, but you'll be able to sleep at night
- Bravest Riders Only: The scariest ride you'll find in a theme park
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Ride Overview
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is arguably one of the most beautiful attractions in all of Magic Kingdom.
Built into a mountain that forms the heart of New Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train takes you through a lush forest, past detailed rockwork, and into the gem mine full of our favorite dwarfs from Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Your ride – in what looks like hand-carved wooden carts – even gives you a little surprise every time you go through each turn.
One of the unique features of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is that at first glance, it seems so well hidden from the rest of New Fantasyland. Walking by, you may first notice the forest next to you. But before you know it, you'll hear the roar of the mine cars zooming by you, along with the screams of guests.
Here’s some important information to review before riding TRON Lightcycle / Run:
- Access: Lightning Lane Single Pass, Rider Switch
- Height Requirements: Guests must be at least 38″ (97cm)
- Highest Speed: 34mph
- Length: 2.5 minutes
- Big Drops: 0
- Loops: 0
- Other Features: Swaying ride vehicles (more on this below)
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Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Ride Queue: What You Need to Know
If you're willing to wait in the standby queue, you and your kiddos will be in for a treat.
Both the standby queue and Lightning Lane queue start just under the sign for the ride, directly across from The Friar's Nook and Storybook Treats. However, often times the standby queue can extend far beyond the ride's entrance. In fact, it's known to snake behind the ride and toward Storybook Circus.
While the first half of the standby queue is outdoors and in the Florida heat, the Lightning Lane queue quickly enters indoors and out of the sun. The merge points for the Lightning Lane queue and standby queue happen shortly before boarding your ride vehicle.
Here's where the standby queue may be more worth your time though.
Once you enter the Vault, you and your kiddos will have the chance to play with several interactive queue elements. This includes 12 barrel spigots that make music when you run your hands under them, much like Journey of Water Inspired by Moana. It also includes barrels overflowing with gems that you can spin and project an image of one of the dwarfs.
Hint: If you and 6 other guests spin the barrels at the same time, Snow White appears with the dwarfs!
Lastly, it's important to note that there are 2 chicken available should you choose to skip the ride. The first is at the boarding area, where you can ask a Cast Member to walk straight to the exit. The second isn't the most convenient: if you decide to sit this ride out while in the queue, you can simply turn around and walk back out the way you entered.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Ride Vehicle Information
At first glance, the ride vehicle for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train seems like a typical roller coaster ride vehicle made to look like a mine train.
Once you make your way to the front of the queue, a Cast Member will direct you to your designated seating area. Each mine car seats 4 guests – 2 in the front row and 2 in the back row, with 5 mine cars making up 1 train.
Yes, you're seated in a traditional roller coaster vehicle with your feet touching the ground, the sides enclosed, and a handrail in front of you to hold onto. However, there's one aspect of the ride vehicle that makes it stand out among any other roller coaster you've ever ridden.
What makes the ride vehicle for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train so special is that it swings side-to-side. And while it doesn't swing excessively, how much it does swing depends on how your weight shifts with every turn of the ride.
This makes for an added thrill element to your overall experience!
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train: Ride Experience
Almost any guest who's ridden this roller coaster will tell you the same thing about their first experience riding it: it's surprisingly smooth.
After boarding your ride vehicle, you're whisked out of the mine and down a short, curving drop. You'll then climb a relatively small hill before going down a mild descent toward Diamond Pass.
You'll then re-enter the mine, where your mine car will slow down as you see the seven dwarfs happily singing their song and digging away. Then, your mine car will go up another peak that reaches even higher than the first before going down another mild descent back toward the mine and at your starting point.
Along the way, you'll go through several turns and bends that cause your mine cart to swing side to side. Even with this unique roller coaster feature, your entire ride experience is smooth from beginning to end, making it feel much gentler than you would expect.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train to this day is one of the smoothest roller coasters I've ridden.
