Given the complexity of planning and then building a new attraction in the midst of a park that is open to the public 365 days a year, the entire production process is lengthy. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train has been in development for quite some time, increasing anticipation for its opening until it had reached a fever pitch. Today, the attraction officially opened to the public, bringing in large crowds excited to see the completion of New Fantasyland, the largest expansion in the history of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom park!

Although the ride has been in soft opening since Friday, during Disney’s 24-hour Rock Your Disney Side party at Magic Kingdom, the announced opening date was today, so many made plans to be in attendance. The attraction combines the thrill of a coaster with the beautiful visuals of a dark ride, providing something for everyone. The ride was always planned to be enjoyed by the whole family, so although the coaster aspect is not what you would expect from Space Mountain, it is enough to entertain adults and children alike.





It's a VERY busy morning @WaltDisneyWorld Magic Kingdom for the official opening day of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train! pic.twitter.com/vee0wHroNe — Theme Park Review (@ThemeParkReview) May 28, 2014

The larger crowds were apparent from the gates of the park:

While the dedication for the attraction was held earlier this month, the grand opening ceremony was led by the Magic Kingdom Vice President Phil Holmes and Orlando Magic players Tobias Harris and Victor Oladipo:

The basketball players along with members of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Florida were the first to ride the attraction today:

After the ride was opened to the public, there was already a huge crowd waiting for the opportunity to enjoy the ride on opening day, with waiting time quickly climbing to 90-minutes:

Line for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train @WaltDisneyWorld goes back to Dumbo! Sign posed at 90 minutes. pic.twitter.com/yBDO8HSPNg — Theme Park Review (@ThemeParkReview) May 28, 2014

The exterior of the attraction, which is one of the few that guests can actually walk completely around, was wrapped by the line, with the wait time reaching 3 hours. Still, many have reported that the expected waiting time was often longer than their actual waiting time (something we see from Disney frequently):

Mine Train standby line wrap clear around the Dwarfs mountain and keeps getting longer #magickingdom pic.twitter.com/wr7nPqx9Z8 — Deb Wills (@AllEarsDeb) May 28, 2014

It seems that the rapid loading time, just under 1,700 riders/hour (via Touring Plans), made the waiting time manageable after that. Later in the day, the ride has hovered around the 60-70 minute range, according to the My Disney Experience app. It is an undeniable hit, which looks to be an incredible addition to the park. Following the removal of the Snow White’s Scary Adventures attraction, it is great to see a new ride based on the classic, the first animated feature film from Disney.

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is now open at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World!