Let's review the aspects of the ride that that make Seven Dwarfs Mine Train thrilling and add to its MVRRS rating:
- Ride Vehicle: The side-to-side swinging of your vehicle adds an extra factor of thrill to your entire ride experience
- Speed: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train reaches a top speed of 34 mph, making it slightly slower than Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and significantly faster than Space Mountain
- Height: The highest drop on this ride is 39 ft. This is less than half the height of the drop on Expedition Everest and about 10 feet shorter than the drop on Slinky Dog Dash. And unlike Slinky Dog Dash whose ride track isn't covered, much of the surrounding ride track on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is covered, making you feel even closer to the ground than you really are
- Sweeping Banks: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train has several sweeping banks that cause your ride vehicle to swing side-to-side. However, each turn isn't sharp, adding to the smooth ride experience
- Dark Portions: While there is a dark portion to the ride, much of it is lit up by all the shiny gems the dwarfs are mining. Additionally, you're traveling much slower through the dark portion of the ride, making it more gentle and less thrilling
- Audio Effects: While you can hear the sound of the dwarfs singing their work song in the mine, there are no sound effects throughout the ride. However, it's important to note that the ride itself, while smooth, is also very quiet
- Length: At 2.5 minutes, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is about 15 seconds slower than Peter Pan's Flight, about 1.5 minute faster than Barnstormer, and about the same length as Space Mountain
- Night-Time Experience: Much like Incredicoaster at Disney California Adventure, at night, this ride is a whole different experience from start to finish. This is especially true if you time your ride at the same time the nighttime spectacular fireworks go off!
Favorite Moment of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Despite what many guests say about it being extremely short, here's why you need to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
Watch all the POV footage you like. This ride will still surprise you – in a good way. I still remember the first time I rode Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. One of my good friends told me all about it and what to expect. He even told me the details of the ride vehicle that swings side-to-side.
However, this is the type of ride that simply must be experienced in-person and not on the screen.
In all my anticipation of how thrilling this ride seemed, I expected something akin to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. What I got instead however was something much more gentle – yet just as fun. The extremely smooth ride paired with its short drops and sweeping turns made for a ride experience that allowed me extra mental space to enjoy the environment around me: the intricate rockwork, the lush forest, and the mine lit up by the gems the dwarfs were digging up.
To me, its the environment that surrounds me as I ride that makes me want to ride this roller coaster again and again.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train: Scary Verdict
So, how does our ride review of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train stack up against our MVRRS?
MVRRS VERDICT: Wimp Proof-ish: Seems scary at first, but after, you feel it's nothing to worry about
Sure, there are certainly a few thrilling and scary elements that may detract you from experiencing this ride. However, even guests who are motion sick will likely be okay riding Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.In the end, if you or your kiddos are looking to dip your toes into roller coasters at Disney World, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train should be close to the top of your list.
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Is the 7 dwarfs mine train worth the wait?
Although we highly recommend this ride, we believe that 7 dwarfs mine train is worth the wait as long as the standby queue is shorter than 60 minutes. If the standby queue is longer than 60 minutes, we highly suggest utilizing Lightning Lane Single Pass to make your day at Magic Kingdom worth your time.
Is Seven Dwarfs Mine Train a rough ride?
Despite its sweeping turns and swaying ride vehicle, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train isn’t a rough ride. In fact, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is one of the smoothest roller coaster experiences I’ve ridden to date.
How intense is Seven Dwarfs Mine Train?
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is not as nearly intense as other roller coaster rides such as TRON Lightcycle / Run or Guardians of the Galaxy – Cosmic Rewind. This is because Seven Dwarfs Mine has a top speed of only 34mph (much lower than other thrill rides at Disney World), it doesn’t have any steep or tall drops, and it doesn’t has any sharp turns.
How long is the 7 dwarfs mine train ride?
The 7 dwarfs mine train ride is 2.5 minutes. Compared to other rides at Disney World, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is about 15 seconds slower than Peter Pan's Flight, about 1.5 minute faster than Barnstormer, and about the same length as Space MountainPlanning a Disney Vacation? Get Exclusive Discounts + Free Bonuses
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